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. Obituary Henry Mahlon Pitsenbarger, Jr., 88, a resident of Pendleton Manor, Franklin, WV, went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. Brother of Frances Winifred McMaster and Loren Elwood Pitsenbarger. An Air Force rescue helicopter came over and lowered a ladder. In his first eight months in Vietnam, he went on 250 rescue missions. She was born May 8, 1931, in Moyers, W.Va., a daughter of the late Benjamin Cameron and Dorothy Louella (Simmons) Pitsenbarger. OperationAbilenebegan on April 10, 1966Easter Sunday. Failed to remove flower. Gallant, they were true. In the distance, he could see an Army medic kneeling to bandage the wounds of a wounded American infantryman. Pitsenbargers last, and probably most gallant mission, was on April 11, 1966. Rescue personnel on board, the helicopters lowered wire stretchers to the ground to try to pick up wounded men. File; File history; File usage on Commons; Metadata; Size of this preview: 800 525 pixels. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The roadway honors four local USAF Pararescuemen who died in battle. Ambulatory casualties could be hoisted to the waiting choppers on "jungle penetrators". Behind the pilot and co-pilot in Pedro 73, was Airman William Pitsenbarger. Among other problems, he had also lost partial rudder control. said Haley, one of the few survivors. As the infantrymen fought to reclaim enough jungle landscape for the medevacs to land, the enemy attacked with mortars and machinegun fire. The wire stretchers, however, kept getting caught in the jungle trees. 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 . 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. GREAT NEWS! 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." His rifle empty, Sergeant Robinson again ignored his wounds to attack. Please enter your email and password to sign in. The company commander, Capt. 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." The elder Pitsenbarger gratefully accepted the award on behalf of his only son. If you knew Lenie, you knew a man who loved the Lord and his family. Airman Pitsenbarger stayed behind, on the ground, to perform medical duties. [citation needed] Although Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, 60 other men did. 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. "The mother was brave. based on information from your browser. He was born March 26, 1973, in Sandusky. His parents, however, convinced him to finish his studies; he graduated in the class of 1962. The Viet Cong were everywhere. William Pitsenbarger's Background A1C Pitsenbarger, an Ohio native, is one of three Medal of Honor Recipients from Piqua, Ohio. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Irene Pitsenbarger may have thought briefly about the many times her young son had given her reason for fright. I saw another lieutenant running from tree to tree looking for Viet Cong positions. William Pitsenbarger was dead. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Moments later a stokes litter was being lowered to the ground. No longer could he hear the sounds of William Pitsenbarger's M-16. 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. There were mortars coming in, heavy machinegun fire. 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. You can always change this later in your Account settings. 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. She was born on June 14, 1932, in Franklin, WV, the daughter of the late Arthur J. and Ida Mae (Propst) Lambert. Clarence William Pitsenbarger. January 24, 2020. It was nearing 7:30 in the evening as the enemy fire was beginning to taper off. Nine men out and Captain Salem was returning for more as Pedro 97 headed for Binh Ba with their heaviest load of the day. 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. During his basic training in early 1963, he volunteered for Pararescue. Three of the men died in Vietnam and one in the Gulf War. Please note the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is not responsible for items left in vehicles. 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. He was a Pararescue Crew Member of Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. 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. These men were now cut off from Able and Bravo companies and were surrounded by 400 or more enemy soldiers. This allowed the rescue team to recover 4-5 wounded men with each in and out trip of the helicopters. If you had a need, Lenie was your guy! 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. 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. In February 2005, Senate Bill 156 designated State Route 48 as the USAF Pararescue Memorial Parkway. When the young PJs feet touched the ground, he went into immediate action. Pitsenbarger Medal of Honor Ceremony. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. May 2, 1928 - August 21, 2021. Time and again these brave medics had been inserted to save lives. No sane man could live through such a nightmare without such emotion. Suddenly we started receiving fire from all around. Pits' solution? Still taking fire, the infantrymen were struggling between survival and attempts to load a wounded man in the litter. In 2005, the State of Ohio designated State Route 48 as the "U.S.A.F. [5] His unit was composed of five aircrews that flew three Kaman HH-43F Huskie helicopters. His bravery and determination exemplify the highest professional standards and traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Air Force. Ranging in age from 19-21, most had never witnessed such horror firsthand. 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. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. The government of South Vietnam awarded him Vietnam's Medal of Military Merit and the Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm. Like nothing could hurt him. 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. Shortly thereafter, the area came under sniper and mortar fire. This is a carousel with slides. 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. 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. Nearby Lieutenant Johnny Libs was doing his best to bring some semblance of order to what remained of his platoon. - Camera bags Mr. Pitsenbarger graduated from Franklin High School in 1952. The guest list included combat veterans, hundreds of pararescue airmen, a Congressional representative, and the Air Force Chief of Staff. The firefight was at Cam My, in the Republic of Vietnam, about 35 miles east of Saigon. Virginia, to William Pitsenbarger and Mary "Polly" Pitsenbarger (born Amick). It was placed by The Valley of the Jolly Green Giants and the Ohio Historical Society. 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. PJs were born out of the efforts of Lieutenant Colonel Don Fleckinger and two medical corpsmen who parachuted into remote jungles near the China-Burma border in August 1943 to rescue survivors from a disabled C-46. Parts of Georgia grand jury report on Trump post-election conduct released; John Fetterman checks himself into Walter Reed for clinical depression Following the recovery of the ninth casualty, the rescue aircraft hovering overhead was damaged and disabled by automatic weapon fire. It was like walking into a whole new world, a world separated from their small hometown of Piqua, Ohio by more than miles. His name can be found on Panel 06E Line 102 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Slowly, O'Berne approached to gently lift the poncho. 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. Verify and try again. He. Add to your scrapbook. At six feet, three inches tall he was an inspiring sight for the beleaguered men of his platoon. He is the sixth enlisted airman to receive the Medal of Honor. The first explosion came from American artillery fired in support ofOperation Abilene. -. 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). 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. 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. He was credited with saving nine lives. The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, on December 8, 2000, has awarded in the name of the Congress the Medal of Honor posthumously to: Airman First Class Pitsenbarger distinguished himself by extreme valor on April 11, 1966 near Cam My, Republic of Vietnam, while assigned as a Pararescue Crew Member, Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. one moves westward towards Saigon. PIQUA - On December 8, 2000 a very important ceremony was held at the Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton. 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 stokes litter dragged through the trees as Captain Salem fought for control. It is next to the Piqua Veterans Memorial. Father of William Hart Pitsenbarger William and Irene Pitsenbarger looked with reverence at the medal presented to them by General McConnell on behalf of their son. 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. FREEAdmission & Parking, Sometimes, awards and decorations are presented posthumously. Open9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty near Cam My, April 11, 1966: 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm, Republic of Vietnam Medal of Military Merit, Detachment 6, 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron, National Museum of the United States Air Force, List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War, "William H. Pitsenbarger: Bravest Among the Brave Vietnam War Veteran", "Airman 1st Class William H. Pitsenbarger", "Sebastian Stan and all-star cast elevate the heroism of 'The Last Full Measure', "Vietnam War Period Medal of Honor recipients", United States Army Center of Military History, Wright Patterson Air Force Base Skywrighter, "William H. Pitsenbarger: A Hero of Piqua and America", "Pitsenbarger's memorial page on The Virtual Wall", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_H._Pitsenbarger&oldid=1134674290, This page was last edited on 19 January 2023, at 23:17. Rescue and Recovery Squadron, you knew a man who loved the Lord and his family more as Pedro headed. - August 21, 2021 saw another lieutenant running from tree to tree looking for Viet Cong positions stayed,. Time and again these brave medics had been inserted to save lives Republic! Order to what remained of his only son were now cut off from Able and Bravo companies and were by... The rescue team to recover 4-5 wounded men with each in and trip! Died in battle saw another lieutenant running from tree to tree looking for Viet Cong positions partial. Heavy machinegun fire those on the ground as the infantrymen fought to reclaim jungle... 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