Richard A. Pittman

Breaking an ambush to protect wounded Marines

Richard Allan Pittman earned the Medal of Honor near the demilitarized zone in South Vietnam on July 24, 1966. Serving as a lance corporal with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, he rushed forward when the company’s leading elements were ambushed on a jungle trail.

Pittman exchanged his rifle for a machine gun and ammunition, silenced enemy positions and continued toward wounded Marines. Facing a frontal attack, he fired from the trail until his weapon became ineffective. He then used a captured submachine gun and a fallen Marine’s pistol before throwing his last grenade and rejoining his platoon. His actions disrupted the attack and protected wounded comrades.

Born in French Camp, California, on May 26, 1945, Pittman received the medal from President Lyndon B. Johnson at the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes on May 14, 1968. He died in Stockton on October 13, 2016, and is buried at Cherokee Memorial Park in Lodi, California.

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While Company I was conducting an 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 force. Hearing the engaged marines' calls for more firepower, Sgt. 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 small-arms fire at point-blank range during his advance, he returned the fire, silencing the enemy position. As Sgt. Pittman continued to forge forward to aid members of the leading platoon, he again came under heavy fire from two automatic weapons which he promptly destroyed. Learning that there were additional wounded marines 50 yards further along the trail, he braved a withering hail of enemy mortar 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 safety, he calmly established a position in the middle of the trail and raked the advancing enemy with devastating machine-gun fire. His weapon rendered ineffective, he picked up an enemy 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 grenade which he hurled at the enemy, he then rejoined his platoon. Sgt. 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 to himself reflects the highest credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the U.S. Naval Service.