Mark Pitts has memories of his father Riley Leroy Pitts from when he was a child, much like anyone else. He remembers going into his parents’ bedroom in the morning and sitting on the floor because he didn’t want to wake them up. “I can remember his feet hanging off the end of the bed,” Mark recalled. “I remember talking to him on the phone a couple of times, you know, when my mom was talking to him… Those are the kinds of things I remember.” Eula Mae Pitts, Mark’s mother, recalls how good her husband was with the children. Leroy, as she called him, could do anything she did, including combing and braiding their daughter Stacie’s hair. He would come home from work, and whatever was going on, he would get in and do it, she said. “And he was a good cook. Let me tell you this: he was also a real good cook. An excellent cook,” she added, often hosting dinners for other military families when they were stationed overseas.
“He was a good dad and a good husband and very pleasant,” she said.
The two met while attending Wichita University. Leroy was from Fallis, Oklahoma, though his family had moved to Oklahoma City. Eula was from Garnett, Kansas. She said Leroy was the first in his family to attend college. He joined the ROTC, which meant when he graduated, he went into the Army.
Eula said they lived at Fort Sill, where their daughter Stacie was born, and then they spent four years living in France. They had only been back in the U.S. for about a month or so when Leroy was sent to Vietnam. She had many memories from their time together, though they’re now bittersweet.
Mark said that he feels as though he knows his father since he’s been kept alive through the memories and stories from his family and others.
“They talk about him as if he’s going to walk in the room someday,” he said. “So, he’s remained very much part of my life.”
And now, Capt. Riley Leroy Pitts is being honored in Lincoln County for the heroic deeds that took his life on Halloween day in 1967 in Vietnam. Just six weeks before he was supposed to come for Christmas.
Capt. Pitts was the first African American officer to receive the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War in 1968. Former President Lyndon B. Johnson presented it to his family on Dec. 10 in the White House. According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, he received the honor for showing extraordinary heroism and intrepidity at the cost of his life, above and beyond the call of duty.
Mark Rackley, a member of the Chandler VFW, said another member, Joe Miller, saw Capt. Pitts’ name on their door and brought it to his attention, commentind that he had never heard of him. This led to some research and the discovery that Capt. Pitts was the only Medal of Honor awardee from Lincoln County.
Rackley said that, as far as he was aware, Capt. Pitts had never been honored in the area.
“I mean, I spent a total of 41 years in the military, and for a guy to receive the Medal of Honor and not been recognized for it from this county, it didn’t sit good with me,” he said. “So I figured, yes, we need to honor it, and let’s put our heads together and figure out what we can do to do that.”
The local VFW is hosting an event on Aug. 29. There, they will present Capt. Pitts’ family with certificates of honor from Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Speaker of the House Charles McCall. Rackley added that the County Commissioners will also have signs made to commemorate the road in front of the VFW post after him. Chandler Mayor Kent McVey will also designate a special day every year as Capt. Riley Pitts Day.
Eula said she’s glad that people are still remembering her husband, even though over 50 years has passed.
“Oh, I’ll be glad to be there. I will. I’ll be glad that I can still go, and what I really am so impressed with. It’s been so long,” she said.
Mark added that their entire family is always honored when someone takes the time to think about his father and recognize him.
“I certainly believe that there were a number of young men and women who served in Vietnam that have not received the same kind of recognition, so, you know, I can’t help but feel humbled that he is still receiving the kind of recognition that he is,” he said.