Richard Charles Pfeifle – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Marine Corps

From a contemporary press report

Richard Charles Pfeifle, 74, a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and Vietnam War veteran  who had lived in the Washington area since about 1960, died October 8, 2002, at the Hospice of Northern Virginia. He had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Colonel Pfeifle spent 25 years in the Marine Corps before retiring from active duty in 1971. He then became a logistician with the Raytheon Corp., where he worked on its contract involving the NASA space station. He retired again in 1977.

He was a supply and staff officer in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. His last assignment, before retiring from active duty in 1971, was as a logistics officer at Marine Corps headquarters.

Colonel Pfeifle, who was born in Philadelphia, was a graduate of Olney High School and the Bullis Prep School in Silver Spring. He enlisted in the Marine Corps and then attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, from which he graduated with the Class of 1953. He received a master’s degree in business administration from George Washington University in 1975.

His decorations included the Bronze Star Medal with “v.”

Colonel Pfeifle, a Mason, was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Centreville, Virginia. He lived  in Fairfax, where he had been a Boy Scout troop leader and counselor.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, ClaireJean, of Fairfax; and two sons, Richard Jr., of Tucson, Arizona, and William R., of Richmond, Virginia. A daughter, Jeannine Mary Pfeifle, died in 1976.

PFEIFLE, RICHARD C., Lt. Col., USMC (Ret.)

On October 8, 2002 of Fairfax, Virginia. Loving husband of Claire Jean Pfeifle; beloved father of Richard C., Jr. (Tucson, Arizona), William R. (Richmond, Virginia) and the late Jeannine M. Pfeifle; brother of Robert W. Pfeifle, (Worcester, Pennsylvania). Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at 9 a.m. on November 12 at Fort Myer Old Post Chapel. Inurnment Arlington National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Class of 1953, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, or the Jeannine Mary Pfeifle Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund, PO Box 1908, Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401 or Hospice of Northern VA, 1115 N 15th St., Arlington, VA 22205.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard