They had one child: Sarah F. Pitsenbarger. Retha Mae (Simmons) Pitsenbarger, 90, of Franklin, WV and formerly Moyers, WV passed away Friday, January 17, 2020 at Pendleton Manor. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in December 1963 and went to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training. This electronic book is available for free download and printing from www.homeofheroes.com. DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at As a junior in high school, he tried to enlist in the U.S. Army as a Green Beret, but his parents refused to give their permission. 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. His name can be found on Panel 06E Line 102 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It was like walking into a whole new world, a world separated from their small hometown of Piqua, Ohio by more than miles. Now, as he led his fire-team through the dense jungles of Phuoc Tuy province, he recalled what he had written home in his most recent letter"The price we pay for freedom is never cheap." When the others began running low on ammunition, he gathered ammunition from the dead and distributed it to those still alive. The nearest clearing was 4 miles away. - Water bottles (clear, sealed bottle, up to 20 oz.) 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. Shortly thereafter, the area came under sniper and mortar fire. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Shirley was born December 29, 1932, in Miami County to the late Milton & Edna (Niesley) Buckingham. The choppers hovered above the desperate American forces. Born February 19, 1927 at Thayer, WV she was the daughter of the late William Haynes and Ocie Dean Haynes As the last surviving sibling, she was preceded in death by three brothers Alfred . During the rescue operation, he cared for and prepared the casualties for evacuation, and insured that the recovery operation continued in a smooth and orderly fashion. 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. When the young PJs feet touched the ground, he went into immediate action. Try again later. 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. Captain Ronald Bachman piloted the primary HH-43, call sign "Pedro 97". His decisions were deliberate, calculated, and carried out with the highest degree of professionalism. 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! It was the Air Force Cross, our Nation's second-highest award for military valor by a member of the United States Air Force. 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. "It was horrible," said Pfc Ronald Haley, as he stood in the tiny clearing blasted from the jungle so that the dead and wounded could be evacuated. A system error has occurred. Totally exposed at the end of the cable, enemy rounds sang past the gallant PJ as he voluntarily rode the penetrator into a nightmare beyond human comprehension. But Bill (Pitsenbarger) had a triple dose of that.". Quickly the total darkness of the jungle night was falling across the area as the two men lay in their position returning fire on the enemy. His commander, Major Maurice Kessler, called him "One of a special breed. Please try again later. - Backpacks Haley, of Ukiah, Calif., was dirty and unkept after his unit had been in the jungles 30 miles east of Saigon for two weeks searching for the Viet Cong. regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters. It was erected by the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Historical Society. "At the conclusion of the award, I felt that I was spiritually cleansed and fortified for a better rendition of service in the responsibility which I have for my government.". He came there to save lives and that was what he was doing.. Yes, the elder Pitsenbarger was justly proud of his son. In little more than an hour, the two birds had each made two in-and-out trips to recover six wounded soldiers. "Lower me down on the penetrator (a rudimentary seatlowered by cable from a hovering helicopter) and I'll straddle the guy. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. When the enemy launched the assault, the evacuation was called off and Airman Pitsenbarger took up arms with the besieged infantrymen. [3] Pitsenbarger received the Air Force Cross on June 30, 1966. Before his death, he helped save over 60 men in the battle. The roadway honors four local USAF Pararescuemen who died in battle. Brother of Frances Winifred McMaster and Loren Elwood Pitsenbarger. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Pitsenbarger, or simply "Pits," grew up in the small town of Piqua in Ohio as an only child. He stared at them in awe and never cried. As darkness began to fall, he disappeared for about 10 minutes, returning to the area receiving the heaviest enemy fire with 20 or more magazines of ammunition he had scrounged from among the dead. A native of rural Piqua, Ohio, Pitsenbarger saw the first light of life on July 8, 1944. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Two Air Force Huskies were quickly airborne and moving east to find and extract the wounded soldiers of Charlie Company. 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. 0 cemeteries found in Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA. - Camera bags You have chosen this person to be their own family member. He examined Pitsenbargers body and found that he had four wounds. It was nearing 7:30 in the evening as the enemy fire was beginning to taper off. His rifle empty, Sergeant Robinson again ignored his wounds to attack. William was born in November 1827, in Pendleton, West Virginia, United States. He personally saved over sixty men. He loved to go to concerts and watch fireworks. Army Staff Sergeant James Robinson was submitted for the Medal of Honor for his heroic sacrifice duringOperation Abilene. Irene Pitsenbarger may have thought briefly about the many times her young son had given her reason for fright. He volunteered to ride a hoist over 100 feet through the jungle and to the jungle floor. ). No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Portraits in Courage - William Pitsenbarger: Medal of Honor recipient Pitsenbargers friend Harry OBeirne, eventually was sent in to replace him. As the infantrymen fought to reclaim enough jungle landscape for the medevacs to land, the enemy attacked with mortars and machinegun fire. San Francisco television stations covered the rescue on the evening news.. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Bailey Zechar Funeral Home . Arvella M. Pitsenbarger. 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. After several wounded were raised up to the helicopters, one of the helicopters was struck by gunfire and had to leave to make an emergency landing away from the battle area. Feb 21, 2023 0 HOOVER Janet Imogene (Pitsenbarger) Hoover, 91, of Dayton, passed away Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, at Blue Ridge Rehabilitation and Nursing in Harrisonburg. Permitted Items: 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. Pandemonium erupted among the American soldiers as they clamored for any semblance of shelter. Seven of his 10-man squad had already been killed in action. At the same time, when things were not quiet, Pits was great to have around, especially if you were a downed airman alone in enemy-controlled jungle or a wounded soldier in the field. He was born March 26, 1973, in Sandusky. 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. 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. In addition to the Airman's Medal and the Vietnamese awards, their son had received the Purple Heart and six Air Medals with four more pending. 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. [4] He completed the requirements, and was one of the first group of airmen to qualify for Pararescue right out of basic training. Find a Grave, database and images ( https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 April 2020), memorial page for Irene E. Hart Pitsenbarger (17 Nov 1914-4 Dec 1991), Find a Grave Memorial no. Make sure that the file is a photo. William "Virgil" Pitsenbarger, age 89, of Franklin, WV and formerly Moyers, WV passed away Monday, February 20, 2017 at Pendleton Manor. An estimated battalion of the enemy from the main force regiment was involved. Jim Locker of Sidney, Ohio; Master Sgt. That done, Captain Bachman returned to use the stokes to pull one more wounded soldier from the field of battle. 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. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger was killed aiding and defending a unit of soldiers pinned down by an enemy assault during the Vietnam War. There was a problem getting your location. After completing, he was assigned to the Rescue Squadron stationed at the Hamilton AFB, California. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Calming their uneasiness and fighting to overcome the emotions that struggled for release, the brave couple found themselves being introduced to the US Air Force Chief of Staff, General John P. McConnell. Two men were killed, twelve wounded, and the tall sergeant from Cicero, Illinois set his men to the task of clearing a landing zone for medevac choppers to extract the casualties. 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. They forbade it, but after graduating in 1962 he enlisted in the Air Force. On April 11, 1966, in thick jungle near Saigon, an infantry company on 134 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division (the "Big Red One") was . Father of William Hart Pitsenbarger Airman Pitsenbarger, an Air Force Pararescue Crew Member, had died in Vietnam decades earlier on April 11, 1966 while rescuing wounded soldiers. In the midst of sudden death and unrestrained terror, Sergeant Robinson began moving among the men to organize defensive fire and inspire confidence. Despite his wounds, he valiantly fought on, simultaneously treating as many wounded as possible. Quickly the attack escalated to intense mortar and machinegun fire throughout the entire area. Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. All visitors may be screened with a metal detector upon entry. Gallant, they were true. 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. Henry lived in 1880, at address, Ohio. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Joseph E. Pitsenbarger to show support. Locating one highly effective enemy sniper, Robinson used a grenade launcher to end the threat. His experience expedited the process of getting the wounded soldier into the stokes litter and a fourth casualty was being hauled skyward. Pitsenbarger was the first Air Force enlisted man to earn the Medal of Honor since the U.S. Air Force was established as a separate service in 1947. Try again. Copyright 2018 by Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC Since the litter was already outside the helicopter, Hammond placed the penetrator inside the stokes and began lowering both. Lenie A Pitsenbarger Willoughby, Ohio March 26, 1973 - September 1, 2021 Obituary & Events Share a memory of Lenie A Pitsenbarger. All Web: Obituary Daily Times Index, 1995-2016 results for Pitsenbarger. The captain consented and slowly the choppers crew chief Airman First Class Gerald Hammond lowered his friend on the jungle penetrator. The father shed tears. His parents, however, convinced him to finish his studies; he graduated in the class of 1962. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Lieutenant Libs strained his eyes against the unexpected sight. Weapons are not permitted including pocket knives and firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons. He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". When the company was ordered to move a short distance, the intrepid Airman began cutting branches to improvise litters to transport the wounded. They tried to leave the area, but they were attacked by the large Viet Cong force. 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. You may print and distribute in quantity for all non-profit, educational purposes. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Ohio Miami County Covington Following the recovery of the ninth casualty, the rescue aircraft hovering overhead was damaged and disabled by automatic weapon fire. Pararescue Memorial Parkway." ), Pitsenbarger decided that he could speed things up if he could get to the ground. After Air Force basic training, the young airman had continued to push the envelope and expand his thirst for adventure. If you would like to republish please give the photographer appropriate credit. 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. one moves westward towards Saigon. Bailey Zechar Funeral Home. Coverage may vary by county. The firing was so intense that a fire team leader in my platoon curled up in a fetal position and sobbed uncontrollably. Many of the wounded were yelling for their mothers. Surviving is a son, Richter "Rick" James Pitsenbarger of St. Albans, West Virginia; a sister, Agnes Hodge (Sammy) of Hot Springs, Virginia. "It brought back a lot of memories," he said . Pitsenbarger, a Piqua native, was born to William F. and Irene Pitsenbarger on July 8, 1944. Of those nineteen awards, ten were awarded to Pararescuemen. better known as PJs. Nine men out and Captain Salem was returning for more as Pedro 97 headed for Binh Ba with their heaviest load of the day. The surrounded Americans fought for hours and sustained several casualties. Results 1-20 of 372 View Record Name Birth Date Publication Date Publication Place Relatives; View Record. Failed to delete memorial. Thanks for your help! The Pitsenbarger Sports Complex at Piqua, Ohio, the Pitsenbarger Dining Hall at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Pitsenbarger dormitory at Dover Air Force Base are named in his honor. Pitsenbarger was killed by Viet Cong snipers later that night. Year should not be greater than current year. PIQUA The Piqua and surrounding community came out in . He was credited with saving nine lives. [citation needed] Although Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, 60 other men did. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Lenie A Pitsenbarger Lenie A. Pitsenbarger, 48, of Mentor, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, at Lake West Medical Center in Willoughby. He loved to help and bless anybody he could. He was the first airman to receive the honor and continues to be remembered for risking his life to save the lives of others. At long last, after 34 years, the young PJ would indeed receive the Medal of Honor. . 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. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Drag images here or select from your computer for William Franklin Pitsenbarger memorial. Just one month prior to the Easter Sunday beginning ofOperation Abilene, Major Bernard Francis Fisher became the first person to earn the newly designed Air Force Medal of Honor. The subsequent review determined that the level of voluntary heroism displayed by the 21-year old PJ in the jungles of Vietnam was more in keeping with the levels of valor reflected by the Medal of Honor. In the quiet dignity of the halls of the Pentagon, the senior Pitsenbarger remembered how proud he had been of his son. Parts of Georgia grand jury report on Trump post-election conduct released; John Fetterman checks himself into Walter Reed for clinical depression (U.S. Air Force photo). One round fell short, detonating in the top of the jungle canopy and raining deadly shrapnel on Sergeant Robinson's platoon. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. The stokes litter dragged through the trees as Captain Salem fought for control. The power and rpm shot over the red lines and the helicopter lurched forward and upout of control. The Viet Cong withdrew and we called in artillery fire. It would be best if she did not know that her only son would be performing some of the most dangerous missions faced by any young man in a combat zone. In 2004, an Ohio Historical Society marker honoring Pitsenbarger was placed along Riverside Drive (State Route 66 at Broadway). Taper off as they clamored for any semblance of shelter a Piqua native, was born March 26 1973... Of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters.. Salem was returning for more as Pedro 97 '' lines and the helicopter lurched forward and upout of control position... More numbers or special characters as possible moving among the men to organize defensive fire and inspire confidence unrestrained,. 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