Hid from Iranians for 50 hours: The American officer who survived the plane crash revealed

A US weapons systems officer, codenamed "Bravo," revealed in an interview with 60 Minutes how he survived the crash of an F-15E fighter jet deep inside Iran, evaded Iranian forces for 50 hours, and was rescued in a daring operation involving 92 elite fighters.

The American weapons systems officer, codenamed "Bravo," revealed in an interview with the program "60 Minutes" how he survived the crash of an F-15E fighter jet deep inside Iran, evaded Iranian forces for 50 hours, and was rescued in a daring operation. The aircraft, worth about $30 million, was shot down on the night of April 2-3 by a shoulder-fired missile costing about $100,000. Bravo and the pilot, codenamed "Alpha," ejected seconds apart and landed about eight kilometers from each other. Bravo suffered fractures in his back, arm, and shoulder, a sprained ankle, and bleeding wounds to his head and face. He climbed injured to a mountain ridge about 2,100 meters high and evaded about 1,500 Iranian personnel who came within hundreds of meters of him. Six hours after the downing, Alpha was rescued in an operation involving 21 aircraft. Bravo was finally rescued 50 hours after the crash, in an operation involving 92 elite fighters who landed inside Iran, with the assistance of between 3,000 and 5,000 people. It was the first time in 46 years that American forces operated on the ground in Iran.