The recommendation for William Pitsenbarger's Medal of Honor was downgraded to the Air Force Cross. On Monday, the second day of the sweep, the rugged terrain forced Charlie Company to move outward instead of parallel to Alpha and Bravo Companies. Civilian authorities have also honored his name. While fighting in the Battle of Xa Cam My some 35 miles east of Saigon, 21-year-old Airman First Class William H. Pitsenbarger was killed in action. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. 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. He grew up in Piqua, Ohio, a small town near Dayton. Quickly the attack escalated to intense mortar and machinegun fire throughout the entire area. In 1945, in the era of the U.S. Army Air Forces, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress crewman, Henry Erwin, was awarded the medal for saving his crew and aircraft on a bombing run over Japan. [3] Pitsenbarger received the Air Force Cross on June 30, 1966. As the enemy pulled back from the surrounded remainder of Charlie Company, in the total darkness of the jungle, civilian women and children under Viet Cong control slipped through the underbrush to recover the VC dead and wounded. During his basic training in early 1963, he volunteered for Pararescue. IN THE CARE OF. "I Couldn't Believe That Anybody Was Brave Enough, Or Crazy Enough". Try again later. 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. Indeed, after escorting the badly damaged Pedro 73 to an emergency landing, Captain Bachman and his team returned. which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and During most of the missions the rescues were conducted under fire from enemy forces. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. At long last, after 34 years, the young PJ would indeed receive the Medal of Honor. Edit Search New Search. Arvella M. Pitsenbarger. Two more rounds struck flesh, ripping into Sergeant Robinson's chest and draining what little strength remained in his broken body. During the Vietnam War, the United States Air Force awarded its second-highest award, the Air Force Cross, to nineteen enlisted airmen. He noticed the stokes litter caught high in the jungle canopy. For those whose lives he touched, he will never be forgotten. Olly Richards NME. Time and again these brave medics had been inserted to save lives. Lieutenant Libs strained his eyes against the unexpected sight. It is next to the Piqua Veterans Memorial. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at Clarence William Pitsenbarger, 93 of New Weston, Ohio, passed away on Saturday August 21, 2021 at 12:10 AM at Versailles Rehab and Healthcare, Versailles, Ohio. He was leaving that very night. (Note: Only the US Air Force HH43 Huskie helicopter could rescue wounded from the jungle. "I've never heard such screaming in my life. How bad was it on the ground? [4] He completed the requirements, and was one of the first group of airmen to qualify for Pararescue right out of basic training. Statue dedication ceremony for A1C William H. Pitsenbarger statue at the Pitsenbarger Sports Complex in Piqua, Ohio on November 14, 2015. 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. 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. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. can i use a visa gift card for groceries; crush unfollowed me on instagram Fred Navarro, a man whose life William Pitsenbarger saved -. When the young PJs feet touched the ground, he went into immediate action. In the distance, he could see an Army medic kneeling to bandage the wounds of a wounded American infantryman. Over the months that followed William Pitsenbarger did his best to downplay the dangers of his job in his letters home. The dragging litter threatened to snag in the foliage and bring Pedro 73 crashing to the ground. In this first part of the fight that lasted from 45 minutes to an hour, we took quite a few casualties. based on information from your browser. For his actions, he was given the Airmans Medal by the United States; South Vietnam gave him the Vietnam Medal of Military Merit and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm. Hundreds of men owed their lives to a young medic called Pitsand not only for his lifesaving first aid in the airborne trip from the jungle to a field hospital. Virginia, to William Pitsenbarger and Mary "Polly" Pitsenbarger (born Amick). The only real defense the American survivors had in the dark rain forest came from American artillery. Shirley was born December 29, 1932, in Miami County to the late Milton & Edna (Niesley) Buckingham. 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. Reports say that watching soldiers were stunned when they saw Pitsenbarger being lowered to the ground. [13], Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame Award for 2012.[14]. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. In the quiet dignity of the halls of the Pentagon, the senior Pitsenbarger remembered how proud he had been of his son. This electronic book is available for free download and printing from www.homeofheroes.com. Behind the pilot and co-pilot in Pedro 73, was Airman William Pitsenbarger. There were mortars coming in, heavy machinegun fire. Connect to 337 Pitsenbarger profiles on Geni, Source: https://familysearch.org/service/tree/tree-data/person/LRL6-P2N/all?locale=en, Apr 30 1918 - Shelby, Richland County, Ohio, United States, John W Pittsenbarger, Freda Pittsenbarger, John W Pittsenbarger, Freda B Pittsenbarger, Frances W Pittsenbarger, Loren E Pittsenbarger, Between 1940 and 1942 - 504 Purcell Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 1940 - 303 South Roosevelt Avenue, Piqua, Washington T, Miami, Ohio, USA, John W Pitsenbarger, Freda B Pitsenbarger, Apr 30 1918 - Shelby, Ohio, United States, Feb 8 2002 - Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, United States, John Walter Pitsenbarger, Freda Blanche Pitsenbarger (born Westfall), William Hart Pitsenbarger Congressional Medal of Honor, Frances Winifred Mcmaster (born Pitsenbarger), Loren Elwood Pitsenbarger, Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17952884/_, Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17952807/loren-elwood-pitsenbarger, Shelby County, Ohio, USA, Shelby, Ohio, United States, Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana, USA, Muncie, Delaware, Indiana, United States, Miami Memorial Park Cemetery, Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA, Covington, Miami, Ohio, United States, U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007. He even gave away his own pistol, and did have a firearm to return enemy fire. - Strollers He is the sixth enlisted airman to receive the Medal of Honor. Failed to report flower. OBeirne believes Pitsenbarger probably continued giving aid until he was hit the third or fourth time. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Ohio Miami County Covington In 2005, the State of Ohio designated State Route 48 as the "U.S.A.F. He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". Shortly after rescue efforts were interrupted, the area came under heavy sniper and mortar fire. Alice C Pitsenbarger : Abt 1913: 7 Jan 2000: Redfield IA: View Record. 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. While still in high school, he wanted to join the U.S. Army Special Forces ("The Green Berets"), but his parents, Irene and William Frank Pitsenbarger forbade it. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Time and again he has faced enemy fire, stared death in the face and calmly set himself to the tasks of a Pararescue medic. William Pitsenbarger Jr., 91, of Marseilles, passed away Friday, November 17, 2017 at Ottawa Pavilion. It was placed by The Valley of the Jolly Green Giants and the Ohio Historical Society. https://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations, Make sure that the file is a photo. Among those restored to safety was Eric Severeid, who would go on to become a well-known news commentator. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Then, over the cries of the wounded, he heard the sound of a returning rescue helicopter. Search above to list available cemeteries. Sergeant Robinson ripped the burning uniform from his body and continued forward. This action earned him the Airman's Medal and the Republic of Vietnam's Medal of Military Merit and Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm.[4]. In the Spring of 1962, William Pitsenbarger graduated from high school. She was born on June 14, 1932, in Franklin, WV, the daughter of the late Arthur J. and Ida Mae (Propst) Lambert. He was chosen for pararescue duty and sent to several military schools in a variety of locations for further training: survival school, Army Infantry Jump School, Rescue and Survival Technicians Medical Course, Naval School of Underwater Swimmers and Air Rescue Service Transition Tree Jump Training. The highway runs near the hometowns of four pararescuemen who died in service to their country. He was credited with saving nine lives. Dead and wounded American boys littered the undergrowth in what was quickly becoming a massacre. Upon completing his first TDY assignment, he volunteered to return and received orders in 1965 to report to Detachment 6, 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. Once the man was airborne the crew of Pedro 73 expected their pararescueman to ride the penetrator back up to his waiting chopper. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Joseph E. Pitsenbarger to show support. At times, the Americans fought the enemy hand to hand. 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! Pedro 97 hovered in the area as darkness fell, then returned to Bien Hoa to wait out the night. Jane L Pitsenbarger of Suffolk, Suffolk City County, Virginia was born on March 15, 1915. 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. Jane Pitsenbarger passed away at age 82 years old on April 10, 1997. While the three initial recovered casualties were unloaded, Pits and Pedro 97's PJ Sergeant David Milsten discussed "going in" on the choppers' return. 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. Pararescue Memorial Parkway." Through his personal efforts, the evacuation of the wounded was greatly expedited. When his basic training was complete, he volunteered for Air Force Pararescue duty. 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. The firing was so intense that a fire team leader in my platoon curled up in a fetal position and sobbed uncontrollably. 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. Sorry! 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. The Air Force rescue craft with their twin rotors was not as trim in appearance as the "Dustoffs" used by the Army for evacuating their own wounded. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. "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. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. ", 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. Learn more about merges. Click here for frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum. ). In the 1990s, a campaign was initiated by numerous private citizens as well as federal officials, to revisit the story of the boy from Piqua, Ohio. On the ground, he organized and coordinated rescue efforts, cared for the wounded, prepared casualties for evacuation, and insured that the recovery operation continued in a smooth and orderly fashion. 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. 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. He also became qualified as a U.S. Navy Scuba Diver. All visitors may be screened with a metal detector upon entry. He turned to his machine gunner and said, "That guy coming out of the helicopter from above, in an Air Force uniform, must be out of his mind to leave his not-so-safe helicopter for the inferno on the ground." This allowed the rescue team to recover 4-5 wounded men with each in and out trip of the helicopters. San Francisco television stations covered the rescue on the evening news.. He was preceded in death by his wife Mable, October 8, 2005. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Drag images here or select from your computer for William Franklin Pitsenbarger memorial. Pitsenbargers Medal of Honor citation says, When the enemy launched the assault, the evacuation was called off and Airman Pitsenbarger took up arms with the besieged infantrymen. While there, it was the Air Force recruiter who captured the young man's attention. William McDaniel II of Greenville, Ohio; and Airman 1st Class James Pleiman of Russia, Ohio. One hundred eighty American soldiers on patrol had come upon a much larger force of Viet Cong in a dense jungle area. This was granted. As the couple waited for the ceremony to begin, perhaps they could not avoid remembering young William Pitsenbarger's zest for lifea zeal that had always driven him to experience every adventure and push the envelope to the limits. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. . In his first eight months in Vietnam, he went on 250 rescue missions. 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