Academy remembers Sandpoint officer
|
|
January 7, 2014 |
 When
the sad news that Air Force Captain David Lyon,
who grew up in Sandpoint, had died in the line
of duty in Afghanistan, many more than the
members of one family in a small North Idaho
town grieved. A region, a nation, felt his loss.
Hundreds of people in Sandpoint remembered
Captain Lyon on Sunday. He left behind a
grief-stricken community. He also left behind
his wife who was a fellow athlete he met at the
Air Force Academy.
Flags will be flown at half-staff in Idaho and
Colorado in his memory on Wednesday.
Newsbf.com, and likely all area media that
reported the family's loss, have been inundated
with asingle question, "when is he coming home,
that we might honor him?"
We don't, to my knowledge, have an answer yet,
and we're not the only ones asking, or honoring.
His Alma Mater, the United States Air Force
Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, published
the following tribute to one of their own:
"Former Air Force thrower Capt. David (Lissy)
Lyon was killed on December 27 while conducting
combat operations near Kabul, Afghanistan.
"Lyon, a 2008 Academy graduate, was a three-year
letter winner for the Falcons' track and field
team and a Mountain West champion in the shot
put.
"A member of the 21st Logistics Readiness
Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, Lyon was
killed when a vehicle-born improvised explosive
device was detonated near his convoy. He was one
of 10 killed in the attack, along with two NATO
military personnel and seven Afghan forces.
"Serving a year-long deployment to Afghanistan,
Lyon was performing a combat advisory mission
with Afghan National Army Commandos and working
with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task
Force-Afghanistan. He was scheduled to return to
Peterson AFB in February.
"Known as David Lissy during his time with the
Falcons' track and field program, the native of
Sandpoint, Idaho, served as a team captain
during the 2007-08 season, while earning a
conference title in the shot put at the 2008
Mountain West Indoor Championships. He is still
ranked third on the Academy's all-time list in
both the indoor and outdoor shot put,
highlighted by a throw of 57'11" during the 2008
indoor season.
"A recipient of the track and field program's
Laura Piper Ironman Award (named after a 1991
Academy graduate and former Air Force thrower
who was killed in action during Operation Desert
Shield in Iraq), Lyon was named to the National
Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
All-American team, which recognized his
excellence in strength training.
"'My memories of Dave are not how far he threw,
or any honors he received, but of his character
and leadership," Air Force track and field head
coach Ralph Lindeman said. "A fearless and
intense competitor, Dave was one of the nicest
young men I can ever remember coaching in my
24-plus years at USAFA. He cared deeply about
his team and his teammates. Dave was entirely
selfless ... always willing to share his time,
energy, experience and expertise with his
teammates. For that very reason, he was one of
the most outstanding team captains we've ever
had here during my tenure. Dave was the epitome
of a 'warrior and winner'.'
'Lyon, who changed his last name after
graduation with respect to his adopted parents,
is survived by his wife, Dana Pounds-Lyon, a
2006 Academy graduate and two-time NCAA champion
in the javelin throw." |
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
