Eleven members of the 134th Air Refueling Wing have been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for their heroic actions during a critical mission conducted earlier this year.
The Distinguished Flying Cross, authorized by Congress in 1926, is awarded for heroism or extraordinary achievement during aerial flight. It is a distinction that recognizes acts that go beyond routine operations.
The ceremony, held Saturday (12/7/2024) at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, honored the Tennessee Air National Guard aircrew’s critical role during Operation True Promise, a coordinated defense effort in response to a historic missile and drone assault by Iran on Israel. The attack, which occurred on April 13, 2024, involved over 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial systems in a single, unprecedented strike. The aircrews of the 134th, deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, played a vital role in enabling U.S. and allied fighter jets to intercept the barrage and prevent massive casualties.
For the recipients—Lt. Col. Willis Parker, Maj. Lance Welch, Maj. Stacy Sells, Maj. Cody Gaby, Capt. Andrew Weber, Capt. James Spearman, Capt. Joshua Johnson, Tech. Sgt. Hunter Ricks, Tech. Sgt. Gage Seymour, Tech. Sgt. Joshua Osborne, and Senior Airman Jonah Parham—the Distinguished Flying Cross is a testament to their resilience, teamwork, and unwavering commitment to duty.