WASHINGTON, June 9, 2026 — Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., offered thanks Monday after two U.S. Army Apache helicopter pilots were safely rescued following the shootdown of their aircraft near the Strait of Hormuz, calling the incident “yet another reckless act by a terrorist regime” and praising the military’s rescue operation as proof that American strength saves lives.
“I am thankful to hear that the two U.S. Army Apache pilots who were shot down near the Strait of Hormuz are safe and uninjured,” Wilson wrote on X. “This is yet another reckless act by a terrorist regime and a further reminder that American strength, readiness, and resolve saves lives. God bless all who continue to operate in harm’s way and demonstrate every day what Peace Through Strength looks like. No Soldier Left Behind!”
What Happened
A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman on the evening of June 8, 2026 while patrolling regional waters as part of the ongoing U.S. blockade enforcement and freedom-of-navigation operations in the area. Both crew members — the pilot and the gunner — were rescued within approximately two hours and were in stable condition, U.S. Central Command confirmed.
President Donald Trump announced the incident on Truth Social Tuesday, attributing the shootdown directly to Iran. “I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote. “There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”
Two U.S. officials told CBS News that initial reports indicated an Iranian drone apparently brought down the Apache, though one official said it was not yet clear whether the drone deliberately targeted the helicopter or whether the collision was inadvertent. Iran has not publicly claimed responsibility. CENTCOM said the cause of the incident remained under investigation even after Trump’s public attribution.
A Historic Rescue — the First by a Sea Drone
The rescue operation itself marked a significant milestone in U.S. military history. The two crew members were located and recovered by a U.S. Navy Corsair unmanned surface vessel — a drone boat operated by Task Force 59, the U.S. Fifth Fleet’s unmanned systems unit based in Bahrain. It was the first time a U.S. Navy unmanned surface vessel had ever been used to rescue downed aircrew at sea.
The Corsair drone boat located the pilots, retrieved them from the water, and transported them to a rendezvous point where they were hoisted to a manned helicopter for further evacuation. The operation involved coordination between U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, the 82nd Airborne Division, and Air Force assets. CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed the details to CBS News.
The Apache’s Role in the Iran War
AH-64 Apache attack helicopters have been a significant component of U.S. operations in and around the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran war began on February 28, 2026. The aircraft — armed with Hellfire missiles, a 30mm chain gun, and advanced target acquisition systems — have been used to conduct precision strikes against Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping, intercept drones, and enforce the naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Last month, Apaches and U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawk helicopters destroyed six small Iranian boats that were threatening commercial vessels in and around the strait, according to Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM. U.S. forces had been flying the helicopters increasingly close to Iranian-controlled islands in the strait and Persian Gulf as part of an aggressive operational posture.
The downed Apache is the first of its type lost since hostilities began. The U.S. military has lost at least seven crewed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters since operations against Iran began in February, including three F-15E Strike Eagles downed in a friendly fire incident involving Kuwaiti air defenses in March, a refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq killing six crew members, and an F-15E that went down inside Iranian territory in April — triggering a nearly 48-hour search and rescue operation Trump described as “one of the most daring” in U.S. military history.
Wilson’s Background
Rep. Joe Wilson represents South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District and sits on the House Armed Services Committee, where he has been a consistent advocate for military funding and a strong U.S. posture in the Middle East. Wilson is perhaps best known nationally for shouting “You lie!” during President Obama’s 2009 address to a joint session of Congress — a moment for which he later apologized. He has four sons who have served in the U.S. military.
His “No Soldier Left Behind” closing line echoed the military’s longstanding personnel recovery doctrine — the commitment to account for and recover all U.S. service members, whether in combat or downed behind enemy lines — a principle the Task Force 59 drone boat rescue demonstrated in real time.