Jack Lyon, a pursuit pilot of the United States Marine Corps, went down with his ship “somewhere in the South Pacific” on July 26, it is believed, in the region of the Samoan Islands. Verification of his death was sent to his wife in Seattle, Wash., by Major D. W. Torrey, his commanding officer. This letter, which The Reporter is printing through the kindness of Mrs. Clara Bales Lyon, Jack’s mother, read:
This is the most difficult letter to write. As you know by now Jack was killed while engaged in his work. Death came to him in the course of seconds. His body was not recovered and is now with his Maker, his body encased in the cockpit of his plane in the bottom of the ocean. Words fail me in expressing my sympathy to you. He spoke of you often and was intensely in love with you.
All the officers here join with me in sending our condolences to you and through you to Jack’s mother. We feel deeply in this loss to you and us; we wish Jack were back.
Please accept our sympathies; you have lost one of the finest husbands that ever lived. We have lost an excellent pilot and a true friend.
Fellow pilots wrote to Jack’s wife to tell of his bravery and his worth as a pilot in the Marine Corps. Enough of the censored letters pieced together the story of his tragic end. He was flying in formation at 10,000 feet into the sun when the pilot in his rear, blinded by the sun, crashed into his ship, splitting the tail assembly and sending him down into the sea. It is supposed that he became jammed in the cockpit and so could not jump clear. Known as an expert flier among his fellow officers, he was a flight commander and an inspirational leader of the group.
Jack was a first lieutenant having been boosted a grade in the last several months and was slated to be advanced to the rank of captain in several weeks. He was one of the contingent sent to the South Pacific soon after war was declared, having received his final training at the marine base at Quantico.
Jack was the only son of the late Glenn C. and Clara Bales Lyon. He was born at Cedar, IA, Nov. 19, 1917 and came with his family to Downers Grove soon after. Jack graduated from Downers Grove High School in the Class of 1936. In high school he sang in the A Cappella Choir and took part in a number of school plays. He was a member of the lightweight basketball team in his first three years in school, making all-conference in his junior year. He played with the heavyweights in his senior year, being one of the best guards in the conference, and being a factor in the team winning the West Suburban Championship.
He enlisted in the marines and was eventually sent to Miami, FL for preliminary and first pilot training. He and Miss Doris Jones were married on August 13, 1941.
Source: Downers Grove Reporter, August 27, 1942
His name is engraved on the plaque at Memorial Park in Downers Grove honoring local servicemen who never returned home from World War II.
