Among this year’s candidates, one contender doesn’t need to study up on Tehran’s terror tactics—he lived through it firsthand when he was held captive by Iran for 444 days.
Kevin Hermening, a Republican from Wisconsin vying for a seat in the House, was merely a 20-year-old Marine senior sergeant when he was among the first 66 Americans captured by Iranian forces in November 1979.
In an attempt to fend off the Iranians, Hermening and his fellow servicemen deployed tear gas to prevent the breach of the U.S. embassy in Tehran.
“There were ten of us who managed to resist for an extra four hours, and during that period, we focused on destroying sensitive materials, documents, computer systems, and satellite gear,” recounted Hermening, now 66.
The situation turned dire when the Iranians presented them with State Department security officer Al Golacinski, who was restrained, blindfolded, and had a gas mask bag over his head.
“They had his hands secured behind him, surrounded by about 25 men armed with automatic weapons, and a noose was tightened around his neck,” Hermening remembered.
“And they threatened to throw his body out of the second story window and hang him to death if we didn’t open the door within 10 minutes,” he said.
At that point, he says, CIA station chief Thomas Ahern made the decision to open the vault where they were ensconced.
Hermening was in solitary confinement for 43 days, held in a 5×10 room, handcuffed and blindfolded at first.
His Iranian captors, who released 14 hostages within the first few weeks, didn’t believe Hermening was a Marine, because he was out of his military uniform when they stormed the building.
“They kept me separated because there was a long period of time where they didn’t believe that I was, ‘only a Marine security guard,’ ” he said.
One friend held captive saw his weight drop from 350 pounds to just 150 pounds during the ordeal. Another captive, Col. Charles Scott, “had three of his teeth busted off with rubber hoses during his interrogations.”
And the station chief, Ahern, spent an astonishing 425 days in solitary.
“It’s nearly impossible to imagine, because for me, after just 43 days in solitary following a failed escape attempt of mine, I was already going stir crazy,” he said.
Hermening noted that a roommate in captivity, Bill Keough — a civilian who had been superintendent of the American School in Tehran — gave guidance that set him on his current course.
“He always said when we get out: Pursue your education, get involved in your community, build a life of relevance. And I’ve never forgotten those words,” he recalled.
Hermening said he could probably recite “a pretty good listing of all of the individuals or groups of people who have been maimed or killed by the Iranian regime over the years.”
He ran through some of them: Robert Levinson, a former Drug Enforcement Agency and FBI employee who disappeared inside Iran in 2007, or the 220 Marines and 13 sailors and three Army soldiers killed in the attack on their barracks in Lebanon in 1983.
Yet he is hopeful for Iran’s future even with the turmoil of a decimated regime facing relentless attacks.
“Just like it was a great day for me when I was ultimately freed along with my colleagues, I think it’ll be a great day some day … that the Iranian people are able to pursue their version of a liberal democracy, or at least moving in that direction.”
His campaign website features President Trump, who on Thursday said he had to be involved in picking Iran’s new leader.
Hermening’s heroism hasn’t caught the president’s attention, however, as Trump has already endorsed Republican Michael Alfonso, 26, in the Aug. 11 primary.
“The president’s endorsement is important but it’s not like he’s the Supreme Leader, right?” said Hermening, who is among five Republicans vying to succeed Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), who is running for governor.
Alfonso is the son-in-law of Trump Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who previously held the seat. Trump said he “comes from a truly spectacular family” made up of “fierce advocates for our movement to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Hermening is less impressed.
“As a Marine, you’re taught to be ready on Day One — not someday. We are living in now even more serious times, and we’re not playing a video game over in Iran. We are dealing with issues of life and death and military preparedness.”
His job outside of politics — Hermening is a financial planner — is also getting shaken by the crisis in Iran. Financial markets have been battered by spikes in oil prices and fears of a wider war engulfing US allies.
Hermening said his clients are in good shape. He’s been shifting portfolios to include more international funds after selling off from Big Tech. “We’re pretty diversified as it is,” he said.
