{"id":39967,"date":"2023-01-06T16:00:58","date_gmt":"2023-01-06T16:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/01\/06\/rescue-crews-honored-for-response-to-iranian-ballistic-missile-attack\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:17:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:17:10","slug":"rescue-crews-honored-for-response-to-iranian-ballistic-missile-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/01\/06\/rescue-crews-honored-for-response-to-iranian-ballistic-missile-attack\/","title":{"rendered":"Rescue crews honored for response to Iranian ballistic missile attack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three years after Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at U.S. troops in Iraq in January 2020, seven American airmen have been recognized for their actions overhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crews who served at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, on Jan. 7-8, 2020, helped ensure thousands of Americans were safe following the first overseas ballistic missile attack on U.S. citizens in over 30 years, the Air Force said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Officials honored their work at a Dec. 12 ceremony at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/04\/21\/american-troops-had-only-hours-to-react-to-iranian-ballistic-missile-attack-heres-what-they-did\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20013453933262.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">American troops had only hours to react to Iranian ballistic missile attack. Here\u2019s what they did.<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">\u201cI don\u2019t know what I\u2019ve done to deserve such dedicated and loyal Airmen, but I know without a doubt the blind trust and genuine love we\u2019ve developed over the past few months played a major role in our survival that night.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur rescue airmen, through very sound leadership, managed to save all of our rescue Airmen from two direct impacts on our compound,\u201d 55th Rescue Squadron commander Lt. Col. Brian Losacker said in a release. \u201cThese men in the aircraft clearly demonstrated notable courage, the type that will be written into history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maj. Michael Madden, who flew Pave Hawk \u201cJolly 46,\u201d earned a form of the Distinguished Flying Cross denoting valor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The others received a version of the Air Medal that also signifies valor. They included helicopter pilots Capt. Charles Heisler and Capt. Bryan Tordoff; and special mission aviators Master Sgt. Christian Freeman, Master Sgt. James Hollenbach, Tech. Sgt. Robert Rutledge and Tech. Sgt. Michael Buchalski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tordoff, Hollenbach and Rutledge were also part of Jolly 46; Heisler, Freeman and Buchalski comprised another HH-60G crew, \u201cJolly 47.\u201d All were members of the 46th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/space\/2021\/01\/07\/exclusive-how-the-space-force-foiled-an-iranian-missile-attack-with-a-critical-early-warning\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20013453933262.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Exclusive: How the Space Force foiled an Iranian missile attack with a critical early warning<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Members of the 2nd Space Warning Squadron explain what it was like providing the crucial early warning that allowed war fighters to seek cover from a barrage of Iranian missiles.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ahead of the attack on Al Asad, the airmen were assigned to evacuate American civilians from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad as Iraqis rioted in the capital. Rescue crews returned to Al Asad as troops prepared for an \u201cimminent missile attack,\u201d according to the medal citations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gen. David Thompson, the Space Force\u2019s vice chief of space operations, has publicly claimed the missiles were airborne for six minutes. A Space Force unit that tracks missiles from Colorado sounded the alarm for their fellow service members on the other side of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The airmen feared a \u201cmass casualty event,\u201d the citation said. Their squadron was the only search-and-rescue helicopter unit around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then they watched it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[Madden] witnessed missile launches over the horizon \u2026 then reappear as the first missiles struck the base,\u201d the citation said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/01\/08\/see-the-damage-at-al-asad-airbase-following-iranian-missile-strike\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/logo_al_asad_20191225.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">See the damage at al-Asad airbase following Iranian missile strike<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Planet Labs Inc. captured photos that indicate multiple structures on al-Asad were damaged as a result, per analysis conducted by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because ground support crews were fleeing to safety, the HH-60Gs needed to gas up using their own onboard refueling systems \u2014 an unusual move reserved for emergencies. Madden directed a trio of Pave Hawks to regroup at a desert staging area, from which they could launch support missions as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Buchalski\u2019s own race to refuel ensured that his crew could escape \u201cminutes before the rescue compound where he worked and lived was struck by the first wave of missiles,\u201d the Air Force said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Buchalski made sure his helicopter was clear of any hazards; Rutledge stood watch and prepared his own aircraft to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAfter witnessing the first missile volley, [Freeman] rapidly worked aircraft configuration changes and performance data in preparation for a mass casualty medical event, all while manning his weapons for threats and potential follow-on attack,\u201d the Air Force said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jolly 46 and 47 then headed back to Al Asad, dodging \u201cextreme airspace congestion and confusion of a rushed evacuation\u201d so the team could treat casualties and secure the base.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/01\/09\/intel-warned-of-ground-assault-on-al-asad-airbase-report\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5954551.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Intel warned of ground assault on al-Asad airbase: Report<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Various warnings detected included one that al-Asad air base could face an attack from fighters affiliated with Kataeb Hezbollah, the New York Times reports.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second volley of incoming missiles missed the helicopters by a half-mile, the citation said. They were the first aid crews on the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The aircrews sent pararescuemen into Al Asad, conducted security sweeps, and assessed damage while fires raged, explosives continued to detonate and aircraft fled without the ability to communicate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Heisler kept in touch with commanders at the Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to figure out options for medical care and possible flight paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBuchalski provided continual lookout and direction to the pilots to ensure airborne deconfliction, and directed on-scene search efforts and landings to insert pararescue teams,\u201d the Air Force said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRutledge was vital in \u2026 scanning for unmanned aircraft,\u201d his citation added.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/11\/03\/centcom-didnt-properly-document-brain-injuries-after-2020-iraq-barrage\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20013433567721.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">CENTCOM didn\u2019t properly document brain injuries after 2020 Iraq barrage<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Defense Department can&#039;t be sure that troops were properly treated or their conditions properly documented for the future.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Madden flew under duress for over 13 hours, the Air Force noted. Tordoff refueled his helicopter in midair and relocated to an unnamed base to serve as backup for other search-and-rescue crews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than 100 troops suffered traumatic brain injuries. The attack damaged runways, tents, equipment and a helicopter. No one died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Air Medal with Valor is awarded to military personnel who distinguish themselves by single acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement in combat or combat support while in participation of aerial flight,\u201d according to the Air Force. \u201cThe Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor is awarded to military personnel who distinguish themselves by single acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same award ceremony, pararescuemen Master Sgt. Christopher Wilson and Tech. Sgt. Sean Hopper also received Bronze Star medals for their actions during the U.S. military\u2019s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese airmen exemplify the rescue and attack mission of the 355th Wing,\u201d the Air Force said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThese airmen exemplify the rescue and attack mission of the 355th Wing,\u201d the Air Force said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":72427,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":67,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["your-military","news","home","left-column"],"primary_category":"your-military"}}},"categories":[101,24,88,16,26,67],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3392],"class_list":["post-39967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-left-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-your-air-force"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"HYMYBCDXTFD3NFSQF26NE25XR4","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/01\/06\/rescue-crews-honored-for-response-to-iranian-ballistic-missile-attack\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Rescue crews honored for response to Iranian ballistic missile attack - Air Force TImes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cThese airmen exemplify the rescue and attack mission of the 355th Wing,\u201d the Air Force said.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rescue crews honored for response to Iranian ballistic missile attack\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cThese airmen exemplify the rescue and attack mission of the 355th Wing,\u201d the Air Force said.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/01\/06\/rescue-crews-honored-for-response-to-iranian-ballistic-missile-attack\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Air Force TImes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-01-06T16:00:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-07T21:17:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rachel S. Cohen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rachel S. 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