Two Grace-Filled Words Pierced the Heart during Air Force Captain David Lyon’s Cortege through Peterson Air Force Base

© 2014 Peter Free

 

07 January 2014

 

Photograph of troops waiting for Air Force Capt David Lyon's military cortege to pass by.

 

Photograph of lead police units in Air Force Capt David Lyon's military cortege at Peterson Air Force Base.

 

Yesterday, Captain David Lyon came home — his casket sadly draped in the American flag

 

Hundreds on hundreds of Peterson Air Force Base military and civilian personnel lined the east side of Peterson Avenue, as light began to fade on early January’s cold winter day.

 

After sunlight’s last rays finally disappeared, beacon-flashing police units led the procession northward from the flight line.

 

Silence descended.

 

We stepped a pace forward to the edge of the avenue, straightened to attention and snapped to salute, as the casket and family passed by.  Amid the quiet burble of automobile engines and swish of rubber on blacktop.

 

Photograph of flags on vehicle preceding Air Force Capt David Lyon's casket during Peterson Air Force Base military cortege.

 

 

Photograph of military vehicle carrying Air Force Capt David Lyon's flag-draped casket during Peterson Air Force Base cortege.

 

And astonishingly — this

 

One of the procession vehicle’s front passenger window was open, despite the chilling air:

 

 

“Thank you, thank you,” spilled from inside the car, toward the line of troops.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Repeatedly spoken, despite the probable tedium — all the way down the long, full length of Peterson’s contingent of back-straight troops.

 

Photograph of vehicle carrying the woman who thanked the assembled troops for Capt David Lyon's Peterson Air Force Base cortege.

 

 

The moral? — A warrior’s ethos, symbolized in two heart-piercing words and a military cortege

 

I will carry this woman’s astonishingly gracious, grieving thoughtfulness — and the memory of Captain Lyon’s passage — to my own end.  Many of the troops lined up this day will, too.

 

Warrior’s ethos.  The brother and sisterhood of America’s finest one percent.