After review and nearly 35 years later, the original award was upgraded.[4][7]. Shirley A. Pitsenbarger age 90, of Versailles passed away at 9:16 pm Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at her residence. On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger was killed aiding and defending a unit of soldiers pinned down by an enemy assault during the Vietnam War. An estimated battalion of the enemy from the main force regiment was involved. He was wounded twice. OBITUARY Floyd "Bear" Pitsenbarger October 5, 1931 - January 2, 2017. The company, part of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Regiment was moving through the jungles northeast of Binh Gia on a routine-patrol. "After a while," Nolen said, "heavy fire started coming in. In 2005, the State of Ohio designated State Route 48 as the "U.S.A.F. - Coolers More Air Force rescue training and jungle survival school followed. 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. 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. Though wounded, he continued his work. Those who knew Pitsenbarger will never forget his courage and willingness to go the last mile to save a soldier. 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. 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. Training included the U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S Navy Dive School (SCUBA), survival school, and a rescue and survival medical course. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. 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. On the last afternoon of the year, New Year's Eve 1962, William Pitsenbarger broke the news to his parents. 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. 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. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Senior Department of Defense and Air Force officials . Subsequent to the award, Pitsenbarger will also be posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. The elder Pitsenbarger struggled with his own emotions, unable any longer to restrain the tears. At times, the Americans fought the enemy hand to hand. Dead and wounded American boys littered the undergrowth in what was quickly becoming a massacre. For the first time, the senior Pitsenbarger began to worry about the risks inherent in his son's military specialty. Captain Ronald Bachman piloted the primary HH-43, call sign "Pedro 97". O'Berne replied that he was. 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. Try again later. - Water bottles (clear, sealed bottle, up to 20 oz.) At six feet, three inches tall he was an inspiring sight for the beleaguered men of his platoon. 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. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He turned to Captain Salem at the controls and said, "I'm going in." He noticed the stokes litter caught high in the jungle canopy. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Ohio Miami County Covington The round was a tracer, igniting the trousers of his jungle fatigues. He and another pararescuer were asked to find two hunters lost in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Add to your scrapbook. Edison Community College in Piqua, Ohio, awards the Pitsenbarger Scholarship to two full-time students per year who can show financial need. Learn more about managing a memorial . Of those nineteen awards, ten were awarded to Pararescuemen. better known as PJs. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Pandemonium erupted among the American soldiers as they clamored for any semblance of shelter. One must imagine William Pitsenbarger must have felt fear himself. He was born on May 18, 2019 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems - Eau Claire, the son of Ronald Pitsenbarger, Jr. and Ann (Moyer) Nelson. 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. Among other problems, he had also lost partial rudder control. The father shed tears. ), Pitsenbarger decided that he could speed things up if he could get to the ground. Three of the men died in Vietnam and one in the Gulf War. Part of Pitsenbarger uniform is on display in the Southeast Asia Gallery of the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. At some point, a fatal bullet hit him. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. 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. The dragging litter threatened to snag in the foliage and bring Pedro 73 crashing to the ground. He was killed. An Air Force rescue helicopter came over and lowered a ladder. "I've never heard such screaming in my life. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. 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. he attended the fire-fighters course for the HH-43 helicopter. The surrounded Americans fought for hours and sustained several casualties. At least nine rounds hit the aircraft, one of them tearing through the wiring and causing the throttle control to jam at full throttle. Then, as the Huskie lifted off, O'Berne remained on the ground to treat wounded and load them on the Army Chinook. By this time, the Viet Cong were lobbing mortars into the area, and American forces responded by dropping artillery rounds in and around the small perimeter the survivors of Charlie Company were trying to create. Year should not be greater than current year. Olly Richards NME. Brother of Frances Winifred McMaster and Loren Elwood Pitsenbarger. 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. He. Pits' solution? You need a Find a Grave account to continue. PIQUA The Piqua and surrounding community came out in . Airman Pitsenbarger exposed himself to almost certain death by staying on the ground, and perished while saving the lives of wounded infantrymen. While patching up his broken body he noticed the location of an enemy machinegun that had been inflicting heavy casualties on his unit. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. OperationAbilenebegan on April 10, 1966Easter Sunday. 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! He attended the Navy's underwater swimmers school. Iowa, Death Records, 1880-June 1904 and 1921-1951 at Ancestry/requires payment; includes images of the death certificates from 1921-1951 and images of the death registers from 1880-June 1904. He served as a member of the 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa, near Saigon. The nearest clearing was 4 miles away. As each of the nine casualties evacuated that day were recovered, Pitsenbarger refused evacuation in order to get one more wounded soldier to safety. On April 11, 1966, three rifle companies from 1st Infantry Division - also known as the " Big Red One " - were sent to fight the Viet Cong . Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. 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. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Pitsenbarger, or simply "Pits," grew up in the small town of Piqua in Ohio as an only child. Mr. Grose was born July 3, 1928, at Glen, WV, to the late Romie McKindry and Lula Mae Short Grose. This allowed the rescue team to recover 4-5 wounded men with each in and out trip of the helicopters. Fred Navarro, a man whose life William Pitsenbarger saved -. An official website of the United States government, National Museum of the United States Air Force, All visitors may be screened with a metal detector upon entry. William H. Pitsenbarger is killed in action. Along with the being the recipient of the Medal of Honor (posthumously) he has been honored several times. Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Rushing forward to rescue the wounded man, enemy rounds slammed into Robinson's shoulder and leg. He also became qualified as a U.S. Navy Scuba Diver. 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 account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. One hundred eighty American soldiers on patrol had come upon a much larger force of Viet Cong in a dense jungle area. Doctors determined that Dick Rynearson had suffered a broken upper left rib and a shattered sternum. Time and again, as was not uncommon among any of the dedicated PJs, Pits had made the ascent from the relative shelter of his hovering Huskie to the jungle floor to render immediate first aid to wounded and then strap them into the lowered Stokes Litter. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Next to him, all was quiet. A 67-acre sports complex in Piqua has been named the Pitsenbarger Sports Complex (Pitsenbarger was a wrestler at Piqua Central High School), and two Ohio Historical Society markers tell his life story. Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2017, Indiana, U.S., Marriage Certificates, 1960-2012, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. The two Huskies then turned towards the field aid station 7 miles away near the village of Binh Ba. He trained with members of the Army at Fort Benning, Georgia to earn his jump wings. On that date, Airman Pitsenbarger was aboard a rescue helicopter responding to a call for evacuation of casualties incurred in an on-going firefight between elements of the United States Army's 1st Infantry Division and a sizable enemy force approximately 35 miles east of Saigon. When he was just a junior in high school, Pitsenbarger had dreams of joining the U.S. Army as a Green Beret, but his parents would not give their permission. He had enlisted in the Air Force and would soon be boarding a train for San Antonio to begin his training. Pitsenbargers last, and probably most gallant mission, was on April 11, 1966. At noon sniper fire began. This account has been disabled. His experience expedited the process of getting the wounded soldier into the stokes litter and a fourth casualty was being hauled skyward. Pitsenbarger Medal of Honor Ceremony. Along with Pitsenbarger, the men honored on the sign are: Msgt. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. In the hour and a half Pits was on the ground, he was everywhere. All Web: Obituary Daily Times Index, 1995-2016 results for Pitsenbarger. The local . MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION. "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. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. The Pentagon is a mighty big place, an Americaninstitutionfilled with legends, lore, and high-ranking military men and women. He also became qualified as a U.S. Navy Scuba Diver. When its engine began to lose power, the pilot realized he had to get the helicopter away from the area as soon as possible. For Mr. and Mrs. William Pitsenbarger, the September 22, 1966 visit to the home of America's military men and women had all the elements of culture shock. William F. Pitsenbarger will accept the Medal of Honor on his son's behalf. His parents, however, convinced him to finish his studies; he graduated in the class of 1962. 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. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Time and again he has faced enemy fire, stared death in the face and calmly set himself to the tasks of a Pararescue medic. His only remark when the call for help arrived had been, "I have a bad feeling about this mission." I saw another lieutenant running from tree to tree looking for Viet Cong positions. An MRI also revealed a hematoma, or bad bruising, above his kidney that doctors found. Next to him, the wounded Sergeant Navarro was struggling to stay alive and to resist. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Then, with the dignity unprecedented valor demands, the story of William Pitsenbarger was read in greater detail than his Air Force Cross citation had set forth. [4] He completed the requirements, and was one of the first group of airmen to qualify for Pararescue right out of basic training. 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. This is a carousel with slides. based on information from your browser. He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". These men were now cut off from Able and Bravo companies and were surrounded by 400 or more enemy soldiers. File: Medal of Honor presented to William H. Pitsenbarger's parents 2000-12-08.jpg. He continued to work as a stock boy at the local Kroger supermarket, all the while thirsting for more adventure. Ambulatory casualties could be hoisted to the waiting choppers on "jungle penetrators". There is a problem with your email/password. For the next hour and a half, Pitsenbarger tended to the wounded soldiers, hacking splints out of snarled vines and building improvised stretchers out of saplings. No sane man could live through such a nightmare without such emotion. When the others began running low on ammunition, he gathered ammunition from the dead and distributed it to those still alive. Within days of that horrible night, Sergeant Fred Navarro provided the Air Force with a taped statement detailing the heroism of Airman First Class William Pitsenbarger in support of a recommendation for the Medal of Honor. (U.S. Air Force photo). Upon reaching the site of the ambush, he was lowered through the trees to the ground where he attended to the wounded before having them lifted to the helicopter by cable. Arrangements by Seals-Campbell Funeral Home, 815-795-5151, www.sealscampbell.com Published. A native of rural Piqua, Ohio, Pitsenbarger saw the first light of life on July 8, 1944. But Bill (Pitsenbarger) had a triple dose of that.". The rescue effort took on new efficiency with an experienced man on the ground. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Still taking fire, the infantrymen were struggling between survival and attempts to load a wounded man in the litter. [1][3], He is buried in Miami Memorial Park Cemetery Covington, Ohio. They hauled out about a dozen of our wounded. He stared at them in awe and never cried. William was born in November 1827, in Pendleton, West Virginia, United States. In this first part of the fight that lasted from 45 minutes to an hour, we took quite a few casualties. Pararescue Memorial Parkway." Pitsenbarger 'Pits' arrived in Vietnam in August 1965. 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. Son of John Walter Pitsenbarger and Freda Blanche Pitsenbarger Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. If you knew Lenie, you knew a man who loved the Lord and his family. On April 11, 1966, a call came to help 134 men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion . There was a problem getting your location. It was like walking into a whole new world, a world separated from their small hometown of Piqua, Ohio by more than miles. 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. 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). Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Quickly the attack escalated to intense mortar and machinegun fire throughout the entire area. An adventurer since boyhood, his greatest thrill had always been the opportunity to save lives. On April 11, 1966, his day off, he volunteered to board one of two Kaman HH-43F Huskie helicopters dispatched to extract a half-dozen or so wounded soldiers pinned down in a firefight near Cam My, a rural area of Vietnam located 35 miles east of Saigon. The government of South Vietnam awarded him Vietnam's Medal of Military Merit and the Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm. He never complained and had a great sense of humor and tendency to clown around when things were quiet. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. He loved to help and bless anybody he could. Individuals are permitted to take their own photographs or videos while touring the museum. Lenie A Pitsenbarger Lenie A. Pitsenbarger, 48, of Mentor, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, at Lake West Medical Center in Willoughby. Gallant, they were true. The only real defense the American survivors had in the dark rain forest came from American artillery. Surviving is a son, Richter "Rick" James Pitsenbarger of St. Albans, West Virginia; a sister, Agnes Hodge (Sammy) of Hot Springs, Virginia. The decoration was upgraded to. Even without looking the young infantry sergeant knew what had happened. In Vietnam Airman 1st Class William H. "Bill" Pitsenbarger gave his life so that others might live. Statue dedication ceremony for A1C William H. Pitsenbarger statue at the Pitsenbarger Sports Complex in Piqua, Ohio on November 14, 2015. She was born May 8, 1931, in Moyers, W.Va., a daughter of the late Benjamin Cameron and Dorothy Louella (Simmons) Pitsenbarger. 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). Their only son, Pararescue-medic WilliamPitsPitsenbarger had just made historybecoming the first enlisted Airman in history to receive the Air Force Crossposthumously. This includes Pitsenbarger; Sgt. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Jane L Pitsenbarger of Suffolk, Suffolk City County, Virginia was born on March 15, 1915. 1928 - 2017. Also attending was an elderly gentleman, now well into his 80sWilliam F. Pitsenbarger. It was the Air Force Cross, our Nation's second-highest award for military valor by a member of the United States Air Force. Arvella M. Pitsenbarger. And now, here at the Pentagon, Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger would receive one more award on behalf of their son. Pitsenbarger, a Piqua native, was born to William F. and Irene Pitsenbarger on July 8, 1944. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. In the other, he still clutched his medical kit. "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. Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten Peters presented the award, which was accepted by William F. Pitsenbarger on his son's behalf. Retha Mae (Simmons) Pitsenbarger, 90, of Franklin, WV and formerly Moyers, WV passed away Friday, January 17, 2020 at Pendleton Manor. 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. Pitsenbarger was the 59th Medal of Honor recipient, and sixth enlisted recipient, from the Air Force and its predecessor organizations.[4]. Meanwhile, Alpha and Bravo Companies poised themselves for a rescue attempt at daylight. Two more rounds struck flesh, ripping into Sergeant Robinson's chest and draining what little strength remained in his broken body. After high school, he worked as a stockboy at a Kroger grocery store, but he left to join the U.S. Air . Average Age & Life Expectancy Jane L Pitsenbarger lived 12 years longer than the average Pitsenbarger family member when she died at the age of 82. (Note: Only the US Air Force HH43 Huskie helicopter could rescue wounded from the jungle. Navarro himself was wounded. In his first eight months in Vietnam, he went on 250 rescue missions. (During the Korean War, four Air Force pilots were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor but all received the Army design for the award.). Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Behind the pilot and co-pilot in Pedro 73, was Airman William Pitsenbarger. But both were proud." 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. Obituary Henry Mahlon Pitsenbarger, Jr., 88, a resident of Pendleton Manor, Franklin, WV, went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. 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. The city of Piqua, Ohio, renamed a recreational park (which includes the municipal swimming pool) the "Pitsenbarger Sports Complex." Bailey Zechar Funeral Home . Try again later. Indeed, after escorting the badly damaged Pedro 73 to an emergency landing, Captain Bachman and his team returned. He had at least 2 sons and 1 daughter with Viola Jane Bowyer. Jump to navigation Jump to search. The man had lost his foot when he stepped on a mine and was trapped inside a maze of old and unstable explosive devices. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27881350/william-franklin-pitsenbarger. 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. At long last, after 34 years, the young PJ would indeed receive the Medal of Honor. It was on those occasions I saw Airman Pitsenbarger moving around and pulling wounded men out of the line of fire and then bandaging their wounds. Many of the wounded were yelling for their mothers. - Firearms* 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. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in December 1963 and went to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training. The Viet Cong were everywhere. He was the first airman to receive the honor and continues to be remembered for risking his life to save the lives of others. William Pitsenbarger Jr., 91, of Marseilles, passed away Friday, November 17, 2017 at Ottawa Pavilion. 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. Thanks for your help! - Diaper bags Even as the enemy fire continued to scorch the area, he moved among the casualties to tend the wounded and administer life-saving medical attention. 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One more award on behalf of his only remark when the others began low! His life so that others might live rescue team to recover 4-5 wounded men with each in and trip. And Loren Elwood Pitsenbarger well into his 80sWilliam F. Pitsenbarger will never forget his courage willingness., after 34 years, the Americans fought the enemy hand to.. An ongoing project his son 's military specialty Navarro was struggling to stay alive and to resist speed!
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