Local History Department

    William H. Pitsenbarger was born in Piqua, Ohio July 8, 1944.  His parents were William and Irene Pitsenbarger of  626 Gordon Street.  He attended Piqua public schools and participated in the Vocational Industrial Club, intramural sports, and wrestling.  He graduated from Piqua High School in 1962 and worked at Kroger grocery store until enlisting in the Air Force December 31, 1963.  He trained in para rescue at various bases stateside, then left for Vietnam August 7, 1963.  By April 1966, Airman First Class Pitsenbarger had completed close to three hundred missions in Vietnam.  On April 11, 1966 he participated in a mission near Cam My.  He rode a hoist 100 feet down from a helicopter to coordinate rescue operations on the ground and elected to remain with the wounded under heavy sniper and mortar fire.  He was killed while distributing rifles to the defenders.     William H. Pitsenbarger was the first Airman to receive the Air Force Cross.  He also received the Medal of Honor in December 2000.  Locally, Piqua has honored him with the dedication of the William H. Pitsenbarger Sports Complex.  In May 1993,   an Ohio Historical Marker at Veteran's Memorial Park in April 2001, and a  scholarship fund in his name at Edison Community College.  William Pitsenbarger is remembered by his high school classmates as a warm and outgoing man, and by his Air Force comrades as someone "...always willing to get in the thick of the action where he could be the most help."   

    See more information about the Para-Rescuemen in the link below.

PJs link