That done, Captain Bachman returned to use the stokes to pull one more wounded soldier from the field of battle. This browser does not support getting your location. Sorry! 0 cemeteries found in Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA. Dead and wounded American boys littered the undergrowth in what was quickly becoming a massacre. During a subsequent attempt to evacuate the site, American forces came under heavy assault by a large Viet Cong force. Verify and try again. 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. He attended the Navy's underwater swimmers school. Born June 17, 1934, in Frankford, WV, she was the daughter of the late John Thomas and Flora Mae Loudermilk Yates. Some honors can be seen by the public. - Water bottles (clear, sealed bottle, up to 20 oz.) 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. William Hart "Bill" Pitsenbarger was born in Piqua, Ohio on July 8, 1944, but he was destined to leave the small town. The stokes litter dragged through the trees as Captain Salem fought for control. Then, over the cries of the wounded, he heard the sound of a returning rescue helicopter. Pedro 97 hovered in the area as darkness fell, then returned to Bien Hoa to wait out the night. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. The package was about 10 feet off the ground and Pits was reaching upwards to receive it when a flurry of enemy .30 caliber rounds from two separate positions, raked the hovering rescue helicopter. 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.". Then, as the Huskie lifted off, O'Berne remained on the ground to treat wounded and load them on the Army Chinook. After high school, he worked as a stockboy at a Kroger grocery store, but he left to join the U.S. Air . based on information from your browser. Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division, better known as "The Big Red One", began to move into the jungle between Saigon and Vung Tau in search of the enemy. 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. Please note the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is not responsible for items left in vehicles. The choppers could only carry two stokes litter patients on each in-and-out, and only one if there was no PJ aboard. Son of John Walter Pitsenbarger and Freda Blanche Pitsenbarger If you knew Lenie, you knew a man who loved the Lord and his family. When his body was recovered the next day, one hand still held a rifle and the other clutched a medical kit. He was born May 2, 1928 in Bradford, Ohio, the son of the late James Elmer Pitsenbarger and Iva (Sowers) Asher. Clarence William Pitsenbarger. Virginia, to William Pitsenbarger and Mary "Polly" Pitsenbarger (born Amick). 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. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. He was born June 17, 1933, in Moyers, WV and was the son of the late Henry M. Pitsenbarger, Sr., and Nora Alice (Smith) Pitsenbarger. Senior Department of Defense and Air Force officials . The round was a tracer, igniting the trousers of his jungle fatigues. Time and again these brave medics had been inserted to save lives. Artie Eugene Grose, 88, of Edmond, passed away Sunday, January 29, 2017, at the Ansted Center in Ansted. Airman Pitsenbarger exposed himself to almost certain death by staying on the ground, and perished while saving the lives of wounded infantrymen. At age 17 he wanted to try for an Army Special Forces position, but his father persuaded him to finish high school. - Alcohol Sporadic rounds continued to whistle through the air around Sergeant Navarro, but with the encroaching darkness, there was coming an eerie quiet as well. Sidney Daily News. 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 . 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. Next to him, the wounded Sergeant Navarro was struggling to stay alive and to resist. Try again later. Over the months that followed William Pitsenbarger did his best to downplay the dangers of his job in his letters home. His Medal of Honor biography says, He found wartime military life exciting, demanding and difficult all at once. With the three-seat penetrator, a PJ could send up three wounded, then ride back up to his Huskie with two more wounded on a second lift. ", 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. The company, part of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Regiment was moving through the jungles northeast of Binh Gia on a routine-patrol. He was frozen with fear, unable to move. The captain consented and slowly the choppers crew chief Airman First Class Gerald Hammond lowered his friend on the jungle penetrator. Many of the wounded were yelling for their mothers. Jim Locker of Sidney, Ohio; Master Sgt. And now, here at the Pentagon, Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger would receive one more award on behalf of their son. We have set your language to The enemy fire reached out to tear flesh and the medic fell to the ground. 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. 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. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? He even gave away his own pistol, and did have a firearm to return enemy fire. Captain Ronald Bachman piloted the primary HH-43, call sign "Pedro 97". 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). Sporadic sniper fire picked at the men of Charlie, 2/16th throughout the day, but no one could have predicted how intense the enemy fire would become as morning gave way to afternoon. William Pitsenbarger Jr., 91, of Marseilles, passed away Friday, November 17, 2017 at Ottawa Pavilion. Indeed, after escorting the badly damaged Pedro 73 to an emergency landing, Captain Bachman and his team returned. Despite his wounds, he valiantly fought on, simultaneously treating as many wounded as possible. 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. "I Couldn't Believe That Anybody Was Brave Enough, Or Crazy Enough". 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. - Strollers The recommendation for William Pitsenbarger's Medal of Honor was downgraded to the Air Force Cross. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Family members linked to this person will appear here. Statue dedication ceremony for A1C William H. Pitsenbarger statue at the Pitsenbarger Sports Complex in Piqua, Ohio on November 14, 2015. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Mildred Pitsenbarger to pay them a last tribute. Doctors determined that Dick Rynearson had suffered a broken upper left rib and a shattered sternum. Few witnesses remained of the young PJs service and sacrifice. In the distance, he could see an Army medic kneeling to bandage the wounds of a wounded American infantryman. For nearly a month the officer and his two medics had treated the injured while leading them to rescue. The firefight was at Cam My, in the Republic of Vietnam, about 35 miles east of Saigon. "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. Twelve members of the United States Air Force received Medals of Honor for heroic actions in Vietnam. At noon sniper fire began. 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. As Salem fought to save his Huskie, his departure left the valiant PJ stranded on the ground with Sergeant Navarro, Lieutenant Libs, and the few survivors of Charlie Company. Mildred was of the Baptist faith. On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger was killed aiding and defending a unit of soldiers pinned down by an enemy assault during the Vietnam War. - Knives William McDaniel II of Greenville, Ohio; and Airman 1st Class James Pleiman of Russia, Ohio. It was Spring 1966, during a rescue mission that Pitsenbarger was offered the chance to escape on the last helicopter out of a combat zone heavily under fire, but he chose to stay behind to save and defend the lives of his fellow soldiers before making the ultimate sacrifice in the bloodiest battle of the war. 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. This account has been disabled. Elle y voque notamment, comme rarement, sa vie prive et fait des confidences sur la naissance de ses deux enfants et ce qu'elle a chang william f pitsenbarger obituary; ww2 bomb map eastbourne; maryse burgot qui est son mari. Jump to navigation Jump to search. When Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger accepted that award on behalf of their heroic son on September 22, 1966, William Pits Pitsenbarger became the first enlisted airman in history to receive the Air Force's second-highest award for military heroism, posthumously. A pararescueman, Pitsenbarger saved lives in an example of selfless heroism worthy of the Medal of Honor. The two Huskies then turned towards the field aid station 7 miles away near the village of Binh Ba. Bailey Zechar Funeral Home. 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. William Nolen of Florence, S.C. described how the battle involving his "Big Red One" troops developed. 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. They forbade it, but after graduating in 1962 he enlisted in the Air Force. Airman Pitsenbarger repeatedly exposed himself to intensive automatic fire while gathering rifles and ammunition from fallen comrades which he passed among the defenders. He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". There is a problem with your email/password. This electronic book is available for free download and printing from www.homeofheroes.com. Among other problems, he had also lost partial rudder control. Year should not be greater than current year. The roadway honors four local USAF Pararescuemen who died in battle. He was born December 22, 1927 in Moyers,WV a son of the late Benjamin "Cam" Cameron and Dorothy Louella (Simmons) Pitsenbarger. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. More Air Force rescue training and jungle survival school followed. 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. Along with Pitsenbarger, the men honored on the sign are: Msgt. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. NEW WESTON Clarence William Pitsenbarger, 93, of New Weston, Ohio, passed away on Saturday August 21, 2021, at 12:10 a.m., at Versailles Rehab and Healthcare, Versailles, Ohio. Following the recovery of the ninth casualty, the rescue aircraft hovering overhead was damaged and disabled by automatic weapon fire. 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. 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