Air Force officer prayed while "free-falling" after being shot down in Iran
Badly wounded and alone in Iran's desert, downed U.S. Air Force officer Dude 44 Bravo evaded capture for days as the Iranian forces and the U.S. military searched for him.
A U.S. Air Force colonel, identified by his mission call sign Dude 44, survived a harrowing ordeal after his F-15E fighter jet was shot down by an Iranian missile in April. Stranded in the desolate Iranian desert, Dude 44's weapons-systems officer, Bravo, had to free-fall to the ground at an estimated 70-100 mph after the missile damaged his parachute.
Despite being separated from his pilot, Alpha, Bravo paused and prayed, asking God to guide his actions. Miraculously, Bravo survived two days in enemy territory, using his broken bones and determination to hike and climb a 7,000-foot ridgeline. The U.S. military's rescue operation was a complex and challenging endeavor, but ultimately, both Bravo and Alpha were rescued, with Alpha returning to active duty and Bravo expressing immense gratitude for his survival.
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