US pilot shot down over Iran breaks silence on 50-hour survival ordeal
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Neutral summary
A US Air Force colonel who was shot down over Iran in April has spoken publicly for the first time about his survival and rescue, in an interview aired on CBS's “60 Minutes” on Sunday. Identified only by his callsign “Dude 44 Bravo,” he described the moment his F-15E Strike Eagle was hit and he ejected with a damaged parachute, falling to the ground at an estimated 70–100 mph and suffering a broken back, arm and shoulder. He then evaded Iranian forces for roughly 50 hours with little or no food and water before being recovered by US special operations troops. Calling his survival a “modern-day miracle,” he said the most terrifying moment was looking up and seeing no parachute above him.
How it was framed
Outlets: 20. Countries: 7. Facts in the shared core: 11.
Publication timeline
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CBS News (outlet profile)
9/13/2026: Shot Down Over Iran, The Pardon Economy, Battering Ram. First, U.S. Air Force officer shot down in Iran says it's a "modern-day miracle" he survived. Then, brokers are offering felons a path to Trump pardons…
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CBS News (outlet profile)
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 ejectio…
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New York Post (outlet profile)
US airman rescued from Iran shares unbelievable tale of survival with ‘60 Minutes’: ‘Most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen’. The US Air Force colonel rescued from Iran in April revealed Sunday that the “most terrifying m…
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Fox News (outlet profile)
Air Force colonel shot down over Iran reveals desperate prayer in 50-hour fight to survive. An Air Force colonel survived a 70-100 mph parachute fall into Iran with three broken bones and evaded enemy capture for 50 har…
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Daily Mail (outlet profile)
US Airman stranded in Iran describes TWO DAYS behind enemy lines after fighter jet was shot down: From 'terrifying' parachute plunge to miracle rescue. A US Air Force colonel, who has been only referred to by his callsi…
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The Jerusalem Post (outlet profile)
'A modern-day miracle': US airman shot down over Iran recounts survival, rescue on 60 Minutes. "It was perfectly clear to me that we'd been hit because of the violence of that impact... The best way I've been able to de…
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Blic (outlet profile)
"KIČMA MI JE BILA SLOMLJENA DOK SAM BEŽAO OD IRANACA" Jeziva ispovest pilota koji je bio u avionu F15 koji je pogodila raketa iznad Irana. "U jednom trenutku, kada sam pogledao gore i nisam video padobran, to je bila na…
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Le Parisien (outlet profile)
« La chose la plus terrifiante » : le militaire américain qui s’est éjecté d’un F-15 en Iran raconte pour la première fois comment il a survécu
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GB News (outlet profile)
US airman downed deep in Iranian territory lifts lid on 'modern-day miracle' rescue operation. A US airman who was downed deep in Iranian territory has lifted the lid on the "modern-day miracle" that led to his rescue.…
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Mondo (outlet profile)
"To je bila najstrašnija borba, bežao sam polomljenih leđa": Američki pilot prvi put o padu aviona iznad Irana
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Alo! (outlet profile)
"Kičma mi je bila slomljena dok sam bežao od njih" Jeziva ispovest pilota F15 kog je pogodila raketa iznad Irana. Bravo je spasen nakon 48 sati provedenih iza neprijateljskih linija.
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BFMTV (outlet profile)
Crash d'un F-15 en Iran: grièvement blessé, le militaire américain secouru en avril raconte sa survie. Dans un entretien accordé à la chaîne CBS, un militaire de l'US Air Force témoigne pour la première fois après le cr…
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Newsweek (outlet profile)
Declassified Video Shows US Forces Rescue 'Dude 44 Bravo' Airman from Iran. Seeing the U.S. rescuers was “one of the greatest moments of my life," airman tells '60 Minutes' in his first public r…
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Corriere della Sera (outlet profile)
Diffuse per la prima volta le immagini del salvataggio di "Bravo Dude 44", il secondo pilota Usa precipitato in Iran: «È stato terrificante». Le immagini e l'intervista trasmesse dall'emittente Cbs
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Kurir (outlet profile)
MISIJA "BATICA44" POŠLA PO ZLU, 50 SATI PAKLA AMERIČKOG PILOTA U IRANU Obaranje F-15E, skrivanje, Delta fors, "foke" iz Tima 6 - ovako je izvučen Bravo! (VIDEO)
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BFMTV (outlet profile)
"La chose la plus terrifiante que j'ai jamais vue": l'aviateur américain secouru en avril raconte son crash dans le désert iranien. Près de six mois après s'être éjecté de son avion touché par un missile iranien au mili…
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BFMTV (outlet profile)
Soldat américain sauvé en Iran: "C'est un type d'opération très complexe à mener", indique cet ancien officier des forces spéciales. Dans un entretien accordé à la chaîne CBS, un militaire de l'US Air Force témoigne pou…
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20 Minutes (outlet profile)
Guerre en Iran : « La chose la plus terrifiante que j’aie jamais vue »… Le récit de l’aviateur américain secouru après le crash de son F-15. CBS a diffusé le témoignage du copilote du F-15E abattu en avril dernier par l…
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O Globo (outlet profile)
Queda livre, operação de 50h e troca de tiros: Piloto dos EUA que teve avião abatido no Irã fala pela primeira vez desde resgate. Um militar da Força Aérea dos Estados Unidos que teve sua aeronave abatida sobre o Irã em…
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Ouest-France (outlet profile)
« 50 h sans eau ni nourriture » : un pilote américain raconte son sauvetage après s’être écrasé dans le désert iranien. L’un des deux militaires américains secourus en avril dernier après le crash de leur avion dans le…
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CNews (outlet profile)
«Ça a été la chose la plus terrifiante que j'aie jamais vue» : le militaire américain qui avait passé 50 heures en Iran après le crash de son F-15 sort du silence. Quelques jours après avoir lancé ses attaques en Iran,…
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Le Figaro (outlet profile)
Chute libre avec un parachute mal ouvert, survie pendant 48h… Un des pilotes américains sauvés en Iran témoigne pour la première fois. RÉCIT - Suite à l’insistance du secrétaire à la Guerre, Pete Hegseth, l’officier nav…
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BFMTV (outlet profile)
LE CHOIX D'ELSA VIDAL - L'incroyable récit du soldat américain sauvé en Iran. Tous les soirs, les chroniqueurs du 22h BFM font leur choix dans l'actualité.
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Business Insider (outlet profile)
'Never let a lack of motivation put you on Iranian TV': US airman shares intense Iran survival story after shootdown. A US airman recounts surviving a damaged parachute and evading capture for 50 hours after his F-15E w…
Factual core
- A US F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran.
- A US Air Force colonel with callsign 'Dude 44 Bravo' was stranded in Iran for two days after his fighter jet was shot down.
- The pilot describes the experience as 'the most terrifying thing'.
- The colonel evaded enemy capture for 50 hours.
- The pilot, named Bravo, was saved after 48 hours spent behind enemy lines.
- The pilot's account includes details of his survival after the ejection.
- The airman shared his survival story in an interview.
- Bravo described his survival as 'a miracle' in an interview with CBS News' '60 Minutes'.
- The rescue operation took place in Iran.
- Bravo's parachute was damaged after the aircraft was hit, causing him to fall in freefall without a functioning parachute.
- Video footage accompanied the report on the rescue operation.