New footage from the U.S. military shows a major rescue mission carried out inside Iran, with elite Air Force pararescue operators reaching an injured American service member deep within enemy territory. The video documents the operation in detail, offering a dramatic look at how the mission unfolded.
The video documents parts of the large-scale April mission to save the two-man team of an F-15E Strike Eagle, known by the call sign Dude 44. After the fighter was brought down by a missile fired from an Iranian soldier on the ground, the pilot, referred to as Dude44 Alpha, and the weapons systems officer in the back seat, Dude44 Bravo, escaped their seats and came down at separate locations, leaving both men isolated within Iran.
Dude44 Bravo ended up with a broken back, arm and shoulder because his parachute was damaged during the fall, leading to a rough landing. Dude44 Alpha, by contrast, was saved after a little more than six hours. Dude44 Bravo stayed stranded for nearly two days until U.S. forces arrived to rescue him.
Searching for Bravo
A recently released video captures U.S. military helicopters hunting for Bravo while American forces worked to find and bring him back. Even with his wounds, he moved away from where he had landed and started climbing up a ridge about 7,000 feet high as daylight revealed the desert valley and steep cliffs around him.
“There was clear intent out of the Iranian ground force to come find those two guys,” Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine told CBS News this week.
On April 5, the video captures the dramatic arrival of two elite Air Force pararescue operators, known as PJs, at the injured Bravo’s location on the mountain ridgeline. Before that point, two large search-and-rescue aircraft had landed on a makeshift desert runway, with smaller “Little Bird” helicopters flying toward Bravo’s position on the ridgeline.
Bravo called the moment he saw his rescuers “one of the greatest moments of my life.” “Let’s go,” he recalled telling them.
The Numbers Behind the Rescue
American forces landed on Iranian soil for the first time since 1980, when 92 service members were placed there during the second rescue attempt. According to U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, hundreds more joined from the air, with a total of between 3,000 and 5,000 service members backing the mission altogether.
The operation encountered a fresh problem once Bravo was reached: the landing gear of the two rescue aircraft became stuck in the desert sand. That left Bravo and more than 90 U.S. service members stranded inside Iran.
CBS News reported that a secret Air Force team was eventually called in to rescue the group.
What the Video Shows
The footage documents American bombers and drones hitting Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces near Bravo during the rescue attempt. It also illustrates the size of the operation, with several helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft operating in concert to locate and remove the wounded airman.
As the Little Birds drew near, the view atop the mountain ridgeline stood out: Bravo showed up clearly against the rough ground below.
The Iranian Threat
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces were close enough to Bravo that American bombers and drones targeted them during the rescue. Gen. Dan Caine’s comments to CBS News underscored the threat. “There was clear intent out of the Iranian ground force to come find those two guys,” he said.
The footage demonstrates how close Iranian forces came to Bravo’s position. The attacks targeting those Iranian troops were designed to safeguard the rescue team as it moved up the ridgeline toward him.
The Rescue’s Timeline
The damage to Bravo was grave. A malfunctioning parachute caused a rough landing, which broke his back, arm and shoulder. He stayed isolated for close to two days until U.S. forces arrived to rescue him.
Two big search-and-rescue planes touched down at a temporary desert airstrip, after which the Little Birds pushed off toward the mountain ridgeline where Bravo was waiting. There, the two elite PJs found him and made contact.
Bravo and over 90 U.S. service members were trapped inside Iran when the landing gear of the two rescue aircraft got stuck in the desert sand. A secret Air Force unit was eventually called in to pull the group out.
Dude 44 was shot down, and roughly 50 hours later, Bravo was brought to safety. The rescue happened at sunrise on Easter Sunday.
The Video’s Significance
This video captures the operation for the public to see. It documents what the rescue looked like, from the helicopters flying over the desert to the Little Birds landing on the ridgeline.
Anyone can view the moment Bravo was reached on video, and it stands as a strong record of a mission that put the U.S. military’s abilities to the test.
The Broader Context
The rescue of Dude 44 Bravo took place against a backdrop of increased tension between the United States and Iran. The shootdown of the F-15E Strike Eagle was a serious incident, and the subsequent rescue operation demonstrated the U.S. military’s ability to operate in a hostile environment.
The operation draws attention to the dangers faced by troops in combat zones. Dude44 Bravo suffered injuries because his parachute was damaged, and he remained stranded for close to two days until he was located.
The use of American bombers and drones in the rescue operation highlights the difficulty of the situation. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces were near enough to endanger the mission, and the U.S. reacted with force to defend the rescue team.
Key Facts Box
- F-15E Strike Eagle: Call sign Dude 44
- Dude44 Alpha: Pilot, rescued after a little more than six hours
- Dude44 Bravo: Weapons systems officer, rescued roughly 50 hours after the shootdown
- Injuries: Broken back, arm and shoulder
- Stranded: Nearly two days
- Rescue date: April 5
- Extraction completed: Easter Sunday morning
- Service members on the ground in Iran: 92
- First boots on Iranian soil since: 1980
- Total support personnel: 3,000 to 5,000
Comparison Table
| Detail | Dude44 Alpha | Dude44 Bravo |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Pilot | Weapons systems officer |
| Time stranded | Little more than six hours | Nearly two days |
| Injuries | None specified | Broken back, arm and shoulder |
| Extraction method | Standard rescue | Reached on mountain ridgeline |
| Ground forces on scene | None | 92 service members |
A mission to save a dog named Dude 44 Bravo pushed the limits of what the U.S. military can do, and a video released by the service documents the effort.
The rescue succeeded thanks to the skill of the PJs and the coordination of the whole operation, from the moment Bravo was reached through the final extraction. The video captures that determination in action throughout the mission.
Easter Sunday broke with the sun up, and the rescue was finished at that hour. The footage put out by the U.S. military stands as a strong account of that undertaking.
See the video the story is built around at Foxnews.
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