The American airman rescued from Iran after his aircraft was shot down in April shared for the first time details about the risky recovery operation during a \u201c60 Minutes\u201d interview Sunday. \u201cBravo,\u201d the airman\u2019s mission call sign used during the broadcast to shield his identity, said his parachute was damaged after the plane was hit, and that during free fall, he did everything he could to \u201cunfurl or pull pieces of the parachute loose.\u201d<\/p>\n
CNN reported Saturday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and political appointees in his department pushed for the two crew members to participate in the exclusively and highly publicized interview, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n
CNN talks to retired Air Force Colonel Cedric Leighton about the rescue & potential risks to \u201cBravo\u201d in Iran after his TV appearance and CNN\u2019s chief media analyst Brian Stelter reveals how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth & the Pentagon made this interview happen.<\/p>\n
0:00 The new details behind the rescue operation
\n3:10 Leighton on the unusual public interview
\n6:05 How the Pentagon pushed for the interview<\/p>\n