US Military Releases Footage of Massive Rescue Operation for Airman Shot Down in Iran

The U.S. military has released dramatic footage documenting one of its largest combat search-and-rescue operations, showcasing the perilous mission to save an American airman who was shot down and stranded deep inside Iran. The operation in April involved the rescue of the two-man crew of an F-15E Strike Eagle, identified by the call sign Dude 44, after their aircraft was downed by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile.

Both the pilot, Dude44 Alpha, and the weapons systems officer, Dude44 Bravo, ejected from the aircraft and landed miles apart, becoming stranded within Iran. While Dude44 Alpha was rescued within approximately six hours, Dude44 Bravo sustained significant injuries, including a broken back, arm, and shoulder, due to a damaged parachute that resulted in a hard landing. He remained stranded for nearly two days before U.S. forces could reach him.

The newly released video offers a glimpse into the extensive efforts undertaken by American forces, including U.S. military helicopters searching for Bravo amidst challenging terrain. Despite his injuries, Bravo managed to move away from his landing site and ascend toward a roughly 7,000-foot ridgeline. The footage also indicates that U.S. bombers and drones engaged Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces operating in close proximity to Bravo's location.

"There was clear intent out of the Iranian ground force to come find those two guys," stated Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in an interview with CBS News.

The video depicts the critical moments on April 5 when two elite Air Force pararescue operators, known as PJs, reached the injured Bravo on the mountain ridgeline. This rescue followed the landing of two large search-and-rescue aircraft on a makeshift desert runway, from which smaller "Little Bird" helicopters were deployed to reach Bravo's position. Bravo described the moment of his rescue as "one of the greatest moments of my life."

The operation to extract Bravo and his rescuers, which involved 92 U.S. service members on the ground in Iran, marked the first instance of American forces operating inside the country since 1980. Hundreds more supported the mission from the air, with an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 service members involved in the overall rescue effort, according to U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper.

Complicating the mission, the landing gear of the two rescue aircraft became stuck in the desert sand, temporarily stranding Bravo and the 90-plus U.S. personnel. A specialized Air Force unit was subsequently called in to facilitate their extraction. Bravo was ultimately brought to safety approximately 50 hours after the initial downing of the F-15E, with the rescue concluding at sunrise on Easter Sunday.