After an hour on the ground , the helicopters left with the first 61 evacuees , including all American civilians and four heads of mission . Evacuees were provided blankets on one of the flights to remain warm . Complications with the only in @-@ flight refueling on the return nearly prevented refueling , which would have forced the helicopters to divert to the Somali desert and await a rescue . At 9 : 40 , the helicopters arrived on Guam and unloaded the evacuees .