Headquarters, 7th Air Force, Special Orders No. G-777 (September 27, 1966)
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Thomas Shaw Pyle, II (AFSN: AO-3103812), United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving with the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Takhli Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, in action near Kep Airfield, North Vietnam on 7 August 1966. On that date, Captain Pyle was the Electronic Warfare Officer in the lead F-105 of a two ship hunter killer team assigned to patrol the heavily defended Kep Airfield area in search of hostile surface-to-air missile sites. Despite encountering adverse weather and heavy hostile defenses, Captain Pyle pressed the attack with complete disregard for his own personal safety. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Captain Pyle has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.