CBS, citing two people familiar with the incidents, reported the F-15E pilot shot down over Iran had earlier been downed in the early days of the Iran war when his previous aircraft was hit by friendly fire from Kuwaiti forces. He ejected safely and, just over 30 days later on a separate mission over Iran, his F-15E was struck by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, prompting a bold rescue operation. Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula called the sequence a very unusual coincidence and said h

CBS, citing two people familiar with the incidents, reported the F-15E pilot shot down over Iran had earlier been downed in the early days of the Iran war when his previous aircraft was hit by friendly fire from Kuwaiti forces. He ejected safely and, just over 30 days later on a separate mission over Iran, his F-15E was struck by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, prompting a bold rescue operation. Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula called the sequence a very unusual coincidence and said he could not recall since Vietnam a pilot being downed twice in the same campaign — like being struck by lightning twice.