Operation Autumn Return

Côte d'Ivoire

President Henri Konan Bédié on Christmas Eve 1999 led to the installation of military junta leader General Robert Guéï as president. Guéï lost the presidency in October 2000 elections to Laurent Gbagbo of the Ivorian Popular Front. Guéï refused to relinquish power, leading to street protests and Guéï's flight to Gouessesso near the border with Liberia. Guéï retained some political power and was included in a reconciliation forum in 2001, in which he agreed to refrain from undemocratic methods. Guéï withdrew from the forum agreement in September 2002 and on September 19, 2002, the Ivorian Civil War began. Guéï, his wife, and several members of his family, as well as interior minister Émile Boga Doudou

MC-130 Hercules transport aircraft deployed from England in direct support of U.S. Special Forces. Approximately 70 U.S. Special Operations soldiers conducted joint ground operations in and around Yamoussoukro, Korhogo, and Bouaké

Special Forces troops - taking advantage of having earlier conducted a lightly contested seizure of an airfield about 40 miles away from the school - safeguarded the school and escorted about 160 students (including 101 American children ages 6 to 18), plus 30 or more staff & their children - including some infants - 66 miles south to the capital of Yamoussoukro via a convoy of cars, trucks, and minibuses escorted by up-armored HUMVEE ^[1] to the secured airfield where they boarded U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft under heavy security for evacuation to Yamoussoukro and then on to Abidjan or Accra, Ghana. The refugees arrived safely late September 25 at a reception center in Yamoussoukro that officials at the U.S. embassy (based at Abidjan

Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal^[3]