Posted on 04/05/2026 10:45:44 AM PDT by Mr. Mojo
The US rescued a missing F-15E airman deep inside Iran with an incredibly complex and daring mission that involved SEAL Team 6, a CIA ruse, a hastily constructed forward air strip in hostile territory, and patrols of friendly aircraft that gave the Air Force colonel cover.
A life-or-death race between US and Iranian forces to find the “seriously injured” weapons officer outside Isfahan over two days culminated in the crew member’s extraction by America’s most elite commandos and a firefight with local militias that were hunting for him, according to a report in the New York Times.
The unnamed officer, who was shot down on Good Friday in southwestern Iran, hid out in the Zagros Mountains and managed to climb a 7,000-foot ridge to evade capture for 36 hours with just a handgun for defense while American MQ-9 Reaper drones pounded nearby Iranian forces with missiles if they got close to his position, according to reports.
“He evaded up a 7k ridge. They’ve been schwackin’ dudes chasing him all day. Was nuts,” a source told Toby Harnden, the veteran war correspondent and author.
In an effort to confuse the Iranians, who put a $60,000 bounty (more than 10 times the average household income) on the officer’s head, the CIA pulled off a diversion on Saturday — planting fake intel that he had already been rescued and was being driven out of Iran, according to the Times.
The operation involved landing multiple transport aircraft inside Iranian territory just south of the city of Isfahan, some 200 miles inside the country.
A US Air Force landing strip was set up close to the city, which houses many of Iran’s missile and army bases, nuclear facilities, and the last of its fleet of F-14 fighter jets.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
7,000 ft elevation. I doubt he climbed 7,000 ft from where he landed.
So when does the movie come out?
Hooray! What a great story! God bless Seal team 6, the saved Colonel and all who are involved!
No wonder 47 wasn’t sleeping
Just wait until we get a DemocRAT president...Seal Team 6 will be replaced with Walrus Team 0.5, carrying LGBT flags (but with the traditional liberal white flag in a back back - since it will be needed later).
American heroes all...
God Bless them all.
OH NOEZ
Not Walruses...
They have sharp tusks ...could hurt the po wee Moslems...
Something without tusks, teeth or claws...
Tadpole Team
Loved that old Tomcat/Phoenix combo. Those still in Iran are probably no longer airworthy, though, due to lack of replacement parts.
Compare to Carter’s failed rescue effort!
Lesson learned may be to have a ski kit for C-130 type operations in such areas.
The downside is that 3 airplanes could not leave. One got stuck in sand? We blew them up. 2x C-130 were blown up real good.
FYI…..watched a great movie several months ago on Amazon Prime with a very similar scenario. “WAR HORSE ONE”, really good movie.
Let’s not forget BENGHAZI……..
You’re watching the dailies now!
Heh heh. Drew IRGC out into the open. Dumbasses.
this was CRAZY!!
I grok’d the average elevation there, and it said about 6,500 feet ASL (varying a lot), so he climbed about 500’, just a guess though.
Enough is enough. It is past time for pilotless aircraft. They can all be operated out of bases in Nevada and New Mexico. No more John McAines. No more wasting assets on downed pilots!
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