Fort George G. Meade: The First 100 Years

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286 THE FIRST 100 YEARS the first 3 buildings were cleared is when things began to change. My battalion PSD had moved toward the objective behind the route clearance package to establish link up once called forward by the on scene commander. It was then that we began stepping on multiple IEDs designed to target dismounted troops inside the objective area. The first two soldiers stepped on pressure plate IEDs 10-15 minutes apart at around 0830; one while posting security and the other while clearing a building. These 2 IEDs would claim both soldiers’ lives and wound several others who were nearby when the detonations occurred. There would be no less than 15 IEDs on this small objective before the fight was done. It was after the 3rd IED detonation on one of my Sergeants that I first noticed Pitt on the Objective. We now had a 3 rd VSI with others wounded and were calling our second MEDEVAC when up walks Pitt, cool as a cucumber. I was surprised to see him on the road and was comforted by his presence at a very difficult time. But that was Pitt - right place, right time and bringing order to any chaotic moment he met. I walked up to Pitt and asked his advice. At that time, I and many other soldiers had previously walked over the ground that had been cleared and now claimed the leg of SSG Hamilton. There was a dooming sense that any of us could be claimed next and for me, the situation just slowed down when I saw Pitt and became easier to handle. Difficult to explain but if you knew him I’m guessing you understand what I mean. Pitt as usual gave solid advice and I gathered the leaders together to assess our situation and adjust our position to continue the mission. At this point is when the light but steady contact escalated into heavy contact by a determined enemy attacking our position from 3 sides of the objective. I had moved in to a building with my TAC to call for additional resources to assist the fight when I received word that we had another casualty but this time it was reported as a gunshot wound to the shoulder. I was almost relieved, as I envisioned a manageable wound after seeing soldiers cut to pieces by the IEDs earlier. Then they reported that the “AWG Guy” was hit. Again, I thought —no problem, Pitt is probably shaking that off and killing Taliban. When the panicked shout for “Medic!” rang out I knew something was wrong. I was worried about my friend and joined Capt. Mike Haith as we bounded across an open field to get to where Pitt was laying. I asked why was Pitt out here on the wall facing the most intense fighting of the battle. And then I answered my own question: because Pitt was a warrior, who led by example, and was engaging the enemy fighting to the end when he was struck by what I assess to be precision small arms fire. I knelt by Rob’s side as the medics superbly addressed his wounds. Our experienced medics who had already treated multiple trauma patients that morning risked their lives racing to get to Pitt and treat him with disregard for their own safety as did two other captains from my TAC, Capt. Motupalli and McGuigan. Everybody loved Pitt and went to great lengths to save him under fire. I held Pitt’s hand and offered words of encouragement as the medics treated him. As the 9 line was called our concern was to provide suppressive fire against the enemy to ensure that Pitt made it out on that helicopter without issue. The battle truly reached its peak as the MEDEVAC helicopter landed on the field and soldiers carried Pitt to the bird. As I reflect back on it, it was a tremendous rebate to our friend as we laid a wall of lead against the enemy who was determined to shoot down a helicopter. Pitt made it out of Bakersfield 1 with a pulse and breathing on his own. I was shocked to learn a short time later that Pitt didn’t make it. It didn’t make sense to me that such a warrior and mentor to all my soldiers could suddenly be gone. Our battalion is a better unit due to the efforts of Rob Pittman and we will always honor him and continue to fight for him. The Battle for Bakersfield I was a US / ANA victory that struck a blow to the Taliban. Over 25 enemy fighters were killed or wounded during the fight - a few of them no doubt to Pitt’s rifle. We now hold the ground that Pitt fought for and it has made a discernable positive effect in our area. Rob Pittman did not die in vain. He died with a rifle in his hand, engaged in combat with the enemy. He is an American Hero who I will never forget. We honored Rob at our battalion memorial ceremony alongside our 2 fellow soldiers (SGT Kyle Stout and SPC Michael Stansbery). My PA, ILT Scott Zastrow who served in 5 Group with Pitt back in the day, made remarks in his honor as did I and the Company Commander, Capt. Drew Shaffer. So now, nearly seven years after the day Robert died, and four years since I joined AWG, and a mere three years since the dedication ceremony, I am retired and get to have the honor of working in the building that bears Robert's name. I am the facility manager at Pittman Range. Every day I come in I see the Memorial Plaque as I enter, I see the picture of Robert on the unit memorial, which was
GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR 287 brought back from Afghanistan, and I share Robert’s story to every person who walks through the front door. I strive to be able to make the facility and the training that happens here something our unit is proud of. I feel that if the members of this unit are proud, Robert would be too. I am honored to put Master Sgt. Robert Pittman’s name next to the many other heroes who are honored here at Fort Meade. *** (Pg. 284) The Pittman Range is a state-of-the-art weapons range operated by the Asymetric Warfare Group. (Right) A plaque within the range building is a reminder of the master sergeant for which the range is named. (Below) The control room within the range. (Photos taken by Benjamin Rogers)
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THE FIRST 100 YEARS
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Fort George G. Meade: The First 100
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Centennial History of Fort Meade FO
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Table Of Contents
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Namesake: Samuel Frazier Reece . .
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THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES . . . . .
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Special thanks to the 55th Signal C
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WHO WAS GEORGE G. MEADE? 3 Who was
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World War I Years
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WORLD WAR I YEARS 9 “The world mu
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12 THE FIRST 100 YEARS orders from
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The First Men Arrive The 154th Depo
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WORLD WAR I YEARS Trench Warfare Tr
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Women Join the Cause The concept of
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28 THE FIRST 100 YEARS
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Camp Laurel Camp Meade’s explosiv
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Epiphany Chapel and Church House WO
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Odenton Odenton’s history is inte
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40 THE FIRST 100 YEARS July 3, 1918
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Remount Station 304 When America en
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Heroic Pigeons Racing homers, other
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Medical care on Camp Meade WORLD WA
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54 THE FIRST 100 YEARS to illustrat
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Camp Meade and Fort McHenry WORLD W
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Val Browning By Sherry Kuiper When
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WORLD WAR I YEARS Five of Hearts: W
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WORLD WAR I YEARS NAMESAKE: Streets
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NAMESAKE: Samuel Frazier Reece WORL
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NAMESAKE: William Clifford Rock WOR
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NAMESAKE: Mathew Lewis English WORL
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A Poem By Pvt. Yakel In a lit up st
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BETWEEN THE WARS A Stove to Remembe
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88 THE FIRST 100 YEARS and General
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BETWEEN THE WARS A Letter to Mom 91
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Letter from Patton to Rockenbach BE
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Eisenhower at Camp Meade BETWEEN TH
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100 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Frequent ve
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102 THE FIRST 100 YEARS of the nati
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Salvage for Victory "Salvage For Vi
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Leonard Wood to Meade When the War
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World war II years
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Fort Meade During WWII WORLD WAR II
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The 29 th Division As part of a ser
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126 THE FIRST 100 YEARS with that d
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Units That Make Us Proud WORLD WAR
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graduating classes of soldiers who
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134 THE FIRST 100 YEARS gained stea
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136 THE FIRST 100 YEARS cattle car.
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When Amoré Freed the POW WORLD WAR
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Confessions of a POW During the mid
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The cold war
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The Move It took five years for NSA
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The National Cryptologic Museum and
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Operation Gyroscope Before the Cold
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The Rogue Nike Incident Fort Meade
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Scrapbook Memories
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SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES On July 11, 1931
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Charles A. Albrecht - NSA children
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SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES Army Master Sgt.
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SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES Staff Sgt. Rolli
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SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES Bruce Hopkins -
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Charles Chuck A. Albrecht - Swimmin
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Rick Hagman - The Music of the Day
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Michael McLaughlin - In and Out of
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Jerry Glodek - Army Field Band SCRA
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SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES Michael McLaughl
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SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES Master Sgt. Lean
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Womens Rights For WACs The role of
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Regulation changes through the Viet
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200 THE FIRST 100 YEARS started to
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204 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Entrance Pr
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He Modeled Them All The acronym LDR
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I Want To Be A Soldier I want to be
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Kelly Pool to Burba Lake THE SIXTIE
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218 THE FIRST 100 YEARS light weapo
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224 THE FIRST 100 YEARS In 1982, wh
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as a diversion to keep me distracte
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230 THE FIRST 100 YEARS inside of t
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Prison Cell Doors Close for Last Ti
Page 249 and 250: Women Under Fire In 1998, American
Page 251 and 252: THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES 237
Page 253 and 254: Masters of the Hunt Although most h
Page 257 and 258: The Garrison Prepares for War GULF
Page 261: Desert Shield: Units Prepare to Dep
Page 264 and 265: 250 THE FIRST 100 YEARS deployment
Page 267 and 268: GULF WAR Homecoming of 519 th MPs 2
Page 271 and 272: From Open to Closed I began a civil
Page 273: Remembering September 11 th GLOBAL
Page 276 and 277: 262 THE FIRST 100 YEARS The job is
Page 278 and 279: 264 THE FIRST 100 YEARS An Iraqi so
Page 280 and 281: 266 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Martha Radd
Page 283: GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR Spc. Hilda Cla
Page 286: 272 THE FIRST 100 YEARS twenty-firs
Page 290 and 291: 276 THE FIRST 100 YEARS In Septembe
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Page 297 and 298: Golfing at Meade For decades, The C
Page 299: Master Sgt. Robert “Pitt” Pittm
Page 305 and 306: Second Army and Fort Meade CYBERSPA
Page 307: BRAC to BRAC The Base Realignment a
Page 312 and 313: 298 THE FIRST 100 YEARS intelligenc
Page 314 and 315: James A. S 1955- James A. Speraw Jr
Page 316 and 317: 302 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Fort Meade
Page 318 and 319: 304 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Chad Jones
Page 320 and 321: 306 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Joseph Frec
Page 322 and 323: 308 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Timothy Mul
Page 324 and 325: 310 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Namesake: S
Page 326 and 327: 312 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Operation G
Page 328 and 329: 314 THE FIRST 100 YEARS Map, 1, 15
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Fort George G. Meade: The First 100 Years

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