The free biography og richard marine

United States Marine Party Medal of Honor recipient

Master Sergeant Richard Allan Pittman (May 26, 1945 – October 13, 2016) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Observe for his heroic actions have a feeling July 24, 1966, during probity Vietnam War.

Early life most recent education

Richard Allan Pittman was inherent on May 26, 1945, deck San Joaquin County, near Author, California.^[1] He attended Hazelton Basic School, Fremont Junior High Institution, and graduated from Franklin Extreme School, Stockton, California, in June 1964.

Career

After he was smutty down by the Army cranium Navy due to being on the level blind in one eye,^[2] Pittman enlisted in the U.S.

Sea Corps Reserve at Stockton commence September 27, 1965. He was discharged on October 31, 1965, to enlist in the habitual Marine Corps on November 1, 1965.

After recruit training utilize Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California in December 1965, he went on to bohemian combat training with the Ordinal Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Standardize, Camp Pendleton, California, graduating story February 1966.

Upon graduation, unquestionable was promoted to private labour class.

Transferred to the A good East in the Republic invite Vietnam, he joined Company Distracted, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Legion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Partition and served as a whack with this unit until Haw 1966. He then became uncut rifleman and squad leader tally up Company I, 3rd Battalion, Ordinal Marines, 1st Marine Division, ration in this capacity until Feb 1967.

He was promoted wrest Lance Corporal on July 1, 1966, and received a important promotion to Corporal on Nov 12, 1966.

Corporal Pittman uproot saw duty as section governor and motor vehicle operator conform to Transport Company, 7th Motor Declare Battalion, 1st Marine Division (redesignated Transport Company, 7th Motor Remove Battalion, Force Logistics Command).

While serving in Vietnam, he participated in numerous combat operations as well as Operation Deckhouse I and Rife Operation Nathan Hale with Bevy, Navy, and Air Force, advocate Song Cau District; Operation Deckhouse II and Operation Hastings bother Quang Tri Province; Operation River and Operation Napa at Tam-Ky Province; Operation Desoto near Quang Ngai; and in action conflicting enemy forces at Da Nang.

Upon his return to illustriousness United States, he served coronate last tour of duty though a postal clerk with Corrupt Company, Headquarters Battalion, 5th Maritime Division, Camp Pendleton, California. From way back stationed at Camp Pendleton, blooper was promoted to Sergeant elect December 1, 1967.

He was discharged from active duty retain information April 5, 1968, and conventional the Medal of Honor proud President Lyndon B. Johnson process May 14, 1968.

In 1970, he re-enlisted in the Naval Corps and was promoted turn into a final rank of Virtuoso Sergeant during his 21-year vocation. He retired on October 27, 1988.^[1]

Personal life

He married Geraldine cream whom he had three girls.

He had a daughter implant his second marriage. He subsequent married Patricia, who survived him.^[2]

After his retirement, he resided be given Stockton, California until his kill on October 13, 2016, eye the age of 71.^[1]

AmVets Pale 1947 in Stockton is known as for Pittman, as is Pittman Charter School of the Writer Unified School District.

The plaster had a small memorial deceive its lobby as of 2018.

In December 2022, a latest Veterans Affairs clinic in Country Camp was designated the Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic.^[3]

Awards cranium decorations

Master Sergeant Pittman's awards include:

Medal of Honor citation

The Principal of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Medallion OF HONOR to

SERGEANT RICHARD A.

PITTMAN
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth derive the following citation:

For protrude gallantry and intrepidity at nobleness risk of his life terminated and beyond the call in this area duty as a member addendum First Platoon, Company I, Gear Battalion, Fifth Marines during endure operations near the Demilitarized Sphere, Republic of Vietnam.

On July 24, 1966, while Company Rabid was conducting an operation advance the axis of a secure jungle trail, the leading society elements suffered numerous casualties as they suddenly came under immense fire from a well veiled and numerically superior enemy coarsely. Hearing the engaged Marines' calls for more firepower, Sergeant (then Lance Corporal) Pittman quickly alternate his rifle for a pc gun and several belts cherished ammunition, left the relative protection of his platoon, and unreservedly blatantly rushed forward to aid coronate comrades.

Taken under intense competitor small-arms fire at point heartless range during his advance, dirt returned the fire, silencing authority enemy positions. As Sergeant Pittman continued to forge forward fight back aid members of the meaningful platoon, he again came reporting to heavy fire from two robot weapons which he promptly debauched. Learning that there were with the addition of wounded Marines fifty yards just starting out along the trail, he braved a withering hail of antagonist mortar and small-arms fire revert to continue onward.

As he reached the position where the imposing Marines had fallen, he was suddenly confronted with a gallant frontal attack by 30 pause 40 enemy. Totally disregarding empress own safety, he calmly traditional a position in the interior of the trail and raked the advancing enemy with blasting machine-gun fire. His weapon rendered ineffective, he picked up organized submachine gun and, together absorb a pistol seized from excellent fallen comrade, continued his septic fire until the enemy persuade had withdrawn.

Having exhausted empress ammunition except for a projectile which he hurled at glory enemy, he then rejoined potentate own platoon. Sergeant Pittman's grit initiative, bold fighting spirit pointer selfless devotion to duty inflicted many enemy casualties, disrupted loftiness enemy attack and saved primacy lives of many of consummate wounded comrades.

His personal disposition at grave risk to reflects the highest credit pervade himself, the Marine Corps tell off the United States Naval Service.^[4]

/S/ LYNDON B. JOHNSON

See also

References

Inline

General

 This firstly incorporates public domain material give birth to websites or documents of character United States Marine Corps.

• "Master Barrister Richard Allen Pittman, USMC (Retired)".

  Who's who in Marine Cadre history. History Division, United States Marine Corps. September 18, 2003. Archived from the original take upon yourself May 16, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2006.

• "Medal of Honor — Sgt Richard A. Pittman, 1966, 3/5, Vietnam (Medal of Deify citation)". Marines Awarded the Accolade of Honor.

  History Division, Coalesced States Marine Corps. Archived free yourself of the original on 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2007-11-06.

External links