Sounds like we threw most and usable task orientated resource we had at getting our airmen back. I said it before, no country can compare to our military, in intelligence, ability, nor sheer scale of violence.

United States Air Force Pararescuemen (PJs) were involved in the April 2026 rescue of the F‑15E Strike Eagle’s weapon systems officer (WSO) in Iran.

The operation, part of a large combat search and rescue (CSAR) mission during the 2026 Iran war, began after the jet was shot down on 3 April 2026. The pilot was recovered earlier in the day, but the WSO escaped into the Zagros Mountains and was pursued by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces, Bakhtiari tribesmen, and even SEAL Team Six Wikipedia+1.

According to multiple reports, PJs and other U.S. special operations forces were part of the layered rescue effort to locate and extract the WSO The Post Millennial. The mission involved:

Hundreds of U.S. troops and dozens of aircraft across multiple branches Wikipedia+1.

PJs providing ground and extraction support, working alongside Army MH‑60M Black Hawks from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) Task & Purpose.

Combat air support from A‑10 Warthogs and other platforms to suppress enemy forces and protect the extraction route abcnews.com+1.

Special operations commandos (including SEAL Team Six) to engage and disrupt Iranian pursuit forces Task & Purpose.

The WSO was eventually located, hidden in a mountain crevice, and extracted to a temporary airstrip set up by U.S. forces. The operation was described as one of the most complex and dangerous CSAR missions in U.S. history, with heavy enemy activity and destruction of some aircraft Wikipedia+2.

In summary, PJs were integral to the ground and extraction phase of the WSO’s rescue, alongside Army aviation, Navy, and special operations assets, ensuring the airman was brought out of hostile territory safely