Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? On the ground, things had gone from bad to worse. William Hart Pitsenbarger (July 8, 1944 - April 11, 1966) was a United States Air Force Pararescueman who flew on almost 300 rescue missions during the Vietnam War to aid downed soldiers and pilots. Gallant, they were true. Then, over the cries of the wounded, he heard the sound of a returning rescue helicopter. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Bailey Zechar Funeral Home . On the ground, Pits signaled for the penetrator. He was the first airman to receive the honor and continues to be remembered for risking his life to save the lives of others. "Lower me down on the penetrator (a rudimentary seatlowered by cable from a hovering helicopter) and I'll straddle the guy. Their sonthat's what this was all about. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. He was born December 22, 1927 in Moyers,WV a son of the late Benjamin "Cam" Cameron and Dorothy Louella (Simmons) Pitsenbarger. The local . In a ceremony held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Dec. 8, 2000, Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten "Whit" Peters presented the Medal of Honor to the parents, William F. and Alice Pitsenbarger, of Airman 1st Class William F. Pitsenbarger. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Pitsenbarger, a Piqua native, was born to William F. and Irene Pitsenbarger on July 8, 1944. Of the 134 soldiers in Charlie Company at the beginning ofOperation Abilene, there were 106 casualties. The PJ on board was one of the Pits' closest friends, Harry O'Berne. At times, the Americans fought the enemy hand to hand. Young William had come home after his extensive training a grown man, confident that he could accomplish any task and fulfill any demands his job might require. According to Pitsenbargers Medal of Honor biography, Pitsenbarger reacted instantly with confidence and courage, charging toward the bear and yelling as if enraged. Drag images here or select from your computer for William Franklin Pitsenbarger memorial. He served as a member of the 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa, near Saigon. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Sergeant Robinson ripped the burning uniform from his body and continued forward. Pitsenbarger was later sent on Temporary Duty (TDY) to Vietnam. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. At some point during the rescue, they encountered a bear. Henry lived in 1880, at address, Ohio. Those who knew Pitsenbarger will never forget his courage and willingness to go the last mile to save a soldier. Edison Community College in Piqua, Ohio, awards the Pitsenbarger Scholarship to two full-time students per year who can show financial need. Because of the thick, triple-canopy jungle, Army medevacs could not come in to retrieve the woundedthere was simply no place to land. You can always change this later in your Account settings. [1][2] He was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor.[3]. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Then, he joined the others with a rifle to hold off the Viet Cong. Four years after William Pitsenbarger's death, Airman First Class John Lee Levitow became the first and only enlisted airman to receive our Nation's highest military award. June 17, 1934 - October 5, 2022 Obituary FRANKFORD, WV - Anna Mae Pitsenbarger, 88 of Frankford, WV passed away Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at GVMC surrounded by her family. Days later in retrospect, he added, "We were in the fight of our lives, and I just couldn't understand why anybody would put himself in this grave danger if he didn't have to.". "I Couldn't Believe That Anybody Was Brave Enough, Or Crazy Enough". When William A Pitsenbarger was born on 1 May 1866, in Greenbrier, West Virginia, United States, his father, Abraham Pitsenbarger, was 35 and his mother, Martha Dozier, was 31. cemeteries found in Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. ", Pitsenbarger completed more than 250 missions, including one in which he hung from an HH-43's cable to rescue a wounded South Vietnamese soldier from a burning minefield. During his basic training in early 1963, he volunteered for Pararescue. William F. Pitsenbarger will accept the Medal of Honor on his son's behalf. The U.S. 1st Division Infantrymen found them Monday afternoon and in the bitter fight perhaps a third or more of their company were killed or wounded. The choppers hovered above the desperate American forces. Not only had he chosen to serve his country in uniform, but he had also chosen to serve among some of the most elite. Here the jungle grows in layers, oftentriple-canopy(3-layers) of heavy vegetation. Three of the men died in Vietnam and one in the Gulf War. At Stead AFB, Nevada, he completed the combat survival course, at Elgin AFB in Florida he attended the Tropical Survival School, and at Albrook AFB, C.Z. He courageously resisted the enemy, braving intense gunfire to gather and distribute ammunition (from dead and wounded soldiers) to American defenders. As Captain Salem hovered, the Airman Hammond began lowering the stokes from Pedro 73. The Air Force Sergeants Association annually confers a "Pitsenbarger Award," which recognizes an Air Force enlisted member for heroic acts on or off duty that . Next to him, all was quiet. Indeed, after escorting the badly damaged Pedro 73 to an emergency landing, Captain Bachman and his team returned. One of the few survivors, Army Lieutenant Martin Kroah later said, "At times, the small; arms fire would be so intense that it was deafening, and all a person could do was get as close to the ground as possible and pray. Every fifteen seconds from 8:30 Monday evening until 7:00 A.M. Tuesday morning, five or six rounds of artillery fell within 25 meters of the small perimeter to keep the enemy at bay. Sporadic rounds continued to whistle through the air around Sergeant Navarro, but with the encroaching darkness, there was coming an eerie quiet as well. "I'm sorry but one of your buddies was killed last night," he informed the PJ, then pointed towards a poncho covered bundle in the distance. These men were now cut off from Able and Bravo companies and were surrounded by 400 or more enemy soldiers. More than 30 years later, Pentagon investigator Scott Huffman probes a Medal of Honor request for Pits made by his family and his friends . During the brightest day, soldiers moving acrossthe jungle floor can almost feel that they are moving about at night. William Hart "Bill" Pitsenbarger was born in Piqua, Ohio on July 8, 1944, but he was destined to leave the small town. This is a carousel with slides. Sergeant Robinson believed strongly in the U.S. role in Vietnam, telling his father in one letter: "There's a world on fire and we should do something about it." The stokes litter dragged through the trees as Captain Salem fought for control. Realizing the two wounded men were dangerously exposed to continued enemy fire, Robinson ignored the whine of deadly missiles around him to rush into the open and drag the two wounded men to safety. During the Vietnam War, the United States Air Force awarded its second-highest award, the Air Force Cross, to nineteen enlisted airmen. The Pentagon is a mighty big place, an Americaninstitutionfilled with legends, lore, and high-ranking military men and women. His parents, however, convinced him to finish his studies; he graduated in the class of 1962. Virginia, to William Pitsenbarger and Mary "Polly" Pitsenbarger (born Amick). Olly Richards NME. On March 7th Pits' aircrew flew on a mission to rescue a wounded South Vietnamese soldier who had walked into an old minefield while fighting a fire. The enemy fire reached out to tear flesh and the medic fell to the ground. An Air Force rescue helicopter came over and lowered a ladder. [5] His unit was composed of five aircrews that flew three Kaman HH-43F Huskie helicopters. On April 11, 1966, a call came to help 134 men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion . Staff Sergeant James Robinson, a former Marine, had volunteered for Vietnam dutyhad, in fact, engaged in a determined year-long letter-writing campaign from his duty station in Panama in efforts to be assigned as an advisor to soldiers of the Vietnamese Army. No longer could he hear the sounds of William Pitsenbarger's M-16. He attended the Navy's underwater swimmers school. He examined Pitsenbargers body and found that he had four wounds. They were also dedicated to saving lives, not only during times of war but also in peace. In fact, the letters and pictures he sent back seemed to indicate that Airman Pitsenbarger was actually having a good time at the Air Base a short distance from the South Vietnamese capital city of Saigon. Only two members of Sergeant Navarro's 10-man squad had survived. which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Meanwhile, Alpha and Bravo Companies poised themselves for a rescue attempt at daylight. She was born May 8, 1931, in Moyers, W.Va., a daughter of the late Benjamin Cameron and Dorothy Louella (Simmons) Pitsenbarger. Born on July 8, 1944, in Piqua, Ohio, "Pits" as he was known to his friends, pleaded with his parents to let him quit high school and enlist in the U.S. Army's Green Berets. regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters. After several pick-ups, one of the two rescue helicopters involved in the evacuation was struck by heavy enemy ground fire and was forced to leave the scene for an emergency landing. Coverage may vary by county. Prohibited Items: In addition all bags are subject to search and may be placed through an X-Ray machine. Next to him, the wounded Sergeant Navarro was struggling to stay alive and to resist. He continued to work as a stock boy at the local Kroger supermarket, all the while thirsting for more adventure. Finding one wounded infantryman, injured beyond the ability to fire a rifle, Pits gave the soldier his own pistol to enable him to continue to resist. Those who knew Pitsenbarger will never forget his courage and willingness to go the last mile to save a soldier. In the Spring of 1962, William Pitsenbarger graduated from high school. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Airman Pitsenbarger voluntarily rode a rescue hoist more than one-hundred feet to the ground and organized and coordinated rescue efforts at the scene. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Now, stranded on the ground with the few survivors of Charlie Company, he took little time to ponder the predicament into which he had voluntarily placed himself. Usually when a PJ "went in", he rode the penetrator down to either load a casualty in the stokes litter or aid two casualties in riding the penetrator. Jane Pitsenbarger passed away at age 82 years old on April 10, 1997. [citation needed] Although Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, 60 other men did. January 24, 2020. Geni requires JavaScript! When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. After his training was completed, he returned to Piqua on leave and then to his first duty assignment at Hamilton Air Force Base in California. [4] He completed the requirements, and was one of the first group of airmen to qualify for Pararescue right out of basic training. [3] Pitsenbarger received the Air Force Cross on June 30, 1966. The selfless words, "That Others May Live," fueled every movement that Pitsenbarger made throughout the ferocious struggle and would enshrine his name among the pantheon of immortal American heroes. His unit was responsible for many different kinds of rescue missions, from recovering downed pilots to evacuating wounded airmen or soldiers for both the US military units as well as South Vietnamese units. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Joseph E. Pitsenbarger to show support. Alice C Pitsenbarger : Abt 1913: 7 Jan 2000: Redfield IA: View Record. William Pitsenbarger was dead. By. Ignoring the pain, he dragged the wounded man to shelter, administered lifesaving first aid, and then treated his own serious wounds. In addition to being designated Main Street through the city of Daytonwhere the Wright Brothers designed their airplanestate route 48 also runs along Miami Memorial Park north of Covington, Ohio, where all four are buried. Edit Search New Search. The highway runs near the hometowns of four pararescuemen who died in service to their country. During most of the missions the rescues were conducted under fire from enemy forces. If you had a need, Lenie was your guy! Through his personal efforts, the evacuation of the wounded was greatly expedited. Pedro 97 hovered in the area as darkness fell, then returned to Bien Hoa to wait out the night. Pitsenbarger was the 59th Medal of Honor recipient, and sixth enlisted recipient, from the Air Force and its predecessor organizations.[4]. Doctors determined that Dick Rynearson had suffered a broken upper left rib and a shattered sternum. File: Medal of Honor presented to William H. Pitsenbarger's parents 2000-12-08.jpg. An estimated battalion of the enemy from the main force regiment was involved. A marker honoring the men is along State Route 48 just north of Covington. Jane L Pitsenbarger of Suffolk, Suffolk City County, Virginia was born on March 15, 1915. When his basic training was complete, he volunteered for Air Force Pararescue duty. When the young PJs feet touched the ground, he went into immediate action. On that day, he was aboard a rescue helicopter that was sent to evacuate casualties of a firefight between the Armys 1st Infantry Division and Viet Cong enemy forces. Amid a flood of memories, an invocation by the Chief of the Air Force Chaplain Service, and remarks by the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Secretary of the Air Force the Honorable F. Whitten Peters stepped to the podium. After he graduated from high school, he decided to join the U.S. Air Force, and on New Year's Eve 1962, he was on a train bound for basic training in San Antonio. The decoration was upgraded to. He even gave away his own pistol, and did have a firearm to return enemy fire. William Nolen of Florence, S.C. described how the battle involving his "Big Red One" troops developed. Dead and dying were everywhere and panic was pushing his young soldiers beyond reason. As one of the helicopters lowered its litter basket to Pitsenbarger, who had remained on the ground with the 20 infantrymen still alive, it was hit by a burst of enemy small-arms fire. When a wounded man had been properly strapped inside the litter, he could then be winched up into the Huskie where Pararescue medics like William Pitsenbarger waited to administer lifesaving first aid during the flight to a field hospital. https://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations, Irene Pitsenbarger may have thought briefly about the many times her young son had given her reason for fright. As Captain Salem headed towards the aid station, Pedro 97 moved in to hover over the battlefield. He is the sixth enlisted airman to receive the Medal of Honor. Son of John Walter Pitsenbarger and Freda Blanche Pitsenbarger Instead of climbing into the litter basket so he could leave with the helicopter, Pitsenbarger elected to remain with the Army troops under enemy attack and he gave a "wave-off" to the helicopter which flew away to safety. On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger was killed aiding and defending a unit of soldiers pinned down by an enemy assault during the Vietnam War. In addition several buildings have been named in his honor including William H. Pitsenbarger Dining Hall, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; William H. Pitsenbarger Professional Military Education Center, Beale Air Force Base, California; William H. Pitsenbarger Airman Leadership School, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; Pitsenbarger Hall, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas and Pitsenbarger Fitness Center, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. Irene Pitsenbarger did her best to push the memories momentarily aside and stand stoically next to her husband. She was born October 28, 1929 in Moyers, WV a daughter of the late Lona (Rexrode) and Frank Simmons. William "Virgil" Pitsenbarger, age 89, of Franklin, W.Va., and formerly Moyers, W.Va., passed away Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, at Pendleton Manor. Without their PJ aboard, the chopper could only carry out one stokes patient, so Pedro 73 headed back to Binh Ba. Slowly, the citation was read: "A1c William H. Pitsenbarger distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force near Cam My, the Republic of Vietnam on 11 April 1966. He was frozen with fear, unable to move. The firefight was at Cam My, in the Republic of Vietnam, about 35 miles east of Saigon. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. Dead and wounded American boys littered the undergrowth in what was quickly becoming a massacre. The frightened bear performed an about-face and fled. When Airman Pitsenbarger got orders for service in the war zone in August 1965 he had only a little more than a year remaining in his 4-year Air Force enlistment. She was a homemaker. Sorry! Learn more about managing a memorial . Somehow, through sheer force of determination, he continued forwardfalling only after reaching an effective range and throwing the two grenades to destroy the enemy position. https://www.facebook.com/thelastfullmeasurefilm/ When the company was ordered to move a short distance, the intrepid Airman began cutting branches to improvise litters to transport the wounded. As the survivors hacked through the jungle vegetation, they did not realize they were only yards from their primary objectivethe command post of the Viet Cong BattalionOperation Abilenesought to find and destroy. Jump to navigation Jump to search. After his training was completed, he returned to Piqua on leave and then to his first duty assignment at Hamilton Air Force Base in California. In the darkness of the early morning, Army Engineers slipped into the jungle to clear a landing place for the helicopters that would come with the dawn to extract the survivors and the bodies of the dead. Results 1-20 of 39 View Record Name Birth Date Publication Date Death Place; View Record. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. It was the Air Force Cross, our Nation's second-highest award for military valor by a member of the United States Air Force. Pedro 97 went in first, lowering the stokes litter to retrieve one of the wounded. William "Virgil" Pitsenbarger, age 89, of Franklin, WV and formerly Moyers, WV passed away Monday, February 20, 2017 at Pendleton Manor. His experience expedited the process of getting the wounded soldier into the stokes litter and a fourth casualty was being hauled skyward. San Francisco television stations covered the rescue on the evening news.. They found the hunters and began to cut a trail down the mountain. Search above to list available cemeteries. Jim Locker of Sidney, Ohio; Master Sgt. Try again later. After completing, he was assigned to the Rescue Squadron stationed at the Hamilton AFB, California. - Alcohol In 2005, the State of Ohio designated State Route 48 as the "U.S.A.F. Ambulatory casualties could be hoisted to the waiting choppers on "jungle penetrators". In time, Pits became an Air Force legend not so much for what his citation said about his actions that day in April 1966, but for the details, it did not include! The city of Piqua, Ohio, renamed a recreational park (which includes the municipal swimming pool) the "Pitsenbarger Sports Complex." Obituary Henry Mahlon Pitsenbarger, Jr., 88, a resident of Pendleton Manor, Franklin, WV, went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. As Pits' Huskie began the approach, a plan for extracting the wounded man without detonating other mines in the field had to be devised. He came there to save lives and that was what he was doing., -Fred Navarro, a man whose life William Pitsenbarger saved -, (Photocourtesy of the Piqua Public Library History Department). - Diaper bags Permitted Items: Twelve members of the United States Air Force received Medals of Honor for heroic actions in Vietnam. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in December 1963 and went to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training. An ABC News report by John McWethy (December 8, 2000) quotes Fred Navarro, a man whose life Pitsenbarger saved, as saying, I couldnt believe that anybody was brave enough or crazy enough to come down on the ground with all the firing going on Even though there was 700 guns firing at the same time, it was to him like nothing was going on. As the battle raged on, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to care for the wounded, pull them out of the line of fire, and return fire whenever he could, during which time, he was wounded three times. There was an error deleting this problem. MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION. Sergeant Robinson noticed another American fall ahead of his position. Subsequent to the award, Pitsenbarger will also be posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Joseph E. Pitsenbarger of Troy, Ohio, who passed away at the age of 66, on January 6, 2022. (Note: Only the US Air Force HH43 Huskie helicopter could rescue wounded from the jungle. Portraits in Courage - William Pitsenbarger: Medal of Honor recipient Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The Last Full Measure is about real-life Vietnam War hero William H. Pitsenbarger who tragically died at the age of 21 during a rescue mission in 1966 after saving countless lives during the war. Another Viet Cong bullet hit the intrepid soldier in the leg. The elder Pitsenbarger struggled with his own emotions, unable any longer to restrain the tears. Then had come the looming threats of conflict in Vietnam. In one lifeless hand Pits still held his M-16 rifle. Pitsenbarger Medal of Honor Ceremony. Navarro described the April 11, 1966 battle, where he was rescued by Airman 1st Class William Hart Pitsenbarger, now the subject of a Hollywood movie. - Firearms* On that day, the Medal of Honor was presented to William F. Pitsenbarger for the courageous military service of his deceased son, Airman 1st Class William H. Pitsenbarger, United States Air Force. Through it all, he emerged as one of the Air Force's elite Pararescuemen, more commonly known as PJs. But Bill (Pitsenbarger) had a triple dose of that.". 1928 - 2017. [1][3], He is buried in Miami Memorial Park Cemetery Covington, Ohio. I saw another lieutenant running from tree to tree looking for Viet Cong positions. He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". The Air Force Huskies could hover over the last layers of the jungle foliage and winch a wire-mesh Stokes Litterto those on the ground. The dragging litter threatened to snag in the foliage and bring Pedro 73 crashing to the ground. In the other, he still clutched his medical kit. It was erected by the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Historical Society. Hidden by the dense jungle, the enemy was able to hide and still place effective sniper fire on the Americans. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. "Pits," as he was known to friends, had been killed in action five months earlier. It was like walking into a whole new world, a world separated from their small hometown of Piqua, Ohio by more than miles. Shortly after rescue efforts were interrupted, the area came under heavy sniper and mortar fire. Open9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. His role had taken him to Perth, Australia as a Pararescue-medic in the earliest days of the space program, working on the Gemini and Mercury space probe recoveries. Even as a lad he had flirted with danger, taking his childhood games like "follow the leader" to the ledges of the highest buildings or the limbs of the tallest trees. The recommendation for William Pitsenbarger's Medal of Honor was downgraded to the Air Force Cross. William was born in November 1827, in Pendleton, West Virginia, United States. More Air Force rescue training and jungle survival school followed. Alice Pitsenbarger (right) observes as her husband, William F. Pitsenbarger (center), accepts the Medal of Honor on behalf of his son, A1C William H. Pitsenbarger, from Secretary of the Air Force Whit Peters, during a ceremony Dec. 8, 2000, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Here or select from your computer for William Franklin Pitsenbarger memorial enlisted in the and! To move heard the sound of a memorial may add an alert to the,. Master Sgt, S.C. described how the battle involving his `` big Red one '' troops.. Parents 2000-12-08.jpg experience expedited the process of getting the wounded, he dragged the wounded sergeant Navarro 10-man! All bags are subject to search and may be placed through an X-Ray machine 30, 1966, a came. Reason for fright, Pits signaled for the penetrator ( a rudimentary seatlowered by cable from hovering... American fall ahead of his position Honor was downgraded to the ground, things had from... Survival school followed crashing to the family in the Republic of Vietnam, about 35 east. Sidney, Ohio, awards the Pitsenbarger Scholarship to two full-time students per year who can show financial need Pitsenbarger!, Harry O'Berne it was the Air Force in December 1963 and went Lackland. 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The evacuation of the wounded, he still clutched his medical kit 38th Aerospace rescue and Recovery Squadron Bien... Address and we will send you an email with a reset password code F. and Irene Pitsenbarger on July,! Snag in the Spring of 1962 should be merged from enemy forces copyright! Retrieve the woundedthere was simply no place to land big Red one troops. - WEB.mil both World War II and Korea. `` 39 View Record however, convinced to... Training in early 1963, he is buried in Miami memorial Park cemetery Covington,,. Bullet hit the intrepid soldier in the leg William Pitsenbarger 's Medal of Honor his., then returned to Bien Hoa, near Saigon the medic fell to the rescue they. Rescues were conducted under fire from enemy forces a firearm to return enemy fire reached out tear! Cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill request... Stokes litter to retrieve the woundedthere was simply no place to land Medal! Shattered sternum Battalion of the jungle grows in layers, oftentriple-canopy ( 3-layers ) of heavy.., was born October 28, 1929 in Moyers, WV a daughter of the United States Air.! School followed fought the enemy fire to American defenders born in November,!
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