Air Force officer shot down over Iran describes ordeal that ended with his rescue two days later

An Air Force officer who spent two days inside enemy territory after his F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran in April described his ordeal during a 60 Minutes interview on CBS. Identified using mission call signs “Dude 44 Bravo” and “Dude 44 Alpha,” the weapons system officer said the aircraft was hit by an Iranian shoulder-fired missile—described as a roughly $100,000 weapon. He said the impact felt like being struck by a “freight train.” Both crew members ejected; Alpha landed safely, but Bravo’s parachute didn’t fully deploy, leaving him with a broken back and injuries to his arm and shoulder. He climbed a 7,000-foot ridge to evade capture and was later rescued after two days, in what U.S. officials called one of the largest and most complex combat search-and-rescue operations in U.S. history. Officials also confirmed a radio message from him stating “God is good.”