First Silver Star Given to Female Airman for Destroying Over 80 Iranian Drones

In an unprecedented moment for the U.S. Air Force and women in combat, Capt. Lacie Hester has become the first female airman awarded the Silver Star. This comes amid fresh controversy surrounding women in combat roles, ignited by critical comments from Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.

Hester, call sign “Sonic,” received the Silver Star—the nation’s third-highest award for valor—for her part in neutralizing over 80 Iranian drones in a massive confrontation with Iranian forces. The incident took place in mid-April, when Iran launched a massive missile and drone barrage at Israel. Hester’s unit, the 494th Fighter Squadron, along with the 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, leaped into action, marking one of the largest air-to-air battles the U.S. has engaged in since the Vietnam War era. Hester’s pilot, Maj. Benjamin “Irish” Coffey, was also awarded the Silver Star for his leadership in the historic engagement.

On the night of April 13, Iran unleashed over 300 ballistic missiles and drones toward Israel, retaliating against an Israeli airstrike that had killed a high-ranking Iranian official in Syria. The U.S. promptly intervened, working alongside Israeli forces to bring down an overwhelming 99% of the assault. President Biden personally called the commanders involved to express gratitude for their swift action.

The engagement saw U.S. forces displaying heroic efforts under extreme conditions. Operating from an undisclosed Middle Eastern base, Hester and her team flew 14 sorties, scrambling to intercept the incoming drones. Despite running low on ammunition, Hester and Coffey continued firing, resorting to their aircraft’s Gatling guns when their missiles were exhausted. The firefight was so close to the base that falling drone debris occasionally struck nearby installations. It was a relentless mission that demanded tactical precision, rapid re-arming, and mid-air refueling. “It takes a high-performing team with high-performing individuals to be able to find these things to begin with and then to engage it,” Coffey remarked of the intense aerial battle.

The Silver Star ceremony at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, not only honored Hester and Coffey but also recognized the larger team that supported their mission. Gen. James Hecker presented a slate of awards that underscored the complexity and teamwork behind the operation: two Silver Stars, six Distinguished Flying Crosses with valor, multiple Bronze Stars, and commendations across the board.

The timing of Hester’s award has cast a renewed spotlight on the ongoing debate about women in combat. Hegseth recently ignited controversy after voicing doubts over women serving in ground combat. “We should not have women in combat roles,” Hegseth stated in a recent podcast interview on “The Shawn Ryan Show.” While he distinguished roles in the air—like Hester’s—as different from ground combat, he doubled down on his belief that physically intensive combat positions are unsuitable for women.

This debate isn’t new. It has persisted since 1993, when Defense Secretary Les Aspin first lifted restrictions on women flying combat missions. Yet it wasn’t until 2013 that then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta allowed women to serve in ground combat, a change that was finalized under Defense Secretary Ash Carter in 2015. Despite the opening of these roles, a divide remains, with traditionalists like Hegseth arguing that strength and endurance in physical combat favor men.

In Hester’s case, her achievements in the air have shattered preconceptions. She is only the tenth woman in U.S. military history to receive the Silver Star. This award not only honors her bravery but also serves as a testament to the skill and resilience women bring to the armed forces.

As this debate continues, Hester’s Silver Star stands as a powerful symbol of what American women in uniform can achieve—even as policy-makers question their place on the front lines.