An MH-53 Pave Low helicopter crew (Knife 04) from the 20th Special Operations Squadron rescues another 20th SOS MH-53 crew whose helicopter had gone down while the two were on a rescue mission in extremely hazardous weather conditions in the mountains of Afghanistan. Knife 04 received the 2001 Mackay Trophy.
The U.S. began extensive air and artillery strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Dec. 19 in retaliation for the killing of three Americans on Dec. 13 by a gunman affiliated with ISIS, U.S. officials said.
