Dick Boyle was born on March 10, 1931, in Providence, Rhode Island. He entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on July 1, 1949, and was commissioned a 2d Lt of Artillery on June 2, 1953. Lt Boyle attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, from June to November 1953, and then Basic Airborne Training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from November to December 1953. His first assignment was as Executive Officer with Battery C of the 98th Field Artillery Battalion at Fort Bragg from December 1953 to June 1954, followed by service as Assistant Operations Officer with Headquarters Battery of the 98th Field Artillery Battalion at Fort Bragg from July to September 1954. Lt Boyle served as Assistant Operations Officer with Headquarters Battery of the 674th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion in Japan from September to December 1954, and then as a Forward Observer, Reconnaissance Officer, and then Executive Officer of Battery B of the 674th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion from December 1954 to June 1955. His next assignment was as Aide-de-camp to the Commander of the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team in Japan from June to July 1955, followed by service as Aide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff of IX Corps in Japan from July 1955 to February 1956. He served as Aide-de-camp to the Chief of Staff of Central Command and then to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration with Army Forces Far East in Japan from February to June 1956, and then as Aide-de-camp to the Commanding General of Infantry Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, from June to August 1956. His next assignment was as a Platoon Commander with the 187th Airborne Battle Group at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, from August 1956 to June 1957, followed by an assignment to complete his Doctors Degree with the University of Virginia at Charlottesville from June 1957 to June 1961. Major Boyle served as a Material Officer with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army in Washington, D.C., from July 1961 to March 1964, and then as Operations Officer for 1st Battalion of the 17th Artillery Regiment in South Korea from July 1964 to July 1965. He was a patient at the Army Hospitals at Fort Polk, Fort Sam Houston, and in Denver from July 1965 to May 1966, and he then attended the Pershing Officer Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, from May to August 1966. LTC Boyle next attended Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from August 1966 to July 1967, and then served as Battalion Commander of 2nd Battalion of the 44th Artillery Regiment at Fort Sill from July 1967 to November 1968. He served as Operations Officer for the 101st Airborne Division Artillery in South Vietnam from December 1968 to February 1969, and then as Battalion Commander of 2nd Battalion of the 320th Artillery Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division in South Vietnam from February to June 1969. His final assignment in Vietnam was as Executive Officer of the 101st Airborne Division Artillery from June to December 1969, followed by service as a Member of the Director of Strategic Studies at Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, from January to August 1970. Col Boyle attended Army War College from August 1970 to June 1971, and then served as Deputy Commanding Officer of the 56th Field Artillery Brigade in West Germany from July 1971 to June 1973. His next assignment was as Commander of the 42nd Field Artillery Group in West Germany from July 1973 to January 1975. He served as Executive Officer to the Secretary of the Army from September 1975 to August 1976, and then as Assistant Division Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg from October 1976 to March 1978. BG Boyle next served as Commander of the 56th Artillery Brigade in West Germany from April 1978 to April 1979, followed by service as Deputy Commanding General of VII Corps in West Germany from May 1979 to June 1981. MG Boyle's final assignment was as Deputy Chief of Staff for Combat Developments with Headquarters U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia, from June 1981 until his retirement from the Army on July 1, 1982. Dick Boyle died on July 11, 1996, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

His Silver Star Citation reads:

For gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam on 22 May 1969. Lieutenant Colonel Boyle distinguished himself in connection with military operations in the vicinity of Fire Support Base Professional, Republic of Vietnam. On the cited date, Battery C, 1st Battalion, 14th Artillery, while reinforcing the fires of the 2d Battalion, 320th Artillery, was attacked by mortar, rocket, recoilless rifle and small arms fire resulting in two friendly troops killed and six wounded. Colonel Boyle, Commanding Officer of the 2d Battalion, 320th Artillery, landed his Command and Control ship at Fire Support Base Professional in the midst of devastating hostile fire. He moved throughout the fire base while under intense fire in order to identify the areas from which the enemy fires were being directed. He went to the Fire Direction Center and ordered suppressive fires placed on the enemy positions. This action resulted in a decrease in the intensity of the enemy fire and enabled mortars and artillery at Fire Support Base Professional to commence firing. He then departed the fire support base under fire and flew to the enemy weapons positions in order to adjust the artillery. The plan that Colonel Boyle developed and executed resulted in drastically reducing enemy activity in the area of the fire support base. Colonel Boyle's personal bravery and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.