His experience expedited the process of getting the wounded soldier into the stokes litter and a fourth casualty was being hauled skyward. Pitsenbarger was killed by Viet Cong snipers later that night. This photograph is considered public domain and has been cleared for release. On April 11, 1966, a call came to help 134 men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion . There are no volunteers for this cemetery. She was born on June 14, 1932, in Franklin, WV, the daughter of the late Arthur J. and Ida Mae (Propst) Lambert. 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. Little did he know how expensive that price was about to become. [citation needed] Although Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, 60 other men did. Pitsenbarger, a Piqua native, was born to William F. and Irene Pitsenbarger on July 8, 1944. PIQUA - On December 8, 2000 a very important ceremony was held at the Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton. The two Huskies then turned towards the field aid station 7 miles away near the village of Binh Ba. Pitsenbarger was later sent on Temporary Duty (TDY) to Vietnam. Jim Locker of Sidney, Ohio; Master Sgt. Drag images here or select from your computer for William Franklin Pitsenbarger memorial. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? OBeirne believes Pitsenbarger probably continued giving aid until he was hit the third or fourth time. 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. "The mother was brave. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. By 3:30 the two Air Force choppers were hovering over the tops of the jungle canopy while death and devastation raged below. Pits was born in Piqua, Ohio, on July 8, 1944. O'Berne replied that he was. He continued to work as a stock boy at the local Kroger supermarket, all the while thirsting for more adventure. It is next to the Piqua Veterans Memorial. He was the first airman to receive the honor and continues to be remembered for risking his life to save the lives of others. This action earned him the Airman's Medal and the Republic of Vietnam's Medal of Military Merit and Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm.[4]. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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 long last, after 34 years, the young PJ would indeed receive the Medal of Honor. File; File history; File usage on Commons; Metadata; Size of this preview: 800 525 pixels. 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. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Three of the men died in Vietnam and one in the Gulf War. On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger was killed aiding and defending a unit of soldiers pinned down by an enemy assault during the Vietnam War. 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. Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division, better known as "The Big Red One", began to move into the jungle between Saigon and Vung Tau in search of the enemy. At six feet, three inches tall he was an inspiring sight for the beleaguered men of his platoon. Twelve members of the United States Air Force received Medals of Honor for heroic actions in Vietnam. Sergeant Robinson noticed another American fall ahead of his position. - Service animals 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. There was an error deleting this problem. Geni requires JavaScript! Shortly thereafter, the area came under sniper and mortar fire. How soon? 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. One cannot judge the young men who reacted to the horrible events of April 11th with fear and panic. As a junior in high school, he tried to enlist in the U.S. Army as a Green Beret, but his parents refused to give their permission. William "Virgil" Pitsenbarger, age 89, of Franklin, W.Va., and formerly Moyers, W.Va., passed away Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, at Pendleton Manor. 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. Rescue personnel on board, the helicopters lowered wire stretchers to the ground to try to pick up wounded men. The stokes litter dragged through the trees as Captain Salem fought for control. The wire stretchers, however, kept getting caught in the jungle trees. In his junior year of high school in his small town of 20,000, young William Pitsenbarger had tried to enlist in the Army's Special Forces to wear the coveted Green Beret. The elder Pitsenbarger struggled with his own emotions, unable any longer to restrain the tears. [3] Pitsenbarger received the Air Force Cross on June 30, 1966. 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. As Captain Salem headed towards the aid station, Pedro 97 moved in to hover over the battlefield. Next to him, all was quiet. PIQUA Thursday evening was the homecoming celebration William H. Pitsenbarger never got after his sacrifices during the Vietnam War. While there, it was the Air Force recruiter who captured the young man's attention. On that date, Airman Pitsenbarger was a rescue and survival specialist aboard a helicopter engaged in the evacuating of American casualties in a dense jungle. 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. With heavy mortar and small-arms fire, the helicopters could not return to rescue Pitsenbarger. This was granted. It was erected by the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Historical Society. Detachment 6 flew three HH-43F Huskie helicopters, which recovered downed airmen and injured ground troops. Navarro described the April 11, 1966 battle, where he was rescued by Airman 1st Class William Hart Pitsenbarger, now the subject of a Hollywood movie. Arvella M. Pitsenbarger. 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. The guest list included combat veterans, hundreds of pararescue airmen, a Congressional representative, and the Air Force Chief of Staff. They were also dedicated to saving lives, not only during times of war but also in peace. Try again later. Pitsenbarger was in his element in Vietnam. Weapons are not permitted including pocket knives and firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons. Two helicopters with pararescue personnel were sent to rescue the trapped soldiers, but the helicopter pilots could not land in the aircraft in the jungle. So thick is the top layer, often rising over 150 feet upwards, that sunlight never reaches the vegetation at ground level. Pits, as the Airman from Piqua, Ohio came to be called, was a happy and likable young man. Artie Eugene Grose Obituary. https://www.facebook.com/thelastfullmeasurefilm/ Air Force buildings were named for him, and the Air Force Sergeants Association introduced an annual award for valor in honor of the heroic actions reflected in his award citation. 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. Arnold M Pitsenbarger: Abt 1930: For nearly a month the officer and his two medics had treated the injured while leading them to rescue. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Mildred Pitsenbarger to pay them a last tribute. 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. Their sonthat's what this was all about. The first explosion came from American artillery fired in support ofOperation Abilene. 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. 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. NAME: Jonathan B. Pittsenborger GENDER: Male MARRIAGE DATE: 21 Nov 1839 MARRIAGE PLACE: Darke, Ohio, USA SPOUSE: Mary Pittsenberger FILM NUMBER: 001030772 From Ancestry.com J. Pitsenbarger in the 1880 United States Federal Census The man had lost his foot when he stepped on a mine and was trapped inside a maze of old and unstable explosive devices. Prohibited Items: 0 cemeteries found in Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA. Yes, the elder Pitsenbarger was justly proud of his son. 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. Pedro 97 hovered in the area as darkness fell, then returned to Bien Hoa to wait out the night. Beneath was the body of his friend, Pararescue medic William Pitsenbargershot four times. The elder Pitsenbarger gratefully accepted the award on behalf of his only son. He was born March 26, 1973, in Sandusky. Permitted Items: This allowed the rescue team to recover 4-5 wounded men with each in and out trip of the helicopters. They had one child: Sarah F. Pitsenbarger. The worst was yet to come for Charlie Company. Pitsenbarger was born in 1944 to Irene and William Pitsenbarger. Seven of his 10-man squad had already been killed in action. 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. For that selfless act of heroism, Pits was awarded the highly regarded Airman's Medal by the United States Air Force. There were mortars coming in, heavy machinegun fire. From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. This electronic book is available for free download and printing from www.homeofheroes.com. It was placed by The Valley of the Jolly Green Giants and the Ohio Historical Society. In the quiet dignity of the halls of the Pentagon, the senior Pitsenbarger remembered how proud he had been of his son. As Salem fought to save his Huskie, his departure left the valiant PJ stranded on the ground with Sergeant Navarro, Lieutenant Libs, and the few survivors of Charlie Company. Plant a tree in memory of Lenie An environmentally friendly option Plant a tree 1 tree planted in memory of Lenie A Pitsenbarger. His posthumous award was presented to his father at the Pentagon in ceremonies on July 16, 1967. 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