LIMA — The U.S. Navy Band named Lima native Musician 1st Class Steven Van Dyne as its sailor of the year for 2023.
The award distinguishes Van Dyne, an audio engineer who served aboard the USS Pearl Harbor, from 92 peers of equal rank across the command, according to a press release from the Navy about the award.
The USS Pearl Harbor is the Navy’s annual humanitarian and disaster relief-preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific.
Van Dyne served as leading petty officer of a 19-member multinational team during the four-month deployment, which included 44 performances in the Phillipines, Malaysia, Palau, Fiji and Tonga.
He serves as audio engineer for the Navy’s premier concert band back home in Washington, D.C.
