Campaign for the Medal of Honor Memorial

Airman First Class William (Bill) H. Pitsenbarger of Piqua was the most recent Dayton-area recipient of the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously to him on December 8, 2000. Pitsenbarger graduated from Piqua Central High School in 1962 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1963. In his first eight months in Vietnam, Bill went on 250 rescue missions, most conducted under fire from enemy forces. During his last mission in April 1966, while under heavy enemy fire, Bill descended 100 feet from a helicopter to rescue the soldiers under attack. As the battle raged on, he refused to leave as he helped wounded soldiers and distributed ammunition until he was mortally wounded in combat.

Army Specialist Four Joseph Guy LaPointe Jr. sacrificed his life while attempting to save the lives of fellow soldiers. LaPointe was a 1966 graduate of Northridge High School and was called to serve in the Vietnam War in 1968 and trained to become a combat medic who would treat and defend soldiers wounded in battle. In June 1969, LaPointe’s unit came under fire. During the initial assault, two men in LaPointe’s unit were seriously wounded. They called for aid and LaPointe crawled through an area of heavy fire to reach them, within full view of an enemy bunker. LaPointe shielded the wounded men with his body and began to administer first aid. After being struck twice, he managed to crawl back to the wounded men and shield them from incoming fire.

Corporal Anthony (Tony) Michael Stein served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Stein joined the ParaMarines and was deployed to the Pacific Theater where he became an expert sniper. In February 1945, Stein’s Marine Division was the first to land on Iwo Jima when it was attacked. Stein located the enemy by standing up in plain view, receiving fire, and would then carry his modified machine gun (called the Stinger) to launch assaults on enemy positions. The day Stein earned the Medal of Honor he ran back to the beach to reload his Stinger eight times, each time carrying a wounded man or helping one to an aid station. Described as a “one man wrecking crew,” Stein was killed in combat on March 1, 1945, on Iwo Jima.

Honorary Co-Chairs

Mohamed Al-Hamdani
Cassie Barlow
Amanda Wright Lane
Chris Kershner
Mayor Jeffrey Mims
Judge Walter Rice

Campaign Co-Chairs

Brandon McClain
Bryan Suddith

Fundraising Cabinet and Planning Committee

Kim Frisco
John Gower, ad hoc
Karla Garrett Harshaw
Dan Kirkpatrick
Cindy LaPointe-Dafler
Sue McGatha
Merle Wilberding