US Air Force Special Operations helicopter pilot, Captain Bill Denehen lectures to JROTC at Brentwood High School, NY on 11 May 00. On 2 May 99, while assigned with the 55th Special Operations Squadron, CPT Denehen and his crew courageously penetrated one of the most sophisticated air defense networks in the world to rescue an F-16C pilot (not shown) trapped deep inside of Serbia. This was the first mission in history where a special operations rescue force penetrated and successfully defeated an active integrated air defense system of a determined military. During Operation Allied Force, Denehen's special Ops helicopter was pre-positioned deep inside Bosnia-Herzegovina. The rescue force ...

The original finding aid described this photograph as:

[Complete] Scene Caption: US Air Force Special Operations helicopter pilot, Captain Bill Denehen lectures to JROTC at Brentwood High School, NY on 11 May 00. On 2 May 99, while assigned with the 55th Special Operations Squadron, CPT Denehen and his crew courageously penetrated one of the most sophisticated air defense networks in the world to rescue an F-16C pilot (not shown) trapped deep inside of Serbia. This was the first mission in history where a special operations rescue force penetrated and successfully defeated an active integrated air defense system of a determined military. During Operation Allied Force, Denehen's special Ops helicopter was pre-positioned deep inside Bosnia-Herzegovina. The rescue force was notified of the lost fighter and began intense combat mission planning. Working out of an austere forward operating location, intelligance updates were marginal and the coordinates received for the survivor's location were unconfirmed. Because sunrise was a mere 2 hours away, they launched on current information anticipating en route updates. However, communications were inoperable, so it was up to CPT Denehen's aircraft to provide the critical link for mission command and control. As the flight penetrated enemy territory, Despite multiple missile engagements, CPT Denehen pressed deeper into a saturated Serbian air defense network selflessly risking their lives for a comrade. As sunrise quickly approaching, it would mean their aircraft would show up on enemy's radar and the downed pilot would soon be surrounded by the enemy. The crew finally spotted the downed pilot's infrared strobe amongst surrounding enemy soldiers. With rotor blades less than 10 feet from the rocky terrain, team members 20 seconds on the ground, evading enemy ground fire, and rescued the downed pilot. Enemy missiles leaving Serbia again engaged the flight. However, CPT Denehen was able to evade further enemy engagements and return the downed pilot to a waiting MC-130 for a trip to back to Aviano AB, Italy.

Base: Mcguire Air Force Base

State: New Jersey (NJ)

Country: United States Of America (USA)

Scene Camera Operator: Gary Ell, CIV, USAF

Release Status: Released to Public
Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files