One of seven US service members injured in the "Absolute Resolve" operation on the morning of 3/1 in Caracas, Venezuela's capital, was an MH-47 Chinook helicopter pilot, CBS News reported on 8/1, citing three unnamed US government officials.
This pilot played a role in planning the operation and commanded the lead aircraft in the helicopter formation. The formation belonged to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, an elite US Army unit, and was transporting special forces into Caracas to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
According to US officials, before the helicopter team departed, US fighter jets conducted airstrikes to disable the city's power grid. Simultaneously, F-35 stealth fighters targeted Venezuela's air defense and radar systems.
Following these actions, the US helicopters flew at an altitude of approximately 30 meters above sea level, traversing the Caracas skyline towards Fort Tiuna military base, largely undetected.
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US helicopters entered the airspace of Caracas, Venezuela, on the morning of 3/1. Reuters.
However, as the helicopter formation carrying Delta special forces approached Fort Tiuna base, where Maduro and his wife were resting, ground anti-aircraft batteries unexpectedly opened fire.
US helicopters immediately returned fire, providing cover for the raiding force. Despite this, the large, twin-rotor MH-47 Chinook leading the formation was hit by anti-aircraft fire, causing the pilot to sustain multiple leg injuries.
The lead Chinook being hit and its pilot injured brought the "Absolute Resolve" raid to the brink of disaster. A potential crash of the Chinook would have exposed US special forces to enemy ground infantry, reminiscent of the 1993 Black Hawk Down incident in Mogadishu, Somalia. That engagement resulted in 18 US soldiers killed and 73 injured.
"Just one failure in this smoothly operating machine would threaten the entire operation," General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, later admitted.
Despite the damage, the Chinook helicopter remained airborne and continued its mission. With the co-pilot's assistance, the pilot controlled the aircraft to deploy troops at Fort Tiuna before safely retreating.
At approximately 2:01 AM Caracas time, over 80 Delta special forces operators successfully landed at the base. Following an intense firefight with security forces protecting Maduro, US special forces breached the bedroom and captured Maduro and his wife as they attempted to flee to a fortified bunker.
The subsequent helicopter team extracted the raiding force, along with Maduro and his wife, under heavy enemy fire. By 4:29 AM, the formation had exited Venezuelan airspace, heading towards US warships anchored offshore.
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Fire erupted from Fort Tiuna base, Venezuela's largest military facility, after a series of explosions in Caracas on 3/1. AFP.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged this as "a contested raid," but emphasized that no equipment was lost and no US soldiers were killed.
A Pentagon official stated that as of 7/1, at least two US service members were still recovering from the operation, while five others had returned to duty.
Thanh Danh (Based on CBS, Reuters, Times)
