After graduating in 1962, Pitsenbarger joined the Air Force. 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. > RELATED:Life-size statue honors Airman Pitsenbarger. Memorial contributions may be made to the Piqua Christian Church, 3969 OH 185, Piqua, OH 45356. Condolences to the family may also be expressed through jamiesonandyannucci.com. There also was a fund-raising dinner for the William H. Pitsenbarger Scholarship Fund, established in 1992 by his father and his late mother, Irene. Her greatest joys in life were her faith and watching and enjoying her children and grandchildren. The Huskies were to take turns hoisting litters with critically wounded patients through the forest canopy and delivering them to a nearby airfield. 2017-2023 Tribute Archive. L'azienda Rotowork, con sede a Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, in provincia di Lucca, dispone di una serie di elicotteri, grazie ai quali offre particolari servizi. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Detachment 6 of the USAF's 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron received an urgent call to evacuate the wounded. The 1962 class of Piqua Central High School had also felt it was a shame that his hometown had never honored him. We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Survivors include two sisters, Nancy (Randy) Nash of Richmond, Indiana, Ann (Roger) Toon of Piqua; and many nieces and nephews. More Options. can stop at any time. The Last Mission It was presented to his parents on December 8, 2000 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, making him the second Air Force enlisted member to earn the nation's highest honor. But when we meet the retired hairdresser in "Swan Song," a new film from Todd Stephens, Pat's wearing sad, saggy. Then, Navarro said, he saw him get hit several times as he made his way toward what Navarro thought was another wounded man. Try again later. But in his short life and valorous Air Force career, he was an example of dedication, compassion and tenacity for all those with whom he served. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. His final training was in air crash rescue and firefighting, with assignment to the HH-43 Huskie helicopter. F. David Peters, of Alliance, Ohio, had been in Vietnam only two weeks at the time of the incident. And he didnt have to be there. Soon after the battle, his Air Force commanders nominated him for the Medal of Honor, but he did not receive it. Bob Ford, a retired Piqua assistant fire chief who knew him most of his life, said Pitsenbarger had two other loves: baseball and playing soldier. Be the first to share your favorite memory, photo or story of MIRIAM. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. 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. Family members linked to this person will appear here. 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. Airman Pitsenbarger exposed himself to almost certain death by staying on the ground, and perished while saving the lives of wounded infantrymen. After review, the original award was upgraded, and on Dec. 8, 2000, the Medal of Honor was presented to his family in a ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Museum. Veterans Memorial Park Piqua, Miami County, Ohio GPS: 40.164293, -84.255619. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. All Rights Reserved. Despite his wounds, he valiantly fought on, simultaneously treating as many wounded as possible. On the ground, Pitsenbarger organized and speeded the evacuation, enabling the Huskies to rescue nine soldiers on several trips. Clarence William Pitsenbarger. 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 save a life or prevent serious injury". Your email will not be used for any other purpose. [5] His unit was composed of five aircrews that flew three Kaman HH-43F Huskie helicopters. This browser does not support getting your location. He was just good-looking and had a real magnetic personality.. His name can be found on Panel 06E Line 102 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It just seemed like he was everywhere. Loren Pitsenbarger died at age 75 years old on February 8, 1996. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. As each of the nine casualties evacuated that day were recovered, Pitsenbarger refused evacuation in order to get one more wounded soldier to safety. The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to Airman First Class William H. Pitsenbarger United States Air Force for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. She was a wonderful homemaker, wife, mother and grandmother. Senza un mandato di comparizione, una conformit volontaria da parte del vostro Fornitore di Servizi Internet, o ulteriori registrazioni da parte di terzi, le informazioni memorizzate o recuperate per questo scopo da sole non possono di solito essere utilizzate per l'identificazione. A1C Pitsenbarger learned his military skills in a series of demanding schools. His father, Frank Pitsenbarger, was presented with his son's posthumous Medal of Honor. https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 25 April 2020), memorial page for SSGT William Hart Pitsenbarger (8 Jul 194411 Apr 1966), Find a Grave Memorial no. Johnny W. Libs, a seasoned jungle fighter who was leading Company C that day, said hed never seen a soldier who deserved the Medal of Honor more than Pitsenbarger. During his basic training in early 1963, he volunteered for Pararescue. Also surviving are a sister Joan (James) Pilliod of New Port Richey Florida, brothers-in-law, V. Rex (Ruth) Pitsenbarger, Don Meyer, Dale Helman; sisters-in-law, Margaret Treon, Phyllis (Ted) Feragne, Velura Cowan, Lois Pitsenbarger; and several nieces and nephews. Edison Community College in Piqua, Ohio, awards the Pitsenbarger Scholarship to two full-time students per year who can show financial need. Airman Pitsenbarger is the 59th Medal of Honor recipient, and sixth enlisted recipient, from the Air Force and its predecessor organizations. Only U.S. Air Force HH-43 Huskie helicopters with cables and winches could hoist the injured from the jungle. Funeral Home website by. 3201 Leadership DriveGloucester, VA 23061(804) 693-2210, Copyright 2020The Gloucester Institute. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. 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. She then became the Nova Net Director in 2010 to help students with credit recovery and online learning. In 2005, the State of Ohio designated State Route 48 as the "U.S.A.F. 0 Comment 1 View After 34 years, Pitsenbarger's heroic actions had finally received full recognition. in memory of MIRIAM Y. PITSENBARGER, please visit our floral store. Judy Meckstroth, who worked with him at a local supermarket when he was in high school, said he loved to play poker, was a ladies man, won dance contests, and showed concern for other people, both young and old. For the next hour and a half, Pitsenbarger tended to the wounded soldiers, hacking splints out of snarled vines and building improvised stretchers out of saplings. In the early 1990s, the classmates started a campaign to convince the Pentagon he deserved the medal. The next day one of Pitsenbargers best friends, Henry J. OBeirne of Huntsville, Ala., a former Air Force pararescueman who had served with him and been his bunkmate, recovered his body. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Veterans of Company C felt so strongly about the 21-year-old airmans heroism that theyalong with his former Air Force colleagues, his high school classmates and his hometown chamber of commerceworked for more than three decades to see that he finally received, posthumously, the nations highest award for valor. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Airman Pitsenbarger stayed behind, on the ground, to perform medical duties. (U.S. Air Force photo), A1C William Pitsenbarger with an M-16 outside the HH-43. Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001 Index and images of death records from county courthouses. Rather than escape with the last Huskie, Pitsenbarger chose to stay on the ground and aid the wounded. The film opens in theaters nationwide Thursday, Jan. 23. [8] During the same ceremony he was also posthumously promoted to the rank of Staff sergeant. All had wondered for years why the Medal of Honor had not been awarded to Pitsenbarger. Also present were several of his school classmates and some of his Air Force friends, all of whom had worked to get him the medal. She was born January 13, 1931 in Piqua to the late Melvin R. and Evada (Bryant) Coburn. We were getting pounded so bad that I could only lie on the ground for cover. On April 7, 2001, Piqua held a community celebration of Pitsenbargers life and heroism, marked by the unveiling of a replica of an Ohio historical marker. David Fishback officiating. His bravery and determination exemplify the highest professional standards and traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Air Force. His personal choice toget on the ground to help the wounded is undoubtedly one of the bravest things Ive ever seen, said Peters. To send flowers Burial will follow at Miami Memorial Park, Covington. Weapons, Combat Search and Rescue in Southeast Asia. Edison Community College in Piqua, Ohio, awards the Pitsenbarger Scholarship to two full-time students per year who can show financial need. Born: July 8, 1944, Piqua, Ohio Citation: 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. Notice:Visitors may be filmed, photographed or recorded by the U.S. Air Force for educational and promotional uses, including for posting on public websites and social media. SEND FLOWERS. 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. Return to the home page. [1][2] He was initially posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor.[3]. Biography Pitsenbarger was born in 1944 and grew up in Piqua, Ohio, a small town near Dayton. [CDATA[// >