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Medal of Honor: Richard A. Pittman

Posted: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 10:00 AM by Daily Nightly Editor
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Every weekday for 110 straight days we will feature a different living recipient of the Medal of Honor. These are the men who have received their nation's highest military honor. Brian is a board member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The words and photos are courtesy of Artisan Books, publishers of Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty by Peter Collier with photographs by Nick Del Calzo.

Richard A. Pittman
Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (reinforced) FMF

Richard Pittman was fifteen years old when he heard John F. Kennedy’s “Ask not what your country can do for you” speech and decided that he would do something for his country when he got out of school. After graduating from high school in 1963, he tried to enlist in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, but he was turned down by each because he was legally blind in one eye. However, he managed to get accepted by the Marine Reserve. Then, at one meeting during his Marine recruit training, an officer asked if anyone present wanted to go on active duty. Pittman immediately raised his hand.

In the spring of 1966 Lance Corporal Pittman went to Vietnam as part of the 5th Marines. By midsummer, his unit was involved in search-and-destroy operations in the northern part of South Vietnam near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which separated the South from the North. On July 24, Pittman was at the rear of his company column near the DMZ when heavy gunfire erupted ahead. His company had been ambushed by elements of the North Vietnamese Army in one of its first major incursions into South Vietnam.

As Pittman and a Navy corpsman started forward, he almost collided with a Marine standing in the trail holding an M-60 machine gun. “You going to use this weapon?” Pittman asked. The Marine stared back blankly. Pittman grabbed the gun and several belts of ammunition and moved toward the heaviest fighting. He was surprised by the number of dead and wounded Marines littering both sides of the trail. When his helmet was shot off his head, he hit the dirt. He saw the corpsman get up and try to go to a wounded man, but he was hit and went down. As Pittman continued on, he quickly destroyed the two positions that shot at him. Then, standing up, cradling the machine gun in the crook of his arm and firing as he went, Pittman moved to the head of the column where the North Vietnamese regulars were rushing his beleaguered comrades. As he reached the position where the leading Marines had fallen, he was suddenly attacked by thirty to forty of the enemy. He calmly established a position in the middle of the trail and, with bullets whizzing past his head, he raked the advancing enemy with devastating machine-gun fire. He continued firing until he felt a concussion on his side. At first he thought he had been wounded, but his gun had been struck by enemy fire and disabled. He dropped it and picked up an AK-47 that one of the enemy soldiers had left; he continued firing until he was out of ammunition. Next he picked up a .45 pistol left by a fallen Marine and used it to kill two enemy soldiers as they were almost on top of him. Finally out of ammunition altogether, he threw his only grenade. Inexplicably, the remaining North Vietnamese retreated. Back at his own lines, he discovered that two-thirds of his company had been killed or wounded in the intense engagement.

Richard Pittman was discharged from the Marines in 1968. He was back home in Stockton, California, looking for work, when he learned that he was to receive the Medal of Honor. It was presented to him by President Lyndon Johnson at a White House ceremony on May 14, 1968. Pittman reenlisted in the Marines in 1970 and retired for good in 1988, having served for a total of twenty-one years.

 

 

 

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Lance Corporal Richard A. Pittman a man who definitely took on the enemy and won. That was amazing that he kept picking up different weapons and kept firing at the enemy and was not ever wounded. A serviceman who really deserves the Medal of Honor as each and every recipient does. We salute him proudly!  

Lisa McNeil,Alpharetta,Georgia (Sent Wednesday, September 12, 2007 5:08 PM)

The Pritzker Military Library in Chicago features free, live webcasts and archived 90 minute interviews with Medal of Honor recipients online
at www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org. On Thursday, September 13, 2007 at 6:00 cst -- a live interview with Allen J. Lynch (featured here on August 20th) is taking place.

Mark Heiden, Chicago, IL (Sent Thursday, September 13, 2007 10:33 AM)

I served in the US MARINE CORPS from 1984-1990, I had the pleasure of knowing Gunny Pittman (MPBN, Camp Pendleton,Ca)and watch from the ranks as a nervous young Captain promoted him to Master Sergeant. It has been an honor to have known and served with two MOH recipients (SgtMaj Allan Kellogg, MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hi) The Marine Corps tradition lives on through the current ranks of young men and women that defend us from harms way, I sleep better knowing your standing on that wall..SEMPER FI MARINES!!

Trooper David Ybarra, Battle Creek, MI (Michigan State Police) (Sent Monday, April 07, 2008 3:46 AM)

I had the distinct and treasured opportunity to meet Rick Pittman when he was a Marine Recruiter in Sacramento, CA.  The man and his legend will always  be a part of my life.  Unselfish, forever giving, and always feeling so many more of his comrades were worth the Medal of Honor.  Never will I know another like him.  Bless you, Rick, if you read this.  My love and respect will always be with you.  You will never know.  Take good care.  Marcia.

Marcia Parlante, Sacramento, California (Sent Thursday, May 29, 2008 7:07 PM)

To all whom have commented here, I say on behalf of all of my sisters...thank you for the pride and respect you hold for this man. We four are lucky enough to call him "Daddy", he is as great a man, father and grandfather as is, and always will be, a Marine! Semper Fi!!! Marcia...wow, I never knew if you really existed or not. ;) Thank you, for your kind words! Trooper Ybarra, thank you for carrying on your service to protect and serve outside of the Marines!

Julie Pittman, Duncan, OK (Sent Friday, September 12, 2008 12:43 PM)

This man came to my school to talk about this event and every 5 minutes he would make sure that we knew that he wasn't the only man deserving this medal. As he put it "I'm just the guy who gets to wear the medal. The real heroes are the ones that didn't come home." While this is true, he is the one who is an inspiration to me. I can't imagine being in the position he was in and taking the actions he did. It is because of men like him that our country is the way it is today. Thank you Sergeant Pittman. You are a true inspiration.

David Kelly, Aurora, Colorado (Sent Saturday, September 20, 2008 4:41 PM)

I had the honor and pleasure of calling Rick my friend when we were at Camp Pendleton.  I worked with a group of Vietnam Vets at the Naval Hospital.  Rick's courage both on and off the battlefield was an inspiration to us all.  Over the years, I have lost contact with Rick but having worked as a counselor with every branch of the service, I speak of him often.  He is still an inspiration!  God bless you, Rick.  Semper Fi!

Christine Knierim, Chicago, IL (Sent Wednesday, November 26, 2008 7:15 AM)

         I had the honor of working with then SSgt Pittman. After his return to active duty, SSgt Pittman joined the Military Police on Okinawa, at the  time  I was the Provost Sergeant. It was only the second time during my
career that i had a personal relationship with a holder of the MOH His  story is truely an inspration. George E Wilson, MGySgt USMC (Ret)

George E Wilson, Wintersville, Ohio (Sent Thursday, January 22, 2009 5:57 PM)

I was a very young green Corpsman when a Smiling happy loving Gunny Sargeant took me under his wing at Camp Pendelton Ca. I even lived with him until I transfered to another command. I didn't know anything about the CMH he had won until he was dressing for the Marine Corps Ball. He walked out wearing the medal and all I could do was stare. He laughed at me and said we would talk later. I will never forget this great man and the impact he had on my life. Thank you Richard.

James D Dunn III (Sent Thursday, May 07, 2009 2:40 PM)

I worked for Top Pittman at MCB Camp Pendleton PMO very briefly before I transferred to another unit. I knew the story involving the CMH but never asked as I thought it something he would talk about if he wanted to. One day, a new 2nd Lt reported to PMO and as he walked into the building, he caught a glimpse of the ribbon as Top was talking to the CO. The Lt walked into a closed door. Neither of them saw it happen but four of us near the hatch had to walk away as the look on the lieuteneant's face was, as they say, priceless. He's a great man, a great Marine and a credit to everything the Corps stands for. Semper Fi Top.

M.A. Williford 5811/5831 USMC (ret), Vacaville, CA (Sent Thursday, May 21, 2009 11:51 PM)



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