He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in December 1963 and went to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training. Permitted Items: The price Sergeant Robinson paid for freedom wasn't cheaphe purchased it with his own life. Along with the being the recipient of the Medal of Honor (posthumously) he has been honored several times. But Bill (Pitsenbarger) had a triple dose of that.". He turned to Captain Salem at the controls and said, "I'm going in." As the infantrymen fought to reclaim enough jungle landscape for the medevacs to land, the enemy attacked with mortars and machinegun fire. Failed to remove flower. 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. He courageously resisted the enemy, braving intense gunfire to gather and distribute ammunition (from dead and wounded soldiers) to American defenders. Sergeant Robinson ripped the burning uniform from his body and continued forward. So thick is the top layer, often rising over 150 feet upwards, that sunlight never reaches the vegetation at ground level. While patching up his broken body he noticed the location of an enemy machinegun that had been inflicting heavy casualties on his unit. 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. Their only son, Pararescue-medic WilliamPitsPitsenbarger had just made historybecoming the first enlisted Airman in history to receive the Air Force Crossposthumously. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. During the Vietnam War, the United States Air Force awarded its second-highest award, the Air Force Cross, to nineteen enlisted airmen. MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION. Another Viet Cong bullet hit the intrepid soldier in the leg. He was the first airman to receive the honor and continues to be remembered for risking his life to save the lives of others. Pitsenbarger was in his element in Vietnam. His Medal of Honor biography says, He found wartime military life exciting, demanding and difficult all at once. Army Staff Sergeant James Robinson was submitted for the Medal of Honor for his heroic sacrifice duringOperation Abilene. He continued to work as a stock boy at the local Kroger supermarket, all the while thirsting for more adventure. On April 11, 1966, the Joint Rescue Center dispatched two Huskies from Detachment 6 to extract a half-dozen or more Army casualties pinned down in a battle near Cam My, 35 miles (56km) east of Saigon. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Next to him, the wounded Sergeant Navarro was struggling to stay alive and to resist. 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. Father of William Hart Pitsenbarger His experience expedited the process of getting the wounded soldier into the stokes litter and a fourth casualty was being hauled skyward. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael E. Ryan (right) and about 1,800 guests attended . Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. IN THE CARE OF. William Hart Pitsenbarger as a boy was determined to become an elite warrior. These men were now cut off from Able and Bravo companies and were surrounded by 400 or more enemy soldiers. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. 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. When Pitsenbarger reached the wounded soldiers, he organized their rescue and prepared for them to be transferred to get to the helicopters. 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." This cable contained 3 spring-loaded seats that could be dropped through the heavy canopy to pull up men capable of riding the hoist up. 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. Despite the continuing enemy fire, he climbed the trees to salvage the litter and make it ready for the choppers' return. 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 . William Pitsenbarger loved his job. 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. Not only had he chosen to serve his country in uniform, but he had also chosen to serve among some of the most elite. Olly Richards NME. [8] During the same ceremony he was also posthumously promoted to the rank of Staff sergeant. Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Companies of the First Infantry's 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry (2/16th) were seeking elements of a 400-man Viet Cong battalion. For nearly a month the officer and his two medics had treated the injured while leading them to rescue. His final training was in air crash rescue and firefighting. Pitsenbargers friend Harry OBeirne, eventually was sent in to replace him. A pararescueman, Pitsenbarger saved lives in an example of selfless heroism worthy of the Medal of Honor. He and another pararescuer were asked to find two hunters lost in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Captain Harold Salem piloted the back-up aircraft, "Pedro 73". PIQUA - On December 8, 2000 a very important ceremony was held at the Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton. - Knives Among those restored to safety was Eric Severeid, who would go on to become a well-known news commentator. 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. Bailey Zechar Funeral Home. He was born. Irene Pitsenbarger may have thought briefly about the many times her young son had given her reason for fright. Jump to navigation Jump to search. After unloading at Binh Ba, Pedro 73 diverted to refuel while Captain Bachman and Pedro 97 returned for the fifth pick-up of the day. 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. Shortly after rescue efforts were interrupted, the area came under heavy sniper and mortar fire. Pitsenbarger, an airman 1st class at the time, originally was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1966. 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. 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. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. The choppers could only carry two stokes litter patients on each in-and-out, and only one if there was no PJ aboard. The audience included battle survivors, hundreds of pararescue airmen, a congressional representative and the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. In the Spring of 1962, William Pitsenbarger graduated from high school. 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. Pedro 97 hovered in the area as darkness fell, then returned to Bien Hoa to wait out the night. Senior Department of Defense and Air Force officials . He was killed. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Mildred Pitsenbarger to pay them a last tribute. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. 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. Try again later. The nearest clearing was 4 miles away. 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. Parts of Georgia grand jury report on Trump post-election conduct released; John Fetterman checks himself into Walter Reed for clinical depression Pitsenbarger stayed on the ground to medically care for the remaining wounded. OBITUARY Shirley A Pitsenbarger December 29, 1932 - February 8, 2023. He even gave away his own pistol, and did have a firearm to return enemy fire. They were also dedicated to saving lives, not only during times of war but also in peace. [9], Staff Sergeant Pitsenbarger has been awarded the following:[10], Pitsenbarger was the first enlisted recipient of the Air Force Cross medal, receiving the award posthumously in 1966.[5]. The choppers hovered above the desperate American forces. Airman Pitsenbarger exposed himself to almost certain death by staying on the ground, and perished while saving the lives of wounded infantrymen. OBITUARY Floyd "Bear" Pitsenbarger October 5, 1931 - January 2, 2017. That done, Captain Bachman returned to use the stokes to pull one more wounded soldier from the field of battle. The rescue effort took on new efficiency with an experienced man on the ground. 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. Dead and wounded American boys littered the undergrowth in what was quickly becoming a massacre. Artie Eugene Grose Obituary. 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. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. 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. https://www.facebook.com/thelastfullmeasurefilm/ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27881350/william-franklin-pitsenbarger. Search above to list available cemeteries. Iowa Death Records, 1904-1942 from FamilySearch/free with registration; includes images of the death certificates He was one of the few calm visions of hope that moved among the damned. He had enlisted in the Air Force and would soon be boarding a train for San Antonio to begin his training. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. On December 2, 1950, she married William "Virgil" Pitsenbarger, who preceded her in death. Arrangements by Seals-Campbell Funeral Home, 815-795-5151, www.sealscampbell.com Published. 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). The government of South Vietnam awarded him Vietnam's Medal of Military Merit and the Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? At 3 o'clock on the afternoon of April 11th, the call for help arrived at the headquarters of the 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa. On the ground, things had gone from bad to worse. 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. In 2004, an Ohio Historical Society marker honoring Pitsenbarger was placed along Riverside Drive (State Route 66 at Broadway). Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. She was a homemaker. 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. An Army general recommended that the award be downgraded to the Air Force Cross, apparently because at the time there was not enough documentation of Pitsenbarger's actions. Add to your scrapbook. Doctors determined that Dick Rynearson had suffered a broken upper left rib and a shattered sternum. Then, over the cries of the wounded, he heard the sound of a returning rescue helicopter. In the other, he still clutched his medical kit. Click here for frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum. He had at least 2 sons and 1 daughter with Viola Jane Bowyer. 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." The Huskie was the first chopper to land and O'Berne moved among the dead to find and load three wounded infantrymen. Individuals are permitted to take their own photographs or videos while touring the museum. - Water bottles (clear, sealed bottle, up to 20 oz.) She was born on June 14, 1932, in Franklin, WV, the daughter of the late Arthur J. and Ida Mae (Propst) Lambert. Mr. Pitsenbarger was a member of St. Paul Independent Lutheran Church. Suddenly we started receiving fire from all around. The father shed tears. He trained with members of the Army at Fort Benning, Georgia to earn his jump wings. William Pitsenbarger Jr., 91, of Marseilles, passed away Friday, November 17, 2017 at Ottawa Pavilion. The recommendation for William Pitsenbarger's Medal of Honor was downgraded to the Air Force Cross. 1928 - 2017. Two more rounds struck flesh, ripping into Sergeant Robinson's chest and draining what little strength remained in his broken body. Plant a tree in memory of Lenie An environmentally friendly option Plant a tree 1 tree planted in memory of Lenie A Pitsenbarger. [6], Soon after Pitsenbarger was killed, his Air Force commanders nominated him for the Medal of Honor. maryse burgot qui est son marigarberiel battery charger manual 26th February 2023 / in what's happening in silsbee, tx today / by / in what's happening in silsbee, tx today / by The historical marker is on Route 48, north of Covington. Fred Navarro, a man whose life William Pitsenbarger saved -. Heedless of the potential for disaster should the heavy prop wash of the Huskie's twin-blades detonate other mines in the field, Airman Pitsenbarger made the ascent, snatched the wounded soldier, and restored him to safety. We moved into a perimeter. William "Virgil" Pitsenbarger, age 89, of Franklin, W.Va., and formerly Moyers, W.Va., passed away Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, at Pendleton Manor. Mildred Pitsenbarger Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Mildred Pitsenbarger of Gaffney, South Carolina, who passed away on February 3, 2023 at the age of 93. They tried to leave the area, but they were attacked by the large Viet Cong force. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. As Captain Salem hovered, the Airman Hammond began lowering the stokes from Pedro 73. The "Dustoffs" could only retrieve wounded soldiers by landing on the grounda limitation all too common in the Southeast Asian war zone famous for dense, triple-canopy jungles. In one lifeless hand Pits still held his M-16 rifle. 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. At least nine rounds hit the aircraft, one of them tearing through the wiring and causing the throttle control to jam at full throttle. The firing was so intense that a fire team leader in my platoon curled up in a fetal position and sobbed uncontrollably. The drill team of the AFJROTC unit at Martinsburg High School, Martinsburg WV is known as the Pitsenbarger Rifles. Please try again later. At noon sniper fire began. 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. He personally saved over sixty men. 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." 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. In the Spring of 1962, William Pitsenbarger graduated from high school. Rushing forward to rescue the wounded man, enemy rounds slammed into Robinson's shoulder and leg. Like nothing could hurt him. Airman Pitsenbarger exposed himself to almost certain death by staying on the ground, and perished while saving the lives of wounded infantrymen. The United States Navy Container Ship MV A1C William H. Pitsenbarger (T-AK-4638) was christened in his honor, but was decommissioned and returned to its original owner in 2008 with the new name Black Eagle. 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. At some point, a fatal bullet hit him. 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. 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. Shortly thereafter, the area came under sniper and mortar fire. When the young PJs feet touched the ground, he went into immediate action. Drag images here or select from your computer for William Franklin Pitsenbarger memorial. They hauled out about a dozen of our wounded. Lenie A Pitsenbarger Willoughby, Ohio March 26, 1973 - September 1, 2021 Obituary & Events Share a memory of Lenie A Pitsenbarger. The other men in his Detachment enjoyed being around Pits. Many of the wounded were yelling for their mothers. The helicopter was forced to abandon recovery efforts to make an emergency landing at a nearby airstrip. The man had lost his foot when he stepped on a mine and was trapped inside a maze of old and unstable explosive devices. On April 11, 1966, a call came to help 134 men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion . It was like walking into a whole new world, a world separated from their small hometown of Piqua, Ohio by more than miles. 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. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. It was nearing 7:30 in the evening as the enemy fire was beginning to taper off. After arriving on the scene, OBeirne learned of Pitsenbargers death. And now, here at the Pentagon, Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger would receive one more award on behalf of their son. Among other problems, he had also lost partial rudder control. His parents, however, convinced him to finish his studies; he graduated in the class of 1962. More than 30 years later, Pentagon investigator Scott Huffman probes a Medal of Honor request for Pits made by his family and his friends . As the fighting continued to escalate, more wounded fell. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. ), Pitsenbarger decided that he could speed things up if he could get to the ground. William F. Pitsenbarger will accept the Medal of Honor on his son's behalf. The enemy fire reached out to tear flesh and the medic fell to the ground. In the distance, he could see an Army medic kneeling to bandage the wounds of a wounded American infantryman. 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. Brother of Frances Winifred McMaster and Loren Elwood Pitsenbarger. Pandemonium erupted among the American soldiers as they clamored for any semblance of shelter. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. ", 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. From above, Airman Pitsenbarger watched them struggle with the apparatus. Year should not be greater than current year. The American forces, including Pitsenbarger, soon came under sniper fire and mortar attacks from the Viet Cong. In little more than an hour, the two birds had each made two in-and-out trips to recover six wounded soldiers. Following the recovery of the ninth casualty, the rescue aircraft hovering overhead was damaged and disabled by automatic weapon fire. Coverage may vary by county. As each of the nine casualties evacuated that day were recovered, Pitsenbarger refused evacuation in order to get one more wounded soldier to safety. 27881355, citing Miami Memorial Park Cemetery, Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by Pam Estes gedmatch# T131729 (contributor 46799761) . To use this feature, use a newer browser. 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. Slowly, O'Berne approached to gently lift the poncho. First Lt. Kenneth Anderson, of Nashville, Tenn. said snipers kept firing from the trees. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Ohio Miami County Covington 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. 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