U.S. Air Force officer shot down in Iran says he prayed while "free-falling" to the ground behind enemy lines
- On Sunday, a U.S. Air Force weapons systems officer identified as "Bravo" detailed his survival after his F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran in April, describing a harrowing parachute failure that left him stranded behind enemy lines for two days.
- The aircrew, call sign "Dude 44," was conducting an April 2 strike mission near Isfahan against facilities linked to Iran's drone and missile program when a shoulder-fired missile forced them to eject.
- Bravo sustained a broken back, arm, and shoulder after hitting the ground at high speed, yet hiked a 7,000-foot ridgeline to evade detection by Iranian forces before U.S. special operations personnel rescued him 50 hours later.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth characterized the complex rescue operation, which involved hundreds of personnel from Army Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team Six, as a "gun fight all the way in and all the way out."
- CNN reported Saturday that Defense Secretary Hegseth and political appointees pushed for the crew's participation in the interview despite reservations from the military's chain of command regarding classified rescue details.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Shot down over Iran, hunted for 50 hours: How US fighter survived behind enemy lines
A US Air Force officer survived nearly fifty hours in Iran after his jet was shot down. Over ninety American service members deployed for one of the most complex rescue operations. The officer, injured, hid in Iran's desert while Iranian forces searched for him. US forces used bombers and drones to strike Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces nearby. This mission demonstrated the US commitment to recovering its personnel.
Air Force colonel shot down over Iran reveals desperate prayer in 50-hour fight to survive – Democratic Accent
An Air Force colonel shot down over Iran survived a terrifying fall, three broken bones and a two-day enemy manhunt after turning to God as his damaged parachute sent him plunging toward the desert. The colonel, identified only by his mission call sign “Bravo,” revealed in a new interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” how a desperate prayer began an extraordinary 50-hour fight to make it home alive. “At one point when I looked up and saw no parach…
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