An honorable name
Bill introduced to name VA clinic after Stockton vet Richard A. Pittman
STOCKTON — This week, Congressmen Jerry McNerney, D-Stockton, and Josh Harder, D-Turlock, introduced a bill to name the new Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in French Camp as the “Richard A. Pittman VA Clinic.”
If the bill is approved, the new facility currently under construction would be named for U.S. Marine Master Sergeant Richard A. Pittman, a Stockton native and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1968.
“Not only will this clinic enable veterans to receive care closer to home, it will also honor an American hero in his hometown,” McNerney said in a media statement issued Wednesday.
“Master Sergeant Pittman was the embodiment of bravery and service, and he will forever be memorialized by this facility,” he said. “It has been my privilege to work alongside the veterans of our community to fight to bring this VA clinic to our area, and I want to thank those who served on the naming committee for their time and dedication to this project.”
Born in French Camp, Pittman enlisted in the Marines in 1965. On July 24, 1966, his unit was moving along a trail near the Demilitarized Zone in the Republic of Vietnam when the Marines ahead of them came under attack.
Upon hearing this, Pittman took a machine gun and several belts of ammunition and rushed to aid his comrades. As he moved towards the attacked Marines, Pittman came under heavy fire from two automatic weapons, which he was able to destroy.
When he learned there were additional wounded Marines further along the trail, he endured enemy mortar and gun fire to get to them.
As he reached his fellow service members, he faced an attack from as many as 40 enemy fighters, and used a combination of machine-gun fire, an enemy submachine gun, a pistol from a fallen comrade, and a grenade to cause the enemy forces to withdraw.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions by President Lyndon B. Johnson on May 14, 1968.
His actions were recreated on screen in the 1993 Tom Hanks film “Forrest Gump.” He passed away in 2016 at the age of 71.
“Master Sergeant Richard A. Pittman was a hero and the very best the Central Valley has to offer,” Harder said in the media statement. “I’m proud to introduce this bill to rename our clinic in his honor. Seeing his name on the wall will remind our entire community of the incredible and selfless service of our men and women in uniform.”
Last July, McNerney appointed a committee of five veterans to collect and review
submitted names and provide a recommendation for the naming of the facility.
The committee was comprised of Gail Belmont, Army Veteran from Valley Springs; Cary Martin, Stockton Air Force Veteran; Ron Green, Retired San Joaquin County Veterans Service Officer and Navy Veteran; Lanny Bauer, Marine Corps Veteran of Stockton; and Sam Pachuca, Stockton Veterans of Foreign Wars Luneta Post 52.
“As we debated the naming of this important new addition to our community, recognizing his heroic efforts was top of mind and reinforced by an outpouring of community support,” the committee said. “We want to thank Congressman McNerney for his work to bring a VA clinic to our area and thank both Congressmen McNerney and Harder for introducing legislation to honor this American hero.”
Pittman’s widow Patricia was happy the committee chose to honor her late husband by naming the new clinic after him.
“There is huge support from veteran groups, veterans, and fellow citizens across the US following the naming of Stockton’s new VA facility after Rick, as he was well known in the area,” she said. “As his wife I know he would have been exceedingly proud of this honor. It will help perpetuate the legacy of the Medal as well as conveying patriotism, honor, and integrity.”
Naming a federal facility requires an act of Congress, which has certain stipulations.
If the facility is named after a person, they must be deceased and must have been a veteran who was instrumental in the construction or operation of the facility, awarded the Medal of Honor, or performed military service of an exemplary character.
The deceased individual may also have been a member of Congress who was directly involved with the construction of the facility or a VA Administrator or Secretary, the Secretary of a service branch, or civilian or military official of comparable or higher position, or someone who has performed outstanding service for veterans.