Viray was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii; died April 19, 2012 in Divalak, Helmand province, Afghanistan, when his Black Hawk (UH-60) crashed.

Don served with a glad and generous spirit and explained that: “I wanted to be a MEDEVAC guy. To be the guy everyone wants to see. To get them out when they’re hurt and just get them help.”

Viray’s sister Sherry Viray says, “Her brother was a hero who never bragged about his achievements.”