Pitsenbarger Dining Facility and nearby Airman Dormitories honor Ohio Airmen killed in action during Vietnam War

  • Published
  • By Sandy Simison
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- To honor the ultimate sacrifice for their country, Pitsenbarger Dining Facility and five dormitories were renovated in 1977 and dedicated in honor of six Ohio Airmen. 

 

Walnut plaques with sketches and biographies of the six Airmen are on permanent display in the respective buildings located in the Kittyhawk Center of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. About 450 unaccompanied Airmen, including technical school students, live in the dormitory buildings.

 

"As an NCO in the Air Force I have come to realize the importance of history and our heritage,” said Tech. Sgt. Christopher Hoopes, Airman dormitory leader. The Air Force continues to pass this on to the next generation as people become curious about the fact that many of the buildings on base have a name and not just a number attached to them. This is especially true when it comes to the buildings, such as dormitories, that will have an impact on the lives and careers of new Airmen.  I would encourage anyone who passes by and sees names on buildings to find out why."

 

Pitsenbarger dining facility in Building 1214 is dedicated in honor of Airman 1st Class William Pitsenbarger of Piqua, who is also honored on Panel 6E, Row 102 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C.

 

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.

 

Only 21 years old, he was killed in action Apr. 11, 1966 when 134 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division were surrounded by a Viet Cong battalion. Detachment 6 of the United States Air Force’s 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron received an urgent call to evacuate the wounded. Pitsenbarger was the rescue and survival specialist aboard “Pedro 73,” one of two HH-43 Huskie helicopters. He volunteered to be lowered into the firefight with a medical bag. Rather than escape with the last Huskie, Pitsenbarger chose to stay on the ground and aid the wounded as the firefight grew too intense for the helicopters to return. Pitsenbarger not only cared for the wounded, but also collected and distributed ammunition to the surviving soldiers several times under enemy fire. He was mortally wounded fighting alongside the remaining infantrymen.  Charlie Company had suffered 80 percent casualties.

 

His decorations included the Air Force Cross, Airman’s Medal, the Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart. In 2000, the Medal of Honor was awarded and presented to his family for his extraordinary heroism. 

Pleiman Hall dormitory in Building 1212 was dedicated in honor of Airman 1st Class James Pleiman of Greenville, who is also honored on Panel 6E Line 7 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

 

On Nov. 1, 1965, Pleiman was instrumental in the safe recovery of a United States Air Force RF-101 pilot from hostile waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. With complete disregard for his safety, and with armed hostile swimmers within one hundred feet of him, Pleiman jumped into the water to assist the pilot. Pleiman was classified as Killed in Action/Body not recovered. On Dec. 15, 1988, the Vietnamese turned over remains which were publicly identified as those of Pleiman.

 

His decorations included the Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

 

Prater Hall dormitory in Building 1213 is dedicated in honor of Tech. Sgt. Roy D. Prater of Tiffin who is also honored on panel 2W, row 131 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

 

On Apr. 6, 1972, Prater and five Airmen flying a combat search and rescue mission in an HH-53C Super Jolly over Quang Tri Province in Vietnam were hit by enemy ground fire and crashed. All six were found, returned to the United States, and buried at Arlington National Cemetery as a group. Through DNA testing in 2010, the Department of Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office announced that the remains were identified and were returned to the family for burial in Columbia City, Indiana.

 

Prater served in the Marine Corps before enlisting in the Air Force. His decorations included the Silver Star, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Purple Heart.

 

Willhelm Hall dormitory in Building 1215 is dedicated in honor of Staff Sgt. Frederick Wilhelm, of Cincinnati who is also honored on Panel 18W, Row 74 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

 

On Sep. 11, 1969, Wilhelm flew through extremely heavy hostile fire to successfully air drop vitally needed supplies without which the camp near Plei Djereng, Vietnam may have been overrun by the enemy. Wilhelm was killed in action when the C-7B was shot down by small arms fire.

 

His decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation medal, and the Purple Heart.

 

Lute Hall dormitory in Building 1216 was dedicated in honor of Staff Sgt. James Lute of Rushtown who is also honored on Panel 4E, Row 57 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. 

 

On Jan. 7, 1966, Lute died from injuries received in a military aircraft accident resulting from hostile action about six miles south of Pleiku in Vietnam. A veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, his decorations included the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Purple Heart.

Bldg. 1217, although no longer serviceable, is dedicated in honor of Tech. Sgt. James Locker, of Sidney who is also honored on Panel 58W, Line 010 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. His plaque is now permanently displayed in the dayroom of dormitory 1216.

 

On Jun. 9, 1968, Locker was aboard a helicopter attempting to rescue a downed pilot in one of the most heavily defended areas in Southeast Asia. He stood in the open doorway waiting to assist an endangered pilot when the helicopter was shot down by hostile fire. Locker died in the crash. He was one of the crewmen of the Jolly Green 23 listed Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered. The remains were repatriated Feb. 14, 2003, positively identified, and interred in Glen Cemetery, Port Jefferson, Ohio.

 

His decorations included the Silver Star with two oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart.