On behalf of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society (DFCS), I warmly welcome you to our website. Whether you are an existing member, a DFC recipient exploring the possibility of joining us, or a visitor simply looking to learn more, you have landed in a very special place.

The men and women who have received this prestigious recognition of heroism during aerial flight represent the very best of our nation. Within our ranks, we have members who have occupied the Oval Office, orbited the moon, reached the highest positions of leadership in the United States military and multi-national corporations, gave of themselves as selfless leaders in their communities and places of worship, and show up every day as profound contributors to their families with the title of Dad, Mom, Grandma, and Grandpa. In short, you have found a group of ordinary people who have accomplished extraordinary things in service to their country – in uniform and then throughout their lives.

The DFC is our nation’s highest award for extraordinary aerial achievement. As a valor decoration, it ranks fourth in order of precedence. The DFC medal was established by an Act of Congress on July 2, 1926 and the first DFC citations were presented to the Pan American Good Will Flight pilots on May 2, 1927 by President Calvin Coolidge. President Coolidge also presented the first DFC medal on June 11, 1927 to then Captain Charles A. Lindbergh of the Army Air Corps Reserve for his solo flight of 33 ½ hours and 3600 statute miles.

The DFCS celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024. We are a 501(c)(19) headquartered in San Diego, CA with members across the globe. Our organization is chapter-based with a national leadership team that exists to serve the chapters and their members. Our mission is to honor, preserve, and teach the legacy of the heroes who are DFC recipients. We do so, at the national level, by hosting a bi-annual reunion, publish a twice-yearly magazine, facilitate community outreach by our members to share their heroic stories, and publish a book titled, “On Heroic Wings: Stories of the Distinguished Flying Cross”, to name a few of our efforts. The real magic of the DFCS happens at the chapter level. This is where these true American heroes gather, bond, share stories – both past and present, and contribute directly to the communities around them.

Feel free to browse this site. Read the DFC citations within our Honor Roll, peruse the educational material available for download, purchase items through our store and partner sites, and, as importantly, reach out to us. Whether you want to join, have a request for a member to speak to your group, or have a question, please do not hesitate to contact us.