And now to our special report fighting for honor starting tomorrow, the true story of
this Vietnam War hero,
us Air Force para rescue men
William Pitts and Barker who
gave his life to save others on
the battlefield. It’s going to
be told in movie theaters
nationwide. The last full
measure. Details how pits and
burn notice pits
volunteer to be lowered into
the thick jungle near Saigon
during a fierce fire fight.
He did that in order to care
for wounded soldiers and
protect them from the enemy.
It wasn’t awarded the Medal of
Honor for his selfless heroism
that day in Vietnam until 34
years after his death.
A metal he finally got with the
help of a fellow para rescue
men who now lives in orange
Park. That person spoke with
news 4 Jax anchor Tarik minor
about
the war about pay it’s about
fighting for honor to an
incredible story it really is
chief master sergeant David
Nelson is retired now but
during the Vietnam War.
>> He was serving alongside
pits on the day he was killed.
Milstein witness firsthand pits
acts of valor
and was instrumental in
convincing the government to
award his fallen comrade, the
congressional Medal of Honor.
♪
>> Operation have a lead was
one of the
♪
gwladys battles of the Vietnam.
Nearly wiped out. ♪
>> The year is 1966 deep in the
Vietnam jungle, where Air Force para rescue men could hardly see the injured mud filters.
They were trying to rescue
below the soldiers were pinned
down by enemy fire.
One airman first class William
Pitts and Barker put others
lives ahead of
♪
his own.
>> Chief master sergeant David milstead was 26 years old at the It was in a separate
helicopter, 5 miles away
unloading soldiers. He had just
rescue when Pitts was hoisted
down into the jungle, the
bullets are flying so thick.
Imagine you got 500 guys
shooting at you at one time
machine guns.
Automatic rifles, you’ve got a
134 guy shooting out. The water
find so thick that if you stick
your hand up
huge to it was your fingers
just about nil stint in between
pickups to rescue American
soldiers was able to photograph
pits making history.
I just started camera down shot
these 2 pictures and then got
back to work.
So it’s probably one of the few
times that a Fort Bragg who has
been taken of a Medal of Honor
recipient as he was earning the
Medal of Honor
little did Mills to know this
would become pits
final mission. The first time
we got hit and blown around
went right to have that like
butter, not the top the word
fat worm in trouble in the
movie the last full measure
Illston is played by actor
William Hurt.
♪
>> We put him up for the Medal
of Honor.
>> They never got now
♪
and pits and Barker is played
by actor Jeremy herb and.
It’s evacuated
defended him provided medical
care from and he did
not know before making the
ultimate sacrifice by waving
off a rescue helicopter.
So he could care for
the injured.
>> It was dragging wounded back
from the perimeter, this fight
because the Army guys and form
a circle she now has very tight
circle. The bill was
encouraging me and you’re right
and Greg new deck you also get
an ammunition because mostly young age the shooting pool automatic and burning right
through their ammo he was
gathering quips from the did
and you reach tribute to the.
The army gays in the ground
create as many as he could.
>> And never seen the last man
like that.
As these men in every minute it
sounds like a suicide mission.
>> The last full measure
focuses not only on what pits
did that day but also the story
of the mud soldiers years after
Vietnam and the 34 year FY 2
award pits with the highest
military award. Wilson borough.
♪
Wilson was instrumental in gathering new evidence and testimony to present to
Congress on
♪
its behalf in consideration for
the Medal of Honor.
>> This might be the only
decent thing and pull out of
the world.
>> We knew bill deserve a Medal
of Honor all these years, but
we did not to go about getting
new evidence and it
wasn’t until the Air Force
started Association did a study
on bill. didn’t Air Force heroes and wonder studies was one bill pigeon burger that
start to get interest going.
>> Bill pits and Barker story
is just a paragraph in the life
of chief master sergeant
David Wilson, who rescued
hundreds of soldiers throughout
his own career which earned him
11 air medals 2 meritorious
service medals. 2 Air Force
commendation medals
and more now we put our uncut
interviews with mill stunt
inside the story. On news 4 Jax
dot com
and can the last full measure
is already premiering in
something Gators but it
opens nationwide. Tomorrow yes,
so I’m making my plants because
it’s going to grow up I want to
bring our viewers into this
conversation that we’re having
earlier this week.
>> About the writer and the
director of the film.
It took him 20 years to get
this to the big screen yet.
I’m Robert it first learned
about Pittsburgh are 1999 and
spent the next 20 years trying
to make this movie. He
wrote it and despite hitting
roadblocks he got the backing.
A star-studded cast and
directed the making of
this movie. In fact I shared
with Todd staff the story I was
working on with David Wilson
and they gave me the permission
to use the trailer to help us
tell the story, a hero who gave
us life
and the para rescue men
community that wanted to make
sure the congressional Medal of
honor was awarded to pets.
♪