Air Force honors fallen hero
<p>Air Force officials announced last week that a pre-positioning ship will be named after Sandpoint native Capt. David Lyon, left, who was killed in Afghanistan in December 2013. He is pictured with his wife, Dana, and their dog. (Courtesy photo)</p>
SANDPOINT — Captain David Lyon’s fingerprints on the world he touched continue to turn up.
The U.S. Air Force announced last Friday that it is naming a pre-positioning vessel after the Sandpoint native, who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan on Dec. 27, 2013.
“It is a wonderful honor. I really am overwhelmed and very proud,” said Lyon’s mother, Jeannie.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said it was a fitting tribute to name the service’s newest pre-positioning ship after an Air Force logistician and true American patriot who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
“Captain Lyon answered the call by saying ‘send me,’ and exemplified the core value of service before self. I’m extremely proud that this great airman’s story will become part of the legacy of this proud ship and its crew,” Stewart said in a statement.
The dedication of the vessel continues the Navy’s Military Sealift Command long-standing tradition of having a ship dedicated to national heroes. Lyon is the fifth airman to receive the honor.
The Motor Vessel David I. Lyon will provide agile combat support by pre-positioning munitions afloat within theaters of operation. It will provide enduring capacity for sea-based munitions movement equivalent to 78 fully-load C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft.
Lyon, a 28-year-old Air Force Academy graduate and a member of the 21st Logistics Readiness Squadron out of Peterson Air Force Base, was killed when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device was detonated near his convoy. He was serving a year-long deployment and working with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan.
He was on a combat advisory mission with Afghan National army commandos at the time of his death. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart and the Air Force Combat Action Medal.
Service to others was a quintessential trait of Lyon, according to Jeannie Lyon.
“That was David,” she said. “When he was working with those commandos that were fighting against the Taliban, David said, ‘Send me. I want to make a difference.’”
Jeannie Lyon said her son’s driving force was agape — a selfless, sacrificial unconditional love. That driving force was so radiant that the Afghani men he worked alongside were drawn to him, despite his youthfulness.
“The Afghan men would follow him where ever he went. Whenever he walked by, they’d place their hand on their heart and bow to him even though he was only 28,” she said.
Lyon’s squadron at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., is also holding a memorial 5K run on June 27. The base is also reportedly going to name a park in his honor.
Lyon’s widow, Capt. Dana Lyon, said she was in awe and deeply honored by the ship’s dedication.
“Dave’s favorite thing about being in the Air Force was feeling like he was in the fight and making a difference in the world,” Dana Lyon said in a statement. “He would be very honored and happy about this vessel named after him because it allows him to still deliver to the war-fighter ... his legacy will live on and the mission will continue despite him being gone.”