'United as Americans'

Medal of Honor recipient Ryan Pitts served with a diverse group of soldiers during his time in the U.S. Army. And while that diversity was respected, Pitts and those he served with knew they had a mission.

Addressing the national convention in Baltimore, Pitts said despite he and his fellow soldiers' different backgrounds, ethnicities or religious beliefs, “We were united as Americans, dedicated to each other above all else. It’s not that our differences didn’t matter. Rather, we respected each other completely and understood that we were stronger together than we ever could have been individually.”

Pitts was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic efforts during the 2008 Battle of Wanat in Afghanistan. Nine U.S. servicemembers died during the battle when Pitts and his fellow paratroopers held off a force of more than 200 enemy fighters attacking Observation Post Topside and Vehicle Patrol Base Kahler. During the attack, Pitts took shrapnel in his arms and legs but continued to lob grenades at the enemy before firing a machine gun from his knees.

With the support of four other soldiers who helped hold the position, Pitts was able to call for air support that would repel the attackers. Had the attack been successful, the enemy would have been on high ground and able to inflict heavier casualties on the vehicle patrol base.

Rather than talking about his own actions, Pitts chose to focus on those who didn’t survive the battle that day. “These nine men rose to a seemingly insurmountable challenge and inspired the rest of us to match their commitment,” he said. “If they were afraid, I never saw it. While the pain of losing them persists, I am grateful that I had the privilege to know such men – even briefly.”

Pitts helped honor the Legion’s Spirit of Service Award winners and then praised them during this address. “They have displayed the conviction that service equals duty. I am proud to know that I served in the same military as these extraordinary citizens.”

A member of Post 200 in New Hampshire, Pitts said he appreciates “the comradeship, the courage and the new horizons which have been the hallmark of this organization for nearly 100 years. As our American Legion Preamble states, we associated ourselves to do many things, among them … to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness. To me, it is the last that guides the rest. I’m alive today because of the actions of my brothers. Their comradeship … means that I can still devote myself to mutual helpfulness.”