Mike Company               

Third Battalion, Fifth Marines

RVN, 1966 -1971

CHRIS PYLE

OPERATION PIPESTONE CANYON (May '69) "Mike Company hit a heavily booby-trapped area. The call went out for 'Corpsman Up!' and Doc Pyle started running toward the wounded, several other Marines began hitting booby-traps. According to many eye witnesses, someone tripped a booby-trap that released a grenade from a tree and dropped it down toward the wounded. Doc Pyle never missed a beat, he caught the falling grenade, stuffed it into his flak jacket and dove into a ditch. His action prevented the explosion from harming anyone of the many wounded, or the Marines assisting them. Doc paid for his heroic action with his life. I knew Doc well, he was a kind, compassionate man, who loved the Marines under his care. I never heard him speak ill of anyone, and he never treated any of us as inferiors. By absorbing the blast with his own body, he protected "his" Marines one last time. I was later told Doc was awarded the Navy Cross,(our nation's 2nd highest award for heroism), and his act of bravery was related to future graduates of Fleet Corpsman School. He should have received the Medal of Honor, he has all of our prayers. Every Marine who ever served with Doc Pyle will never forget him. That action cost Mike Company 10 or 11 killed and wounded, the enemy never had to fire a shot. Mines and booby-traps were the deadliest enemy we had, besides disease."