Lyon memorial sought for bridge

SANDPOINT ­— An effort is underway to name the U.S. Highway 95 Long Bridge in honor of a Bonner County Air Force captain who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan.

The memorial would honor Capt. David I. Lyon, who was killed when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device was detonated near his convoy in Kabul.

Bonner County commissioners are being asked to submit a letter of support for the initiative. The board is scheduled to take up the matter today when it conducts its weekly business meeting.

Lyon, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, was serving a year-long deployment conducting a combat advisory mission with Afghan National Army commandos as part of a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force when he was killed on Dec. 27, 2013. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, the Purple Heart and the Air Force Combat Action medal.

The Idaho Air Force Academy of Graduates and Trust Vets are advocating for the bridge dedication.

“Captain Lyon was a true hometown hero for Idahoans, especially for those who live in and around Sandpoint,” the Idaho AOG said in a letter.

In 2014, the Air Force named one if its pre-positioning vessels in Lyon’s honor. Motor Vessel David I. Lyon provides combat support.

“It seems fitting that the Air Force would name a ship in memory of him and his role as a transportation officer. The Idaho AOG proposes that a similar, transportation-like memorial would be appropriate to honor the fallen hero here in Idaho,” the Idaho AOG said.

In order to erect a memorial on a state highway, the Idaho Transportation Department needs legislative approval. Legislation would likely start in the House of Representatives or the Senate’s respective transportation committees. The state estimates that the cost of two signs would be $2,000 to $2,500, which includes sign fabrication and installation.

The Idaho AOG said it would willing to sponsor a GoFundMe account to pay for the signs so taxpayers are not impacted.