LeRoy Springs Lyon

LeRoy Springs Lyon (15 October 1866 – 23 February 1920) was an American military officer.

Early life
LeRoy Lyon was bord to John Lyon and Margaret Springs Lyon on 15 October 1866, in Petersburg, Virginia. LeRoy Lyon attended and graduated from Richmond College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1886. Lyon then went on to attend the U.S. Military Academy, from which he graduated seventh out of sixty-five in 1891.

Military career
Lyon was commissioned into the 7th Cavalry as a Second Lieutenant upon his graduation from the U.S. Military Academy in 1891. Much of his career with the 7th Cavalry would take place along the Mexican border as the regiment pursued renegade Apache Indians.

Spanish-American War
In 1898, Lyon graduated from the Coast Artillery School at Fort Monroe, Virginia, and was immediately appointed aide to General Royal T. Frank at Chickamauga Park, Anniston and Department of the Gulf headquarters. Lyon served as Gen. Frank's aide during much of the Spanish-American war until 1899. In 1899, Lyon was transferred to the 2nd Artillery Regiment and saw service in Cuba until 1900.

In 1903, after graduating from the School of Submarine Defense at Fort Totten, New York, Lyon was appointed District Artillery Engineer at Fort Barrancas, Florida, position which he held until 1906. From 1906 to 1907, Lyon served in the Philippine-American War against the Moros.

Lyon served in the Panama Canal Zone from 1916-1917, where he was promoted to Colonel in May 1915 before returning to the United States to command Camp Bowie, Texas, until May of the same year. Lyon was promoted to Brigadier General in August 1917 and was given command of the 65th Field Artillery Brigade at Camp Kearny, California, in August of 1917 following the U.S. entry into the First World War.

First World War
In May 1918, Lyon was promoted once more, this time to Major General, and given command of the 31st Infantry Division. Lyon arrived in France with the 31st Infantry Division on September 29th and participated in the Meuse-Argonne offensive later that year. In November 1918, Lyon was given command of the 90th Infantry Division until December of the same year.

Inter-War period
After the First World War, Lyon finally returned to the United States on 13th May 1919 and reverted to his pre-war rank of Colonel in the Field Artillery, commanding the Field Artillery Basic School at Camp Taylor, Kentucky, where he passed away on 23rd February 1920.

Personal life and death
LeRoy Springs Lyon married Harriet Amsden on 1st December 1903. He passed away at Camp Taylor and was buried at the Arlington National Cemetery. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his excellent leadership of the 65th Field Artillery Brigade and the 31st Infantry Division.