Marine CH-53 Pilot on Iraq, Afghanistan & the Mission That Almost Ran Out of Power
About This Episode
A downed U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan. 45-knot crosswinds. No power margin. No second chances.
On this episode of Combat Story, AJ Pasciuti sits down with Isaac G Lee, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col, CH-53 heavy lift pilot with seven deployments and four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Isaac flew 140+ named combat missions, became a Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI), commanded a Marine helicopter squadron, and led one of the most dangerous recovery missions of the war — lifting a downed Night Stalker aircraft near the Pakistani border.
We talk about: - Flying CH-53s during the Iraq invasion - Losing an engine in a hot landing zone - Brownout landings with zero visibility - What it takes to recover a downed aircraft under enemy threat - Working alongside Army Apaches and special operations units - The mental shift required to survive repeated combat deployments - Leadership when lives depend on you
This isn’t just a helicopter story.
It’s about responsibility, trust, and becoming the person the mission demands — and figuring out who you are afterward.
Isaac also shares the leadership lessons behind his memoir Hangar 4, an unfiltered look at Marine Corps aviation, squadron culture, and the hidden cost of sustained combat operations.
If you care about Marine Corps aviation, CH-53 helicopters, Iraq War combat stories, Afghanistan War missions, or leadership under pressure... this episode delivers.
Guest: Isaac G. Lee
Isaac Lee is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. CH-53 pilot, Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI), and former squadron commander with seven deployments and multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He is the author of Hangar 4 and founder of Ready Room Consulting, where he teaches leadership drawn from two decades of Marine Corps aviation.
Websites
X (Twitter)
Book Soundtrack Playlist
AJ Pasciuti is a retired Marine Force Recon Scout Sniper and Infantry Weapons Officer (Marine Gunner), author of Darkhorse: Harnessing Hidden Potential in War and Life, and host of the Combat Story Podcast, where veterans share honest, unfiltered stories of service, leadership, and life after combat.
Book (Darkhorse): https://www.amazon.com/Darkhorse-Harnessing-Hidden-Potential-Life/dp/1400254973
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajpasciuti/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelo-pasciuti/ Website: https://www.ajpasciuti.com/
Featured Combat Story Episodes with AJ
Combat Story Podcast – Part 1 (USMC Sniper & Force Recon) - Battle of Fallujah | Shooting w/ Chris Kyle | American Sniper | AJ Pasciuti
Combat Story Podcast – Part 2 (Sniper vs Sniper Battle) - Killing the Enemy’s Most Lethal Sniper | Force Recon | AJ Pasciuti
Additional Features & Media
Urban Valor Podcast Feature:
DVIDS – Infantry Marine Course Feature:
Chapters
Chapters
- 00:00CH-53 Downed Aircraft Recovery | Afghanistan Combat Mission
- 05:12Marine Corps Aviation Origin Story | From Texas to Flight School
- 14:08Marine OCS & The Basic School | Earning a Flight Contract
- 26:40Navy Flight School to CH-53 Selection | Becoming a Helicopter Pilot
- 41:029/11 & The Iraq War | First Marine Deployment
- 1:05:00Iraq Invasion Combat | Engine Failure in a Hot Landing Zone
- 1:17:30Brownout Landings & Combat Flying at Night | CH-53 Iraq
- 1:32:45Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) | Marine Aviation Elite Training
- 1:49:20140+ Combat Missions | Iraq Surge & Afghanistan Operations
- 2:07:10Working with Army Apaches & Special Operations Forces
- 2:26:30Night Stalkers Helicopter Crash | Planning the Recovery Mission
- 2:39:50Zero Power Margin Lift | Recovering a Downed Helicopter
- 2:47:30144 Named Operations | Marine Heavy Lift in Afghanistan
- 2:58:40Squadron Command | Leading a Marine Helicopter Unit
- 3:10:15Transitioning from Combat to Civilian Life
- 3:18:00Writing Hangar 4 | Leadership, Brotherhood & War
