SIC receives American flag flown during combat mission

Southeastern Illinois College recently received a special presentation from USAF Captain Jacob “Atlas” Vaughan, SIC’s 2026 Distinguished Alumnus, who donated an American flag flown during a combat sortie over Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.

The flag was flown aboard an F-16CM Fighting Falcon assigned to the 125th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron during a defensive counter-air combat mission on Oct. 9, 2023. According to the accompanying certificate, the mission launched from Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia and supported ongoing efforts to combat terrorist forces in the region.

Vaughan presented the framed flag and certificate to SIC President Dr. Karen Weiss during a recent visit to campus.

“As Memorial Day approaches, this display serves as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by members of our armed forces and the freedoms they protect,” Weiss said. “We are honored to preserve and display this piece of history in the Rodney J. Brenner Board Room for our students, employees and visitors to reflect upon.”

A native of Bowling Green, Ky., and a 2016 SIC graduate, Vaughan currently serves as an F-16 Instructor Pilot with the Indiana Air National Guard. During pilot training, he earned Distinguished Graduate honors along with Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground Top Gun awards. He later deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Spartan Shield, flying 25 combat missions and earning both the Air Medal and the Aerial Achievement Medal.

“SIC helped shape who I became both personally and professionally, so it was important to me to bring this flag home and share it with the college and community that supported me,” Vaughan said. “I hope it encourages students to value service, leadership and the opportunities in front of them.”

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