U.S. Air Force Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief of the National Guard Bureau, presents three F-16 pilots with the District of Columbia Air National Guard’s 121st Fighter Squadron with the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross in a ceremony on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Majs. Benjamin “Boom” Saunders, Eric “Fume” Anderson and Capt. Ryan “Hammer” Boodee were recognized for helping to intercept a drone barrage on Israel in 2024. (Natalie Filzen/D.C. Air National Guard)
Three F-16 pilots assigned to the District of Columbia Air National Guard’s 121st Fighter Squadron have received the U.S. military’s oldest aviation award for their role in thwarting an Iranian drone attack in 2024.
Majs. Benjamin “Boom” Saunders, Eric “Fume” Anderson and Capt. Ryan “Hammer” Boodee received the Distinguished Flying Cross with “C” device in a ceremony on Sunday. The cross is awarded for distinctive, non-routine heroism or achievement in flight, and the “C” designation indicates “exceptionally meritorious service or achievement,” according to the Air Force.
Saunders, Anderson and Boodee were among the members of the squadron deployed in early 2024 to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia to support Operations Inherent Resolve and Prosperity Guardian, a D.C. Air Guard news release said. The operations are tasked with securing the defeat of the Islamic State group and the freedom of the Red Sea and frequently draw on National Guard forces.
On April 13 of that year, the trio was tasked with flying in anticipation of an Iranian barrage targeting Israel, an attack that materialized in the form of more than 300 drones and several cruise and ballistic missiles.
Although the attack was anticipated — in part because Iran telegraphed through diplomatic channels its intentions to strike after Israeli warplanes bombed its embassy in Syria — it was also unprecedented. The barrage was Iran’s first direct attack on Israel and also the largest to emerge from Iranian territory since the Iran-Iraq War, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank.
Saunders and Boodee, each flying an F-16 as part of Viper 5-1, detected and downed a drone while searching for targets. Shortly after, Boodee detected traces of 100 other drones, and he and Saunders proceeded to fire missiles until Anderson and his wingman arrived as Viper 6-1, the release said.
They continued to operate until running out of missiles, at which point Saunders used his 20mm cannons in a low-altitude attack as Viper 5-1 continued to coordinate targeting and refueling, per the release, which said they downed 15 drones during this time.
U.S. Air Force Gen. Steven Nordhaus, who leads the National Guard Bureau and presented the medal to the pilots, said the trio operated outside of reliable radio contact, forcing them to execute mission command.
The pilots did not make remarks at the ceremony, but their families were present and looked “very proud,” a spokesperson for the wing said.
Sunday’s ceremony coincided with heightened U.S.-Iran tensions. Just two days later, U.S. Central Command said a Navy fighter jet downed an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln.
This report was updated to add details about the ceremony.
