President Donald Trump on April 6 praised the rescue of a U.S. Air Force colonel who spent nearly two days hiding in the mountains of Iran after his fighter jet was shot down. The President called the operation an "Easter miracle" and one of the “most daring” rescue missions in American military history.
Iranian forces shot down the colonel's F-15E fighter jet April 3. He ejected from the jet, hid alone in a mountain crevice at roughly 7,000 feet, and evaded Iranian soldiers for nearly two days before U.S. special operations troops reached him on Easter Sunday.
While the colonel’s crewmate, a pilot, was recovered the same day the aircraft went down, the colonel, a weapons systems officer, remained missing for nearly 48 hours, U.S. officials told NBC.
Trump first announced the rescue early April 5 on Truth Social: "WE GOT HIM! ... the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History." Trump said the colonel was “seriously wounded.”
Trump ended his Truth Social post with: "WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND!"
FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) April 5, 2026
WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly…
Trump said April 6 that the colonel was badly hurt and surrounded by Iranian military and militia fighters after the crash. Despite his injuries, Trump said, the officer climbed into rough mountain terrain, treated his own wounds, and used a tracking device to signal rescuers.
"The rescue was an Easter miracle," Trump said. "The enemy was large and violent. The rescuers were brilliant, strong, decisive, and as cool as anyone can be."
"Such a rescue has never happened before in so violent an enemy territory. It is usually not done because it is considered not doable,” he said.