James was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, at Fort Hood, Texas. He served as a tank platoon leader and deployed with his unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. On September 27, 2006, First Lieutenant James N. Lyons was shot and killed in southern Baghdad, Iraq while his unit was attacking insurgents that had attacked a key strategic facility. At the time of his death, James was Syracuse University’s first known and youngest casualty of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terror Medal, among others…
