Ohio's Aviation Heritage Audio Tour

Walk past the Bob Hope exhibit and through the connecting link. Turn left and go to the Combat Search and Rescue exhibit in the Southeast Asia War Gallery. Pararescueman William H. Pitsenbarger, who was born in Piqua wanted to quit high school to join the U.S. Army Special Forces’ Green Berets. His parents convinced him to stay in school, and after graduating in 1962, Pitsenbarger joined the Air Force. Arriving in Vietnam in August 1965, Pitsenbarger completed more than 250 missions, including one in which he hung from an HH-43’s cable to rescue a wounded South Vietnamese soldier from a burning minefield. This action earned him the Airman’s Medal and the Republic of Vietnam’s Medal of Military Merit and Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm. William H. Pitsenbarger was only 21 years old when he was killed in action. But in his short life and heroic Air Force career, Pitsenbarger was an example of dedication, compassion and tenacity for all those with whom he served. In his work, and especially on his final m