Lyle F. Bull was a rear admiral in the Navy, a recipient of the Navy Cross, a community leader, and a beloved husband and father.

Bull passed away at his North Whidbey home May 4. He was 80 years old.

Bull lived one of those lives that’s impossible to summarize.

In the Navy, he unflinchingly faced danger, bore great responsibilities and earned the admiration of his crews. At home on Whidbey, Bull was an important and influential member of the community, a loyal friend to many and a family man.

He and his wife Diana raised four sons — Ron, Vince, Bruce and Dell — on Whidbey Island.

“He believed that you should live by the Golden Rule,” she said, “and he tried very hard to always do that.”

Bull flew in the first A-6 Intruder to land at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. He famously earned the Navy Cross, the Navy’s highest honor, as a bombardier/navigator on an A-6 bomber during the Vietnam War.

The text of the Navy Cross citation describes how he “assisted in the planning and execution of an extremely dangerous, single-plane, night, radar bombing attack on the strategically located and heavily defended Hanoi railroad ferry slip in North Vietnam.” He and his pilot accomplished their mission even as they were the target of a half dozen enemy missiles and intense anti-aircraft fire.

During his three cruises to Vietnam, approximately a third of the flight crew was lost each time. He flew 273 missions.

“I’m sitting here with four little boys, hoping he would come back,” his wife recalled.

Bull has a long list of commands in his 30-year career that includes a stint on the USS Constellation.

Oak Harbor resident Dave Williams, former CO of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, served with and under Bull in Vietnam and beyond. He said Bull was “a legend in the A-6 community.”

“One friend describes him as the John Wayne of the era,” Williams said. “That’s how he was viewed.”

Williams said Bull was an inspirational leader and a forceful personality. He was loved by his men.

Williams said he tried to emulate his friend’s leadership style.

“He’s one of those people you have to speak of with reverence,” he said.

His son Vince said his father would never ask his men to do something he wasn’t willing to do. He was the kind of leader who would pull up his sleeves and help out.

“He was a born leader,” he said.

“To me, the best words to describe dad is ‘tenacious,’” he added.

Bull’s legacy is his four sons, Williams said.

Bruce and Dell Bull followed in their father’s footsteps and went into the Navy, flying in A-6s; Bruce was a pilot and Dell a bombardier/navigator like his father. Also like his father, Dell Bull is an admiral.

In 1987, Adm. Bull was a battle group commander, Bruce was a lieutenant junior grade and Dell was a midshipman when the “flight of the herd” occurred. The three of them flew together in A-6s off a carrier.

It was something that may never have happened before or since.

“It was a pretty rare thing,” Bruce Dell said. “It was pretty special.”

Bull retired in 1993. He and his wife stayed on thier beloved Whidbey. Bull was well known in the community and had many friends who had also served.

One of those friends is Dick Hopper, who also had a 30-year Navy career.

“He was quite a gentleman,” Hopper said of his friend. “He was proud of his country and certainly proud of his family.”

Jim McKenzie agreed, saying that he will miss Bull.

“He was a good and true friend,” he said. “He loved the Navy and loved the people in the Navy.”

Bull was a leader in the community. He was involved in the effort to keep NAS Whidbey open after it made the list of base closures in 1991. He was a very enthusiastic member of the Save NAS Whidbey Task Force for many years, former Mayor Al Koetje said.

Bull was also instrumental in the successful effort to build a new stadium at the high school. He was a longtime member of the Oak Harbor Rotary and rallied other members to take up the cause.

“He was a big part of the community for so long,” Koetje said.