Now, as he led his fire-team through the dense jungles of Phuoc Tuy province, he recalled what he had written home in his most recent letter"The price we pay for freedom is never cheap." Pitsenbarger, or simply "Pits," grew up in the small town of Piqua in Ohio as an only child. Mr. Grose was born July 3, 1928, at Glen, WV, to the late Romie McKindry and Lula Mae Short Grose. The surrounded Americans fought for hours and sustained several casualties. In time, Pits became an Air Force legend not so much for what his citation said about his actions that day in April 1966, but for the details, it did not include! One cannot judge the young men who reacted to the horrible events of April 11th with fear and panic. After he graduated in 1962, an Air Force recruiter inspired him to sign up. His parents, however, convinced him to finish his studies; he graduated in the class of 1962. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Since the litter was already outside the helicopter, Hammond placed the penetrator inside the stokes and began lowering both. He noticed the stokes litter caught high in the jungle canopy. Novella Pitsenbarger passed away 2017-01-02 in This is the full obituary story where you can express condolences and share memories. He was credited with saving nine lives. 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. In fact, the letters and pictures he sent back seemed to indicate that Airman Pitsenbarger was actually having a good time at the Air Base a short distance from the South Vietnamese capital city of Saigon. His only remark when the call for help arrived had been, "I have a bad feeling about this mission." Still taking fire, the infantrymen were struggling between survival and attempts to load a wounded man in the litter. Young William had come home after his extensive training a grown man, confident that he could accomplish any task and fulfill any demands his job might require. Pararescue Memorial Parkway." William Nolen of Florence, S.C. described how the battle involving his "Big Red One" troops developed. Little did he know how expensive that price was about to become. Ranging in age from 19-21, most had never witnessed such horror firsthand. Standing to the side to witness the events that were about to unfold was Ohio Senator Frank Lausche. Fred Navarro, a man whose life William Pitsenbarger saved -. That done, Captain Bachman returned to use the stokes to pull one more wounded soldier from the field of battle. Once the man was airborne the crew of Pedro 73 expected their pararescueman to ride the penetrator back up to his waiting chopper. When Airman Pitsenbarger got orders for service in the war zone in August 1965 he had only a little more than a year remaining in his 4-year Air Force enlistment. He served as a member of the 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa, near Saigon. At times, the Americans fought the enemy hand to hand. Their sonthat's what this was all about. Their only son, Pararescue-medic WilliamPitsPitsenbarger had just made historybecoming the first enlisted Airman in history to receive the Air Force Crossposthumously. When Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger accepted that award on behalf of their heroic son on September 22, 1966, William Pits Pitsenbarger became the first enlisted airman in history to receive the Air Force's second-highest award for military heroism, posthumously. 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 return fire whenever he could, during which time, he was wounded three times. 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. No longer could he hear the sounds of William Pitsenbarger's M-16. 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. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. He loved to go to concerts and watch fireworks. Husband of Alice Mae Konz Pitsenbarger and Irene Emma Littleton Pitsenbarger During the rescue operation, he cared for and prepared the casualties for evacuation, and insured that the recovery operation continued in a smooth and orderly fashion. Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten Peters presented the award, which was accepted by William F. Pitsenbarger on his son's behalf. 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. William H. Pitsenbarger is killed in action. In a ceremony held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Dec. 8, 2000, Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten "Whit" Peters presented the Medal of Honor to the parents, William F. and Alice Pitsenbarger, of Airman 1st Class William F. Pitsenbarger. His role had taken him to Perth, Australia as a Pararescue-medic in the earliest days of the space program, working on the Gemini and Mercury space probe recoveries. * Firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons, are specifically prohibited in Federal facilities in accordance with 18 USC 930 (c) Of the 134 soldiers in Charlie Company at the beginning ofOperation Abilene, there were 106 casualties. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. You may print and distribute in quantity for all non-profit, educational purposes. This account has been disabled. The nearest clearing was 4 miles away. Airman Pitsenbarger, an Air Force Pararescue Crew Member, had died in Vietnam decades earlier on April 11, 1966 while rescuing wounded soldiers. Failed to report flower. Adamantly Irene and her husband had refused to give their 17-year old permission to join the Army, requiring him to remain in school one more year to graduate. 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. 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 . Your Scrapbook is currently empty. To use this feature, use a newer browser. San Francisco television stations covered the rescue on the evening news.. 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 city of Piqua, Ohio, renamed a recreational park (which includes the municipal swimming pool) the "Pitsenbarger Sports Complex." When the others began running low on ammunition, he gathered ammunition from the dead and distributed it to those still alive. Bailey Zechar Funeral Home. 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. Shirley was born December 29, 1932, in Miami County to the late Milton & Edna (Niesley) Buckingham. Pick him up, and then you can lift me up." Sporadic sniper fire picked at the men of Charlie, 2/16th throughout the day, but no one could have predicted how intense the enemy fire would become as morning gave way to afternoon. Try again later. IN THE CARE OF. 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. The choppers could only carry two stokes litter patients on each in-and-out, and only one if there was no PJ aboard. He was frozen with fear, unable to move. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Please reset your password. Weve updated the security on the site. Somehow, through sheer force of determination, he continued forwardfalling only after reaching an effective range and throwing the two grenades to destroy the enemy position. Another Viet Cong bullet hit the intrepid soldier in the leg. - Camera bags Weapons are not permitted including pocket knives and firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons. Weapons, https://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations. OBITUARY Floyd "Bear" Pitsenbarger October 5, 1931 - January 2, 2017. An Air Force rescue helicopter came over and lowered a ladder. Open9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Detachment 6 consisted of five aircrews that flew three HH-43F Kaman Huskie helicopters. Sidney Daily News. -. [1][3], He is buried in Miami Memorial Park Cemetery Covington, Ohio. Few witnesses remained of the young PJs service and sacrifice. William Pitsenbarger Jr., 91, of Marseilles, passed away Friday, November 17, 2017 at Ottawa Pavilion. Results 1-20 of 39 View Record Name Birth Date Publication Date Death Place; View Record. She was born May 8, 1931, in Moyers, W.Va., a daughter of the late Benjamin Cameron and Dorothy Louella (Simmons) Pitsenbarger. Beneath was the body of his friend, Pararescue medic William Pitsenbargershot four times. - Service animals During the brightest day, soldiers moving acrossthe jungle floor can almost feel that they are moving about at night. William Pitsenbarger was dead. How bad was it on the ground? William Pitsenbarger. At six feet, three inches tall he was an inspiring sight for the beleaguered men of his platoon. 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 local . After Air Force basic training, the young airman had continued to push the envelope and expand his thirst for adventure. He is the sixth enlisted airman to receive the Medal of Honor. In a ceremony held at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Dec. 8, 2000, Secretary of the Air Force F. Whitten "Whit" Peters presented the Medal of Honor to the parents, William F. and Alice Pitsenbarger, of Airman 1st Class William F. Pitsenbarger. PIQUA - On December 8, 2000 a very important ceremony was held at the Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton. In 2005, the State of Ohio designated State Route 48 as the "U.S.A.F. 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.". Family members linked to this person will appear here. He turned to Captain Salem at the controls and said, "I'm going in." Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. But what made the young pararescueman from Piqua, Ohio stand out was how he dealt with fear. 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. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Seven of his 10-man squad had already been killed in action. . Sorry! regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters. One must imagine William Pitsenbarger must have felt fear himself. She was born October 28, 1929 in Moyers, WV a daughter of the late Lona (Rexrode) and Frank Simmons. Not only had he chosen to serve his country in uniform, but he had also chosen to serve among some of the most elite. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. 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. Pitsenbargers last, and probably most gallant mission, was on April 11, 1966. 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. Failed to remove flower. 0 cemeteries found in Covington, Miami County, Ohio, USA. For those whose lives he touched, he will never be forgotten. Even without looking the young infantry sergeant knew what had happened. A Angelo Urso September 13, 2021 Virginia and family, I am so sorry for your loss. Year should not be greater than current year. Quickly the attack escalated to intense mortar and machinegun fire throughout the entire area. If you had a need, Lenie was your guy! Pitsenbarger stayed on the ground to medically care for the remaining wounded. Artie Eugene Grose Obituary. OBITUARY Shirley A Pitsenbarger December 29, 1932 - February 8, 2023. And now, here at the Pentagon, Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger would receive one more award on behalf of their son. They found the hunters and began to cut a trail down the mountain. According to Pitsenbargers Medal of Honor biography, Pitsenbarger reacted instantly with confidence and courage, charging toward the bear and yelling as if enraged. Edison Community College in Piqua, Ohio, awards the Pitsenbarger Scholarship to two full-time students per year who can show financial need. Subsequent to the award, Pitsenbarger will also be posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. Artie Eugene Grose, 88, of Edmond, passed away Sunday, January 29, 2017, at the Ansted Center in Ansted. 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. Results 1-20 of 372 View Record Name Birth Date Publication Date Publication Place Relatives; View Record. It was the first time the pararescueman had ever voiced any misgivings about any mission. In the years that followed the 1966 presentation of the Air Force Cross to Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger just five months after the death of their son, the name WilliamPitsPitsenbarger became synonymous with the proud traditions of sacrifice and service of the Air Force Pararescuemen. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". He wanted to enlist in the Army when he was junior high, but his parents did not allow him. 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. Among those restored to safety was Eric Severeid, who would go on to become a well-known news commentator. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. May 2, 1928 - August 21, 2021. From above, Airman Pitsenbarger watched them struggle with the apparatus. Hidden by the dense jungle, the enemy was able to hide and still place effective sniper fire on the Americans. At long last, after 34 years, the young PJ would indeed receive the Medal of Honor. Even as a lad he had flirted with danger, taking his childhood games like "follow the leader" to the ledges of the highest buildings or the limbs of the tallest trees. 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. His decisions were deliberate, calculated, and carried out with the highest degree of professionalism. "It was horrible," said Pfc Ronald Haley, as he stood in the tiny clearing blasted from the jungle so that the dead and wounded could be evacuated. Then had come the looming threats of conflict in Vietnam. 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