Why the U.S. Marines Gave Gomer Pyle a Rare Honor in 2001

Gomer Pyle might have started as a humble garage mechanic from Mayberry who stumbled into the U.S. Marine Corps, but his lessons in heart and honesty stuck with audiences for decades. On Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., which aired from 1964 to 1969, Gomer joined the Marines, where he remained at the rank of Private First Class for the entire series, and was always looking out for his fellow men.