Photo By Tech. Sgt. Aaron Oelrich | Cory Etchberger, the son of Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger, talks to military...... read more read more
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii - Military members from Headquarters Pacific Air Forces and JBPHH gathered to honor the Air Force recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor during a rededication ceremony at Aloha Aina Park, Feb. 19, 2016.
Maj. Gen. Kevin Schneider, HPAF chief of staff, presided over the ceremony and thanked the many people from all over JBPHH who helped to make the rededication ceremony possible.
The rededicated plaque now features Chief Master Sgt. Richard Echtberger and Airman 1st Class William Pitsenbarger, who were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in the Vietnam War, in addition to the 59 names originally displayed.
“There are a lot of words to describe these two men,” said Schneider. “Heroic, brave, gallant, courageous, honorable-the list goes on. There is one word in particular that really resonates with me when I think about what these men were-selfless.”
During the ceremony, Schneider and Chief Master Sgt. Michael Atkins, HQPACAF pararescue functional area manager, honored Pitsenbarger by placing a lei atop the Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial, and Traci Megenney, Richard Etchberger’s granddaughter, and Cory Etchberger, Richard Etchberger’s son, placed a lei atop the memorial in honor of Richard Etchberger.
“This rededication was wonderful,” said Cory Etchberger. “It’s more than just my dad’s name on that plaque. It is also tribute to all the other service members and their families.”
Although there are many stories to be told about the 61 recipients of the Medal of Honor, the ceremony was to pay tribute to two of them.
Pitsenbarger was the 59th member of the U.S. Army Air Corps and Air Force to receive the nation's highest decoration for remaining behind enemy lines to treat wounded soldiers during the Vietnam War.
The 21-year-old Airman, who was assigned to Detachment 6 of the 38th Aero Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, was killed during an operation to extract Army casualties pinned down in a battle near Cam My, a few miles east of Saigon, April 11, 1966.
Pitsenbarger was originally awarded the Air Force Cross for his valor, however, the medal was later upgraded to the Congressional Medal of Honor in a ceremony Dec. 8, 2000.
Richard Etchberger was one of a team of 19 who directed 507 strike missions in North Vietnam and Laos. The strikes attracted the attention of the North Vietnamese military, which attacked the site from the air before infiltrating sniper and combat troops to surround the installation.
Etchberger and several of his colleagues were then pinned down by rifle fire and beset by grenades, which they kicked away while returning fire, displaying exceptional heroism.
Etchberger placed two comrades in the helicopter's rescue sling before bear-hugging one more into the sling and to safety. As the helicopter lifted off, it was struck with a barrage of armor-piercing fire, hitting underbelly, mortally wounding Etchberger.
He awarded the Air Force Cross for his valor, however, the medal was later upgraded to the Congressional Medal of Honor in a ceremony Sept. 21, 2010.
“These men made a commitment to putting the mission first, putting others first and to being selfless," said Schneider. “To me, this memorial and the memories of the names of the men on this plaque serve as a reminder of the power of selflessness.”
| Date Taken: | 02.19.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.24.2016 16:23 |
| Story ID: | 189979 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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