View source for Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)

{{Short description|Military award of the US Armed Forces}}
{{Distinguish|Air Force Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)}}
{{Infobox award
| name = Distinguished Flying Cross
| image = Distinguished Flying Cross Obverse.jpg
| image_size = 150px
| caption = 
| presenter = {{indented plainlist|
* [[U.S. Department of the Army]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://govdocs.rutgers.edu/mil/army/r600_8_22.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111110243/http://govdocs.rutgers.edu/mil/army/r600_8_22.pdf |archive-date=2018-01-11 |url-status=dead }} {{Title missing|date=September 2025}}</ref>
* [[U.S. Department of the Navy]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webdoc01.nsf/(vwDocsByID)/DL060927142728/$file/1650.1H.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216124033/https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webdoc01.nsf/(vwDocsByID)/DL060927142728/$file/1650.1H.pdf |archive-date=2012-02-16 |url-status=dead }} {{Title missing|date=September 2025}}</ref>
* [[U.S. Department of the Air Force]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/afi36-2803/afi36-2803.pdf |title=Production publication |website=static.e-publishing.af.mil |access-date=2018-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127192422/http://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/afi36-2803/afi36-2803.pdf |archive-date=2018-01-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[U.S. Department of Homeland Security]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://media.defense.gov/2017/Mar/29/2001723556/-1/-1/0/CIM_1650_25E.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904105203/https://media.defense.gov/2017/Mar/29/2001723556/-1/-1/0/CIM_1650_25E.PDF |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 4, 2017 |title=Info |date=2017 |website=media.defense.gov }}</ref>
}}
| type = Military decoration
| eligibility = 
| awarded_for = "Heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight"
| status = Currently awarded
| established = 2 July 1926<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/04601.html |title=Executive Order 4601 |publisher=Archives.gov ([[National Archives and Records Administration]])|access-date=26 September 2012}}</ref>
| firstawarded = 2 May 1927
| lastawarded = 
| total_awarded = 
| total_awarded_posthumously = 
| total_recipients = 
| individual = 
| higher = [[Legion of Merit]]<ref name=1348.33-V3/>
| same = 
| lower = {{indented plainlist|
* Army: [[Soldier's Medal]]
* Naval Service: [[Navy and Marine Corps Medal]]
* Air and Space Forces: [[Airman's Medal]]
* Coast Guard: [[Coast Guard Medal]]
}}
| image2 = [[Image:Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg|border|124px]]
| caption2 = Service ribbon
| reverse = [[File: Distinguished Flying Cross Reverse.jpg|100px]]
}}

The '''Distinguished Flying Cross''' ('''DFC''') is a [[Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces|military decoration]] of the [[United States Armed Forces]]. The medal was established on July 2, 1926, and is awarded to those who, after April 6, 1917, have distinguished themselves by single acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. Both heroism and extraordinary achievement are entirely distinctive, involving operations that are not routine.<ref name=1348.33-V3>{{cite web|title=Department of Defense Manual 1348.33-V3|url=http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134833vol3.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322212501/http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134833vol3.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 22, 2011|publisher=US Department of Defense|access-date=26 September 2012|pages=17–18, 50|date=23 November 2010}}</ref><ref name="DSFC">{{cite web|url=http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=15249&CategoryId=3&grp=4&menu=Decorations%20and%20Medals&ps=24&p=0|title=Distinguished Flying Cross|publisher=The Institute of Heraldry: Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the ARMY|access-date=2013-12-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111737/http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=15249&CategoryId=3&grp=4&menu=Decorations%20and%20Medals&ps=24&p=0|archive-date=2013-12-24|url-status=dead}}</ref> The medal may be awarded to friendly foreign military members in ranks equivalent to the U.S. paygrade of O-6 and below in combat or support operations.

==History==
[[File:Odierno presents DFCs army mil-2007-11-14-093424.jpg|thumb|LTG [[Ray Odierno]] presents Distinguished Flying Crosses to Army aviators in Iraq.]]
[[File:Miller DFC Presentation.jpg|thumb|As part of a twilight tattoo event at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., held on honor of the Army's 242nd birthday, Acting Secretary of the Army Robert Speer, left, and Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, right, present a posthumous Distinguished Flying Cross for Army Capt. James E. Miller to Miller's great-grandson, Byron Derringer, center, June 14, 2017.]]

The first award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was made by President Calvin Coolidge on May 2, 1927, to ten aviators of the [[United States Army Air Corps|U.S. Army Air Corps]] who had participated in the Army Pan American Flight which took place from December 21, 1926, to May 2, 1927. Two of the airmen died in a mid-air collision trying to land at Buenos Aires on February 26, 1927, and received their awards posthumously. The award had only been authorized by Congress the previous year and no medals had yet been struck, so the Pan American airmen initially received only certificates. Among the ten airmen were Major [[Herbert Dargue]], Captains [[Ira C. Eaker]] and [[Muir S. Fairchild]], and First Lieutenant [[Ennis C. Whitehead]].

[[Charles Lindbergh]] received the first presentation of the actual medal about a month later from Coolidge during the Washington, D.C., homecoming reception on June 11, 1927, from his trans-Atlantic flight. The medal had hurriedly been struck and readied just for that occasion.  The 1927 War Department General Order (G.O. 8) authorizing Lindbergh's DFC states that it was awarded by the president, while the General Order (G.O. 6) for the Pan American Flyers' DFC citation notes that the War Department awarded it "by direction of the President." The first Distinguished Flying Cross to be awarded to a Naval aviator was received by Commander [[Richard E. Byrd]], USN for his trans-Atlantic flight from June 29 to July 1, 1927, from New York City to the coast of France. Byrd and his pilot Machinist [[Floyd Bennett]] had already received the Medal of Honor for their historic flight to the North Pole on May 9, 1926.

Numerous recipients of the medal earned greater fame in other occupations; a number of astronauts, actors, and politicians have been Distinguished Flying Cross recipients, including President [[George H. W. Bush]]. The DFC may be retroactively awarded to recognize notable accomplishments made at any time after the beginning of American participation in [[World War I]]. On February 23, 1929, Congress passed special legislation to allow the award of the DFC to the Wright brothers for their December 17, 1903, flight. Other civilians who have received the award include [[Wiley Post]], [[Jacqueline Cochran]], [[Roscoe Turner]], [[Amelia Earhart]], [[Glenn H. Curtiss]], and [[Eugene Ely]]. Eventually, it was limited to military personnel by an Executive Order. Amelia Earhart became the first woman to receive the DFC on July 29, 1932, when it was presented to her by Vice President [[Charles Curtis]] in Los Angeles for her solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean earlier that year.

== World War I ==
The only Distinguished Flying Cross for [[World War I]] service was posthumously awarded on June 14, 2017, when 95th Aero Squadron Commander and Army Captain James Ely Miller was recognized for his actions on March 9, 1918, which made him the first American aviator serving with an American unit to die in that war.<ref>{{Cite web |title=First fallen aviator of World War I honored with Distinguished Flying Cross |url=https://www.army.mil/article/189392/first_fallen_aviator_of_world_war_i_honored_with_distinguished_flying_cross |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=www.army.mil |date=16 June 2017 |language=en}}</ref>

== World War II ==
During World War II, the medal's award criteria varied widely depending on the theater of operations, aerial combat that was engaged in, and the missions that were accomplished. In the Pacific, commissioned officers were often awarded the DFC, while enlisted men were given the [[Air Medal]]. In Europe, some crews received it for their overall performance through a tour of duty. The criteria used were however not consistent between commands or over time.<ref>[https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Timelines/World%20War%20II/WWIIDFCandAirMedalCriteriaChronological.pdf?ver=2016-09-16-111147-907 Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal Criteria in the Army Air Forces in World War II]</ref> Individual achievement could also result in the medal being awarded. For example, [[George McGovern]] received one for the successful completion of a bombing mission in which his aircraft lost an engine and then was landed safely.<ref>[https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/george-mcgoverns-world-war-ii-diary-180961585/ George McGovern's WWII Diary]</ref> On December 28, 1944, [[Aleda E. Lutz|Aleda Lutz]] became the first military woman to receive the DFC, which she received posthumously.<ref>Iskra, Darlene M.. ''Women in the United States Armed Forces: A Guide to the Issues.'' United States, ABC-CLIO, 2010.</ref>

==Criteria==
The Distinguished Flying Cross was authorized by Section 12 of the [[United States Army Air Corps]] Act enacted by Congress on July 2, 1926,<ref name="mooney">{{cite web |last=Mooney |first=Charles C. and Layman, Martha E. |year=1944 |url=http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090602-051.pdf |title=Organization of Military Aeronautics, 1907-1935 (Congressional and War Department Action) |work=Air Force Historical Study No. 25 |publisher=AFHRA (USAF) |access-date=14 Dec 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227081644/http://www.afhra.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-090602-051.pdf |archive-date=2010-12-27 }}, Appendix 5, p. 127.</ref> as amended by Executive Order 7786 on January 8, 1938<ref name="DSFC"/> and USC 10, 9279. This act provided for the award to be given to any person who distinguishes themselves "by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight" while serving in any capacity with the Air Corps.<ref name="DSFC"/>

==Appearance==
The Distinguished Flying Cross was designed by Elizabeth Will and Arthur E. DuBois.<ref name="DSFC"/> The medal is a bronze [[cross pattee]], on whose [[obverse]] is superimposed a four-bladed [[propeller]], 1 11/16 inches in width. Five rays extend from the reentrant angles, forming a one-inch square. The [[obverse and reverse|reverse]] is blank; it is suitable for engraving the recipient's name and rank. The cross is suspended from a rectangular bar.

The suspension and [[service ribbon]] of the medal is 1 3/8 inches wide and consists of the following stripes: 3/32 inch Ultramarine Blue 67118; 9/64 inch White 67101; 11/32 inch Ultramarine Blue 67118; 3/64 inch White 67101; center stripe 3/32 inch Old Glory Red 67156; 3/64 inch White 67101; 11/32 inch Ultramarine Blue 67118; 9/64 inch White 67101; 3/32 inch Ultramarine Blue 67118.<ref name="DSFC"/>

===Devices===

Additional awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross are shown with bronze or silver [[Oak Leaf Cluster]]s for the Army, Air Force, and Space Force, and gold and silver [[5/16 inch star|{{frac|5|16}} Inch Stars]] for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

The Army, Air Force, Space Force, Navy, and Marine Corps may authorize the [["V" Device|"V" device]] for wear on the DFC to denote valor in combat. The services can also award the DFC for extraordinary achievement without the "V" device.

On January 7, 2016, a Secretary of Defense memorandum standardized the use of the "V" device as a valor-only device across the services. The Department of Defense published "DOD Manuals 1348.33, Volumes 1-4, DOD Military Decorations and Awards" which unified the criteria for awards. DOD 1348.33.  "Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards" authorizes use of the "V" Device with the DFC for combat valor and the "C" Device for meritorious service or achievement under combat conditions.

==DFC National Memorial Act==
In July 2014, the United States Senate passed the [[Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act]].  The act was sponsored by Senator [[Barbara Boxer]], to designate the Distinguished Flying Cross Memorial at [[March Field Air Museum]] adjacent to [[March Air Reserve Base]] in [[Riverside, California]], as a national memorial to recognize members of United States Armed Forces who have distinguished themselves by heroism in aerial flight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxer.senate.gov/en/press/releases/071014.cfm |title=Official Website of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer: Press Releases - Boxer Praises Senate Passage of the Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act |access-date=2014-11-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101033316/http://www.boxer.senate.gov/en/press/releases/071014.cfm |archive-date=2014-11-01 }}</ref>  The act was signed into law by President [[Barack Obama]] on July 25, 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxer.senate.gov/press/update/senator-boxer-president-obama-signs-the-distinguished-flying-cross-national-memorial-act/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123082644/http://www.boxer.senate.gov/press/update/senator-boxer-president-obama-signs-the-distinguished-flying-cross-national-memorial-act/|title=Senator Boxer: President Obama Signs the Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act|work=senate.gov|access-date=10 June 2016|archive-date=23 November 2015}}</ref>

==Notable recipients of the DFC==
This is not a complete list, as it does not include individuals who are known only for receiving the DFC.

Note: the rank indicated is the highest ever held by the person.

===Astronauts===
* Lieutenant General [[Thomas P. Stafford]], USAF: flew to the Moon on [[Apollo 10]], commander of the [[Apollo–Soyuz]] mission. 
* Major General [[Michael Collins (astronaut)|Michael Collins]], USAF: command module pilot for [[Apollo 11]] mission to the Moon.
* Major General [[Joe Engle]], USAF: [[X-15]] and [[Space Shuttle]] pilot.
* Rear Admiral [[Alan Shepard]], USN: one of the original seven American astronauts, first American in space in ''[[Freedom 7]]'', commanded [[Apollo 14]].
* Brigadier General [[James McDivitt]], USAF: commander of [[Gemini 4]] and [[Apollo 9]].
* Brigadier General [[Buzz Aldrin]], USAF: Lunar Module pilot for [[Apollo 11]], second man to walk on the Moon.
* Colonel [[Frank Borman]], USAF: commander of [[Apollo 8]].
* Colonel [[Eileen Collins]], USAF: first woman to command a Space Shuttle mission.
* Colonel [[Gordon Cooper]], USAF: one of the original seven American astronauts, pilot of ''[[Faith 7]]'' and commander of [[Gemini 5]].
* Colonel [[Guy Gardner (astronaut)|Guy Gardner]]: Space Shuttle pilot and recipient of three DFCs.
* Colonel [[John Glenn]], USMC: (5 awards) One of the original seven American astronauts, first American to orbit the Earth in ''[[Friendship 7]]'' and United States Senator.
* Colonel [[David Scott]], USAF: flew on [[Gemini 8]], [[Apollo 9]] and [[Apollo 15]].
* Captain [[Eugene Cernan]], USN: pilot of [[Gemini 9A]], lunar module pilot of [[Apollo 10]] and commander of [[Apollo 17]]. One of three persons to have flown to the Moon twice. 
* Captain [[Pete Conrad]], USN: commander of [[Apollo 12]] and [[Skylab 2]].
* Captain [[Robert Crippen]], USN: pilot on [[STS-1|first Space Shuttle mission]].
* Captain [[Mark Kelly]], USN: pilot on four Space Shuttle missions, commander for two, including the final mission of [[Space Shuttle Endeavour|Space Shuttle ''Endeavour'']], and recipient of 2 DFCs.
* Captain [[Scott Kelly (astronaut)|Scott Kelly]], USN: Lived for one year on the [[International Space Station]].
* Captain [[Jim Lovell]], USN: pilot of [[Gemini 7]], Commander of [[Gemini 12]], Command Module Pilot of [[Apollo 8]], and Commander of [[Apollo 13]], recipient of 2 DFCs. 
* Captain [[Wally Schirra]], USN: one of the original seven American astronauts who flew on ''[[Mercury-Atlas 8|Sigma 7]]'', [[Gemini 6A]] and as commander of [[Apollo 7]].
* Captain [[John Young (astronaut)|John Young]], USN: flew on [[Apollo 10]] and [[Apollo 16]], commander of the [[STS-1|first Space Shuttle mission]].
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Duane Carey]], USAF: [[Space Shuttle]] pilot. Awarded with [[Valor Device]].
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Gus Grissom]], USAF: one of the original seven American astronauts, second American in space on ''[[Liberty Bell 7]]''.
* Commander [[Scott Carpenter]], USN: one of the original seven American astronauts, flew on ''[[Aurora 7]]'', and aquanaut with [[SEALAB]] project.
* Major [[Deke Slayton]], USAF: one of the original seven American astronauts, NASA chief astronaut and docking module pilot for the [[Apollo–Soyuz]] mission.
* Commander [[Joe F. Edwards Jr.]], USN: He was decorated before becoming an astronaut with the [[STS-89]] mission, following his successful carrier landing of his [[F-14B]] after the radome had been separated mid-flight, injuring him and having to perform the landing with a blinded eye.
* [[Neil Armstrong]]: Commander of Apollo 11, first person to walk on the moon. Armstrong was a civilian throughout his tenure at NASA.

Note: Although astronaut [[Neil Armstrong]]'s achievements as an aviator and an astronaut more than exceeded the requirements for the DFC, he was a civilian for his entire career with NASA, requiring an act of Congress to award the medal.

===Political figures===
* Lieutenant [[George H. W. Bush]], USNR: [[President of the United States]].
* Major General [[Patrick J. Hurley]], USAR: Secretary of War.
* Rear Admiral [[Jeremiah Denton]], USN: US Senator.
* Brigadier General [[Joe Foss]], ANG: Medal of Honor recipient and Governor of South Dakota.
* Colonel [[Bruce Sundlun]], USAFR: [[Governor of Rhode Island]].
* Colonel [[Lloyd Bentsen]], USAFR: US Senator, Secretary of the Treasury, and vice presidential candidate.
* Colonel [[Alexander Butterfield]], USAF: aide to President [[Richard Nixon]].
* Captain [[John S. McCain, III]], USN: US Senator and presidential candidate.
* Captain [[Jim Wright]], USAAF: Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
* Captain [[Bruce Alger]], USAAF: US Representative.
* Captain [[Peter H. Dominick]], USAAF: US Senator.
* Captain [[William Hathaway]], USAAF: US Senator.
* Captain [[Joseph McCarthy]], USMC: US Senator.
* Captain [[Gentner Drummond]], USAF: Attorney General of Oklahoma.
* First Lieutenant [[George McGovern]], USAAF: US Senator, presidential candidate.
* First Lieutenant [[Ted Stevens]], USAAF: US Senator.
* First Lieutenant [[Richard Harding Poff]], USAAF: US Representative.
* First Lieutenant [[John Ehrlichman]], USAAF: aide to President [[Richard Nixon]].
* First Lieutenant [[Brendan Byrne]], [[United States Army Air Corps|USAAC]]: [[Governor of New Jersey]].

===Civilians===
* [[Glenn Curtiss]]: aircraft designer. Posthumously awarded in 1933.<ref>Awarded by Act of Congress March 1, 1933.</ref> 
* [[Amelia Earhart]]: legendary aviator. First woman to receive the DFC by an Act of Congress in 1932.<ref>Awarded by Act of Congress July 2, 1932.</ref>
* [[Eugene Burton Ely]]: first person to make a ship-board landing in an aircraft. Posthumously awarded in 1933.
* [[Harold Gatty]]: Navigator with Wiley Post on record-breaking around the world flight. Awarded in 1932.<ref>Awarded by Act of Congress July 11, 1932.</ref>
* [[Wiley Post]]: completed record-breaking around-the-world flight and was the first person to fly solo around the world.  Awarded in 1932.<ref>Awarded by Act of Congress July 11, 1932. Died in a plane crash with [[Will Rogers]].</ref>
* [[Roscoe Turner]]: flamboyant air racing champion. Presented in 1952. (Last award of the DFC to a civilian.)<ref>Awarded by Act of Congress in 1949 and presented in 1952.</ref>
* [[Orville Wright]]: aviation pioneer. Awarded by Act of Congress on December 18, 1928.<ref name="ReferenceA">Awarded by Act of Congress December 18, 1928.</ref>
* [[Wilbur Wright]]: aviation pioneer. Posthumously awarded by Act of Congress on December 18, 1928.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

===Foreign citizens===
* Wing Commander [[James Blackburn (RAF officer)|James Blackburn]] RAF: distinguished British pilot during World War II.
* Wing Commander [[Adrian Warburton|A. Warburton]], RAF: distinguished British reconnaissance pilot during World War II.
* Squadron Leader [[Robert Stanford Tuck]], RAF: distinguished British pilot and flying ace during World War II
* Colonel [[Francesco De Pinedo]]: [[Regia Aeronautica]]: completed the Four Continents Flight in a flying boat in 1927.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Dieudonné Costes]]: French Army: completed around the world flight.
* Lieutenant Commander [[Joseph Le Brix]]: French Navy: completed around the world flight.
* Commandant [[James Fitzmaurice (pilot)|James Fitzmaurice]]: Irish Air Corps. Flew on first non-stop westward crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on the [[Bremen (aircraft)|''Bremen'']].
* Major [[Georgy Parshin]], [[Soviet Air Forces]]: Soviet fighter ace, twice [[Hero of the Soviet Union]].
* Major [[Arthur Chin]], [[Republic of China Air Force]]: Chinese-American fighter ace.
* Captain [[Hermann Köhl]]: German Army: flew on first non-stop westward crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
* Baron [[Ehrenfried Günther Freiherr von Hünefeld]]: German aristocrat: flew on first non-stop westward crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.
* Col. [[Jesús A. Villamor|Jesus Villamor]], [[Philippine Army Air Corps]] for actions during the [[Philippines campaign (1941–1942)|defense of the Philippines, December 1941]].
* Lt. [[Jose Gozar]], Philippine Army Air Corps for actions during the defense of the Philippines, December 1941

===Celebrities===
* Brigadier General [[James Stewart]], USAFR: World War II B-24 pilot and Group Operations Officer.  Academy Award-winning actor.
* Brigadier General [[Chuck Yeager]], USAF: test pilot and first human to break the sound barrier.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Jerry Coleman]], USMC: World War II and Korean War pilot. Second baseman for the [[New York Yankees]] and long-time broadcaster for the [[San Diego Padres]].
* Major [[Clark Gable]], USAAF: Star of ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind]]'' who flew on five bombing missions during World War II.
* Major [[Wolfgang Reitherman]], USAAF: World War pilot. Animator, director and producer for [[List of Disney theatrical animated features|Disney animated movies]].
* Captain [[Don Herbert]], USAAF: World War II B-24 pilot. Creator and host of the ''[[Watch Mr. Wizard]]'' and ''Mr. Wizard's World'' television programs. 
* Captain [[Gene Roddenberry]], USAAF: Creator of the ''[[Star Trek]]'' television series and franchise.
* Captain [[Dan Rowan]], USAAF: [[P-40 Warhawk]] pilot and star of ''[[Laugh In]]''.
* Captain [[Cal Worthington]], USAAF: Legendary car salesman.
* First Lieutenant [[Jack Valente]], USAAF: Longtime president of the [[Motion Picture Association of America]].
* Corporal [[Sabu Dastagir]], USAAF: Indian-American actor who served as a [[B-24]] tail gunner during World War II.

===United States Air Force, Army Air Forces, and Army Air Corps===
* General of the Air Force [[Henry H. Arnold]], USAF: commander of the US Army Air Forces during World War II.
* General [[Samuel E. Anderson]], USAF: commander of the [[5th Air Force]] during the Korean War.
* General [[Jimmy Doolittle]], USAF: leader of the [[Doolittle Raid]].
* General [[Leon W. Johnson]], USAF: leader in the [[Operation Tidal Wave|Ploesti Raid]] and commander of the [[Continental Air Command]].
* General [[George S. Brown]], USAF: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* General [[Ira C. Eaker]], USAF: commander of the [[8th Air Force]] during World War II.
* General [[Charles A. Gabriel]], USAF: Chief of Staff or the U.S. Air Force, recipient of five DFCs.
* General [[Charles A. Horner]], USAF: commander of [[United States Central Command]] air forces during the [[Gulf War]].
* General [[Daniel James Jr.]], USAF: first African-American US Air Force four-star general.
* General [[David C. Jones]], USAF: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* General [[George C. Kenney]], USAF: first commander of [[Strategic Air Command]].
* General [[Curtis Lemay]], USAF: Air Force Chief of Staff and vice presidential candidate.
* General [[Seth J. McKee]], USAF: [[NORAD]] commander and [[D-Day]] veteran.
* General [[John C. Meyer]], USAF: commander of Strategic Air Command. Seven DFCs
* General [[Richard B. Myers]], USAF: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* General [[Joseph W. Ralston]], USAF: Supreme Allied Commander for NATO.
* General [[Carl Spaatz]], USAF: first Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.
* General [[Nathan F. Twining]], USAF: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* Lieutenant General [[Frank Maxwell Andrews]], USAAF: died in an accident in 1943.
* Lieutenant General [[Royal N. Baker]], USAF: flew combat missions in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
* Lieutenant General [[Lewis H. Brereton]], USAF: commander of the [[Ninth Air Force]] during World War II.
* Lieutenant General [[George Brett (general)|George H. Brett]], USAF: commander of the Caribbean Defense Command in World War II.
* Lieutenant General [[Claire Lee Chennault]], USAF: commander of the [[Flying Tigers]].
* Lieutenant General [[Benjamin O. Davis Jr.]], USAF: first African-American US Air Force general.
* Lieutenant General [[Robert E. Kelley]], USAF: Vietnam War combat pilot and USAFA Superintendent.
* Lieutenant General [[Elwood Richard Quesada]], USAF: first commander of [[Tactical Air Command]].
* Lieutenant General [[George E. Stratemeyer]], USAF: commander of [[Far East Air Forces]] during the Korean War.
* Major General [[Orvil A. Anderson]], USAF: participant in altitude record-setting Air Corps Stratospheric Balloon Flights in Explorer I and [[Explorer II]] in 1934 and 1935.
* Major General [[Frederick C. Blesse]], USAF: Korean War double [[flying ace]] with ten victories, six DFCs
* Major General [[David M. Jones]], USAF: [[Doolittle Raid]]er and recipient of two DFCs.
* Major General [[Uzal Girard Ent]], USAAF: leader of the [[Operation Tidal Wave|Ploesti Raid]].
* Major General [[Caleb V. Haynes]], USAF: bomber commander of the [[China Air Task Force]].
* Major General [[Frank O'Driscoll Hunter]], USAAF
* Major General [[Robert Olds]], USAAF: father of ace Robin Olds.
* Major General [[Robert A. Rushworth]], USAF: [[X-15]] pilot.
* Major General [[Clarence A. Shoop]], USAAF: WWII observation pilot
* Major General [[Mele "Mel" Vojvodich]], USAF: pilot for the CIA in Vietnam, three DFCs.
* Brigadier General [[Frederick Walker Castle]], USAAF: four DFCs.
* Brigadier General [[E. Daniel Cherry]], USAF: ten DFCs.
* Brigadier General [[Gerald Goodfellow]], USAF: B1-Lancer offensive systems officer, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for action during [[Operation Allied Force]].
* Brigadier General [[Charles A. Lindbergh]], USAFR: first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
* Brigadier General [[Robin Olds]], USAF: combat pilot in World War II and Vietnam War and recipient of six DFCs.
* Brigadier General [[Richard Stephen Ritchie]], USAF: only USAF pilot to achieve ace status during the Vietnam War, with five kills.
* Brigadier General [[Elliott Roosevelt (general)|Elliott Roosevelt]], USAAF: son of President [[Franklin Roosevelt]].
* Brigadier General [[Robert Lee Scott Jr.]], USAF: fighter pilot who earned three DFCs.
* Brigadier General [[Dale E. Stovall]], USAF: Vietnam War [[Combat search and rescue|CSAR]] pilot who rescued [[Roger Locher]], deepest rescue inside North Vietnam.
* Brigadier General [[Kenneth M. Taylor]], USAF: one of the few American fighter pilots to get airborne during the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]].
* Brigadier General [[Paul Tibbets]], USAF: pilot of the ''[[Enola Gay]]''.
* Colonel [[Bernt Balchen]], USAF: pilot of the first plane to fly over the [[South Pole]].
* Colonel [[Kim Campbell (pilot)|Kim Campbell]], USAF: for successfully completing her mission supporting ground troops over Baghdad in April 2003 and successfully landing her [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10]] back at base despite sustaining severe damage to her aircraft.
* Colonel [[Jacqueline Cochran]], USAFR: multiple record-setting aviator, first woman to break the sound barrier and commander of the [[Women Airforce Service Pilots]] (WASPs) during World War II.
* Colonel [[Bud Day|George Day]], USAF: POW during the Vietnam War.
* Colonel [[Merlyn Hans Dethlefsen]], USAF: Vietnam War [[F-105]] pilot.
* Colonel [[Bernard F. Fisher]], USAF: Vietnam War [[A-1 Skyraider]] pilot.
* Colonel [[James P. Fleming]], USAF: Vietnam War helicopter pilot.
* Colonel [[Joe M. Jackson]], USAF: combat veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
* Colonel [[John R. Kane]], USAF: leader in the [[Operation Tidal Wave|Ploesti Raid]].
* Colonel [[Gabby Gabreski]], USAF: highest scoring American ace in the European Theater with 34 kills.  Recipient of 13 DFCs.
* Colonel [[Jose L. Holguin]], USAF:  Silver Star recipient and POW during World War II.
* Colonel [[James K. Johnson]], USAF: Korean war ace with 11 kills.  Recipient of three DFCs.
* Colonel [[Charles H. MacDonald]], USAF: recipient of six DFCs.
* Colonel [[Ashley Chadbourne McKinley]], USAF: Photographer on first flight over the South Pole.
* Colonel [[Russell Maughan]], USAAF: completed first "dawn to dusk" transcontinental flight.
* Colonel [[Robert J. Rankin|Robert J. "Shorty" Rankin]], USAAF: first pilot in 56th FG with 5 aerial victories in one day; awarded 4 DFCs.
* Colonel [[David C. Schilling]], USAF: recipient of 11 DFCs.
* Colonel [[Lowell Smith]], USAAF: conducted first aerial refueling and commanded first aerial circumnavigation of the globe.
* Colonel [[Robert E. Thacker]], USAF: pilot of record-breaking flight from Honolulu to New York and recipient of three DFCs.
* Colonel [[Leo K. Thorsness]], USAF: Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam War veteran.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Lee Archer (pilot)|Lee Archer]], USAF: first African-American fighter ace.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Leaford Bearskin]], USAF: veteran of World War II and Korea and also Chief of the [[Wyandotte Nation]].
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Everett Ernest Blakely]] USAF: B-17 Pilot in WW II. Received this medal after a bombing mission to Trondheim, Norway.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Louis Edward Curdes]] USAAF: Recipient of two DFCs. One of only three American WW II pilots to shoot down German, Italian and Japanese planes. He also intentionally shot down an American plane.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[George A. Davis]], USAF: high-scoring Korean War ace.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Bill Harris (aviator)]] USAF: WW2 Triple ace fighter pilot. 
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Michael J. Novosel]], USAFR: Vietnam War helicopter pilot, Medal of Honor recipient, three DFCs.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Robert S. Johnson]], USAFR: recipient of nine DFCs.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Arthur W. Murray]], USAF: early jet test pilot.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Dick Rutan]], USAF: piloted first unrefueled non-stop around the world flight.  Recipient of five DFCs.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Albert William Stevens]], USAAF: participant in both the [[Explorer I]] and [[Explorer II]] stratospheric balloon flights.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Boyd Wagner]], USAAC: first Army Air Corps ace of World War II.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Ray Shuey Wetmore]], USAAF: 21 aerial victories during World War II. Received six DFCs.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Gerald O. Young]], USAF: Vietnam War helicopter pilot.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Jay Zeamer Jr.]], USAF: World War II Medal of Honor recipient.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Dan "Two Dogs" Hampton]], USAF: received four DFC's as a "Wild Weasel" surface-to-air missile killer. 
* Major [[Richard Bong]], USAAF: highest-scoring American ace of World War II.
* Major [[Horace S. Carswell Jr.]], USAAF: World War II bomber pilot.
* Major [[George Andrew Davis Jr.]], USAF: Ace in both World War II and the Korean War. Four DFCs.
* Major [[Charles J. Loring Jr.]], USAF: World War II POW and Korean War [[F-80 Shooting Star]] pilot.
* Major [[Thomas McGuire]], USAAF: second highest-scoring American ace in World War II with 38 kills. Six DFCs.
* Major [[John T. Godfrey]], USAAF: shot down 18 German aircraft.
* Major [[Louis J. Sebille]], USAF: Korean War [[North American P-51 Mustang|F-51 Mustang]] pilot, two DFCs.
* Major [[Joe Thompson (pilot)|Joseph Thompson Jr.]], USAAF: Aerial reconnaissance pilot with 90 missions, most behind enemy lines.
* Major [[MJ Hegar]], USAF: Second female recipient during combat search and rescue mission in Afghanistan.
* Major [[George Welch (pilot)|George Welch]], USAAF: one of the few American fighter pilots to get airborne during the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]].
* Captain [[Carl Ally]], USAAF: advertising executive and founder of [[Ally & Gargano]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=CARL ALLY {{!}} Aviation Week Network |url=https://aviationweek.com/carl-ally |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=aviationweek.com}}</ref>
* Captain [[Alan "Ace" Cozzalio]], US Army: helicopter pilot, (4, 3 Oak leaf clusters)
* Captain [[Kenneth H. Dahlberg]], USAAF: business executive and figure in the Watergate scandal, recipient of two DFCs.
* Captain [[Joseph Elsberry]], Member of the [[Tuskegee Airmen]]. Destroyed three enemy aircraft over France in a single mission on July 12, 1944, and a fourth aircraft on July 20, 1944, becoming the first [[African American]] fighter pilot to do so.
* Captain [[Hawthorne C. Gray]], USAAC: died during altitude record breaking balloon ascent in 1927.
* Captain [[Joseph Kittinger]], USAF: seven DFCs, served three tours in Vietnam and holder of the highest free-fall parachute jump record for 52 years. 
* Captain [[Ken Kavanaugh]], USAAF: Professional football player.
* Captain [[Mantell UFO incident|Thomas Mantell]], KYANG: died in pursuit of a [[Unidentified flying object|UFO]].
* Captain [[Francis Gary Powers]], USAF: captured by Soviets when his [[Lockheed U-2|U-2]] spy plane was shot down in 1960.
* Captain [[Edward L. Toppins]], member of the famed Red Tails/[[Tuskegee Airmen]] with 4 confirmed aerial kills.<ref>AIR FORCE HISTORICAL RESEARCH AGENCY. "TUSKEGEE AIRMEN CHRONOLOGY." DANIEL L. HAULMAN. 24 November 2015. Page 65. http://www.spiritof45.org/TUSKEGEE%20AIRMEN%20CHRONOLOGY.pdf</ref>
* Captain [[John S. Walmsley Jr.]], USAF: Korean War [[Douglas A-26 Invader|B-26]] pilot.
* Captain [[Hilliard A. Wilbanks]], USAF: Vietnam War [[Cessna O-1 Bird Dog|O-1]] pilot and Medal of Honor recipient.
* Captain [[Louis Zamperini]], USAAF: POW during World War II. Inspiration for the movie [[Unbroken (film)|''Unbroken'']].
* First Lieutenant [[John Ehrlichman]], USAAF: B-17 navigator, presidential aide and figure in the [[Watergate scandal]].
* First Lieutenant [[Bob Hoover]], USAAF: POW and record-breaking pilot.
* First Lieutenant [[Raymond L. Knight]], USAAF: World War II [[P-47]] pilot.
* First Lieutenant [[Aleda E. Lutz]], USAAF: World War II Army flight nurse.
* First Lieutenant [[Mary Louise Hawkins]], USAAF: World War II Army evacuation flight nurse.
* First Lieutenant [[Donald D. Pucket]], USAAF: died during [[Operation Tidal Wave]].
* 2nd Lieutenant [[Dean Smith (American pioneer pilot)|Dean Cullom Smith]], USAACR: pilot for Admiral Byrd's 1928 to 1930 Antarctic Expedition.
* Chief Master Sergeant [[Duane D. Hackney]], USAF: recipient of four DFCs.
* Technical Sergeant [[Ben Kuroki]], USAAF: Japanese-American veteran of 58 combat missions.

===United States Marine Corps===
* General [[Earl E. Anderson]], USMC: Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.
* General [[Keith B. McCutcheon]], USMC
* General [[Christian F. Schilt]], USMC: director of Marine Corps Aviation.
* Lieutenant General [[Frank E. Petersen]], USMC: first African-American Marine Corps general.
* Lieutenant General [[William G. Thrash]], USMC
* Major General [[John P. Condon]], USMC
* Major General [[Marion Eugene Carl]], USMC: first Marine Corps ace.  Recipient of five DFCs.
* Major General [[Ross E. Rowell|Ross "Rusty" Rowell]], USMC: 1927 Nicaragua, carried out the first coordinated dive-bombing attacks in aviation history.
* Brigadier General [[Joe Foss]]: Medal of Honor recipient, second highest scoring Marine Corps ace of World War II and Governor of South Dakota.
* Brigadier General [[Robert E. Galer]], USMC: commanded [[VMF-224]] on [[Guadalcanal]].
* Colonel [[Kenneth L. Reusser]], USMC: recipient of two DFCs.  Had 253 combat missions in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
* Colonel [[Archie Van Winkle]], USMC: World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veteran.
* Colonel [[Jefferson J. DeBlanc]], USMC: shot down five planes in a single day.
* Colonel [[John Lucian Smith]], USMC: leader of the Cactus Air Force on [[Guadalcanal]].
* Colonel [[James E. Swett]], USMC: shot down 5 planes on his first combat mission and recipient of eight DFCs.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[John F. Bolt]], USMC: Only Marine jet fighter ace. Only Naval Aviator to achieve ace status in two wars (WWII and Korea.)
* Major [[William H. May]], USMC: FAA Pioneer, recipient of seven DFCs.
* Major [[Robert Claude Maze]], USMC
* Major [[Stephen W. Pless]], USMC
* Captain [[Donald N. Aldrich]], USMC: 20 kills.
* Captain [[Cecil Alexander (architect)|Cecil A. Alexander Jr.]], USMCR: modern architect. Recipient of two DFCs during World War II.
* Captain [[Charles S. Whitehouse]], USMC: diplomat, CIA officer and recipient of seven DFCs.
* Captain Hubert A. "Butch" Locke, USMC: recipient of 2 DFCs. Completed 430 combat missions during the Vietnam War. 
* First Lieutenant [[Robert M. Hanson]], USMC: member of the [[VMFA-214|Black Sheep Squadron (VMFA-214)]] with 25 kills.

===United States Navy===
* Admiral [[Stan Arthur]], USN: [[Vice Chief of Naval Operations]] and recipient of 11 DFCs.
* Admiral [[Thomas B. Hayward]], USN: [[Chief of Naval Operations]].
* Admiral [[James L. Holloway III]], USN: Chief of Naval Operations.
* Admiral [[Thomas H. Moorer]], USN: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* Admiral [[Huntington Hardisty]], USN: Commander in Chief of [[United States Pacific Command]].
* Vice Admiral [[Walter E. Carter Jr.]], USN: president of the [[United States Naval War College]] and superintendent of the [[United States Naval Academy]].
* Vice Admiral [[John T. Hayward]], USN: president of the [[United States Naval War College]].
* Vice Admiral [[Diego E. Hernández]], USN: vice commander of [[NORAD]].
* Vice Admiral [[Edward H. Martin]], USN: POW for over five years.
* Vice Admiral [[James B. Stockdale]], USN: Medal of Honor recipient, POW in Vietnam, president of the [[United States Naval War College]] and vice presidential candidate.
* Rear Admiral [[Richard E. Byrd]], USN: Medal of Honor recipient, organized and led first flights over the north and south poles.
* Rear Admiral [[Jeremiah Denton]], USN: Navy Cross recipient, POW in Vietnam for seven and a half years.
* Rear Admiral [[Wade McClusky]], USN: hero of the [[Battle of Midway]].
* Captain [[Michael J. Estocin]], USN: Medal of Honor recipient, missing in action in the Vietnam War.
* Captain [[Cecil E. Harris]], USN: second highest scoring Navy ace with 24 kills.  Recipient of three DFCs.
* Captain [[David McCampbell]], USN: Medal of Honor recipient, top US Navy ace of World War II.
* Captain [[Royce Williams]], USN: ace fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, awarded two DFCs.
* Commander [[Everett Alvarez Jr.]], USN: POW in Vietnam for eight years and seven months.
* Commander [[Stephen Coonts]], USNR: Vietnam War veteran, lawyer and author.
* Commander [[Eugene A. Valencia Jr.]], USNR: 23 aerial victories in World War II, awarded five DFCs.
* Lieutenant Commander [[Ira C. Kepford]], USNR: 16 aerial victories in World War II.
* Lieutenant Commander [[Edward O'Hare|Edward "Butch" O'Hare]], USN: shot down 3 Japanese bombers and damaged two others on a single flight. Two DFCs.
* Lieutenant Commander [[George Otto Noville]], USNR: flew on second non-stop trans-Atlantic flight with [[Richard E. Byrd]].
* Lieutenant Commander [[Richard Halsey Best]], USN : the first pilot to successfully bomb two Japanese carriers, the ''Akagi'' and the ''Hiryu'', in one day
* Lieutenant [[Harold June]], USN: co-pilot of first flight over the [[South Pole]].
* Lieutenant [[Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.]], USNR: Navy Cross recipient and brother of President [[John F. Kennedy]].
* Lieutenant [[Dieter Dengler]], USN: Navy Cross recipient.
* Ensign [[Jesse L. Brown]], USNR: first African-American naval aviator.

===United States Coast Guard===
* Radioman First Class [[Benjamin Bottoms]], USCG: [[Greenland Patrol]], World War II
* Vice Admiral [[John Currier]], USCG
* Lieutenant [[John A. Prichard]], USCG: Greenland Patrol, World War II

===United States Army===
* General of the Army [[Douglas MacArthur]]: Medal of Honor recipient, Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1930–1935), commander of the [[Southwest Pacific Area]] (1942–1945) and commander of United Nations forces in Korea (1950–1951). DFC awarded for supervising and observing in person the [[187th Infantry Regiment (United States)#Airborne assault, 20 October 1950|Sukchon-Sunchon airborne operation]] north of Pyongyang.<ref>{{cite web |title=Douglas MacArthur – Distinguished Flying Cross, Awarded for Actions During Korean War |work=Hall of Valor Project |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/676#94835 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730014419/https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/676 |url-status=live |access-date=26 March 2021|archive-date=2020-07-30 }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=March 2021|reason=Source has citation for DFC medal, but it relies on eternal sites/CDN to display info (unable to be archived by archive.org). Recommend another source for DFC citation text.}}
* General [[Alexander Haig]], USA: [[Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe|NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Europe]] and [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]].
* General [[Wayne A. Downing]], USA: commander of [[United States Special Operations Command]].
* General [[John W. Foss]], USA: combat veteran of Vietnam and Commander [[United States Army Training and Doctrine Command]]
* General [[Frederick M. Franks Jr.]], USA: commander of [[VII Corps (United States)|VII Corps]] during [[Operation Desert Storm]].
* General [[John Galvin (general)|John Galvin]], USA: NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Europe.
* General [[Frederick Kroesen]], USA: combat veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam and commander of [[7th United States Army]].
* General [[Gary E. Luck]], USA: commander, [[United States Forces Korea]].
* General [[Edward C. Meyer]], USA: [[Chief of Staff of the United States Army]].
* General [[Dennis J. Reimer]], USA: Chief of Staff of the United States Army.
* General [[Roscoe Robinson Jr.]], USA: first African-American US Army four star general.
* General [[Bernard W. Rogers]], USA: Chief of Staff of the United States Army and Supreme Allied Commander for NATO.
* General [[Norman Schwarzkopf]], USA: commander of [[Operation Desert Storm]].
* General [[Donn A. Starry]], USA: commander of the [[United States Army Training and Doctrine Command]].
* General [[Sam S. Walker]], USA: son of General Walton Walker and superintendent of the [[Virginia Military Institute]].
* General [[Walton Walker]], USA: commander of the [[Eighth United States Army|8th Army]] in Korea and recipient of two DFCs.
* General [[Melvin Zais]], USA: commander of the [[101st Airborne Division]] in Vietnam.
* Lieutenant General [[Edward Almond]], USA: commanded [[X Corps (United States)|X Corps]] during the Korean War.
* Lieutenant General [[Hobart R. Gay]], USA: commanded the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]] in the Korean War.
* Lieutenant General [[David E. Grange]], USA: combat veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam and commander of the [[Sixth United States Army]].
* Lieutenant General [[James F. Hollingsworth]], USA: combat veteran of World War II and Vietnam. Recipient of three DFCs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/7487|title=Valor awards for James Francis Hollingsworth|work=militarytimes.com|access-date=10 June 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109055631/http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=7487|archive-date=9 November 2014}}</ref>
* Lieutenant General [[Thomas Tackaberry]], USA: combat veteran of Korea and Vietnam and commander of the [[XVIII Airborne Corps]].
* Major General [[Patrick Henry Brady]], USA: Vietnam War helicopter pilot.
* Major General [[George Patton IV]], USA: Son of General [[George S. Patton]].
* Colonel [[Bruce P. Crandall]], USA: Vietnam War helicopter pilot. 
* Colonel [[David Hackworth]], USA: highly decorated Army officer, commentator and author.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Bo Gritz]], USA: highly decorated [[Special Forces]] officer in Vietnam.
* Lieutenant Colonel [[John Paul Vann]], USA: military advisor in Vietnam.
* Major [[Lauri Törni]], USA: Veteran of the Finnish Army, [[Waffen SS]] during World War II and U.S. Army [[Special Forces]] in Vietnam.
* Chief Warrant Officer [[Richard McCoy Jr.]], USA:  Vietnam veteran and aircraft hijacker.
* Command Sergeant Major [[Silas L. Copeland]], USA: Sergeant Major of the Army.

==See also==
* [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
* [[Inter-service decorations of the United States military]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web |last1=Spink |first1=Barry L. |title=Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal Criteria in the Army Air Forces in World War II in Rough Chronological Sequence |url=https://www.dafhistory.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Timelines/World%20War%20II/WWIIDFCandAirMedalCriteriaChronological.pdf |website=Air Force Historical Research Agency |access-date=21 May 2020 |date=4 March 2010}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross}}
* [http://www.dfcsociety.org/ The Distinguished Flying Cross Society]
* [http://digital.library.shsu.edu/cdm/search/collection/p16042coll1/searchterm/distinguished%20flying%20cross/field/all/mode/all/conn/and/order/title/ad/asc Texas Military Veteran Video Oral Histories Digital Collection - Veterans Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross -- Newton Gresham Library, Sam Houston State University]

{{US interservice decorations}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Awards established in 1926]]
[[Category:Courage awards]]
[[Category:Military awards and decorations of the United States]]
[[Category:Awards and decorations of the United States Air Force]]
[[Category:Awards and decorations of the United States Army]]
[[Category:Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard]]
[[Category:Awards and decorations of the United States Marine Corps]]
[[Category:Awards and decorations of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Awards and decorations of the United States Space Force]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)]]