They forbade it, but after graduating in 1962 he enlisted in the Air Force. In the quiet dignity of the halls of the Pentagon, the senior Pitsenbarger remembered how proud he had been of his son. When his basic training was complete, he volunteered for Air Force Pararescue duty. Bailey Zechar Funeral Home . He was born March 26, 1973, in Sandusky. Senior Department of Defense and Air Force officials . His unit was responsible for many different kinds of rescue missions, from recovering downed pilots to evacuating wounded airmen or soldiers for both the US military units as well as South Vietnamese units. There was a problem getting your location. My own platoon medic, who was later killed, was totally ineffective. Pits' solution? He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". Irene Pitsenbarger may have thought briefly about the many times her young son had given her reason for fright. Sidney Daily News. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. The choppers hovered above the desperate American forces. In the Spring of 1962, William Pitsenbarger graduated from high school. 0 cemeteries found in Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA. He volunteered to ride a hoist over 100 feet through the jungle and to the jungle floor. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Alert and always ready to go on any mission. Bill McDaniel (Greenville), Sgt. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. 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. 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. Quickly the attack escalated to intense mortar and machinegun fire throughout the entire area. Results 1-20 of 39 View Record Name Birth Date Publication Date Death Place; View Record. He continued to work as a stock boy at the local Kroger supermarket, all the while thirsting for more adventure. On the last afternoon of the year, New Year's Eve 1962, William Pitsenbarger broke the news to his parents. 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.". Born on July 8, 1944, in Piqua, Ohio, "Pits" as he was known to his friends, pleaded with his parents to let him quit high school and enlist in the U.S. Army's Green Berets. Navarro himself was wounded. But what made the young pararescueman from Piqua, Ohio stand out was how he dealt with fear. He was frozen with fear, unable to move. Pitsenbarger was given the Air Force Cross for his actions on June 30, 1966. When the mission called for such acts of personal courage, there was never a shortage of volunteers. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. [1][3], He is buried in Miami Memorial Park Cemetery Covington, Ohio. At times, the Americans fought the enemy hand to hand. GREAT NEWS! 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. 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. Doctors determined that Dick Rynearson had suffered a broken upper left rib and a shattered sternum. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. After review and nearly 35 years later, the original award was upgraded.[4][7]. 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. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Pitsenbarger Medal of Honor Ceremony. Under the guidance of the brave PJ, the infantrymen were able to quickly send two more stokes patients to safety. In this first part of the fight that lasted from 45 minutes to an hour, we took quite a few casualties. 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. Verify and try again. The Air Force Association awards a $750 Pitsenbarger scholarship to the top USAF enlisted personnel graduating from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) who plan to pursue a baccalaureate degree and submits a competitive award nomination package. William Pitsenbarger's Background A1C Pitsenbarger, an Ohio native, is one of three Medal of Honor Recipients from Piqua, Ohio. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. A system error has occurred. Among other problems, he had also lost partial rudder control. Shortly after rescue efforts were interrupted, the area came under heavy sniper and mortar fire. 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. For nearly a month the officer and his two medics had treated the injured while leading them to rescue. Airman Pitsenbarger volunteered to remain on the ground and administer medical treatment to the wounded. Try again later. 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. Edit Search New Search. Virginia, to William Pitsenbarger and Mary "Polly" Pitsenbarger (born Amick). The Air Force Sergeants Association annually confers a "Pitsenbarger Award," which recognizes an Air Force enlisted member for heroic acts on or off duty that . View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Ohio Miami County Covington Haley, of Ukiah, Calif., was dirty and unkept after his unit had been in the jungles 30 miles east of Saigon for two weeks searching for the Viet Cong. Prohibited Items: His medical training had served him well, so well in fact, that he had applied to Arizona State University to study to become a medical technician or male nurse upon completion of his Air Force tour of duty a couple of months hence. 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. Family members linked to this person will appear here. (During the Korean War, four Air Force pilots were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor but all received the Army design for the award.). Failed to report flower. Normally the unit consisted of 291 men but, going intoOperation Abilene, company strength was down to 134 soldiers. For those whose lives he touched, he will never be forgotten. Time and again these brave medics had been inserted to save lives. He loved to help and bless anybody he could. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Father and son agreed not to tell Irene the full story. Dead and wounded American boys littered the undergrowth in what was quickly becoming a massacre. 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 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. Even without looking the young infantry sergeant knew what had happened. 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. Shortly thereafter, the area came under sniper and mortar fire. Pits expected the Air Force Huskies, or at least Pedro 97, to return for more wounded. Because of the thick, triple-canopy jungle, Army medevacs could not come in to retrieve the woundedthere was simply no place to land. When its engine began to lose power, the pilot realized he had to get the helicopter away from the area as soon as possible. No sane man could live through such a nightmare without such emotion. 27881355, citing Miami Memorial Park Cemetery, Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by Pam Estes gedmatch# T131729 (contributor 46799761) . Of the 291 men, fewer than 20 men survived the night of April 11-12, 1966. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Then had come the looming threats of conflict in Vietnam. At some point, a fatal bullet hit him. 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 noticed the stokes litter caught high in the jungle canopy. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Pitsenbarger was in his element in Vietnam. The recommendation for William Pitsenbarger's Medal of Honor was downgraded to the Air Force Cross. Shirley was born December 29, 1932, in Miami County to the late Milton & Edna (Niesley) Buckingham. By 3:30 the two Air Force choppers were hovering over the tops of the jungle canopy while death and devastation raged below. The roadway honors four local USAF Pararescuemen who died in battle. 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. 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. Pararescue Memorial Parkway." Jump to navigation Jump to search. This electronic book is available for free download and printing from www.homeofheroes.com. The company commander, Capt. 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. Mary was born on April 11 1834, in West Virginia, USA. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. He examined Pitsenbargers body and found that he had four wounds. Jim Locker of Sidney, Ohio; Master Sgt. 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. He was born. 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. But the Huskies had a unique advantage. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. As Captain Salem hovered, the Airman Hammond began lowering the stokes from Pedro 73. Arnold M Pitsenbarger: Abt 1930: The surrounded Americans fought for hours and sustained several casualties. Permitted Items: 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 . 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. In the distance, he could see an Army medic kneeling to bandage the wounds of a wounded American infantryman. During the Vietnam War, the United States Air Force awarded its second-highest award, the Air Force Cross, to nineteen enlisted airmen. On Monday, the second day of the sweep, the rugged terrain forced Charlie Company to move outward instead of parallel to Alpha and Bravo Companies. The firefight was at Cam My, in the Republic of Vietnam, about 35 miles east of Saigon. 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