Ronald D. Castille

Ronald D. Castille (born March 16, 1944) is the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania. He was the District Attorney of the City of Philadelphia from 1986 until 1991 and is a member of the Republican Party. He is also an amputee (requiring the use of crutches), having lost his right leg to enemy gunfire while serving as a Marine platoon commander during the Vietnam War.

In 2012, Castille, a Republican, cast the deciding vote against the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission's redistricting map, siding with his Democratic colleagues. In his opinion, Castille wrote that the map split too many municipalities. He also wrote the unanimous opinion upholding the LRC's revised redistricting maps in 2013.

Marine Corps service
Castille received a B.S. in Economics from Auburn University in 1966. Following graduation was commissioned an officer in the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam where he served as a platoon commander in 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. On March 16, 1967, Castille was conducting a Search and destroy mission with his company in Duc Pho, Quang Ngai Province when they came under attack from a Viet Cong battalion. During the fighting Castille was seriously wounded and fell, unable to move. One of his Marines, Angel Mendez shielded him and then carried him to friendly lines, which were more than seventy-five meters away. During this action Mendez was hit in the shoulder and two of his comrades rushed to help him with Castille but Mendez refused to let go of Castille and chose to act as rear man. Mendez continued to shield his Lieutenant with his own body until he was mortally wounded. For his actions Mendez was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and promoted to Sergeant.

Career
Following his medical retirement from the Marine Corps in 1968 Castille received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. In 1986 he was elected District Attorney of Philadelphia and served until 1991. Prior to his election to the Supreme Court, he was in private practice as a civil litigator for Reed Smith Shaw & McClay in Philadelphia. He was elected to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1993.

On January 14, 2008, Castille was sworn in as Chief Justice of Pennsylvania.

Awards and decorations
Among Ron Castille's awards and decorations are the following:
 * Bronze Star ribbon.svg Bronze Star  (with Combat Valor Device)
 * Purple Heart BAR.svg Purple Heart
 * NavyPres.gif Navy Presidential Unit Citation
 * Navy Unit Commendation ribbon.svg Navy Unit Commendation
 * Combat Action Ribbon.svg Combat Action Ribbon
 * National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg National Defense Service Medal
 * Vietnam Service Ribbon.svg Vietnam Service Medal
 * Vietnam gallantry cross-w-palm-3d.svg Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross
 * Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon.png Vietnam Campaign Medal