US Colonel Whose F-15E Jet Was Shot Down in Iran Rescued After 50 Hours
A US colonel whose F-15E jet was shot down and who was severely injured managed to survive for 50 hours on Iranian territory.
The US pilot of an F-15E jet shot down in Iran by a shoulder-fired missile suffered a hard landing and severe injuries due to a malfunctioning parachute. Spending 50 hours in enemy territory, the colonel was rescued by an operation conducted by American forces.
The Downward Flight and Ejection
Two personnel, known by the call signs Alpha and Dude 44 Bravo, were aboard the F-15E aircraft that was hit by a shoulder-fired missile in Iran in April. Both pilots ejected from the aircraft and landed in a mountainous desert region of Iran.
Severe Injury and First Message
Due to a damaged parachute, Bravo experienced a free fall at speeds of 70 to 100 miles per hour, breaking his back, arm, and shoulder. Despite all these injuries, he moved away from the site, climbed a 7,000-foot ridge, and sent the message 'God is good' on the first night.
Intelligence and Hiding Operation
US Central Command leader Admiral Brad Cooper stated that the mission targeted industrial facilities south of Isfahan. Thanks to his SERE training, Iranian forces searching for the colonel hiding in a mountain crevice came within hundreds of meters of him. The CIA launched a deception operation to mislead Tehran regarding the colonel's rescue.
Details of the Rescue Operation
American bombers and drones struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces. This move paved the way for a massive rescue operation on land involving more than 90 US troops, marking the first military presence on Iranian soil in 46 years.
Salvation on Easter Morning
Special operations forces built a temporary landing strip. To prevent sensitive technology from falling into Iranian hands, the stranded aircraft were destroyed, and Colonel Bravo was rescued on Easter Sunday morning, 50 hours after being shot down.