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. When the enemy launched the assault, the evacuation was called off and Airman Pitsenbarger took up arms with the besieged infantrymen. 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. regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters. This is a carousel with slides. Gallant, they were true. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. For those whose lives he touched, he will never be forgotten. Army Sergeant Fred Navarro of Hutchins, Kansas was a squad leader in Charlie 2/16th. Arrangements by Seals-Campbell Funeral Home, 815-795-5151, www.sealscampbell.com Published. Upon completing his first TDY assignment, he volunteered to return and received orders in 1965 to report to Detachment 6, 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. 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. Mr. Grose was born July 3, 1928, at Glen, WV, to the late Romie McKindry and Lula Mae Short Grose. 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. Add to your scrapbook. 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. Pedro 97 hovered in the area as darkness fell, then returned to Bien Hoa to wait out the night. How bad was it on the ground? This includes Pitsenbarger; Sgt. Ranging in age from 19-21, most had never witnessed such horror firsthand. They tried to leave the area, but they were attacked by the large Viet Cong force. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. His bravery and determination int he faces of overwhelming odds are in keeping with the highest standards of performance and traditions of the American fighting man under attack.". It was the first time the pararescueman had ever voiced any misgivings about any mission. On October 28, 1961, Arvella married Ralph Pitsenbarger, who preceded her . Resend Activation Email. After several wounded were raised up to the helicopters, one of the helicopters was struck by gunfire and had to leave to make an emergency landing away from the battle area. which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and Along with Pitsenbarger, the men honored on the sign are: Msgt. Bailey Zechar Funeral Home. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. 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. 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. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. He turned to Captain Salem at the controls and said, "I'm going in." 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). While there, it was the Air Force recruiter who captured the young man's attention. 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. He stared at them in awe and never cried. If you had a need, Lenie was your guy! As the battle raged on, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to care for the wounded, pull them out of the line of fire, and returned fire whenever he could, during which time he was wounded three times.. Irene Pitsenbarger may have thought briefly about the many times her young son had given her reason for fright. During the Vietnam War, the United States Air Force awarded its second-highest award, the Air Force Cross, to nineteen enlisted airmen. 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. 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. Captain Harold Salem piloted the back-up aircraft, "Pedro 73". Among other problems, he had also lost partial rudder control. On December 8, 2000, an impressive ceremony was held at Wright-Patterson AFB in Pits' home state of Ohio. Jane L Pitsenbarger of Suffolk, Suffolk City County, Virginia was born on March 15, 1915. The Viet Cong were everywhere. * Firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons, are specifically prohibited in Federal facilities in accordance with 18 USC 930 (c) His posthumous award was presented to his father at the Pentagon in ceremonies on July 16, 1967. Army Staff Sergeant James Robinson was submitted for the Medal of Honor for his heroic sacrifice duringOperation Abilene. cemeteries found in Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Two more rounds struck flesh, ripping into Sergeant Robinson's chest and draining what little strength remained in his broken body. William McDaniel II of Greenville, Ohio; and Airman 1st Class James Pleiman of Russia, Ohio. One hundred eighty American soldiers on patrol had come upon a much larger force of Viet Cong in a dense jungle area. Lenie A Pitsenbarger Willoughby, Ohio March 26, 1973 - September 1, 2021 Obituary & Events Share a memory of Lenie A Pitsenbarger. He was born May 2, 1928 in Bradford, Ohio, the son of the late James Elmer Pitsenbarger and Iva (Sowers) Asher. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? The only real defense the American survivors had in the dark rain forest came from American artillery. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Slowly, O'Berne approached to gently lift the poncho. Later that same afternoon the Senator would write in theCongressional Record, "They (Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger) stood there heroically, in my opinion reflecting the courageous and stalwart character of their son.". On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger was killed aiding and defending a unit of soldiers pinned down by an enemy assault during the Vietnam War. His experience expedited the process of getting the wounded soldier into the stokes litter and a fourth casualty was being hauled skyward. said Haley, one of the few survivors. Some of the kids were calling for God." Quickly the attack escalated to intense mortar and machinegun fire throughout the entire area. Sorry! 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. He was born on May 18, 2019 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems - Eau Claire, the son of Ronald Pitsenbarger, Jr. and Ann (Moyer) Nelson. 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. OBeirne believes Pitsenbarger probably continued giving aid until he was hit the third or fourth time. 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 Elle y voque notamment, comme rarement, sa vie prive et fait des confidences sur la naissance de ses deux enfants et ce qu'elle a chang william f pitsenbarger obituary; ww2 bomb map eastbourne; maryse burgot qui est son mari. He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". Read + Subscribe to This Local Life Magazine. Here the jungle grows in layers, oftentriple-canopy(3-layers) of heavy vegetation. Fred Navarro, a man whose life William Pitsenbarger saved -. If you knew Lenie, you knew a man who loved the Lord and his family. 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. PIQUA The Piqua and surrounding community came out in . Of the 291 men, fewer than 20 men survived the night of April 11-12, 1966. An MRI also revealed a hematoma, or bad bruising, above his kidney that doctors found. Clarence William Pitsenbarger. The highway runs near the hometowns of four pararescuemen who died in service to their country. 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." The recommendation for William Pitsenbarger's Medal of Honor was downgraded to the Air Force Cross. 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