May 06, 2013
Flags lowered to honor fallen Air Force pilot
Under a proclamation signed by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, the United States flag and the Illinois flag are to be at half-staff at all State of Illinois facilities in honor of a U.S. Air Force pilot killed last month in a plane crash in Afghanistan.
Flags are to be flown at half-staff until sunset, Thursday, May 9, in honor of U.S. Air Force Capt. Brandon L. Cyr of Woodbridge, Va. Cyr was assigned to the Illinois National Guard’s 906h Air Refueling Squadron at Scott Air Force base at the time of the crash, according to reports.
Reports said Cyr, 28, was one of four airmen who died April 27, in the crash of a two-engine turboprop MC-12 surveillance aircraft about 110 miles northeast of Kandahar Air Field. He was a pilot instructor for the KC-135 tanker, with more than 1,700 flying hours, including 900 in combat, according to reports. Cyr was on his fourth deployment overseas at the time.