US airman 'Dude 44 Bravo' reveals horror of being shot down over Iran

US Air Force airman 'Dude 44 Bravo' reveals horror of being shot down in Iran.

The American airman was sensationally downed and then dramatically rescued from Iran after surviving behind enemy lines for 48 hours in April has described “the most terrifying moment” of his ordeal.

Known only as Dude 44 Bravo, the weapons system officer with the US Air Force rank of colonel, gave an interview with CBS 60 Minutes host Noah O’Donnell on Sunday.

He explained how he was flying over the Islamist nation in his F-15E Strike Eagle when his fighter was hit.

US airman 'Dude 44 Bravo' spoke with Norah O'Donnell (CBS 60 Minutes)

“My parachute was damaged in the initial attack. At one point, when I looked up and saw no parachute, that was the most was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen,” he said, before describing how he was plummeting up to 100 miles per hour towards the ground after he and pilot “Alpha” successfully ejected from the $30 million warbird.

“I think the best way I've been able to describe that moment was getting hit by a freight train,” he said, explaining how medical experts estimate from his injuries he hit the ground at over 70 miles per hour.

According to reports at the time, the military jet was shot down by a shoulder mounted missile. It crashed in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, in the southwest of the country near to the Iraq border.

“I wasn’t focused on the speed at which I was falling. I was instead focused on trying to correct the problems that were in front of me. And doing anything I could to unfurl or pull pieces of the parachute loose,” Bravo said.

US forces bombed the jet so no technology could fall in to the hands of the Iranians (Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance via Getty Images)

Once he hit the ground, the brave airman sustained a broken back, arm and shoulder. The wind was severe and the pair landed a significant distance from his colleague.

This meant, while Alpha was rescued in just 9 hours, Bravo remained injured, alone and armed only with a pistol and a beacon for two days.

It was dark when he landed and despite his injuries, he was able climb and hide in a mountain crevice at an altitude of 7,000 feet while being hunted by Iran’s Republican Guard.

US military sources have said the Iranians were just a few hundred feel from Bravo at one point, but his biggest worry was ending up paraded on local television, which kept him motivated to evade capture.

In a massive operation involving thousands of military staff and 90 special forces members on the ground, once Bravo was pinpointed US forces began to move in.

Once they extracted him successfully, the US then bombed the fighter, so no technology would be lost to Iran.

“I will be thankful to my dying day for my pilot and crewmate Alpha for saving our lives and ejecting us.”