Colonel Selden H. Pile, who resided in Peterpender, Arkansas, passed away Monday, June 18, 2012 in Fort Smith. He was born July 17, 1922 in the Lowes Creek Community in Franklin County to the late William Clyde Pile and Norene (Rogers) Pile. He was 89 years old. He was also preceded in death by one brother, David Pile.

Colonel Pile graduated from Branch High School in 1940 and was a member of First United Methodist Church in Charleston.

Colonel Selden H. Pile started his military career by attending the Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremore, Oklahoma. He joined the Army Reserves in June, 1942 and was called to active duty in May of 1943. He was inducted into the Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and was transferred to Fort Riley, Kansas for basic training and Officer Candidate School. The Calvary Officer Candidate School was closed about this time, phasing out horse comabt units, so Colonel Pile volunteered for Air Corps Pilot Training. He was then sent to San Antonio, Texas via Texas A&M College and started Air Corps Cadet Preflight training in the fall of 1943 at San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center.

His next station was primary flight training at Spartan's School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His training then progressed to Basic Flight Training, Majors Field, Greenville, Texas; Advanced Fighter Training at Eagle Pass, Texas and Gunnery and P-40 transition and graduation from Cadets at Moore Field, Mission, Texas. He then transferred to Strouther Field, Kansas for Combat Crew training in the P-47 Thunderbolt. Combat Crew training had been completed and he was on orders at La Junta, Colorado as a member of the 50th Fighter Group to go to Okinawa for the invasion of Japan when World War II ended.

Shortly after the end of the war, Colonel Pile, a First Lieutenant at the time, proceeded on to Japan in the Army of Occupation as a fighter pilot flying P-51 Mustangs out of the 35th Fighter Group at Johnson AFB, Japan. During the three years in Japan, Colonel Pile became interested in test flying aircraft undergoing maintenance, modifications and all aerial weapons projects.

After leaving Japan in 1949, he was assigned to O'Hara Air Force Base as a flight instructor for the Air Force Reserves. While at O'Hara, he instructed in the C-46, T-11, and T-6 aircraft.

He was ordered to the Air Force Radar Controller School, Tyndall AFB, Florida in the fall of 1949. After graduating from the radar school, he was assigned to the 25th Air Division Headquarters at Silver Lake, Washington where he worked as a duty controller under General Vincent of World War II 14th Air Force China fame. Colonel Pile persuaded the General to let him return to the cockpit, which was his first love, in late '50.

He was transferred to the 81st Fighter Wing, Moses Lake, Washington. For several months he was working as a radar controller and flying the F-86 Sabre Jet. Later he was transferred to the 92nd Fighter Squadron as a fighter pilot and a flight test maintenance officer.

A few months later in 1951, the 81st was ordered to England as the first Sabre Jet wing in the NATO buildup; in addition they were ordered to fly their Sabre Jets across the North Atlantic which had never been tried before. In October 1951, the wing completed the crossing without the loss of one aircraft or pilot.

Colonel Pile was with the 92nd Fighter Squadron at Shepherd's Grove, England for three years as fighter pilot and flight test maintenance officer. In 1953 he was chosen to demonstrate the supersonic capability of the Sabre Jet by breaking the sound barier during the Coronation Air Show at Bentwaters, England.

After completing his normal three year tour in 1954, he was ordered to the 15th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Tucson, Arizona. The squadron had just been formed and equipped with new all weather F-86D Sabre Jets. This model of Sabre had all guns removed and air-to-air rockets installed. It had new radar installed for all weather and night intercepts with an automatic fire control system. Colonel Pile was assigned as Chief of Maintenance and Flight Test Officer.

In the Spring of 1957, he was promoted to the grade of Major and was transferred to the 34th Air Division, Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

From Albuquerque, Colonel Pile selected to attend the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia and reported there in the summer of 1959.

From the Staff College he had orders to go to France to the 48th Tac Fighter Wing. However, the 48th Wing was moved to England while he was in school so he was ordered to the 48th at its new base at Lakenheath, England in the winter of 1960. Lakenheath was about 15 miles from Shepherds Grove where Colonel Pile was stationed 10 years before. He was assigned as Commander of the 48th Organizational Maintenance Squadron and Flight Test Maintenance Officer. Colonel Pile checked out in the F-100 Super Sabre at Lakeheath and flew primarily maintenance test flights. The 48th had a NATO role and had nuclear capability. He was promoted to Lt Colonel in 1962 and assigned as Assistant Chief of Maintenance and Chief of the Flight Test Section. In 1963, he returned to the US and assigned as Chief of Aircraft Maintenance, Tyndall AFB, Florida. Tyndall was ADC's largest base with combat crew training in the F-101, F-102, F-106 aircraft. At Tyndall, he was responsible for all maintenance on a total of six aquadrons of aircraft, and was filling a position that called for a full Colonel.

After three years at Tyndall, he was transferred to Colorado Springs in April 66 as Chief of Maintenance and Commander of the 4600 Consolidated Maintenance Squadron.

In the spring of 1967, he was promoted to Colonel and ordered to Southeast Asia as Chief of Maintenance, 355 TAC Fighter Wing, Takhli, Thailand. The 355th Wing was equipped with F-105 and EB-66 aircraft. The F-105's were used to bomb Hanoi and the EB-66's were used to jam radar and missile sites in North Vietnam. In addition to his maintenance responsibilities, Colonel Pile was checked out in the old C-47 cargo aircraft where he made regular scheduled combat support missions to bases all over South Vietnam. He received the Legion of Merit for his work in Southeast Asia.

When he returned to the states, Colonel Pile was assigned to Richards-Gebaur AFB as Deputy Commander for Material.

Colonel Pile flew over (7,000) hours and (1,500) test flights in single engine prop. and jet fighters, and was stationed over seas a total of 10 years in Japan, England, Libya North Africa, Germany, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

After being stationed at Richards-Gebaur for eight months, Colonel Pile retired August 1, 1969 with 27 years of service and no regrets and many fond memories.

Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 22nd, at First United Methodist Church in Charleston. Burial will be at Lowes Creek Cemetery,located north of Branch, (With Full Military Honors) under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home in Charleston.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Phyllis Pile of the home; three daughters, Karen Lee Ryerson of Boulder, Colorado, Debbie Kay Cahill of Henderson, Nevada, and Patricia Ann Griffin and husband Mike of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas; five grandsons, Chris Ryerson and wife Jodi, Dave Ryerson and wife Michelle, Dallas Breed and wife Jessica, Mason Breed and wife Emily, and Schuyler Breed; one great-grandchild, Reference Breed; and sister-in-law, Mary Elizabeth (Johnson) Pile.

Pallbearers will be John Frank Pendergrass, John Paul Pendergrass, Jack Weisenbach, Paul Frank Whittington, Olen Price, and Kriss Schaffer.

Family will visit with friends 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday night at the funeral home.

To pay an online tribute, please visit www.brothertonbrothersfuneralhomes.com.