US Forces Mount Daring Rescue of Downed F-15E Crew in Iran

The U.S. military executed a high-stakes rescue deep inside Iranian territory to retrieve two airmen whose F-15E Strike Eagle was downed on April 3 during Operation Epic Fury. The weapon systems officer (WSO), call sign DUDE44 Bravo, evaded capture for nearly 50 hours before being extracted on Easter Sunday. The mission, involving hundreds of U.S. personnel, spanned multiple regions of Iran and pushed military capabilities to their limits. The rescue was launched after confirmation of active sig