JONESBORO, Ga. — Greg Scott was just 13 years old when his father, Charles Scott, was assigned to the Iranian embassy in Tehran.
"He was told he'd be there for six months," Greg told 11Alive. "He left in September 1979. He was told he was going to come back for Christmas."
But barely a month into Scott's time in Tehran the embassy was overtaken by a group of students supporting a revolution. The group was angry that President Jimmy Carter, at the time, admitted the country's deposed Shah into the United States for medical treatment.
What followed were 444 days of interrogations and brutal beatings of more than 50 hostages, including Scott. Greg said his father was targeted because he spoke fluent Farsi.
"He was subject to torture and long interrogations," Greg said of his father. "He had severe back issues relating to his torture that had to be mitigated when he was older with several surgeries."
President Carter eventually negotiated the hostages' release shortly after President Ronald Reagan took office. Scott would move back home to Stone Mountain before moving to Jonesboro later in life. He remarried and made a career out of consulting companies and holding lectures on Middle Eastern affairs.
"After having gone what he went through, he just wanted to leave it all behind and start a new life," Greg said. "Going through trauma like that changes one's perspective."
Now, Scott's son Greg is working to get full compensation. After several failed lawsuits related to the Iranian hostage crisis, Greg is working with the office of Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) to get a legislative fix to try and speed up the compensation payouts.
"The longer we wait to take care of these people, the less of them there'll be to take care of, and it's kind of a shame," Greg said. "One of our main concerns is that the hostages are getting older and we’re starting to lose them at an alarming rate. We have four over 90 that are still alive, and it’s just a shame they’re not going to live to see justice done.”
Scott was born in Philadelphia and joined the Army at 17 according to his son Greg. He leaves behind his wife, a daughter and grandson. He won numerous awards, including a bronze and silver star per Greg. He's also someone broadly seen as a war hero, someone who withstood torture and turmoil and dedicated his life to his country.
Funeral services for retired Col. Charles Scott will be private, according to his family.
"We're proud of what he did as far as his military career and how he served his country honorably during all this," Greg said.