ATTACHMENT 3


     The Administrator   (00)                     May 13, 1959

     Chief Medical Director   (10)

     Recommendation for Administrator's Exceptional Service Award

1.   Recommend that George M. Lyon, M.D. be awarded the
Administrator's Exceptional Service Award in recognition of his
outstanding contributions to the Medical Programs of the Veterans
Administration.

2.   Dr. lyon now serves as Manager, VA Hospital, Hunting, West
Virginia.  This recommendation covers his work in Central Office
during the period of July 1947 through February 1956, in addition
to this work since 1956 in VA Hospital, Huntington, West
Virginia.

3.   Dr. Lyon was appointed in the Department of Medicine and
Surgery July 2, 1947, with the title of Special Assistant to the
Chief Medical Director for Atomic Medicine.  Major General Paul
Hawley, then Chief Medical Director, was deeply concerned about
the problems that atomic energy might create for the Veterans
Administration as a result of the active engagement of the Armed
Services in the developmental phases of nuclear fission during
World War II.  In August 1947, General Hawley convened a
conference including Lieutenant General Leslie R. Groves,
Commanding General of the Manhattan Engineer District, the
Surgeon Generals of the Armed Forces, and other outstanding
authorities with knowledge of this field.  The conferees
recommended the establishment within the Department of Medicine
and Surgery of an Advisory Committee on matters of atomic
medicine and radioisotopes for the purpose of advising the steps
to be taken within the VA to meet these problems.  Dr. Lyon in
planning the development of a program to meet the needs of the VA
conceived the establishment of radioisotope laboratories under a
Radioisotope Section in Central Office.  At the first meeting of
this Advisory Committee in September 1947, it was decided that
this Section would be setup and that matters of Atomic Medicine
would be handled through this section and by the Special
Assistant to the Chief Medical Director for Atomic Medicine.  It
was felt unwise to publicize unduly the probably adverse effects
of exposure to radioactive materials.  The use of nuclear energy
at this time was so sensitive that unfavorable reaction might
have jeopardized future development in that field.  Dr. Lyon was
designated, Chief, Radioisotope Section, Research and Education
Service, in addition to the position of Special Assistant to the
Chief Medical Director for Atomic Medicine.  An important part of
his duties was the development of appropriate contacts with
Atomic Energy Commission, Civil Defense planning officials,
American Medical Association, and the Public Health Service.  He
maintained records of classified nature emanating from the AEC
and the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project which were essential
to proper evaluation of claims of radiation injury brought
against VA by further members of the Armed Forces engaged in the
Manhattan project.

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4.   Dr. Lyon with great vision and foresight initially
established Radioisotope Units in six VA Hospitals where
physicians qualified in this field were available.  This early
planning was in an unknown area and there were essentially no
guide lines for the design of laboratory facilities, for the
safety precautions required and for the many other medical and
administrative problems which arose.  The truly outstanding
manner in which Dr. Lyon planned and administered the complex and
growing Radioisotope Program is attested to by the fact that the
Veterans Administration has never faced a problem of a
radiological safety nature or been criticized for unwise action
sin this field.  Quite the contrary, the VA has been praised for
the outstanding contributions to the health of the veteran and
the nation as a ILLEGIBLE through this program.  Frequent
conferences with the physicians who directed the Radioisotope
Units in VA Hospitals produced an outstanding program of wise
application of radioisotopes to medical research and to the
medical diagnosis and treatment of veteran patients.   Because of
his eminence in American medicine, he was able to attract
personally to this program leading physicians who were qualified
in atomic medicine.

5.   In addition to his effective handling of VA problems, Dr.
Lyon became a national authority on matters of atomic medicine
and radiological safety, especially in relation to Civil Defense
Planning.  In the spring and summer of 1948, he served as a
member of the group sponsored by the Department of Defense which
explored the whole matter of Civil Defense.  This culminated in
the issuance of "Civil Defense for National Security" ("Hopley
Report"), the first authoritative survey of the problem of Civil
Defense.  Dr. Lyon took a leading part in the development of this
important report.  He also wrote numerous articles dealing with
Civil Defense problems and gave lectures to various groups on
matters of atomic medicine and radiological safety.  Among these
was the Ranson Memorial Lecture delivered at Northwestern
University Medical School in October 1948, on "The Radioisotopes
in Medicine".

6.   From the start, Dr. Lyon had planned the radioisotope
program with the knowledge that the VA Hospitals having
Radioisotope Units constituted a most important ILLEGIBLE asst in
the event of nuclear attack or disaster.  In order to effectively
organize this resource, a meeting of representatives from 15 VA
Hospitals in the radioisotope program was called for a period of
a week at the 7A Center, Martinsburg, West Virginia in August
1950.  During this meeting, Dr. Lyon outlined his plans for
complete courses of instruction to be given in VA Hospitals. 
These courses of instruction were designed for physicians to
acquaint them with the problem of atomic warfare and the medical
aspects of radiological defense and for non-physician individuals
to serve as radiological monitors in event of emergency.  This
training was carried out in the 15 hospitals then having
Radioisotope Units with the result that over 400 monitors were
trained and equipped for possible service in disaster.  For seven
years this group constituted the only organized nucleus of
trained personnel with the U.S. available for radiological
monitoring in the event of disaster.  These facts were well known
to AEC and to Civil Defense officials.  Thus, qualified persons
in VA Hospitals served as essential elements in local civil
defense planning.  Dr. Lyon, serving as an expert Consultant to
the Council on National Emery Medical Service, American Medical
Association, developed training manuals which served as guide
lines for training conducted in non-VA hospitals and medical
schools ILLEGIBLE the country.

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7.   Dr. Lyon was a contributing editor to "The Effects of Atomic
Weapons", prepared under the direction of the Los Alamos
Scientific Laboratory for the Department of Defense and the U.S.
Atomic "Energy Commission.  This document was the first summary
of detailed effects of atomic weapons and became a handbook for
reference by all interested persons for a number of years.  The
basic material contained therein is still authentic though the
development of thermonuclear weapons necessitated a subsequent
handbook entitled "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons".  Dr. Lyon was
among the first to recognize the importance of training for
possible nuclear disaster.  His experience is serving as a
medical officer in the Manhattan District in connection with the
thermal diffusion plant operating in Naval Shipyard,
Philadelphia, during this participation as safety officer in the
first atomic test at Alamagordo, New Mexico, and his duty as
personnel safety officer for Joint Task Force One in Operation
Crossroads (Bikini Tests) in the summer of 1946, all made him
extremely aware of the potential hazards connected with nuclear
disaster whether in peacetime or as a result of enemy action.  In
all of these efforts to assist in preparing the nation for sound
and sensible action in the event of disaster, he brought
favorable publicity and distinction to the Department of Medicine
and Surgery and Veterans Administration.

8.   In 1952 upon the resignation of Dr. E. H. Cushing, Dr. Lyon
was appointed to the position of Assistant Chief Medical Director
for Research and Education.  He continued to serve as Director,
Atomic Medicine Service in addition to his new duties.  Dr. Lyon
effected the changes affecting his area of responsibility due to
the reorganization of the VA, giving forceful and successful
leadership to his staff in the problems of changes in manuals and
operating procedures.  With his expanded responsibilities he
placed emphasis on the residency training and education programs
and was a most effective force in strengthening and expanding the
VA-medical school relationships through Deans Committees across
the country.  This is one of the major factor sin the excellent
medical care program of the VA.  Dr. Lyon established systematic
and sound budgetary procedures for the elements under this
direction, and laid the groundwork for the greatly expanded
program of Medical Research through his keen vision and
enthusiasm.  Through his professional prominence and contacts in
the medical profession, he was able to attract outstanding
assistants for Research and Education activities, both in Central
Office and the field.  During this period, Dr. Lyon served as a
consultant to the Naval Medical School, Bethesda, in the capacity
of a Reserve Officer in the Medical Corps, and planned and
initiated a successful residency training program in pediatrics
at this institution.

9.   In the spring of 1956, at the end of his term as Assistant
Chief Medical Director for Research and Education, Dr. Lyon was
assigned to the VA Hospital, Huntington, West Virginia, as
Manager.  He has bene highly successful in revitalizing and
modernizing this hospital.  He was faced with a problem of
consolidation of the Out-patient Clinic of the Regional Office
with the hospital immediately after his arrival, and he carried
this through to a very successful conclusion.  He also made
immediate plans to recruit additional staff and to expand certain
needed facilities, such as research space.  Under his leadership,
the hospital has initiated a program of medical research,
especially in surgery, and has also set up a radioisotope
laboratory.

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10.  In the spring of 1956, Dr. Lyon was the recipient of the
honorary degree of D.Sc., bestowed upon his by Denison
University, his alma mater.  In November 1956, the Association of
Military Surgeons awarded Dr. Lyon the Major Louis Livingston
Seaman Prize for a notable article appearing during the year in
"Military Medicine".  Dr. Lyon's prize winning article was
entitled, "Radiation Injuries Resulting from Nuclear Explosion
and Fallout", and appeared in the April issue.

11.  Through this varied experience and the assignments
described, Dr. Lyon has shown initiative, unexcelled planning
ability and inexhaustible energy in pushing through many programs
and projects to successful conclusions.  He is known nationally
and internationally for his contributions to problems of atomic
medicine and radiological defense and the present highly
developed radioisotope programs stands as a monument to his early
basic planning for this relatively new field of medicine.  His
service to the Veterans Administration can only be classed as
exceptional and outstanding in every respect and we feel that the
most appropriate honor in recognition of this service is the
Exceptional Service Award.




                                   WILLIAM S. MIDDLETON, MD.

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