Operation Eastern Exit was the codename given to the military evacuation of the United States embassy in Mogadishu , the capital of Somalia , in January 1991 . In late December 1990 , violence quickly enveloped the city as armed militants began clashing with government soldiers . On 1 January 1991 , the US Ambassador to Somalia , James Keough Bishop , contacted the Department of State requesting an evacuation of the embassy , which was approved the following day . United States Central Command began planning and mobilizing forces that evening . The initial plan was to evacuate with a military transport plane through the Mogadishu International Airport , but this was later abandoned . A helicopter evacuation via the USS Guam and USS Trenton was the remaining option .