[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 60 (Thursday, April 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL WILLIAM F. PITTS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 23, 2009

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a hero from my 
congressional district, Lieutenant General William F. Pitts and his 
wife, Doris Pitts. Today, I ask that the House of Representatives honor 
and remember these two incredible people who dedicated their lives in 
service to our country. On Tuesday, December 30, 2008, Lt. Gen. Pitts 
passed away at the age of 89. Doris followed eight weeks later on March 
1, 2009.
  Lt. Gen. Pitts' father was a career military officer. Lt. Gen. Pitts 
was born at March Field Hospital, located in Riverside, California, on 
Thanksgiving Day 1919. When he was 10 years old, Lt. Gen. Pitts took 
his first airplane ride and vowed to become an Air Force pilot. In 
1943, he graduated from West Point and flew 25 World War II missions 
against Japan in a B-29 Superfortress. In his last mission in the 
bomber, he was shot down off the coast of Japan but was able to 
parachute out of the plane and was rescued by a submarine.
  After Lt. Gen. Pitt's heroic service during World War II, he was 
steadily promoted and earned three stars. He served as a NATO commander 
in Turkey, four tours at the Pentagon and also as a diplomat in Cuba, 
Haiti, the Dominican Republic, England and Taiwan. In 1972, Lt. Gen. 
Pitts returned to March Air Force Base as the Commander of the 15th Air 
Force. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished 
Service Medal, Legion of Merit with an oak leaf cluster, Distinguished 
Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with three oak leaf 
clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the 
Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem with one oak leaf cluster and the 
Purple Heart.
  In 1975, Lt. Gen. Pitts retired from the Air Force and he and his 
wife, Doris, made Riverside their permanent home in the 1990s. He was 
active in the March community during his retirement, helping to keep 
the base open during the Base Realignment and Closure process. In honor 
of his efforts, March erected a stone post at the parade grounds on the 
base. He was also a board member of the March Field Museum.
  Doris Mansfield Pitts was born in New York City on January 17, 1924. 
She was the only daughter of Lillian and John Mansfield, a Spanish 
American War veteran and newspaper executive. She attended Barnard 
School in New York and worked for IBM during World War II. She met her 
husband at West Point and they were married following the war on 
December 22, 1948. She served her country as a supportive military 
wife, joining and complimenting her husband throughout his highly 
successful military career. Doris relocated her family settling in more 
than 15 locations during their time in the Air Force. Doris was a 
loving wife, mother of three daughters and grandmother to four 
grandchildren.
  On December 22, 2008, Lt. Gen. Pitts celebrated his 60th anniversary 
with his wife Doris. Lt. Pitts and Doris are survived by their 
daughters Dale, Alisha and Linda; sister Nanetta Atkinson; and four 
grandchildren.
  As we look at the incredibly rich military history of our country we 
realize that this history is comprised of men like Lt. Gen. Pitts who 
bravely fought for the ideals of freedom and democracy. Each story is 
unique and humbling for those of us who, far from the dangers they have 
faced, live our lives in relative comfort and ease. In the case of Lt. 
Gen. Pitts, he was blessed to have the love and strength of his 
wonderful wife to help him along the way. Lt. Gen. Pitts and Doris 
Pitts were dear friends and above all, they were patriots. They will 
both be sorely missed but their legacy and service to our great nation 
will always be remembered.

                          ____________________