Recent Medal of Honor recipient visits Petco Park

Morgan M. Hurley | Downtown Editor

At the end of an emotional week after news of the death of Padres legend Tony Gwynn and on the same day that the front office fired general manager Josh Byrnes, there was still a reason to celebrate at Petco Park on Sunday, June 22.

Down under the seats of the first base line, shortly before the Padres’ final game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a United States Marine — small in stature but gigantic in terms of valor — stood nervously as he waited to be called to the field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game.

That nervousness must have been relative, as just three days prior, Corporal William “Kyle” Carpenter was at the White House receiving the nation’s highest military honor from the President of the United States.

The award was for the heroism Carpenter displayed while stationed with his squad, part of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, in Afghanistan in 2010. Carpenter, then a Lance Corporal, didn’t think twice before shielding a fellow Marine from a hand grenade that landed next to them during a firefight. He spent two and a half years at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, recovering from his injuries; he lost his right eye and his right arm and much of his face were reconstructed while there. Upon discharge from Walter Reed in July of 2013 he was medically retired from the Marines.

In May of 2014 it was announced Carpenter would receive the military’s most prestigious award. He is the eighth living military member to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A spokesperson for the San Diego Padres said they have a very close relationship with the Marine Corps, and their Senior Vice President of Public Affairs used to work at the Pentagon. Thus, it was just a matter of time before news that Carpenter was on his way to San Diego to speak at Camp Pendleton after receiving his award hit the front office.

“We found out he was coming to San Diego and invited him [to the ballpark] to be honored,” said Shana Wilson, assistant director of communications for the Padres. “Baseball is a great platform for the community to connect with the military.”

Prior to the festivities, Carpenter spent time in the Clubhouse with Padres pitcher Andrew Cashner and warmed up his arm.

Sundays are “Military Appreciation Day” and June 22 was set aside to honor the Coast Guard. It seemed fitting to have so many military members lining the field prior to Carpenter’s arrival.

Carpenter’s first order of business was to speak to the media, who were assembled behind home plate. He was asked if he was ready for his pitch.

“My right arm was pretty badly damaged, but I threw a few about 10 or 15 minutes ago and it went a lot better than expected,” Carpenter said, smiling widely. “So I’m gonna have fun with it and enjoy the day and enjoy the game and hope for the best.”

Carpenter then told the media he played second base all through middle school and high school.

He was thrown a lot of questions and shared — in his Southern drawl — that he was now enrolled in the University of South Carolina, but recent events have been a whirlwind for the young Marine.

“It’s almost like I keep pinching myself,” he said. “I feel like I’m in a dream.

He was then asked about his time with the President and what he was thinking during the ceremony.

“[President Obama] said he was very proud of me, and he said one of his greatest pleasures as president is being commander in chief, so that meant a lot,” Carpenter said.

“I’m very appreciative, I’m very honored and I’m very humbled by the award but at the same time I accepted it with a heavy heart, just knowing that there are so many that didn’t make it back and there are so many that are more severely injured than I am,” he said, referring to what was going through his mind at the Medal of Honor ceremony.

“Those are the sacrifices, since the beginning of our nation, that have gotten us to where we are today and make this country free but it carries a lot of weight and it represents a lot especially to me,” he said. “I understand what I wear and I’m just trying to make whom I wear it for proud.”

After his pitch — which made it all the way to relief pitcher Nick Vincent stood in as catcher behind the plate — Carpenter received a standing ovation from the sold-out crowd. Vincent and Cashner met him at the mound to congratulate him and then escorted Carpenter to the sidelines with his ceremonial baseball.

Carpenter later spent time in the Padres broadcast booth and was then hosted — along with a few of his Marine Corps friends — by Padres co-owner Ron Fowler in the Owner’s Suite for the duration of the game.

On the following morning, June 23, he spoke at Camp Pendleton as part of a short media tour that would include speaking engagements at New York City and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

For more about Cpl Carpenter or the United States Marines, visit usmc.mil.