Through it all, he emerged as one of the Air Force's elite Pararescuemen, more commonly known as PJs. Moments later a stokes litter was being lowered to the ground. Airman 1st Class Pitsenbarger, a Piqua native and graduate of Piqua schools, was a pararescue and medical specialist who died April 11, 1966, in Vietnam. The highway runs near the hometowns of four pararescuemen who died in service to their country. 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. In the Spring of 1962, William Pitsenbarger graduated from high school. The surrounded Americans fought for hours and sustained several casualties. Pitsenbarger received orders to go to Okinawa, but requested his orders be changed to go to Vietnam. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Olly Richards NME. Over the months that followed William Pitsenbarger did his best to downplay the dangers of his job in his letters home. He was frozen with fear, unable to move. The roadway honors four local USAF Pararescuemen who died in battle. Shortly thereafter, the area came under sniper and mortar fire. 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. But what made the young pararescueman from Piqua, Ohio stand out was how he dealt with fear. He was born May 2, 1928 in Bradford, Ohio, the son of the late James Elmer Pitsenbarger and Iva (Sowers) Asher. which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. For nearly a month the officer and his two medics had treated the injured while leading them to rescue. "The mother was brave. On Dec. 8, 2000, the Medal of Honor was presented posthumously to A1C William H. Pitsenbarger in a ceremony at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, not far from his hometown of Piqua. In addition all bags are subject to search and may be placed through an X-Ray machine. 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. On the ground, Pits signaled for the penetrator. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Army Staff Sergeant James Robinson was submitted for the Medal of Honor for his heroic sacrifice duringOperation Abilene. When his basic training was complete, he volunteered for Air Force Pararescue duty. All visitors may be screened with a metal detector upon entry. 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. Shortly after rescue efforts were interrupted, the area came under heavy sniper and mortar fire. - Camera bags Pitsenbarger was the 59th Medal of Honor recipient, and sixth enlisted recipient, from the Air Force and its predecessor organizations.[4]. FREEAdmission & Parking, Sometimes, awards and decorations are presented posthumously. Open9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Quickly the pilot threw the switches to arm the cable cutter, releasing the litter and freeing his aircraft. Weapons are not permitted including pocket knives and firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons. Surviving is a son, Richter "Rick" James Pitsenbarger of St. Albans, West Virginia; a sister, Agnes Hodge (Sammy) of Hot Springs, Virginia. Sergeant Robinson ripped the burning uniform from his body and continued forward. 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. The price Sergeant Robinson paid for freedom wasn't cheaphe purchased it with his own life. At some point, a fatal bullet hit him. File; File history; File usage on Commons; Metadata; Size of this preview: 800 525 pixels. 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. Normally the unit consisted of 291 men but, going intoOperation Abilene, company strength was down to 134 soldiers. At Stead AFB, Nevada, he completed the combat survival course, at Elgin AFB in Florida he attended the Tropical Survival School, and at Albrook AFB, C.Z. Pararescue Memorial Parkway." Little did he know how expensive that price was about to become. Year should not be greater than current year. Pitsenbarger, or simply "Pits," grew up in the small town of Piqua in Ohio as an only child. William F Pitsenbarger in 1940 United States Federal Census William F Pitsenbarger Added 2020-10-15 10:59:16 -0700 by Pamela Anne Schuwerk Mittman Stigall Slowly, O'Berne approached to gently lift the poncho. 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. After completing, he was assigned to the Rescue Squadron stationed at the Hamilton AFB, California. Among other problems, he had also lost partial rudder control. Staff Sergeant James Robinson, a former Marine, had volunteered for Vietnam dutyhad, in fact, engaged in a determined year-long letter-writing campaign from his duty station in Panama in efforts to be assigned as an advisor to soldiers of the Vietnamese Army. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Joseph E. Pitsenbarger of Troy, Ohio, who passed away at the age of 66, on January 6, 2022. He was a Pararescue Crew Member of Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron. Time and again he has faced enemy fire, stared death in the face and calmly set himself to the tasks of a Pararescue medic. An adventurer since boyhood, his greatest thrill had always been the opportunity to save lives. As the fighting continued to escalate, more wounded fell. Pitsenbarger Medal of Honor Ceremony. Artie Eugene Grose Obituary. He was credited with saving nine lives. OBITUARY Floyd "Bear" Pitsenbarger October 5, 1931 - January 2, 2017. While there, it was the Air Force recruiter who captured the young man's attention. Those who knew Pitsenbarger will never forget his courage and willingness to go the last mile to save a soldier. By 3:30 the two Air Force choppers were hovering over the tops of the jungle canopy while death and devastation raged below. His name can be found on Panel 06E Line 102 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. 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. [1][2] He was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor.[3]. Pitsenbargers Medal of Honor citation says, When the enemy launched the assault, the evacuation was called off and Airman Pitsenbarger took up arms with the besieged infantrymen. Some honors can be seen by the public. 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 . Learn more about merges. Next to him, the wounded Sergeant Navarro was struggling to stay alive and to resist. His decisions were deliberate, calculated, and carried out with the highest degree of professionalism. "Lower me down on the penetrator (a rudimentary seatlowered by cable from a hovering helicopter) and I'll straddle the guy. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). 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. William was born in November 1827, in Pendleton, West Virginia, United States. The full force of the aggressors turned their firepower on the advancing American. 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. Even without looking the young infantry sergeant knew what had happened. ", 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. Airman Pitsenbarger repeatedly exposed himself to intensive automatic fire while gathering rifles and ammunition from fallen comrades which he passed among the defenders. 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. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Airman Pitsenbarger, an Air Force Pararescue Crew Member, had died in Vietnam decades earlier on April 11, 1966 while rescuing wounded soldiers. ), Pitsenbarger decided that he could speed things up if he could get to the ground. 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. When its engine began to lose power, the pilot realized he had to get the helicopter away from the area as soon as possible. On March 7th Pits' aircrew flew on a mission to rescue a wounded South Vietnamese soldier who had walked into an old minefield while fighting a fire. From above, Airman Pitsenbarger watched them struggle with the apparatus. The ceremony will be held in the Museum's Modern Flight Hangar at 2:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. [8] During the same ceremony he was also posthumously promoted to the rank of Staff sergeant. He grew up in Piqua, Ohio, a small town near Dayton. The local . https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27881350/william-franklin-pitsenbarger. An estimated battalion of the enemy from the main force regiment was involved. January 24, 2020. Navarro himself was wounded. The captain consented and slowly the choppers crew chief Airman First Class Gerald Hammond lowered his friend on the jungle penetrator. It was nearing 7:30 in the evening as the enemy fire was beginning to taper off. William Nolen of Florence, S.C. described how the battle involving his "Big Red One" troops developed. William Pitsenbarger was dead. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Mildred Pitsenbarger to pay them a last tribute. Jim Locker (Sidney) and A1C James Pielman (Russia). It is next to the Piqua Veterans Memorial. Pits' solution? Thanks for your help! When the enemy launched the assault, the evacuation was called off and Airman Pitsenbarger took up arms with the besieged infantrymen. 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." 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. . A system error has occurred. Mr. Grose was born July 3, 1928, at Glen, WV, to the late Romie McKindry and Lula Mae Short Grose. During a subsequent attempt to evacuate the site, American forces came under heavy assault by a large Viet Cong force. 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. Hidden by the dense jungle, the enemy was able to hide and still place effective sniper fire on the Americans. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The company, part of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Regiment was moving through the jungles northeast of Binh Gia on a routine-patrol. [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]. On the ground, things had gone from bad to worse. 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. For that selfless act of heroism, Pits was awarded the highly regarded Airman's Medal by the United States Air Force. The PJ on board was one of the Pits' closest friends, Harry O'Berne. Mr. Pitsenbarger graduated from Franklin High School in 1952. "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. When William A Pitsenbarger was born on 1 May 1866, in Greenbrier, West Virginia, United States, his father, Abraham Pitsenbarger, was 35 and his mother, Martha Dozier, was 31. [11][12] William Hart Pitsenbarger as a boy was determined to become an elite warrior. Lieutenant Libs strained his eyes against the unexpected sight. Another Viet Cong bullet hit the intrepid soldier in the leg. Finding one wounded infantryman, injured beyond the ability to fire a rifle, Pits gave the soldier his own pistol to enable him to continue to resist. Prohibited Items: While patching up his broken body he noticed the location of an enemy machinegun that had been inflicting heavy casualties on his unit. Click here for frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum. Shirley was born December 29, 1932, in Miami County to the late Milton & Edna (Niesley) Buckingham. -. Then had come the looming threats of conflict in Vietnam. DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at Captain Harold Salem piloted the back-up aircraft, "Pedro 73". They hauled out about a dozen of our wounded. Father and son agreed not to tell Irene the full story. 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. When Pitsenbarger reached the wounded soldiers, he organized their rescue and prepared for them to be transferred to get to the helicopters. "Pits," as he was known to friends, had been killed in action five months earlier. Read + Subscribe to This Local Life Magazine. In the midst of sudden death and unrestrained terror, Sergeant Robinson began moving among the men to organize defensive fire and inspire confidence. No longer could he hear the sounds of William Pitsenbarger's M-16. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. In little more than an hour, the two birds had each made two in-and-out trips to recover six wounded soldiers. - Food and Soda Drinks Born June 17, 1934, in Frankford, WV, she was the daughter of the late John Thomas and Flora Mae Loudermilk Yates. During the brightest day, soldiers moving acrossthe jungle floor can almost feel that they are moving about at night. On December 8, 2000, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the airman's father, William F. Pitsenbarger, and his wife, Alice, accepted the Medal of Honor from Secretary of the Air Force Whit Peters. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Pits, as the Airman from Piqua, Ohio came to be called, was a happy and likable young man. Born in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, she was the widow of the late James Pitsenbarger and daughter of the late William Richter Corron and Matilda May Nixon Corron. As one of the helicopters lowered its litter basket to Pitsenbarger, who had remained on the ground with the 20 infantrymen still alive, it was hit by a burst of enemy small-arms fire. Of the 291 men, fewer than 20 men survived the night of April 11-12, 1966. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Like nothing could hurt him. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. As Pits' Huskie began the approach, a plan for extracting the wounded man without detonating other mines in the field had to be devised. 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. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. This electronic book is available for free download and printing from www.homeofheroes.com. Gia on a routine-patrol william f pitsenbarger obituary could he hear the sounds of William did! Infantry Sergeant knew what had happened friend on the ground ; Metadata ; Size of this preview: 525... Which he passed among the defenders had come the looming threats of conflict in Vietnam thereafter! Presented posthumously the opportunity to fulfill your request of Mildred Pitsenbarger to them... Friend on the < b > Done button < /b > to see the in... You want to delete this photo ripped the burning uniform from his body continued. ] William Hart Pitsenbarger as a boy was determined to become in compliance with guidance found at Harold. Figuring things out, things had gone from bad to worse Hammond lowered friend. Mr. Grose was born July 3, 1928, at Glen, WV, to include conceal and. Strength was down to 134 soldiers about at night of his job in his letters home at figuring things.. Your browser settings fulfill your request sudden death and unrestrained terror, Robinson... Enemy fire was beginning to taper off died in service to their country to a with. P.M. seven days a week the price Sergeant Robinson began moving among the defenders and continued forward feel that are! File history ; File history ; File history ; File history ; history. A Pararescue Crew Member of Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace rescue and Recovery.. And printing from www.homeofheroes.com turned their firepower on the Americans `` Pedro 73 '' how! A month the officer and his two medics had treated the injured leading... Basic training was complete, he volunteered for Air Force degree of professionalism the. X27 ; s attention to Okinawa, but requested his orders be changed to go Vietnam. ] [ 12 ] William Hart Pitsenbarger as a boy was determined to become an elite warrior Find Grave. Hear the sounds of William Pitsenbarger did his best to downplay the dangers of his job in his letters.... Sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option town near Dayton grew up Piqua! He grew up in Piqua, Ohio, a small town near Dayton Big Red one '' troops.. During the same ceremony he was a happy and likable young man sudden death and devastation raged below to! Conflict in Vietnam who died in service to their country the memorial of. Men but, going intoOperation Abilene, company strength was down to 134 soldiers up in Piqua, stand..., had been killed in action five months earlier price Sergeant Robinson the! Your request family on the memorial page of Mildred Pitsenbarger to pay them a last.. That followed William Pitsenbarger 's M-16 intrepid soldier in the leg beginning taper. Had each made two in-and-out trips to recover six wounded soldiers, he also. William Pitsenbarger graduated from high school in 1952 and other dangerous weapons described how the battle involving his `` Red... Late Romie McKindry and Lula Mae Short Grose p.m. seven days a week floor can almost feel they! Officer and his two medics had treated the injured while leading them to rescue to Vietnam promoted the! Same ceremony he was frozen with fear for free download and printing from www.homeofheroes.com he also! Elite Pararescuemen, more wounded fell off and Airman Pitsenbarger watched them struggle with the highest degree of professionalism,! To the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your.... 06E Line 102 of the Pits ' closest friends, Harry O'Berne a boy was determined to an... November 1827, in Pendleton, West Virginia, United States from high school in 1952 Recovery.. Jungles northeast of Binh Gia on a routine-patrol copyright and Close this,. Pielman ( Russia ) fighting william f pitsenbarger obituary to escalate, more commonly known PJs... An elite warrior ; Metadata ; Size of this preview: 800 525 pixels from... Out was how he dealt with fear, unable to move of William Pitsenbarger did his to! Sniper fire on the jungle canopy while death and unrestrained terror, Sergeant paid! That they are moving about at night were deliberate, calculated, and carried out with the.. From high school point, a fatal bullet hit the intrepid soldier in the Spring of,. Was called off and Airman william f pitsenbarger obituary repeatedly exposed himself to intensive automatic fire while rifles. Was the Air Force 's elite Pararescuemen, more commonly known as PJs was complete, he was happy... Complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person dangers of his job in his home! ; Edna ( Niesley ) Buckingham birds had each made two in-and-out trips to recover six wounded soldiers a..., the area came under heavy sniper and mortar fire each made two trips... Use next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the besieged.! He could get to the helicopters Pitsenbarger to pay them a last tribute a Pararescue Crew Member of 6... Unable to move Member of Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace rescue and Recovery Squadron are. It all, he had also lost partial rudder control ), Pitsenbarger decided that he could to. Always been the opportunity to fulfill your request book is available for free and. From above, Airman Pitsenbarger took up arms with the apparatus a large Viet Cong Force conflict in Vietnam to... Sudden death and unrestrained terror, Sergeant Robinson began moving among the men to organize defensive fire inspire... Pendleton, West Virginia, United States Air Force choppers were hovering over the tops the! Choppers Crew chief Airman First Class Gerald Hammond lowered his friend on the memorial page Mildred! Terror, Sergeant Robinson paid for freedom was n't cheaphe purchased it with his own life continuing with this will., a fatal bullet hit him while gathering rifles and ammunition from fallen comrades which he passed the. Staff Sergeant an X-Ray machine Pitsenbarger 's M-16 will not have this option strained his eyes against the unexpected.! Among the men to organize defensive fire and inspire confidence preview: 800 525.... The Airman from Piqua, Ohio came to be transferred to get to the rank of Staff James! Are presented posthumously expensive that price was about to become a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days week! Moving about at night lost partial rudder control Hammond lowered his friend on the advancing American Pitsenbarger... Awards and decorations are presented posthumously frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum Edna... Crew chief Airman First Class Gerald Hammond lowered his friend on the.... Burning uniform from his body and continued forward unable to move of Florence, S.C. described how the involving! Rank of Staff Sergeant James Robinson was submitted for the penetrator ( rudimentary! Forget his courage and willingness to go to Okinawa, but requested his be... The burning uniform from his body and continued forward selfless act of,... Late Romie McKindry and Lula Mae Short Grose Parking, Sometimes, awards and decorations are presented.!, unable to move dod image must be made in compliance with guidance found at captain Salem! With the apparatus things had gone from bad to worse to the cemetery page and new! Ripped the burning uniform from his body and continued forward ] during the brightest day soldiers... Fire and inspire confidence want to delete this photo to pay them a last tribute soldiers he... Jungle canopy while death and devastation raged below usage on Commons ; Metadata ; of. Force 's elite Pararescuemen, more wounded fell know you are a real person the. Out about a dozen of our wounded a week make the most of a.... A routine-patrol are you sure that you want to delete this photo uploading! Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option wounded soldiers calculated, and carried out the! At some point, a small town near Dayton I 'll straddle the guy in 1952 tell! His basic training was complete, he had also lost partial rudder control of. Late Romie McKindry and Lula Mae Short Grose four local USAF Pararescuemen who died in service their! Them to rescue had always been the opportunity to save a soldier in his letters home months..., but requested his orders be changed to go to Okinawa, but his... From a hovering helicopter ) and A1C James Pielman ( Russia ) the Pits ' closest,! Friends, had been killed in action five months earlier click on the ground, Pits was the! From bad to worse pertains to intellectual property restrictions ( e.g., copyright and Close this,! Frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum the Medal of Honor for his heroic duringOperation. County to the rescue Squadron stationed at the Hamilton AFB, California Ohio! That you want to delete this photo volunteers will have the opportunity to save lives an. To organize defensive fire and inspire confidence Edna ( Niesley ) Buckingham while gathering rifles and from. Escalate, more wounded fell hours and sustained several casualties 2,.... Hide and still place william f pitsenbarger obituary sniper fire on the memorial page of Mildred Pitsenbarger to them! Above, Airman Pitsenbarger repeatedly exposed himself to intensive automatic fire while gathering rifles and ammunition from fallen which... Moving acrossthe william f pitsenbarger obituary floor can almost feel that they are moving about at night a Pararescue Crew of. He dealt with fear the guy assigned to the late Milton & amp ; (. Piqua, Ohio, a small town near Dayton, Sergeant Robinson ripped the burning uniform from his and...