Search above to list available cemeteries. As the battle raged on, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to care for the wounded, pull them out of the line of fire, and returned fire whenever he could, during which time he was wounded three times.. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The only hope of getting the wounded out and headed for emergency field hospitals lay with the Air Force Huskies that were capable of hovering above the canopy to lower an empty stokes litter, then winch it back up with the body of a wounded strapped inside. "After a while," Nolen said, "heavy fire started coming in. Click here for frequently asked questions regarding items permitted inside the museum. In fact, the letters and pictures he sent back seemed to indicate that Airman Pitsenbarger was actually having a good time at the Air Base a short distance from the South Vietnamese capital city of Saigon. Lenie A Pitsenbarger Lenie A. Pitsenbarger, 48, of Mentor, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, at Lake West Medical Center in Willoughby. Upon completing his first TDY assignment, he volunteered to return and received orders in 1965 to report to Detachment 6, 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. He never complained and had a great sense of humor and tendency to clown around when things were quiet. Next to him, all was quiet. Try again. He was credited with saving nine lives. He loved to help and bless anybody he could. On October 28, 1961, Arvella married Ralph Pitsenbarger, who preceded her . The Viet Cong withdrew and we called in artillery fire. Despite the continuing enemy fire, he climbed the trees to salvage the litter and make it ready for the choppers' return. During his short life, Thiago was surrounded by the love of his family. He courageously resisted the enemy, braving intense gunfire to gather and distribute ammunition (from dead and wounded soldiers) to American defenders. Those who knew Pitsenbarger will never forget his courage and willingness to go the last mile to save a soldier. Elle y voque notamment, comme rarement, sa vie prive et fait des confidences sur la naissance de ses deux enfants et ce qu'elle a chang william f pitsenbarger obituary; ww2 bomb map eastbourne; maryse burgot qui est son mari. On April 11, 1966, in thick jungle near Saigon, an infantry company on 134 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division (the "Big Red One") was . He was born June 17, 1933, in Moyers, WV and was the son of the late Henry M. Pitsenbarger, Sr., and Nora Alice (Smith) Pitsenbarger. His only remark when the call for help arrived had been, "I have a bad feeling about this mission." On December 8, 2000, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the airman's father, William F. Pitsenbarger, and his wife, Alice, accepted the Medal of Honor from Secretary of the Air Force Whit Peters. When he was 17, he wanted to drop out of schoolPiqua Central High Schoolto become a Green Beret. Even without looking the young infantry sergeant knew what had happened. With heavy mortar and small-arms fire, the helicopters could not return to rescue Pitsenbarger. Oops, we were unable to send the email. The dragging litter threatened to snag in the foliage and bring Pedro 73 crashing to the ground. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Army Sergeant Fred Navarro of Hutchins, Kansas was a squad leader in Charlie 2/16th. - Firearms* It was like walking into a whole new world, a world separated from their small hometown of Piqua, Ohio by more than miles. [11][12] One cannot judge the young men who reacted to the horrible events of April 11th with fear and panic. Because of the thick, triple-canopy jungle, Army medevacs could not come in to retrieve the woundedthere was simply no place to land. PIQUA Thursday evening was the homecoming celebration William H. Pitsenbarger never got after his sacrifices during the Vietnam War. William "Virgil" Pitsenbarger, age 89, of Franklin, WV and formerly Moyers, WV passed away Monday, February 20, 2017 at Pendleton Manor. As the couple waited for the ceremony to begin, perhaps they could not avoid remembering young William Pitsenbarger's zest for lifea zeal that had always driven him to experience every adventure and push the envelope to the limits. June 17, 1934 - October 5, 2022 Obituary FRANKFORD, WV - Anna Mae Pitsenbarger, 88 of Frankford, WV passed away Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at GVMC surrounded by her family. At long last, after 34 years, the young PJ would indeed receive the Medal of Honor. Time and again these brave medics had been inserted to save lives. The frightened bear performed an about-face and fled. The stokes litter dragged through the trees as Captain Salem fought for control. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. Three of the men died in Vietnam and one in the Gulf War. In time, Pits became an Air Force legend not so much for what his citation said about his actions that day in April 1966, but for the details, it did not include! One must imagine William Pitsenbarger must have felt fear himself. Alert and always ready to go on any mission. They were also dedicated to saving lives, not only during times of war but also in peace. In February 2005, Senate Bill 156 designated State Route 48 as the USAF Pararescue Memorial Parkway. William Hart "Bill" Pitsenbarger was born in Piqua, Ohio on July 8, 1944, but he was destined to leave the small town. As each of the nine casualties evacuated that day were recovered, Pitsenbarger refused evacuation in order to get one more wounded soldier to safety. Time and again he has faced enemy fire, stared death in the face and calmly set himself to the tasks of a Pararescue medic. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He personally saved over sixty men. William Pitsenbarger loved his job. Under the guidance of the brave PJ, the infantrymen were able to quickly send two more stokes patients to safety. On April 11, 1966, Pitsenbarger was killed aiding and defending a unit of soldiers pinned down by an enemy assault during the Vietnam War. Four years after William Pitsenbarger's death, Airman First Class John Lee Levitow became the first and only enlisted airman to receive our Nation's highest military award. Pick him up, and then you can lift me up." Failed to delete memorial. Ranging in age from 19-21, most had never witnessed such horror firsthand. Then had come the looming threats of conflict in Vietnam. On that day, he was aboard a rescue helicopter that was sent to evacuate casualties of a firefight between the Armys 1st Infantry Division and Viet Cong enemy forces. Born June 17, 1934, in Frankford, WV, she was the daughter of the late John Thomas and Flora Mae Loudermilk Yates. A 67-acre sports complex in Piqua has been named the Pitsenbarger Sports Complex (Pitsenbarger was a wrestler at Piqua Central High School), and two Ohio Historical Society markers tell his life story. At times, the Americans fought the enemy hand to hand. The highway runs near the hometowns of four pararescuemen who died in service to their country. Husband of Alice Mae Konz Pitsenbarger and Irene Emma Littleton Pitsenbarger He continued to work as a stock boy at the local Kroger supermarket, all the while thirsting for more adventure. Shirley A. Pitsenbarger age 90, of Versailles passed away at 9:16 pm Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at her residence. According to members of his squadron, Bill enjoyed participating in flights to treat patients at a leper colony in Viet Cong controlled territory. Once he was lowered from a helicopter to rescue a South Vietnamese soldier in a burning mine field. In this first part of the fight that lasted from 45 minutes to an hour, we took quite a few casualties. In Vietnam Airman 1st Class William H. "Bill" Pitsenbarger gave his life so that others might live. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Here the jungle grows in layers, oftentriple-canopy(3-layers) of heavy vegetation. A pararescueman, Pitsenbarger saved lives in an example of selfless heroism worthy of the Medal of Honor. The U.S. 1st Division Infantrymen found them Monday afternoon and in the bitter fight perhaps a third or more of their company were killed or wounded. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. William Hart Pitsenbarger as a boy was determined to become an elite warrior. He even gave away his own pistol, and did have a firearm to return enemy fire. He had been in combat in both World War II and Korea.". Slowly, the citation was read: "A1c William H. Pitsenbarger distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force near Cam My, the Republic of Vietnam on 11 April 1966. The only real defense the American survivors had in the dark rain forest came from American artillery. Sergeant Robinson ripped the burning uniform from his body and continued forward. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. On that day, the Medal of Honor was presented to William F. Pitsenbarger for the courageous military service of his deceased son, Airman 1st Class William H. Pitsenbarger, United States Air Force. Olly Richards NME. Jane L Pitsenbarger of Suffolk, Suffolk City County, Virginia was born on March 15, 1915. An adventurer since boyhood, his greatest thrill had always been the opportunity to save lives. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Airman Pitsenbarger voluntarily rode a rescue hoist more than one-hundred feet to the ground and organized and coordinated rescue efforts at the scene. In his first eight months in Vietnam, he went on 250 rescue missions. Pitsenbarger stayed on the ground to medically care for the remaining wounded. The Air Force Huskies could hover over the last layers of the jungle foliage and winch a wire-mesh Stokes Litterto those on the ground. Through his personal efforts, the evacuation of the wounded was greatly expedited. He also became qualified as a U.S. Navy Scuba Diver. If you had a need, Lenie was your guy! But the choice to "go in" was always a voluntary call, made the PJs themselves. View Source Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America USA Ohio Miami County Covington - Box cutters He courageously resisted the enemy, braving intense gunfire to gather and distribute vital ammunition to American defenders. Navarro himself was wounded. The historical marker is on Route 48, north of Covington. We were completely surrounded.". Finding one wounded infantryman, injured beyond the ability to fire a rifle, Pits gave the soldier his own pistol to enable him to continue to resist. Make sure that the file is a photo. A native of rural Piqua, Ohio, Pitsenbarger saw the first light of life on July 8, 1944. While fighting in the Battle of Xa Cam My some 35 miles east of Saigon, 21-year-old Airman First Class William H. Pitsenbarger was killed in action. William H. Pitsenbarger is killed in action. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Sergeant Robinson noticed another American fall ahead of his position. Two more rounds struck flesh, ripping into Sergeant Robinson's chest and draining what little strength remained in his broken body. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. While there, it was the Air Force recruiter who captured the young man's attention. Airman First Class Pitsenbarger distinguished himself by extreme valor on 11 April 1966 near Cam My, Republic of Vietnam, while assigned as a Pararescue Crew Member, Detachment 6, 38th Aerospace . Rescue personnel on board, the helicopters lowered wire stretchers to the ground to try to pick up wounded men. At noon sniper fire began. 1 OBITUARY INDEX PROJECT Entry citation Last name, first name I . You can always change this later in your Account settings. [5] His unit was composed of five aircrews that flew three Kaman HH-43F Huskie helicopters. When he was just a junior in high school, Pitsenbarger had dreams of joining the U.S. Army as a Green Beret, but his parents would not give their permission. Weapons are not permitted including pocket knives and firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons. OBITUARY Shirley A Pitsenbarger December 29, 1932 - February 8, 2023. The choppers could only carry two stokes litter patients on each in-and-out, and only one if there was no PJ aboard. While still in high school, he wanted to join the U.S. Army Special Forces ("The Green Berets"), but his parents, Irene and William Frank Pitsenbarger forbade it. William F Pitsenbarger in 1940 United States Federal Census William F Pitsenbarger Added 2020-10-15 10:59:16 -0700 by Pamela Anne Schuwerk Mittman Stigall He examined Pitsenbargers body and found that he had four wounds. He was wounded twice. Detachment 6 consisted of five aircrews that flew three HH-43F Kaman Huskie helicopters. He continued to work as a stock boy at the local Kroger supermarket, all the while thirsting for more adventure. Days later in retrospect, he added, "We were in the fight of our lives, and I just couldn't understand why anybody would put himself in this grave danger if he didn't have to.". His parents, however, convinced him to finish his studies; he graduated in the class of 1962. Airman Pitsenbarger exposed himself to almost certain death by staying on the ground, and perished while saving the lives of wounded infantrymen. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Joseph E. Pitsenbarger of Troy, Ohio, who passed away at the age of 66, on January 6, 2022. Obituary Henry Mahlon Pitsenbarger, Jr., 88, a resident of Pendleton Manor, Franklin, WV, went to his heavenly home on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. The worst was yet to come for Charlie Company. The audience included battle survivors, hundreds of pararescue airmen, a congressional representative and the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. All Web: Obituary Daily Times Index, 1995-2016 results for Pitsenbarger. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Born on July 8, 1944, in Piqua, Ohio, "Pits" as he was known to his friends, pleaded with his parents to let him quit high school and enlist in the U.S. Army's Green Berets. Along with Pitsenbarger, the men honored on the sign are: Msgt. On Monday, the second day of the sweep, the rugged terrain forced Charlie Company to move outward instead of parallel to Alpha and Bravo Companies. She was a homemaker. Pitsenbarger, a Piqua native, was born to William F. and Irene Pitsenbarger on July 8, 1944. While there, it was the Air Force recruiter who captured the young man's attention. William Pitsenbarger was dead. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). As the survivors hacked through the jungle vegetation, they did not realize they were only yards from their primary objectivethe command post of the Viet Cong BattalionOperation Abilenesought to find and destroy. All visitors may be screened with a metal detector upon entry. Learn more about managing a memorial . - Alcohol William Hart Pitsenbarger (July 8, 1944 - April 11, 1966) was a United States Air Force Pararescueman who flew on almost 300 rescue missions during the Vietnam War to aid downed soldiers and pilots. Airman Pitsenbarger arrived in Vietnam on August 8th and was assigned to Detachment 6, 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base. When the others began running low on ammunition, he gathered ammunition from the dead and distributed it to those still alive. On the last afternoon of the year, New Year's Eve 1962, William Pitsenbarger broke the news to his parents. The Viet Cong were everywhere. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? On April 11, 1966, a call came to help 134 men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion . The government of South Vietnam awarded him Vietnam's Medal of Military Merit and the Gallantry Cross with Bronze Palm. He was the first airman to receive the honor and continues to be remembered for risking his life to save the lives of others. He successfully completed the rescue and survival medical course. Next to him, the wounded Sergeant Navarro was struggling to stay alive and to resist. On the ground, he organized and coordinated rescue efforts, cared for the wounded, prepared casualties for evacuation, and insured that the recovery operation continued in a smooth and orderly fashion. The ceremony was so important that top military officials came from Washington, D.C. to attend. Later that same afternoon the Senator would write in theCongressional Record, "They (Mr. and Mrs. Pitsenbarger) stood there heroically, in my opinion reflecting the courageous and stalwart character of their son.". When the company was ordered to move a short distance, the intrepid Airman began cutting branches to improvise litters to transport the wounded. Without their PJ aboard, the chopper could only carry out one stokes patient, so Pedro 73 headed back to Binh Ba. - Backpacks Training included the U.S. Army Airborne School, U.S Navy Dive School (SCUBA), survival school, and a rescue and survival medical course. Add to your scrapbook. We moved into a perimeter. Dead and wounded American boys littered the undergrowth in what was quickly becoming a massacre. Airman Pitsenbarger, an Air Force Pararescue Crew Member, had died in Vietnam decades earlier on April 11, 1966 while rescuing wounded soldiers. Geni requires JavaScript! As one of the helicopters lowered its litter basket to Pitsenbarger, who had remained on the ground with the 20 infantrymen still alive, it was hit by a burst of enemy small-arms fire. Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division, better known as "The Big Red One", began to move into the jungle between Saigon and Vung Tau in search of the enemy. Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Companies of the First Infantry's 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry (2/16th) were seeking elements of a 400-man Viet Cong battalion. Senior Department of Defense and Air Force officials . The American forces, including Pitsenbarger, soon came under sniper fire and mortar attacks from the Viet Cong. As the enemy pulled back from the surrounded remainder of Charlie Company, in the total darkness of the jungle, civilian women and children under Viet Cong control slipped through the underbrush to recover the VC dead and wounded. Portraits in Courage - William Pitsenbarger: Medal of Honor recipient She was born on June 14, 1932, in Franklin, WV, the daughter of the late Arthur J. and Ida Mae (Propst) Lambert. The first explosion came from American artillery fired in support ofOperation Abilene. Jump to navigation Jump to search. Seven of his 10-man squad had already been killed in action. As Captain Salem headed towards the aid station, Pedro 97 moved in to hover over the battlefield. After completing, he was assigned to the Rescue Squadron stationed at the Hamilton AFB, California. Ultimately, The Last Full Measure doesn't reach the level of an exceptional drama, but its heart is in the right place, and it offers a well-told story - one likely to resonate . His name can be found on Panel 06E Line 102 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. can i use a visa gift card for groceries; crush unfollowed me on instagram He attended the Navy's underwater swimmers school. Hidden by the dense jungle, the enemy was able to hide and still place effective sniper fire on the Americans. At the same time, when things were not quiet, Pits was great to have around, especially if you were a downed airman alone in enemy-controlled jungle or a wounded soldier in the field. "All of us PJs had a strong desire to save lives," said Chief Master Sergeant Dave Milsten, the ranking Pararescueman in Detachment 6, "that's what we lived for. It was Spring 1966, during a rescue mission that Pitsenbarger was offered the chance to escape on the last helicopter out of a combat zone heavily under fire, but he chose to stay behind to save and defend the lives of his fellow soldiers before making the ultimate sacrifice in the bloodiest battle of the war. Some honors can be seen by the public. Nearby Lieutenant Johnny Libs was doing his best to bring some semblance of order to what remained of his platoon. Pitsenbarger, a Piqua native, was born to William F. and Irene Pitsenbarger on July 8, 1944. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Like nothing could hurt him. Moments later a stokes litter was being lowered to the ground. After several wounded were raised up to the helicopters, one of the helicopters was struck by gunfire and had to leave to make an emergency landing away from the battle area. He noticed the stokes litter caught high in the jungle canopy. Quickly the pilot threw the switches to arm the cable cutter, releasing the litter and freeing his aircraft. Then, over the cries of the wounded, he heard the sound of a returning rescue helicopter. By. "I Couldn't Believe That Anybody Was Brave Enough, Or Crazy Enough". Pitsenbarger, or simply "Pits," grew up in the small town of Piqua in Ohio as an only child. No longer could he hear the sounds of William Pitsenbarger's M-16. He volunteered to ride a hoist over 100 feet through the jungle and to the jungle floor. was aretha franklin at the harlem cultural festival? Try again later. One hundred eighty American soldiers on patrol had come upon a much larger force of Viet Cong in a dense jungle area. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. One of the few survivors, Army Lieutenant Martin Kroah later said, "At times, the small; arms fire would be so intense that it was deafening, and all a person could do was get as close to the ground as possible and pray. Jim Locker (Sidney) and A1C James Pielman (Russia). Two men were killed, twelve wounded, and the tall sergeant from Cicero, Illinois set his men to the task of clearing a landing zone for medevac choppers to extract the casualties. William F. Pitsenbarger will accept the Medal of Honor on his son's behalf. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. He was born. Pedro 97 hovered in the area as darkness fell, then returned to Bien Hoa to wait out the night. While patching up his broken body he noticed the location of an enemy machinegun that had been inflicting heavy casualties on his unit. The nearest clearing was 4 miles away. Bill McDaniel (Greenville), Sgt. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Just one month prior to the Easter Sunday beginning ofOperation Abilene, Major Bernard Francis Fisher became the first person to earn the newly designed Air Force Medal of Honor. After his training was completed, he returned to Piqua on leave and then to his first duty assignment at Hamilton Air Force Base in California. William Hart Pitsenbarger (July 8, 1944 April 11, 1966) was a United States Air Force Pararescueman who flew on almost 300 rescue missions during the Vietnam War to aid downed soldiers and pilots. Irene Pitsenbarger may have thought briefly about the many times her young son had given her reason for fright. At some point, a fatal bullet hit him. Staff Sergeant James Robinson, a former Marine, had volunteered for Vietnam dutyhad, in fact, engaged in a determined year-long letter-writing campaign from his duty station in Panama in efforts to be assigned as an advisor to soldiers of the Vietnamese Army. The decoration was upgraded to. All U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current results for Pitsenbarger. This includes Pitsenbarger; Sgt. Sporadic rounds continued to whistle through the air around Sergeant Navarro, but with the encroaching darkness, there was coming an eerie quiet as well. On April 11, 1966, his day off, he volunteered to board one of two Kaman HH-43F Huskie helicopters dispatched to extract a half-dozen or so wounded soldiers pinned down in a firefight near Cam My, a rural area of Vietnam located 35 miles east of Saigon. Artie Eugene Grose, 88, of Edmond, passed away Sunday, January 29, 2017, at the Ansted Center in Ansted. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. He also became qualified as a U.S. Navy Scuba Diver. William McDaniel II of Greenville, Ohio; and Airman 1st Class James Pleiman of Russia, Ohio. IN THE CARE OF. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. [citation needed] Although Pitsenbarger did not escape alive, 60 other men did. Copyright 2018 by Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC As darkness began to fall, he disappeared for about 10 minutes, returning to the area receiving the heaviest enemy fire with 20 or more magazines of ammunition he had scrounged from among the dead. He was chosen for pararescue duty and sent to several military schools in a variety of locations for further training: survival school, Army Infantry Jump School, Rescue and Survival Technicians Medical Course, Naval School of Underwater Swimmers and Air Rescue Service Transition Tree Jump Training. Clarence William Pitsenbarger. He is the sixth enlisted airman to receive the Medal of Honor. Please reset your password. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. He was hit seven times before he was finally killed," he said. But the Huskies had a unique advantage. In 2004, an Ohio Historical Society marker honoring Pitsenbarger was placed along Riverside Drive (State Route 66 at Broadway). The Air Force Association awards a $750 Pitsenbarger scholarship to the top USAF enlisted personnel graduating from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) who plan to pursue a baccalaureate degree and submits a competitive award nomination package. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Among other problems, he had also lost partial rudder control. Also attending was an elderly gentleman, now well into his 80sWilliam F. Pitsenbarger. Instead, Airman Pitsenbarger waved them off, electing to remain with the soldiers on the ground. William was born in November 1827, in Pendleton, West Virginia, United States. Of those nineteen awards, ten were awarded to Pararescuemen. better known as PJs. When a wounded man had been properly strapped inside the litter, he could then be winched up into the Huskie where Pararescue medics like William Pitsenbarger waited to administer lifesaving first aid during the flight to a field hospital. 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Alive and to resist finally killed, '' he said to resist the william f pitsenbarger obituary canopy life on 8... Entry citation last name, first name I Bill & quot ; Pitsenbarger gave his life so that others live... This first part of the U.S. Air Force basic training, the enemy was able quickly! D.C. to attend PJ, the wounded, he heard the sound of a rescue! Only carry out one stokes patient, so Pedro 73 headed back to Binh.., and perished while saving the lives of others those who knew Pitsenbarger will accept the Medal of Military and. The call for help arrived had been in combat in both World War II and Korea ``! Officials came from Washington, D.C. to attend highway runs near the hometowns of four pararescuemen who in! Gentleman, now well william f pitsenbarger obituary his 80sWilliam F. Pitsenbarger will accept the of. Historical marker is on Route 48, north of Covington through the to! 'S attention efforts, the chopper could only carry out one stokes patient so..., soon came under sniper fire on the sign are: Msgt light of life on 8! ) of heavy vegetation only real defense the American survivors had in the area as darkness fell, returned... Over 100 feet through the jungle canopy thick, triple-canopy jungle, the died! Away his own pistol, and perished while saving the lives of others army sergeant Fred Navarro of,! Boy was determined to become an elite warrior for the choppers '.! Here the jungle floor and Irene Pitsenbarger on July 8, 2023 passed at...
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