Good day on this Monday, April 6, 2026, and welcome to Denison Forum's Daily Article podcast.

I'm narrator, Chris Elkins, giving voice to today's daily article authored by cultural theologian, Dr. Jim Denison.

Last Friday, an American F-15E fighter jet was hit by incoming fire and crashed inside Iran.

One of the two crew members was quickly rescued.

According to the Wall Street Journal, what came next was, quote,

one of the most complex search and rescue efforts for the U.S. Air Force in enemy territory in decades.

The second airman, a weapon system officer, had ejected and sent a message over his radio saying,

God is good. He was injured, but hiked up a 7,000-foot mountain ridge line and hit in a crevice.

And hit in a crevice. While evading capture, he activated an

emergency beacon that allowed U.S. forces to locate him. Iranian officials issued a public plea

for locals to find him, offering a reward of $60,000, which is equivalent to a multi-million

dollar salary in the U.S.

To confuse Iranians in pursuit, CIA operatives spread a false message that both crew members of the downjet had been found.

U.S. aircraft also dropped bombs on convoys approaching the area where the airman was hiding.

Sunday morning, President Trump announced that the

highly respected colonel had been rescued and is safe. Mr. Trump plans to speak to reporters

about the operation today at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Why would the U.S. go to such lengths to recover

a single pilot? The answer says much about our nation's past and our collective

future. Since Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine began, Russian forces have suffered nearly 1.2 million

casualties. Soldiers on the front lines must bribe officers to avoid being shot by drones or

other soldiers, tied to trees to freeze, or denied medical care.

Many who refused to pay are tortured.

...