On Friday (April 3), an American F-15E fighter jet was reportedly hit by incoming fire and crashed inside Iran. One of the two crew members was quickly rescued. According to the Wall Street Journal, what came next was “one of the most complex search-and-rescue efforts for the US Air Force in enemy territory in decades.”
The second airman, a weapons system officer, had ejected and sent a message over his radio, saying, “God is good.” He was injured but hiked up a seven-thousand-foot mountain ridgeline and hid in a crevice. While evading capture, he activated an emergency beacon that allowed US forces to locate him.
Behind the scenes
Iranian officials issued a public plea for locals to find him, offering a reward of $60,000 (equivalent to a multi-million-dollar salary in the U.S). To confuse Iranians in pursuit, CIA operatives reportedly spread a false message that both crew members of the downed jet had already been found. U.S. aircraft also dropped bombs on convoys approaching the area where the airman was hiding.
On Easter morning, President Trump announced that the “highly respected colonel” had been rescued and is safe. The president plans to speak to reporters about the operation today at 1 p.m. ET.
Closer look
Why would the US go to such lengths to recover a single pilot? The answer says much about our nation’s past and our collective future.
Full story.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jim Denison and originally published by the Denison Forum. Used with permission
