May 28, 2024 • 10 mins
On this episode of Our American Stories, Sergeant Ryan Pitts earned our nation’s highest award for valor for his extraordinary actions during one of the bloodiest battles in Afghanistan. Hear him celebrate his brothers in arms, because, as he says about the Medal: “It is ours, not mine.”
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
And we continue with our American stories, and on this
special Memorial Day edition, we remember in honor the men
and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.
This next story is from Afghanistan and from one of
the bloodiest battles of that war. In July of two
thousand and eight, American and Afghan forces moved into Wannat,
(00:36):
a village in a valley in northeastern Afghanistan, to lay
the foundation for economic and security improvements throughout the region.
Working in brutal heat with very few supplies, the soldiers
did the best they could to fortify a vehicle patrol
base in a nearby observation post. They named the base
in honor of their former platoon sergeant killed earlier in
(00:59):
the year, Matthew Kaylor, and they called the smaller observation
post on a nearby ridge, op topside. Between the two positions,
there were forty eight US service members. As the sun
was barely coming up over the mountains on their fifth day,
two hundred, possibly as many as five hundred Taliban fighters
launched a complex and sustained attack. The opening salvo of
(01:22):
rocket propelled grenades struck op topside, inflicting heavy casualties and
knocking Sergeant Ryan Pitts to the ground. The sergeant knew
that if Op Topside fell, the enemy would move in
and use this fortified higher ground to rain fire on
the main body of Americans below. So, despite bleeding heavily
(01:43):
from his left arm and both legs, Pits took control
of the post and returned fire. When the enemy closed in,
Sergeant Pitts started cooking off grenades, holding the live explosives
in his hands for several seconds so they would explode
on impact and could not be thrown back. Unable to
stand and near death, he crawled to a nearby radio
(02:06):
to call in fire support. Enemy fighters were so close
that they could hear Pits whisper into the radio. For
all these actions and more, Sergeant Ryan Pitts was presented
our nation's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor,
standing before a room full of other Medal of Honor recipients.
Here's how this proud member of second Platoon, Chosen Company,
(02:30):
second Battalion Airborne, five hundred and third Infantry Regiment, known
as the Rock, began his speech.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
I stand here in awe of the men I served with.
It was the honor of my life to answer the
call and serve our country alongside the men of Chosen Company.
There were many factors that brought us together and motivated
us to fight. For me, it was my love for
our country and dedication to my brothers in my combat experience.
The latter is the one guiding principle that us through battle.
(03:01):
It was the men to our left and right that
compelled us to fight with everything we had. There was
an absolute duty to be your brother's keeper, a sentiment
that I think we all shared. My favorite quote that
embodied our dedication is ironically captured in a brief passage
from Stephen Pressfield's The Afghan Campaign. It reads of one thing.
I'm certain I will die before I let harm come
(03:23):
to him. The shaft that impales him must first pass
through my flesh. I saw the greatest men I have
ever known personify this passage, men who placed themselves between
us and the enemy to protect and defend their brothers
our fall, and exemplified this most greatly as they fought
to their last breaths to ensure that the rest of
us could return home. They are the real heroes, and
(03:45):
it is their names you should know. Specialist Sergio abad
Corporal Jonathan Ayers, Corporal Jason Bogar, First Lieutenant Jonathan Brostrom,
Sergeant Israel Garcia, Corporal Jason Hovader, Corporal Matthew Phillips, Corporal
Brute Rainey, and corporal gunners Willing. These men and so
(04:07):
many others displayed extraordinary acts of valley that day, and
when no one man carried the fight, we did it together.
Chavez was shot through both legs helping pull a mortally
wounded Abod to cover Davis Krupa, Hanby Meyer Grapes in Santiago.
Man critically important weapon systems that were heavily targeted by
(04:28):
the enemy. Many men, including Sons and Meyer, exposed themselves
to direct enemy fire to reload these weapon systems that
were so important to our defense. One man picked up
an unexploded missile that landed in a fighting position after
being ejected from a destroyed vehicle. He ran the missile
into the open so soldiers could continue to occupy the
position in the process, exposing himself to direct enemy fire.
(04:53):
Denton stood and returned fire, despite being wounded in both
legs and his dominant right hand. Bogar returned fire, stopping
only to apply medical aid to me and others before
returning to the fight. In the beginning moments of the fight,
Matt Phillips immediately returned fire and threw a hand grenade
to engage the enemy and repel their assault. Ayers was
(05:15):
heavily targeted while continuously firing his machine gun in the
face of an overwhelming volume of enemy fire. Despite already
being struck in the helmet by an enemy round, Lieutenant
Brostrom and Ovader braved withering enemy fire, covering more than
one hundred meters to help reinforce and defend Op Topside.
Rainy helped manage the fight at Op Topside, distributing AMMO
(05:36):
and shifting weapons systems. In the second wave of reinforcements, Samuru, Garcia, Denton,
and Sones maneuvered to save my life and defend Op Topside,
where four paratroopers had been wounded and where airs Bogar,
Lieutenant Brostrom, Hovader, Phillips, Ranians Willing had given their lives
in our defense. They came to help me despite the
(05:58):
danger of their own lives. Saving my life cost Garcia
his own. You must ask yourself, how did these men
do it or what compelled them to take these actions. Again,
we returned to our dedication to our brothers. We were
a family whose bonds were forged in the fires of combat.
Our brothers' lives were more important than our own. If
they were in a fight, then we wanted to be there.
(06:20):
They would never stand alone. I have seen so much
valor displayed by my brothers that I cannot even begin
to scratch the surface and the short time I have today. Rather,
I will spend a lifetime telling their stories to honor
their heroic deeds. This is a responsibility that accompanies the award,
a responsibility that has been easier to accept knowing that
the award belongs to every man I fought alongside. While
(06:44):
the medal of Honor is awarded to an individual, it
has felt like anything but an individual achievement. It is ours,
not mine. I will wear it for everyone there that day,
especially those we couldn't bring home. The metal represents our
self sacrifices and those of every service member, and will
forever serve as a memorial to the fallen. I will
(07:06):
never view myself as a recipient, but always as a caretaker.
The word hero often accompanies the award. I don't care
for the term I never have. It is a distinction
I have always felt was reserved for those that make
the ultimate sacrifice. However, I am humbled and honored to
(07:26):
look at my brothers and see men I consider my
personal heroes, men I look up to to every man
who fought that day, every man who came to our aid,
every leader and peer I ever had. It has been
the honor of my life to serve and fight alongside
you and all the brothers we lost, my family, and
(07:47):
I cannot thank you enough for all you have done
for me and our country. I owe you a debt
I can never repay. I honor you. Please stand and
be recognized.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
And with those words, several rows of American infantrymen, engineers,
helicopter pilots, and Moore stood as Ryan Pitts applauded them.
The Medal of Honor recipient then continued.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
To the families and loved ones of Sergio Abad, Jonathan Ayers,
Jason Bogar, Jonathan Brostrom, Israel Garcia, Jason Hovader, Matthew Phillips, Prute, Rainey,
and Gunner's Willing. I have thought about them and their
sacrifices every day. I will for the rest of my life.
(08:42):
And I am not alone. You raised, molded, and loved
incredible men. Many of the men present in this room
are here because of their actions, actions that changed the
course of history for us, actions that gave the rest
of us a second chance. On Lucas exists because of them,
as do many other men's children. I promised that my
(09:05):
son will grow up appreciating the sacrifices of men he
never knew. I missed them dearly. But it is awe
inspiring that such men lived. They were professionals, they were warriors.
Thank you chosen few the Rock.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
And you were listening to Sergeant Ryan Pitts, Medal of
Honor recipient, But if you noticed, he mentioned all of
his fellow soldiers names again and again, and all of
those men well easton Sergeant Ryan Pitts's eyes, they were
recipients too. By the way, he hated the word hero,
said it himself. I don't care for the term. I
(09:43):
never have. The Rock, by the way, is a reference
to their regiment, the legendary five hundred and third. During
World War Two, when most of the airborne units were
in Europe, the five hundred and third was the first
to fight in the Pacific. They jumped on the Japanese
fortress Corregador, known as the Rock, and they've kept that
nickname ever since, connecting the past to the present and
(10:06):
the future. And these guys are historians, a lot of them,
at least when it comes to the military. They know
the tradition, the rich tradition, and all of those who
serve before them. Celebrating Medal of Honor recipient Ryan Pitts
and all of his fellow warriors, his brothers in arms.
This is our American stories.
And we continue with our American stories, and on this
special Memorial Day edition, we remember in honor the men
and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.
This next story is from Afghanistan and from one of
the bloodiest battles of that war. In July of two
thousand and eight, American and Afghan forces moved into Wannat,
(00:36):
a village in a valley in northeastern Afghanistan, to lay
the foundation for economic and security improvements throughout the region.
Working in brutal heat with very few supplies, the soldiers
did the best they could to fortify a vehicle patrol
base in a nearby observation post. They named the base
in honor of their former platoon sergeant killed earlier in
(00:59):
the year, Matthew Kaylor, and they called the smaller observation
post on a nearby ridge, op topside. Between the two positions,
there were forty eight US service members. As the sun
was barely coming up over the mountains on their fifth day,
two hundred, possibly as many as five hundred Taliban fighters
launched a complex and sustained attack. The opening salvo of
(01:22):
rocket propelled grenades struck op topside, inflicting heavy casualties and
knocking Sergeant Ryan Pitts to the ground. The sergeant knew
that if Op Topside fell, the enemy would move in
and use this fortified higher ground to rain fire on
the main body of Americans below. So, despite bleeding heavily
(01:43):
from his left arm and both legs, Pits took control
of the post and returned fire. When the enemy closed in,
Sergeant Pitts started cooking off grenades, holding the live explosives
in his hands for several seconds so they would explode
on impact and could not be thrown back. Unable to
stand and near death, he crawled to a nearby radio
(02:06):
to call in fire support. Enemy fighters were so close
that they could hear Pits whisper into the radio. For
all these actions and more, Sergeant Ryan Pitts was presented
our nation's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor,
standing before a room full of other Medal of Honor recipients.
Here's how this proud member of second Platoon, Chosen Company,
(02:30):
second Battalion Airborne, five hundred and third Infantry Regiment, known
as the Rock, began his speech.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
I stand here in awe of the men I served with.
It was the honor of my life to answer the
call and serve our country alongside the men of Chosen Company.
There were many factors that brought us together and motivated
us to fight. For me, it was my love for
our country and dedication to my brothers in my combat experience.
The latter is the one guiding principle that us through battle.
(03:01):
It was the men to our left and right that
compelled us to fight with everything we had. There was
an absolute duty to be your brother's keeper, a sentiment
that I think we all shared. My favorite quote that
embodied our dedication is ironically captured in a brief passage
from Stephen Pressfield's The Afghan Campaign. It reads of one thing.
I'm certain I will die before I let harm come
(03:23):
to him. The shaft that impales him must first pass
through my flesh. I saw the greatest men I have
ever known personify this passage, men who placed themselves between
us and the enemy to protect and defend their brothers
our fall, and exemplified this most greatly as they fought
to their last breaths to ensure that the rest of
us could return home. They are the real heroes, and
(03:45):
it is their names you should know. Specialist Sergio abad
Corporal Jonathan Ayers, Corporal Jason Bogar, First Lieutenant Jonathan Brostrom,
Sergeant Israel Garcia, Corporal Jason Hovader, Corporal Matthew Phillips, Corporal
Brute Rainey, and corporal gunners Willing. These men and so
(04:07):
many others displayed extraordinary acts of valley that day, and
when no one man carried the fight, we did it together.
Chavez was shot through both legs helping pull a mortally
wounded Abod to cover Davis Krupa, Hanby Meyer Grapes in Santiago.
Man critically important weapon systems that were heavily targeted by
(04:28):
the enemy. Many men, including Sons and Meyer, exposed themselves
to direct enemy fire to reload these weapon systems that
were so important to our defense. One man picked up
an unexploded missile that landed in a fighting position after
being ejected from a destroyed vehicle. He ran the missile
into the open so soldiers could continue to occupy the
position in the process, exposing himself to direct enemy fire.
(04:53):
Denton stood and returned fire, despite being wounded in both
legs and his dominant right hand. Bogar returned fire, stopping
only to apply medical aid to me and others before
returning to the fight. In the beginning moments of the fight,
Matt Phillips immediately returned fire and threw a hand grenade
to engage the enemy and repel their assault. Ayers was
(05:15):
heavily targeted while continuously firing his machine gun in the
face of an overwhelming volume of enemy fire. Despite already
being struck in the helmet by an enemy round, Lieutenant
Brostrom and Ovader braved withering enemy fire, covering more than
one hundred meters to help reinforce and defend Op Topside.
Rainy helped manage the fight at Op Topside, distributing AMMO
(05:36):
and shifting weapons systems. In the second wave of reinforcements, Samuru, Garcia, Denton,
and Sones maneuvered to save my life and defend Op Topside,
where four paratroopers had been wounded and where airs Bogar,
Lieutenant Brostrom, Hovader, Phillips, Ranians Willing had given their lives
in our defense. They came to help me despite the
(05:58):
danger of their own lives. Saving my life cost Garcia
his own. You must ask yourself, how did these men
do it or what compelled them to take these actions. Again,
we returned to our dedication to our brothers. We were
a family whose bonds were forged in the fires of combat.
Our brothers' lives were more important than our own. If
they were in a fight, then we wanted to be there.
(06:20):
They would never stand alone. I have seen so much
valor displayed by my brothers that I cannot even begin
to scratch the surface and the short time I have today. Rather,
I will spend a lifetime telling their stories to honor
their heroic deeds. This is a responsibility that accompanies the award,
a responsibility that has been easier to accept knowing that
the award belongs to every man I fought alongside. While
(06:44):
the medal of Honor is awarded to an individual, it
has felt like anything but an individual achievement. It is ours,
not mine. I will wear it for everyone there that day,
especially those we couldn't bring home. The metal represents our
self sacrifices and those of every service member, and will
forever serve as a memorial to the fallen. I will
(07:06):
never view myself as a recipient, but always as a caretaker.
The word hero often accompanies the award. I don't care
for the term I never have. It is a distinction
I have always felt was reserved for those that make
the ultimate sacrifice. However, I am humbled and honored to
(07:26):
look at my brothers and see men I consider my
personal heroes, men I look up to to every man
who fought that day, every man who came to our aid,
every leader and peer I ever had. It has been
the honor of my life to serve and fight alongside
you and all the brothers we lost, my family, and
(07:47):
I cannot thank you enough for all you have done
for me and our country. I owe you a debt
I can never repay. I honor you. Please stand and
be recognized.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
And with those words, several rows of American infantrymen, engineers,
helicopter pilots, and Moore stood as Ryan Pitts applauded them.
The Medal of Honor recipient then continued.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
To the families and loved ones of Sergio Abad, Jonathan Ayers,
Jason Bogar, Jonathan Brostrom, Israel Garcia, Jason Hovader, Matthew Phillips, Prute, Rainey,
and Gunner's Willing. I have thought about them and their
sacrifices every day. I will for the rest of my life.
(08:42):
And I am not alone. You raised, molded, and loved
incredible men. Many of the men present in this room
are here because of their actions, actions that changed the
course of history for us, actions that gave the rest
of us a second chance. On Lucas exists because of them,
as do many other men's children. I promised that my
(09:05):
son will grow up appreciating the sacrifices of men he
never knew. I missed them dearly. But it is awe
inspiring that such men lived. They were professionals, they were warriors.
Thank you chosen few the Rock.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
And you were listening to Sergeant Ryan Pitts, Medal of
Honor recipient, But if you noticed, he mentioned all of
his fellow soldiers names again and again, and all of
those men well easton Sergeant Ryan Pitts's eyes, they were
recipients too. By the way, he hated the word hero,
said it himself. I don't care for the term. I
(09:43):
never have. The Rock, by the way, is a reference
to their regiment, the legendary five hundred and third. During
World War Two, when most of the airborne units were
in Europe, the five hundred and third was the first
to fight in the Pacific. They jumped on the Japanese
fortress Corregador, known as the Rock, and they've kept that
nickname ever since, connecting the past to the present and
(10:06):
the future. And these guys are historians, a lot of them,
at least when it comes to the military. They know
the tradition, the rich tradition, and all of those who
serve before them. Celebrating Medal of Honor recipient Ryan Pitts
and all of his fellow warriors, his brothers in arms.
This is our American stories.
Host
Lee Habeeb
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