More detail on this person: COL. LYLE V. TOPE U.S.M.C. (Ret.) COL. LYLE V. TOPE U.S.M.C. (Ret.) After surviving combat in three wars...WWII, Korea and Viet Nam, retired Col. Lyle V. Tope was felled 16 Feb 2005 by diabetes at Pali Momi Hospital, Honolulu. He is survived by his beloved wife, Poppie Tope. Mr. Tope was born 11 May 1922 in Marlborough, Missouri. He served proudly for 31 years as a Naval Aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps, having flown the SBD Dauntless dive bomber (VMSB-484), TBM Avenger torpedo bomber (MCAG-13), F4U Corsair fighter/bomber (VMF-224), T-28 training instructor and H-34 helicopters, completing 6,124 accident-free hours, including 486 successful carrier landings aboard 13 aircraft carriers. He served as Executive Officer, Marine Air Base Squadron 15 (MABS-15) El Toro, CA; Commanding Officer, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161 (HMM-161) MCAS Kaneohe Bay; Commanding Officer, H-34 detachment, U.S.S. Kearsarge (CVS-33) for the recovery team of Cdr. Schirra Mercury capsule; 1964 Operations Office (S-3), MCAS Kaneohe Bay; Commanding Officer, Marine Air Control Group 18 (MACG-18), Republic of Viet Nam and Air Support Radar Team, Khe Sanh Combat Base, 1968 TET offensive, including piloting a severely damaged helicopter to rescue a badly wounded U.S. Marine sergeant and his combat dog. In 1968, Col. Tope and his late first wife, Evelyn Beyer Tope (d. 1985), were assigned to U.S. Embassy Diplomatic Duty for 3 years as the U.S. Naval Attache, Jakarta, Indonesia where he handled numerous high level diplomatic assignments, earning the U.S. Distinguished Service Medal. In 1972, Col. Tope was assigned as the Director of Intelligence (G-2) U.S. Marine Corps and was also a member of the National Military Intelligence Board. Some of his decorations include Distinguished Service Medal, Indonesian Jalasena Star Medal, Legion of Merit Medal With combat "V" and a Gold Star in lieu of Second Award, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal with combat "V" and a Gold Star in lieu of Second Award, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal and Gold Stars in lieu of Second through Eleven Air Medals - 484 combat missions and sorties, Navy Commendation Medal and Ribbon with combat "V" and Purple Heart Medal. For America and the Corps, he was always "Semper Fidelis". MILITARY HONORS AND BURIAL NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, PUNCHBOWL
Burial information: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, HI
This information was last updated 09/16/2020
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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