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operation along the axis of a narrow jungle trail, the leading company elements suffered numerous casualties when they suddenly came under heavy fire from a well concealed and numerically superior enemy force. Hearing the engaged
Marines' calls for more firepower, Sergeant (then Lance Corporal) Pittman quickly exchanged his rifle for a machine gun and several belts of ammunition, left the relative safety of his platoon, and unhesitatingly rushed forward to aid his comrades. Taken under intense enemy
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which he hurled at the enemy, he then rejoined his own platoon. Sergeant
Pittman's daring initiative, bold fighting spirit and selfless devotion to duty inflicted many enemy casualties, disrupted the enemy attack and saved the lives of many of his wounded comrades. His personal valor at grave risk
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and small-arms fire to continue onward. As he reached the position where the leading
Marines had fallen, he was suddenly confronted with a bold frontal attack by 30 to 40 enemy. Totally disregarding his own safety, he calmly established a position in the middle of the trail and raked the advancing
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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a member of First
Platoon, Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines during combat operations near the Demilitarized Zone, Republic of Vietnam. On July 24, 1966, while Company I was conducting an
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enemy with devastating machine-gun fire. His weapon rendered ineffective, he picked up a submachine gun and, together with a pistol seized from a fallen comrade, continued his lethal fire until the enemy force had withdrawn. Having exhausted his ammunition except for a
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Upon his return to the United States, he served his last tour of duty as a postal clerk with
Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, 5th Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California. While stationed at Camp Pendleton, he was promoted to
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Corporal
Pittman next saw duty as section leader and motor vehicle operator with Transport Company, 7th Motor Transport Battalion, 1st Marine Division (redesignated Transport Company, 7th Motor Transport Battalion, Force Logistics Command).
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fire at point blank range during his advance, he returned the fire, silencing the enemy positions. As
Sergeant Pittman continued to forge forward to aid members of the leading platoon, he again came under heavy fire from two
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with this unit until May 1966. He then became a rifleman and squad leader with
Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, serving in this capacity until February 1967. He was promoted to
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AmVets Post 1947 in
Stockton is named for Pittman, as is Pittman Charter School of the Stockton Unified School District. The latter had a small memorial in its lobby as of 2018.
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which he promptly destroyed. Learning that there were additional wounded
Marines fifty yards further along the trail, he braved a withering hail of enemy
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193:. He attended Hazelton Elementary School, Fremont Junior High School, and graduated from Franklin High School, Stockton, California, in June 1964.
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He married Geraldine with whom he had three girls. He had a daughter from his second marriage. He later married Patricia, who survived him.
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on December 1, 1967. He was discharged from active duty on April 5, 1968, and received the Medal of Honor from President
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After his retirement, he resided in Stockton, California until his death on October 13, 2016, at the age of 71.
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After he was turned down by the Army and Navy due to being legally blind in one eye, Pittman enlisted in the
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683:"Medal of Honor — Sgt Richard A. Pittman, 1966, 3/5, Vietnam (Medal of Honor citation)"
610:"Medal of Honor — Sgt Richard A. Pittman, 1966, 3/5, Vietnam (Medal of Honor citation)"
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at Stockton on September 27, 1965. He was discharged on October 31, 1965, to enlist in the
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665:. History Division, United States Marine Corps. September 18, 2003. Archived from
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While serving in Vietnam, he participated in numerous combat operations including
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In 1970, he re-enlisted in the Marine Corps and was promoted to a final rank of
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224:, California, graduating in February 1966. Upon graduation, he was promoted to
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to himself reflects the highest credit upon himself, the Marine Corps and the
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Richard Allan Pittman was born on May 26, 1945, in San Joaquin County, near
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near Quang Ngai; and in action against enemy forces at Da Nang.
714:"Vietnam 40 Years Ago: Operation Hastings: The War Moves North"
544:"Medal of Honor Recipient Richard A. Pittman Passes Away at 71"
728:. Describes LCPL Pittman's actions during Operation Hastings.
689:. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from
616:. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from
584:"President approves naming of VA clinic after local war hero"
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during his 21-year career. He retired on October 27, 1988.
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on July 1, 1966, and received a meritorious promotion to
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United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War
659:"Master Sergeant Richard Allen Pittman, USMC (Retired)"
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with Army, Navy, and Air Force, at Song Cau District;
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Pritzker Military Museum & Library (April 2009).
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List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
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United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers
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United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients
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for service as set forth in the following citation:
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for his heroic actions on July 24, 1966, during the
438:takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
327:In December 2022, a new Veterans Affairs clinic in
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United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient
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331:was designated the Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic.
235:, he joined Company I, Battalion Landing Team
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788:Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor
35:Richard A. Pittman, Medal of Honor recipient
718:Leatherneck Magazine, Volume LXXXIX, No. 7
566:"Gilbert: Community loses a military hero"
339:Master Sergeant Pittman's awards include:
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169:(May 26, 1945 – October 13, 2016) was a
88:Cherokee Memorial Park, Lodi, California
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218:Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego
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231:Transferred to the Far East in the
793:Military personnel from California
687:Marines Awarded the Medal of Honor
648:from websites or documents of the
614:Marines Awarded the Medal of Honor
422:Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
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663:Who's who in Marine Corps history
509:List of Medal of Honor recipients
773:People from Stockton, California
644: This article incorporates
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712:Lehrack, Otto J. (July 2006).
436:President of the United States
375:National Defense Service Medal
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474:United States Naval Service
442:SERGEANT RICHARD A. PITTMAN
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650:United States Marine Corps
445:UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
237:3rd Battalion, 5th Marines
138:3rd Battalion, 5th Marines
110:United States Marine Corps
203:U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
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734:"Interview with Pittman"
409:(with two bronze stars)
185:Early life and education
430:Medal of Honor citation
346:USMC good conduct medal
279:in Quang Tri Province;
62:San Joaquin, California
646:public domain material
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335:Awards and decorations
273:Operation Deckhouse II
256:on November 12, 1966.
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407:Vietnam Service Medal
269:Operation Nathan Hale
265:Operation Deckhouse I
209:on November 1, 1965.
167:Richard Allan Pittman
116:Years of service
44:Richard Allan Pittman
343:Combat action ribbon
287:at Tam-Ky Province;
207:regular Marine Corps
191:Stockton, California
171:United States Marine
119:1965-1968, 1970-1988
78:Stockton, California
590:. December 23, 2022
241:1st Marine Division
233:Republic of Vietnam
226:private first class
281:Operation Colorado
277:Operation Hastings
23:Richard A. Pittman
482:LYNDON B. JOHNSON
460:automatic weapons
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303:on May 14, 1968.
301:Lyndon B. Johnson
173:who received the
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546:. Archived from
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289:Operation Desoto
243:and served as a
214:recruit training
165:Master Sergeant
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71:October 13, 2016
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73:(2016-10-13)
59:May 26, 1945
763:2016 deaths
758:1945 births
329:French Camp
179:Vietnam War
148:Vietnam War
752:Categories
739:2014-09-09
723:2006-07-17
697:2007-11-06
624:2007-11-06
520:References
455:small-arms
267:and Joint
94:Allegiance
55:1945-05-26
41:Birth name
487:See also
297:Sergeant
254:Corporal
245:rifleman
104:Service/
673:July 3,
636:General
469:grenade
216:at the
525:Inline
464:mortar
212:After
197:Career
154:Awards
106:branch
675:2006
596:2022
480:/S/
434:The
283:and
275:and
134:Unit
124:Rank
68:Died
49:Born
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556:^
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
