A-10 pilot awarded Distinguished Flying Cross for dramatic landing with missing canopy and no landin

[rangerrebew]

A-10 pilot awarded Distinguished Flying Cross for dramatic landing with missing canopy and no landing gear

    Paul Szoldra
    13 hours ago

An A-10 pilot with the Michigan Air National Guard was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on Friday for “extraordinary achievement” during a 2017 training flight in which his landing gear failed and his canopy tore off.

Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett awarded the medal to Maj. Brett DeVries at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, saying the pilot will “join the ranks of other American heroes.” DeVries is a member of the 107th Fighter Squadron.

On July 20, 2017, then-Capt. DeVries was flying on a routine training mission at the Grayling Air Gunnery Range when his wingman, Maj. Shannon Vickers, reported seeing a “donut of gas” around the cockpit after DeVries fired the A-10’s 30mm cannon. The cannon malfunctioned moments later and the canopy ripped off.
An A-10 from the 355th Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., delivers a volley of 30mm rounds to a stationary ground target during the Hawgsmoke A-10 gunnery and bombing competition at the Barry Goldwater Range complex in Arizona.

 https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-pilot-a10-award-landing-gear

 

[PeteS in CA]

One of the features of the A-10 design is that the wheels under the wings protrude so the plane can to some degree be landed safely gear-up.





That in no way diminishes the accomplishment of this pilot landing safely without a canopy and gear up.

[sneakypete]

I have always been under the impression the DFC could only be awarded for heroics during combat operations?

I was never a zoomie,but AFAIK,a DFC is an industrial-strength hero badge.

[PeteS in CA]

No, the DFC is not combat-only. It can include combat actions but can even be awarded to civilians, e.g. Charles Lindbergh, Wiley Post, Jacqueline Cochran, Roscoe Turner, Amelia Earhart, Glenn H. Curtiss, and Eugene Ely.

The Distinguished Service Cross is the Army's second highest award for gallantry in combat (equivalent to the Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Crosses).

[sneakypete]

No, the DFC is not combat-only. It can include combat actions but can even be awarded to civilians, e.g. Charles Lindbergh, Wiley Post, Jacqueline Cochran, Roscoe Turner, Amelia Earhart, Glenn H. Curtiss, and Eugene Ely.

The Distinguished Service Cross is the Army's second highest award for gallantry in combat

 

@PeteS in CA

As a former career soldier,I am well aware of that. The way most soldier get a DSC is to be put in for a Medal of Honor,and have it denied.