Airmen from the 4th Fighter Wing were recognized for their extraordinary heroism during a ceremony held on Friday at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Commander of Air Combat Command, presented high-level military decorations to these exceptional service members who played a pivotal role in the largest air-to-air engagement in over 50 years.

“We’re here today to recognize some American heroes and highlight their accomplishments,” said Wilsbach during the award ceremony. “These Airmen were agile, mobile, and hostile, generating overwhelming combat power in a short period of time to defeat a threat.”

The awards came in recognition of the Airmen’s rapid response and performance during an unprecedented aerial conflict.

The incident, which occurred in April 2024, saw Airmen from the 335th Fighter Squadron and 335th Fighter Generation Squadron deployed to U.S. Central Command in support of coalition forces.

Their mission was to defend Israel from a coordinated missile and drone assault launched from Iran and Houthi-controlled regions of Yemen.

Less than 24 hours after arriving in the region, the Airmen were thrust into action when multiple one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles were fired at Israel. The 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (EFS) and 335th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron (EFGS), along with allied forces, worked at an unprecedented pace to neutralize the threat.

“Once the aircraft arrived, we had to completely reconfigure them from no munitions to battle-ready,” explained U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Madison Gilbert, 335th EFGS commander. “The time pressure was immense, but we got it done.”

The 335th EFGS had just arrived in the region and immediately went to work. Within hours, six F-15E Strike Eagles were reconfigured for combat. The team’s effort wasn’t as simple as making a few adjustments; the maintainers had to remove large sections of the aircraft to reconfigure them for the additional munitions needed for the mission.

“It was a whole enterprise effort that day,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Murphy, 335th EFS commander. “Our maintainers had to take large 10-foot sections off the plane and ensure the precise configuration to add more munitions. Time was not on our side, and they made it happen. I don’t know any other group of people who could have made it all work in time.”

Once the F-15Es were battle-ready, the pilots and weapons systems officers were quickly airborne. Capt. Greg Liquori, a pilot from the 335th EFS, led the formation, launching the first missile at a locked-on target.

“Let it ride,” Liquori said as the missile flew into the sky.

According to Lt. Col. Murphy, within 45 minutes, the formation had exhausted all their munitions. They returned to base, were re-armed by the 335th EFGS weapons personnel, and swiftly returned to the fight.

“Everyone did exactly what they were trained to do,” Murphy reflected. “This was a shining example of why we exercise.”

From the evening of April 12 to the morning of April 13, 2024, these Airmen successfully engaged and destroyed over 80 one-way attack drones and at least six ballistic missiles.

In total, Iran launched more than 300 UAVs, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles. Thanks to the collective efforts of U.S. and coalition forces, nearly 99% of these inbound weapons were destroyed.

“It is a privilege to witness these Airmen receive these well-deserved awards,” said Col. Morgan P. Lohse, 4th Fighter Wing commander. “Whether you’re a pilot, a weapon systems officer, a part of maintenance, or in intelligence, it was the seamless teamwork across all career fields that made this operation a success. The limited time for preparation had no impact on them. Their sole focus was completing the mission and saving lives.”

Nearly one year after the engagement, the courageous service members were awarded for their heroism, surrounded by Air Force leadership, peers, and families.

Distinguished Flying Cross Recipients

The following individuals were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the fourth-highest military award for heroism and the highest award for extraordinary aerial achievement:

• Lt. Col. Kevin Murphy, 335th Fighter Squadron

• Lt. Col. Brian Leitzke, 333rd Fighter Squadron

• Maj. Steven Cripe II, 335th Fighter Squadron

• Maj. Sebastian Kaiser, 335th Fighter Squadron

• Maj. Andrew Munoz, 335th Fighter Squadron

• Capt. Dimosthenis Doulamis, 335th Fighter Squadron

• Capt. Gregory Liquori, 335th Fighter Squadron

• Capt. George Welton, 335th Fighter Squadron

Bronze Star Medal Recipient

• Master Sgt. Luke Howell, 4th Operations Support Squadron

Commendation Medal Recipients

The following individuals received the Commendation Medal for their outstanding contributions:

• 1st Lt. Michael Duhaime, 4th Operations Support Squadron

• Master Sgt. Christopher Oles, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Master Sgt. Joey Roberts, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron

• Technical Sgt. Joshua Spillman, 4th Operations Support Squadron

• Technical Sgt. Mitchell Klocke, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Technical Sgt. Drew Metzger, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Technical Sgt. Nathaniel Manley, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Technical Sgt. Dylan Zamminer, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Technical Sgt. Jashaunn Jasper, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Staff Sgt. Alexander Norwood, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron

• Senior Airman Trevor Varney, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron

• Senior Airman Lance Manzon, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron

Air and Space Achievement Medal Recipients

• Staff Sgt. Jaquante Grimes, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Staff Sgt. Michael Zeno, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Senior Airman Kobe Montgomery, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Senior Airman Tristan Long, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Senior Airman Tyanna Edgerson, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Senior Airman Christopher Carey, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Senior Airman Justin Roblee, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Senior Airman Alexander Ripolio, 335th Fighter Generation Squadron

• Senior Airman Senghtoi Waje, 4th Logistics Readiness Squadron

• Airman 1st Class Frankie Perez, 4th Logistics Readiness Squadron

These decorated Airmen exemplify the core values of the U.S. Air Force, demonstrating unparalleled professionalism, teamwork, and dedication to completing the mission under the most challenging circumstances.

Their actions not only defended a critical ally but also showcased the resilience and combat readiness of the Airmen of the 4th Fighter Wing.