Rescue From The Skies Remembered

A newly released U.S. military tape chronicles the downing of an American F-16 jet over Serbia last year.

NATO planes were mid-way through a 78-day bombing campaign against Serbia in the war over Kosovo when the F-16 was hit by Serb anti-aircraft fire on May 2, 1999.

CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin reports the jet's cockpit tape recorder caught the pilot's voice from start to finish.

After the F-16 was hit by the Serb anti-aircraft missile, the pilot tried desperately to get back over friendly territory.

"I'm going to continue to glide as long as I can," he reported to his air base in Aviano, Italy. "Start finding me, boys."

The pilot tried to restart his engine, but couldn't.

"It's definitely quit. I'm a glider, boys." he said on the tape.

Ultimately, the pilot had to eject, landing deep in enemy territory—with the Serbs closing in. Three American helicopters under the command of Lt. Col. Steve Laushine were sent in to get the pilot—and the Serbs knew the helicopters were there.

The downed pilot was only 25 miles from the Serb capital of Belgrade. The low and slow-flying helicopters were taking Serb ground fire.

"Two hit in rotor blades and one hit in the aft cabin section and actually came close to penetrating some fuel lines," said Laushine.

The rescue helicopters are barely visible in a night video of the rescue, but the downed pilot could hear their rotor blades. Finally, the pilot spotted the helicopters and directed them into his hiding place.

The choppers were on final approach for the rescue, but nowhere near out of danger with gunfire. Still, one of the helicopters was able to land and picked up the pilot.

When the sun rose, all the Serbs could find was the smoking wreckage of the F-16. The pilot had been on the ground for two-and-a-half hours. Had he been there any longer, daybreak would have forced the rescue to be called off.