U.S. airman's rescue details emerge

The Air Force colonel managed to evade capture by climbing to a 7,000-foot ridge and using a survival beacon to signal his location.

Rescuers faced an intense firefight with Iranian forces and local militias who were closing in on the downed pilot.

The operation was nearly compromised when two transport planes became stuck in the mud, necessitating their destruction to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.

This successful extraction is being studied as one of the most complex search and rescue missions in modern military history.