USAF F-16 pilot awarded Distinguished Flying Cross for evading Houthi missiles

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An Air Force F-16 pilot has received one of the service's highest aerial achievement awards for a mission in which he evaded multiple surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) during last year's Operation Rough Rider against Houthi militants in Yemen.

Award and Mission Details

Capt. Nathanial "Icarus" Welch, chief of plans and programs for the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross with a Valor device "for his incredible skill, bravery, and devotion to duty" during an April 29, 2025 mission, the service announced in a July 9 statement.

According to people familiar with the matter, Welch was protecting a strike package when he was targeted by three surface-to-air missiles and conducted multiple dramatic last-ditch maneuvers to avoid the Houthi SAMs. At the time, Welch was a member of the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, operating from Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. The 480th—nicknamed the Warhawks—primarily flew "Wild Weasel" missions tasked with suppressing enemy air defense during the campaign against the Houthis, which lasted from mid-March to early May 2025.

Actions During the Mission

In a news release, the Air Force stated that "enemy forces" launched the missiles at Welch. The service did not identify the group or specify the mission's location, but sources confirmed the incident occurred while Welch was supporting the campaign against the Houthis.

Welch "repeatedly flew into heavily defended airspace" during the mission and dodged the three missiles "through exceptional flying while alerting the formation of the incoming threats," the Air Force said. "Despite coming within a few hundred feet of the explosions, Welch remained on station to protect coalition aircraft until they were safely clear of the threat."

Recognition and Remarks

Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and 11th Air Force, presented Welch with the award and praised his bravery.

"Icarus, thanks for doing your job with excellence and valor in the face of danger," Davis said. "I know you would go back and do it again; I know all your wingmen would also have done the same. It is rare we get the opportunity to award an Airman with the Distinguished Flying Cross with the Valor device, and you deserve it."

Broader Context

The mission for which Welch was decorated was one of several in which U.S. fighters had close calls with Houthi SAMs during Operation Rough Rider, according to current and former U.S. officials. About a month earlier, on March 27, 2025, Lt. Col. William "Skate" Parks and Maj. Michael "Danger" Blea escorted B-2 Spirit bombers and other aircraft on a mission to strike Houthi ballistic missile production facilities in Yemen when they were ambushed by six SAMs. Parks and Blea later received Silver Stars for that mission. The squadron has also recently been involved in operations against Iran.

During last year's mission, Welch "selflessly placed his aircraft between enemy missile systems and the aircraft he was protecting to ensure mission success and the survival of the force package," said Col. Matthew Johnston, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, where Welch is now assigned, during the ceremony.

Squadron Deployment

The 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron deployed over 50 Airmen and 12 F-16s to the Middle East from October 2025 to summer 2026.

Welch's Remarks

"If I could offer any advice, it would be to truly appreciate the people you serve with and to enjoy every moment you can," Welch said during the ceremony. "We spend so much of our time completely focused on the mission and preparing for the next fight, but at the end of the day, it is the men and women to your left and right who make it all worthwhile. Never take the camaraderie, or simply the opportunity to do this job, for granted."

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org.