U.S. Air Force officer shot down in Iran says it's a "modern-day miracle" he survived | 60 Minutes
Dude 44 Bravo was part of a two-man U.S. Air Force crew shot down over Iran in April. He describes a terrifying ejection, how he evaded Iranian forces for two days, and what he said to his rescuers.
In the aftermath of the April incident, where a U.S. fighter jet was shot down over Iran, two aviators, Alpha and Bravo, were left behind enemy lines. Bravo, the weapons systems officer, recounted his survival story and the rescue operation to 60 Minutes correspondent Norah O'Donnell in his first interview. Alpha had saved their lives by ejecting quickly after the missile hit, causing catastrophic damage to the aircraft.
Bravo praised his crewmate's quick reaction and credited the professionalism of the airmen who maintained the plane, even with the missile damage. Despite his damaged parachute and injuries, Bravo managed to climb a 7,000-foot ridgeline and evade Iranian forces for 48 hours before being rescued by U.S. forces. The military then bombed their own aircraft to prevent it from falling into Iranian hands.
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