Arizona Congressmen are voicing bipartisan support following what President Donald Trump is calling one of the most remarkable search and rescue operations in modern U.S. military history, the recovery of two American airmen shot down over Iran.
Republican Representatives Andy Biggs (R-AZ) kept his reaction simple but pointed, taking to X with a two-word response that said everything: "God bless America." Rep. Eli Crane echoed that sentiment shortly after, adding his own public support for the mission and the troops who carried it out.
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) had taken to X to express gratitude, writing: "Relieved and grateful that both airmen are now safe. The bravery of the servicemembers who pulled off this mission is extraordinary, with dozens of aircraft and special forces deep inside Iran." "I'm praying for the swift recovery of the rescued officer," he concluded.
Their praise followed a statement from President Trump, in which the president announced that both crew members from a downed fighter jet had been successfully recovered from deep inside Iranian territory, without a single American being killed in the process.
Rescued Airmen
According to Trump, one of the rescued airmen, described as a highly respected Colonel, had been evading capture in the mountainous terrain of Iran for an extended period while U.S. forces monitored his location around the clock.
Dozens of aircraft were deployed in the operation, and the rescued officer sustained injuries but is expected to make a full recovery.
The second pilot had been rescued the day prior, though the military deliberately withheld that information to avoid compromising the second ongoing operation.
At ground level, an elite Combat Search and Rescue squadron, the 55th Rescue Squadron, based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, is being identified by military news outlets as central to both recoveries.
Available Footage
Video footage from the rescue zones in Iran reportedly show HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters operating alongside MC-130 refueling aircraft, with an equipment signature to that unit.
Davis-Monthan officials declined to confirm involvement, directing media inquiries to the Pentagon, which has not yet responded.
F-35s out of Luke Air Force Base and A-10 Thunderbolts, another Davis-Monthan staple, also participated in the mission, making this, in many ways, an Arizona story as much as a national one.
For Arizona, the message was clear: bringing American warriors home is something worth celebrating.
