“WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “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 respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND!
“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue.
“At my direction, the U.S. Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine. This miraculous Search and Rescue Operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave Pilot yesterday, which we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation.
We Will Never Leave an American Warfighter Behind
“This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory. WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND! The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies. This is a moment that ALL Americans, Republican, Democrat, and everyone else, should be proud of and united around. We truly have the best, most professional, and lethal Military in the History of the World. GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS, AND HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!”
Details
The downed airman evaded capture in the mountains of Iran while Iranian forces drew nearer with each passing hour. Despite being on the run behind enemy lines, Trump said the downed airman “was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day and diligently planning for his rescue.”
Trump said the second downed airman had sustained unspecified injuries but would be “just fine.” He said they conducted these rescue operations without a single American being wounded or killed. Trump said it emphasized that this proves “we have achieved overwhelming air dominance and superiority over the Iranian skies.”
The U.S. Central Command has confirmed that 13 U.S. military personnel were killed and more were than 300 injured since Operation Epic Fury began.