Honoring a fallen Airman

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Washburn
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The 355th Security Forces Squadron held a ceremony here April 8 to commemorate the renaming of their squadron headquarters building.

The building was renamed after Airman 1st Class Millard Wesley Lehman, who gave the ultimate sacrifice while protecting his fellow Airmen.

Airman Lehman was born May 14, 1943, in Tucson. He attended Rincon High School and after graduation, entered the Navy and later transitioned to active-duty Air Force as a security policeman.

While stationed at Binh Thuy Air Force Base, a former Republic of Vietnam base used during the Vietnam War, Airman Lehman went on his off time to relieve Airmen at their post so they could get food from the dining facility. During his watch, the base began to get bombarded from enemy 75mm recoilless rifles. Airman Lehman activated the base warning system, clearing out base facilities. Immediately afterward, the dining facility was hit. Unfortunately, Airman Lehman's position was also hit during the attack and he was killed in action.

"No base, whether defended by Air Police, Security Police or Security Forces, has ever been overrun or conquered by an opposing force," said Phil Carroll, President of the Vietnam Security Police Association. "This is largely due to the quality of many amazing individuals. People like Airman Lehman, who stood up and stood strong when called to defend their country. It is this selfless dedication to self and country that connects our military from our past, with our military of today."

Because of selfless actions that saved countless lives, Airman Lehman was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star.

Attending the renaming of the security forces squadron building was Airman Lehman's mother, Rachel Lehman; his brother, Shayne Lehman; his fiancé at the time of his passing, Erlyce Pekas and members of his unit, the 632nd Air Police Squadron.