(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Major Mary Jennings Hegar, United States Air Force, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat “V” for heroism while participating in aerial flight as Co-Pilot of an Air National Guard MEDEVAC helicopter in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan on 29 July 2009. Although she was wounded in her rifle arm, Major Hegar managed to return fire while hanging onto a moving helicopter, which saved the lives of her crew and her patients.