LTC Lyle G Seydel
U.S. Army
1948-1968
Lyle was born January 20, 1928 in Windham, Iowa, the son of William and Nellie Volk Seydel. He was a 1946 graduate of St. Mary's High School. Lyle received his bachelor's degree in military science from the University of Omaha and his Master's degree from Command General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, KS. He entered the Army in November of 1948. While in basic training he became involved with the U.S. Army boxing team where he represented Fort Knox in the Golden Gloves tournament in Louisville, Kentucky. He then attended OCS at Fort Riley, Kansas and Parachute Jump School at Fort Bragg North Carolina. In 1951, Lyle was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he married his hometown sweetheart, Carol Chopek. On deployment to Korea from early 1952 until late 1953, he commanded an anti-aircraft battalion and served as a supply officer. After Korea, Lyle attended the Army language school and was sent to France, with his wife and young family, to serve as an Army interpreter from 1956-1959.
He returned to the United States, and served as battalion commander in the NORAD air defense system and then returned to Europe to serve with the 7th Army Germany as commander of a heavy artillery battalion for three years. In 1964 he returned to the States and was stationed at Fort Sheridan with the 5th Army in Chicago and then the 9th Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas. In 1967 he was deployed to Vietnam as Divarty S3 with the 9th Infantry Division. From 1968 until his retirement in 1969, Lyle served as the Inspector General at Rock Island Arsenal. Upon his retirement, Lyle was hired as the first Housing Coordinator for the Iowa City Low and Elderly Housing Project. Under his management the program grew to include 417 units. The following developments were financed and constructed by HUD during Lyle's years as Housing Coordinator: Autumn Park for the Elderly, Capitol House for the Elderly, Hollywood Complex, Shamrock Place Complex; and Pleasant Ridge.
Lyle's professional drive was matched with a strong commitment to his wife, Carol, of sixty years and five children. While his children were growing, Lyle supported many of the institutions that shaped their lives. He served as leader and assistant leader for the Boy Scout Troop 212 at St Mary's Church; Little League coach; on the Council at St Mary's Church; and as a Board member on the Regina School Board. The hobbies shared with his wife and children included traveling; camping; hunting and fishing. After the children were grown, Lyle and Carol continued to travel together in their motor home. He loved to drive and navigated many highways and byways from Iowa to Alaska, to the northern reaches of Nova Scotia into Newfoundland, and through Central America into Guatemala.
Medals Awarded to Lyle G. Seydel include Senior Parachutist Badge; Korean Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Bronze Star; UN Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Viet Nam Service Medal; and Legion of Merit Badge
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