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| Located in the Valley of the Jolly Green Giant, Western Ohio |
| The Official Website of the USAF Pararescue Memorial Parkway |
| Developed by CheapWebsiteGuy.com |
Our Links:
- Medal of Honor Citation
- Ohio’s House of Representatives Proclamation
- Pitsenbarger's Final Mission
Other Website Links:
- www.virtualwall.org/dp/PitsenbargerWH01a.htm
- www.angelfire.com/mo2/Mudsoldiers/Pitsenbarger.html
- www.mishalov.com/Pitsenbarger.html
- Medal of Honor Citation
- Ohio’s House of Representatives Proclamation
- Pitsenbarger's Final Mission
Other Website Links:
- www.virtualwall.org/dp/PitsenbargerWH01a.htm
- www.angelfire.com/mo2/Mudsoldiers/Pitsenbarger.html
- www.mishalov.com/Pitsenbarger.html
| William "Bill" Pitsenbarger's Page |
Staff Sergeant William H. Pitenbarger
Killed in Action: April 11, 1966
SSgt William H. Pitsenbarger, 21 years old of Piqua, Ohio, was killed while defending some of his
wounded comrades. For his bravery and sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the nation's highest
military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
"Pits", as he was known to his friends, was nearing his 300th combat mission on that fateful day when
some men of the U.S. Army's 1st Division were ambushed and pinned down in an area about 45 miles
east of Saigon. Two HH-43 "Huskie" helicopters of the USAF's 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery
Squadron were rushed to the scene to lift out the wounded. Pits was a pararescueman (PJ) on one of
them (similar to the one pictured above). Upon reaching the site of the ambush, Pits was lowered
through the trees to the ground where he attended to the wounded before having them lifted to the
helicopter by cable. After six wounded men had been flown to an aid station, the two USAF
helicopters returned for their second loads. As one of them 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. When its engine began to lose power, the pilot realized he had to get the Huskie away
from the area as soon as possible. Instead of climbing into the litter basket so he could leave with the
helicopter, Pits elected to remain with the Army troops under enemy attack and he gave a "wave-off"
to the helicopter which flew away to safety.
Pits continued to treat the wounded and, when the others began running low on ammunition, he
gathered ammo clips from the dead and distributed them to those still alive. Then, he joined the
others with a rifle to hold off the Viet Cong. About 7:30 PM that evening, Bill Pitsenbarger was killed
by Viet Cong snipers. When his body was recovered the next day, one hand still held a rifle and the
other a medical kit.
SSgT William H. Pitsenbarger, was a PJ who participated in more than 300 rescue missions. In
Vietnam, PJs - all volunteers - earned more decorations per capita than any other group of USAF
personnel.
Killed in Action: April 11, 1966
SSgt William H. Pitsenbarger, 21 years old of Piqua, Ohio, was killed while defending some of his
wounded comrades. For his bravery and sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the nation's highest
military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
"Pits", as he was known to his friends, was nearing his 300th combat mission on that fateful day when
some men of the U.S. Army's 1st Division were ambushed and pinned down in an area about 45 miles
east of Saigon. Two HH-43 "Huskie" helicopters of the USAF's 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery
Squadron were rushed to the scene to lift out the wounded. Pits was a pararescueman (PJ) on one of
them (similar to the one pictured above). Upon reaching the site of the ambush, Pits was lowered
through the trees to the ground where he attended to the wounded before having them lifted to the
helicopter by cable. After six wounded men had been flown to an aid station, the two USAF
helicopters returned for their second loads. As one of them 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. When its engine began to lose power, the pilot realized he had to get the Huskie away
from the area as soon as possible. Instead of climbing into the litter basket so he could leave with the
helicopter, Pits elected to remain with the Army troops under enemy attack and he gave a "wave-off"
to the helicopter which flew away to safety.
Pits continued to treat the wounded and, when the others began running low on ammunition, he
gathered ammo clips from the dead and distributed them to those still alive. Then, he joined the
others with a rifle to hold off the Viet Cong. About 7:30 PM that evening, Bill Pitsenbarger was killed
by Viet Cong snipers. When his body was recovered the next day, one hand still held a rifle and the
other a medical kit.
SSgT William H. Pitsenbarger, was a PJ who participated in more than 300 rescue missions. In
Vietnam, PJs - all volunteers - earned more decorations per capita than any other group of USAF
personnel.
