In April 1996, Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) responded to a crisis in Liberia, where a civil war endangered Americans and other foreign nationals. The US deployed forces quickly to save lives, protect the American Embassy, and initiate a noncombatant evacuation operation. The only integrated force with its own airlift and strike force ready and available was SOCEUR. On 7 April 1996, Special Operations Forces (SOF) launched an MC-130H for Sierra Leone, the intermediate staging base for Operation Assured Response. Using MH-53J helicopters of the 20th SOS, SOCEUR sent SEALS and then Special Forces to provide security for the US Embassy and implement an orderly evacuation of Americans and third country nationals. AC-130Hs from the 16 SOS provided close air support, while MC-130s from the 7 and 8 SOS provided fixed-wing evacuation. At the close of the operation, SOF had evacuated 436 Americans and 1,677 foreign nationals.