Chief Warrant Officer Three Niall D. Lyons died 26 October 2009 when his MH-47G Chinook helicopter, #747, crashed while under enemy fire conducting military operations in western Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

CW3 Lyons was born 28 August 1969 and was a native of Spokane, Washington. He volunteered for service in the U.S. Army when he enlisted in October 1994. After serving three years, CW3 Lyons was accepted into the Army Warrant Officer Program at Fort Rucker, Alabama, in 1998. Upon graduation from flight school in 1999, he was assigned as a Tactical Operations Officer at 1st Squadron, 17th Calvary Regiment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In 2003, while stationed at Fort Rucker, he was assigned as an Aviation Warrant Officer Basic Course Small Group Leader at 1-145th Aviation Battalion, followed by an assignment as an Instructor Pilot at 1-14th Aviation Battalion. In 2006, he was assigned as an Instructor Pilot and Instrument Examiner at 3rd Squadron, 17th Calvary Regiment at Fort Drum, New York. After a successful assessment with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) in 2009, CW3 Lyons was assigned to 3rd Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. CW3 Lyons earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography from Eastern Washington University in 1995.

CW3 Lyons was a combat veteran with two deployments; one in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and one in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

CW3 Lyons was a graduate of the Warrant Officer Candidate School, Aviation Warrant Officer Basic Course, Aviation Warrant Officer Advanced Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Course, CH-47D Aircraft Qualification Course, OH-58D Warrior Instructor Pilot Course, Rotary Wing Instrument Flight Examiner course, Basic Instructor Training Course, System Administrator Course, Air Movement Operators Course, Combatives Level 1, and Officer Green Platoon.

CW3 Lyons’ awards and decorations include Air Medal (w/Numeral 1), Army Commendation Medal (w/4 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (w/2 OLC), Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal (w/1 Bronze Star), Iraqi Campaign Medal (w/Campaign Star), Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, and Senior Aviator Badge. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Medal.

CW3 Lyons is survived by his son John Patrick; his brothers, Kevin and Sean; and his sister, Bernadette. He is laid to rest in Spokane, Washington, at Holy Cross Cemetery and also at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 60, group burial Site 9522. The conference room in Building #8012, Montgomery Hall, at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, is dedicated in his honor in his honor as Lyons Conference Room.