Combat Story
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Marine CH-53 Pilot on Iraq, Afghanistan & the Mission That Almost Ran Out of Power
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March 2, 2026
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3:27:31Now PlayingA 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.
🔗 Connect with Isaac
🌐 Websites
🐦 X (Twitter)
🎵 Book Soundtrack Playlist
🎙️ Host Information — AJ Pasciuti | Combat Story
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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.
🔗 Find AJ Online:
📕 Book (Darkhorse)
🎧 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
