SGT Ryan Pitts to be awarded the Medal of Honor
The White House has released the announcement that the Medal of Honor will be awarded to Sergeant Ryan M. Pitts of 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, serving as the Forward Observer at the Battle of Wanat in Afghanistan on July 13, 2008. The award will be made on July 21, 2014 at the White House;
Staff Sergeant Pitts enlisted in the Army in August 2003 as a Fire Support Specialist (13F), primarily responsible for the intelligence activities of the Army’s field artillery team. After completion of training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and follow-on parachutist training at the U.S. Army Airborne School, Fort Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to Camp Ederle, Vicenza, Italy, as a radio operator with the 4th Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment and 173rd Airborne Brigade where he deployed to Afghanistan. His final assignment was with the 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment “The Rock”, 173rd Airborne Brigade as a Forward Observer which included a second combat tour to Afghanistan.
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His personal awards include the Bronze Star Medal w/ “V” Device, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal w/ three Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal with Bronze Clasp and two Loops, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Two Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral “4”, NATO Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Combat Action Badge, Pathfinder Badge and Parachutist Badge.
You can read more about his actions that day at The Army Times and Stars & Stripes.
Category: Real Soldiers
Greatest respect and congratulations to SGT Pitts.
I remain hopeful that there will one day be a living recipient of the Medal of Honor for the war in Iraq.
God Bless S/SGT!
This paragraph was particularly emotional for me:
“I crawled into the center, but there wasn’t really anything I could do for Garcia,” Pitts said. “I just laid there and held his hand. We just talked for a while. He told me he wanted me to tell his mom and wife that he loved them. I don’t know how long I stayed there for.”
HooYah Sgt … BZ!
As a former member of the 503rd Infantry (72-73), I am humbled and proud of the actions that have earned Sergeants Pitts, White and Giunta Medals of Honor, or any American service member for that matter.
But there is an obvious pattern repeated in all these recent actions has that have resulted in Medals of Honor.
Our soldiers get ordered into situations where they get isolated, outnumbered and outgunned and have to fight like LIONS to survive.
Shouldn’t the most powerful nation and military on earth make sure that whenever our soldiers are told to go in harms way….it is the enemy that is ALWAYS isolated, outnumbered and outgunned.
Amen Slick. With all our vaunted superiority we still seem hell-bent on putting our warriors unnecessarily into harm’s way with absolutely absurd rules of engagement. Where the hell are our modern Patton’s, who believe as Old Blood and Guts famously believed, that it was the job of his soldiers to make the OTHER sumbitches die for THEIR country.
All of my respect and admiration are for Sergeant Ryan M. Pitts. A true hero. God bless him.
SSGT Pitts carries on an enduring tradition. My friend and roommate in the 82d at Ft. Bragg was SSGT Charles Bedford Morris, also awarded the MoH while also serving with the 2d/503rd Airborne in Vietnam.
Staff Sergeant Pitts, I’m sure that old Command Sergeant Major would be awfully proud of you for carrying on in the finest traditions of the Sky Soldiers.
What, not SF, not a sniper, what is this man’s Army coming to. Regardless, Sierra-Hotel soldier.
Bravo Zulu, SSGT!
What an incredible read of the Staff Sergeant’s actions, unbelievably courageous and gut wrenching.
I spent a week in a tent with him in Montana, and got to see him again last month. Honestly the nicest guy you could ever meet. Ever. Just a wonderful human being.
What? You’re not going to share Pitts and Mongo stories here? LOL
Yep, he’s pretty darn awesome
No doubt. He and Mongo are pipehitters of the first order. Bob and I both feel honored to have shared a tent with such tremendous individuals. Great trip. Better men.
I love him and so many of his battle buddies. He is a very special human being.
“I feel a responsibility to tell our story, because there are nine guys that can’t,” he said.
Nuff said.
It occurs to me that there are two types of soldiers: heroes and potential heroes. The heroes are further divided into two subcategories: heroes known and those unknown. And among the heroes known there are those whose heroism is officially recognized and those whose heroism is not.
(For some reason I’m thinking of that Captain Bennie Something who wrote a piece for the WaPo that was the topic the topic of a thread here the other day.)
SSG Ryan Pitts – I speak for all 13 F’s … We’re all very proud if what you did to protect your OP. God Bless you Man, your team, unit, and your family … Take care!!