How did the rescued pilot use the cryptic message God is Good before being rescued is one of the most gripping questions from a real military rescue operation that unfolded over nearly 48 hours inside Iranian territory in April 2025.
Here is the short answer:
- The airman: A US Air Force weapons systems officer (WSO), a colonel with deep religious faith
- The message: He radioed the three words "God is good" after ejecting from a downed F-15E Strike Eagle on Good Friday
- When: After surviving roughly 48 hours injured and hiding in a mountain crevice, he climbed a 7,000-foot ridge and made radio contact
- The problem: US officials initially feared the message was an Iranian trap, because the short, unusual phrase sounded suspicious
- How it was confirmed: Intelligence officials who knew the colonel's strong personal faith recognized the message as authentic — consistent with how a deeply religious person would respond after surviving extreme danger
- The outcome: Special operations forces, supported by CIA tracking and over 150 aircraft, extracted him safely on Easter Sunday morning
The message was brief. It was unexpected. And for a moment, it nearly stopped the rescue before it started.
I'm Larry Fowler, I also believe God is good and publisher of the USMilitary.com Network and a longtime advocate for active military and veterans since 2007 — and understanding how did the rescued pilot use the cryptic message God is Good before being rescued is exactly the kind of real-world military story our community needs to know. Read on for a full breakdown of every detail of this extraordinary operation.
Key how did the rescued pilot use the cyrptic message God is Good before being rescued vocabulary:
- How Important is Christian Faith In The US Military Today
- Top 20 Faith Books for Military Men and Women Including Dare to Live Greatly by L.C. Fowler
The F-15E Shootdown: A Timeline of the High-Stakes Rescue
The ordeal began on Good Friday when a US F-15E Strike Eagle, a $31 million sophisticated fighter jet, was downed by Iranian air defenses. According to reports, the aircraft was likely hit by a shoulder-fired missile in what officials described as a "lucky shot" by the Iranian military. The two-man crew, consisting of a pilot and a Weapons Systems Officer (WSO), were forced to eject deep inside hostile territory—approximately 200 miles behind enemy lines in the rugged mountains of southwestern Iran.
The rescue operation immediately split into two very different paths. The pilot was recovered relatively quickly in a daytime operation on Friday. However, the WSO, a highly respected colonel, remained missing in the treacherous Iranian terrain. For the next 48 hours, a massive manhunt ensued. Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces, along with local residents incentivized by government bonuses for the capture of "enemy pilots," swarmed the region.
During this time, the airman relied on his intense SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training. Despite being badly injured with a sprained ankle and other wounds, he managed to evade capture by hiding in mountain crevices and keeping on the move. He eventually climbed a staggering 7,000-foot ridge to find a vantage point where his communication equipment could reach US forces. It was from this high-altitude perch that the ‘GOD IS GOOD!’: Rescued serviceman’s message after ejecting from aircraft revealed.
How Did the Rescued Pilot Use the Cryptic Message God is Good Before Being Rescued?
When the airman finally reached the ridgeline, he used a secure, handheld communication device to transmit his status. In high-stakes military extractions, every second of radio transmission is a risk; electronic signals can be triangulated by enemy forces. To minimize this "electronic footprint," the airman kept his transmission incredibly brief.
Instead of a standard military status report, the first words heard by the monitors were: "God is good."
As noted in reports from NDTV, this three-word message served as the primary indicator that the airman was alive and capable of communicating. However, the use of such a non-standard phrase created an immediate dilemma for the command center. While the message was a signal of hope, it lacked the technical authentication codes typically expected during a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) mission.
The airman had spent nearly 48 hours evading both the IRGC and local search parties. By the time he sent the message, he was exhausted, injured, and operating in a "mountain hideout" environment. The phrase "God is good" was his way of expressing his current state—surviving against all odds—but it also served as a unique identifier that only those who knew him personally would immediately understand.
Why the Message Sparked Fears of an Iranian Trap
In Washington and at the regional command centers, the reaction to the message was not immediate relief, but rather intense suspicion. US officials were well aware of Iranian deception tactics. There was a legitimate fear that Iranian forces had captured the airman’s radio and were using it to lure US rescue teams into a "kill zone" or an ambush.
The phrasing was the main point of contention. Some officials noted that the message "sounded like something a Muslim would say," leading to worries that an Iranian captor was masquerading as the downed airman. As Indian Express reported, the brevity and unusual nature of the transmission nearly thwarted the mission. There was a period of high-tension hesitation where the US had to decide if they were sending their elite special operations teams into a trap.
The Role of Personal Faith: How the Rescued Pilot Use the Cryptic Message God is Good Before Being Rescued
The turning point in the authentication process came when defense officials looked at the specific identity of the colonel. He was known throughout his career as a man of deep, abiding Christian faith. For those who knew him, saying "God is good" after surviving a plane crash and 48 hours of evasion in enemy territory wasn't just a random phrase—it was exactly how he would speak.
The timing added another layer of significance. The crash happened on Good Friday, and the final extraction was being coordinated for Easter Sunday morning. As Fox News detailed, the airman's spiritual resilience played a massive role in his survival. His faith wasn't just a personal comfort; it became the key to his identification. Once the command realized the message matched the character of the missing colonel, the "trap" theory began to dissolve, replaced by the realization that their man was truly alive and waiting for them.
Authentication Protocols: How the Rescued Pilot Use the Cryptic Message God is Good Before Being Rescued
Beyond the verbal message, the US military used advanced technology to confirm the airman's location. The CIA deployed "unique tracking capabilities" and advanced "burst" technology to pinpoint the source of the signal. Burst transmissions are designed to be extremely short—fractions of a second—to prevent the enemy from locking onto the signal.
According to The Federal, these technical protocols worked in tandem with the "God is good" message. While the words provided the "who," the burst technology provided the "where." By cross-referencing the coordinates with the known evasion path the airman had taken through the 2,100-meter ridges, the rescue teams were able to verify his identity with near-certainty.
Behind the Scenes: CIA Deception and Special Operations Tactics
While the airman was hiding in his mountain crevice, the US was running a massive "smoke and mirrors" operation to keep the Iranians off his trail. The CIA launched a sophisticated deception campaign, spreading false intelligence that the airman had already been located and was being moved overland toward a different border. This caused Iranian search teams to divert their resources away from the actual hiding spot.
The scale of the rescue was staggering:
- 150+ Aircraft: A massive "armada" of support, including F-22s for air cover and electronic warfare planes to jam Iranian radars.
- B-1 Bombers: These heavy hitters were on standby, dropping nearly 100 2,000lb satellite-guided bombs on Iranian positions that threatened the rescue path.
- MQ-9 Reapers: Drones provided constant "eyes in the sky," striking any Iranian units that came within 3km of the airman’s position.
- International Coordination: Israeli intelligence provided critical support, and President Trump maintained direct communication with Prime Minister Netanyahu throughout the operation to coordinate regional stability.
Overcoming Near-Disaster: Challenges During the Extraction
The final extraction was anything but smooth. As special operations teams moved in for the nighttime pickup, they faced intense challenges that nearly compromised the mission.
| Feature | Pilot Rescue (Friday) | WSO Rescue (Sunday) |
|---|---|---|
| Time of Day | Daytime | Nighttime |
| Terrain | Lower elevation | 2,100-meter (7,000ft) ridge |
| Enemy Presence | Moderate | High (IRGC & local hunters) |
| Primary Challenge | Rapid location | Mechanical failure & enemy fire |
| Duration of Evasion | ~4-6 hours | ~48 hours |
The "holy s***" moment of the operation occurred when two MC-130 transport aircraft suffered mechanical failures while attempting to land on a makeshift airstrip established deep inside Iran. This forced the teams to pivot to a high-risk "wave extraction" using smaller turboprop aircraft.
During the extraction, US helicopters and transport planes came under small-arms fire from Iranian forces. However, thanks to the overwhelming air superiority and the precision of the special operations teams, the wounded colonel was successfully pulled from the ridge and flown to safe airspace.
Frequently Asked Questions about the "God is Good" Rescue
What was the exact message sent by the airman?
The airman radioed the phrase "God is good." While President Trump later recalled it as "Power be to God" in some social media posts, defense officials confirmed the actual phrase used for the radio contact was the three-word affirmation of faith.
Why did US officials think the message was a trap?
The phrase was non-standard for military communication and was sent from a region where the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was known to use deceptive radio tactics. Officials feared the Iranians had captured the airman and were using his radio to lure rescuers into an ambush.
How long did the airman survive in the mountains before being found?
The airman survived for nearly 48 hours. He spent over 24 hours hiding in a mountain crevice while injured before making the grueling 7,000-foot climb to a ridge to establish radio contact.
Conclusion
The rescue of the F-15E crew from deep within Iran stands as a testament to American military superiority and the "never leave a man behind" ethos. President Trump later praised the mission as an unprecedented success, noting it was the first time in military memory that two pilots were rescued separately from so deep within enemy territory.
This incident highlights the incredible intersection of high-tech warfare, elite SERE training, and the power of personal faith. The story of how the rescued pilot use the cryptic message God is Good before being rescued will undoubtedly be studied in military circles for years to come—not just for the tactical brilliance of the extraction, but for the human element that ultimately confirmed a life was saved.
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And OrangeGod said, “Thanks, but it my pleasure!”