Updated with photographs (All US Army –www.army.mil):
Above:
Sgt. Ryan Pitts, left, with Sgt. Israel Garcia, who was mortally wounded during the Battle of Wanat.
Also watch video of Pitts discussing the significance of receiving the Medal for his actions during the controversial battle and read more details about Pitts’ valor here.
Original post:
The White House has announced that President Barack Obama will award Ryan M. Pitts, a former active duty Army Staff Sergeant, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry. Staff Sergeant Pitts will receive the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions while serving as a Forward Observer with 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, during combat operations at Vehicle Patrol Base Kahler, in the vicinity of Wanat Village in Kunar Province, Afghanistan on July 13, 2008.
The ceremony will take place in the White House on July 21, 2014.
Staff Sergeant Pitts will be the ninth living recipient to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. He and his family will join the President at the White House to commemorate his example of selfless service.
The following is some background on the Medal of Honor nominee.
Staff Sergeant Pitts separated from the service on October 27, 2009 from Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He currently lives in Nashua, New Hampshire, where he works in business development for the computer software industry.
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.
Sgt. Ryan Pitts, with Chosen Company, takes a break from building a traffic control point northeast of Combat Outpost Bella, Afghanistan, spring 2008. The traffic control point was on the road from COP Bella to Aranas, Afghanistan.
At the time of the July 13, 2008 combat engagement, then-Sergeant Pitts was a Forward Observer in 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade as part of Task Force Rock. His heroic actions were performed at Vehicle Patrol Base Kahler, in the vicinity of Wanat Village in Kunar Province, Afghanistan.
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.
Sgt. Ryan Pitts waits for a flight at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.
As to his actions meriting our nation’s highest military honor for valor — from Reuters:
He was serving with the 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rdAirborne Brigade, at Vehicle Patrol Base Kahler when the post was attacked by Taliban fighters who broke through U.S. lines, the Pentagon said.
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Pitts was at an observation post that was hit with small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades and hand grenades, officials said. Pitts and six other paratroopers were wounded in the initial enemy fire, the Pentagon said.
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Although he had grenade shrapnel in both legs and his left arm, he fought for more than an hour to defend his position, officials said.
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Pitts’ toughness and ability to communicate with officers under fire was crucial to thwarting enemy efforts to take the outpost, the Pentagon said. Capturing the post would have given the Taliban high ground overlooking the base, it added.
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Nine soldiers were killed in the fighting and 27 wounded, the U.S. military said. U.S. and Afghan forces withdrew from the base two days later, and the U.S. combat deaths were the most in a single battle since 2005.
As more information on this hero is made available, we will update the story.
U.S. Medal of Honor photo by Army.mil
Edited to correct a link.
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.