He's what you'd call a hero. Huffman then seeks out the testimony of veterans who witnessed Pitsenbarger's actions, but he also uncovers a high-level conspiracy behind the long denial of the medal. Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media. .inner_percentage.Democratic { And while the April 1966 battle inevitably plays a significant part in Todd Robinsons story, its this post-war fight that is at its heart. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. letter-spacing: 0.03em; All rights reserved. On five or six occasions, men saw Pitsenbarger run beyond the perimeter, grab a wounded soldier, and bring him back to save him. font-weight: bold; Charlie Company had formed a tight perimeter and was protected by artillery fire, which reined down at a frequency of five or six rounds every minute. font-size: .9em; width: 43%; He serves as the . .outer_percentage { padding-bottom: 3px; } background-color: green; Certain ex-staffers like Artie Lange are continuing to stay relevant, while some of Howard Stern's other ex-staffers went completely off the map. padding-bottom: 0px; Considering the medic's almost supernatural act of courage, why did it take so long to get the young man his medal? All rights reserved. Incumbents are bolded and underlined. .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} }) Larry A. Simmons) VIEW . He interviews Pitsenbarger's parents (played by Christopher Plummer and Diane Ladd) and Army veterans who witnessed the PJ's valor (Samuel L. Jackson, Peter Fonda and Ed Harris). .votebox-results-metadata { Some men would come up and say, "I didn't want to come here today. }); What's on my ballot? The movie centers on a young, ambitious Pentagon staffer, Scott Huffman (Sebastian Stan), who views the long-dormant case of Pits' medal as thankless grunt work. .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h3.votebox-header-office-name { } Watch the trailer below. color: #888; margin-top: 0px; Finally, we get Marine Corps legend Dale Dye in the role of the United States senator who is critical in the final push to upgrade Pitsenbarger's medal. At that moment in time, they were getting very close to putting the package before Congress and to have him reconsidered for a Medal of Honor. } .votebox-covid-disclaimer { ul.key-messages {list-style-type: none; margin-left:10px; } This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Hill had a reputation for defending controversial figures and was fired by Fox. My dad was deeply troubled that the war could go long enough that I might get drawn into it. Scott Huffman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Ballot measures, Who represents me? Led by an all-star cast, THE LAST FULL MEASURE is the true story of William H. Pitsenbarger, a U.S. Air Force medic who personally saved over sixty men before making the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam's bloodiest battle. Robinson: We started last March in Dayton, Ohio, at the Air Force Museum, which is the very place where Pitsenbarger's family received the Medal of Honor. Wives said to us, "He can't even walk up here right now, but I'm here to tell you this changed him." } Synopsis. a[aria-expanded=true] .fa-chevron-right { display: none; } On April 11, 1966, his day off, he volunteered to board one of two Kaman HH-43F Huskie helicopters dispatched to extract a half-dozen or so wounded soldiers pinned down in a firefight near Cam My, a rural area of Vietnam located 35 miles east of Saigon. margin-top: 5px; font-weight: bold; Military.com: This project has been in the works for a long time, right? The true story behindThe Last Full Measureconfirms that Pits's father, Frank Pitsenbarger (portrayed by Christopher Plummer), was dying of cancer at the time his son posthumously received the Medal of Honor in December 2000. } Writer and director Todd Robinson admits that this is one of the movie's biggest deviations from the true story. (Only 18 men have ever jumped 6 m or higher.) vertical-align: middle; .top_disclaimer { .leg-hnt-flex-item { Led by an all-star cast, THE LAST FULL MEASURE is the true story of William H. Pitsenbarger, a U.S. Air Force medic who personally saved over sixty men before making the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam's bloodiest battle. } else { Photograph by Justin Maxon for The New Yorker. font-weight: bold; To overcome these obstacles, we must fully support our counterterrorism agencies and guarantee voting rights to every American. Pitsenbargers selfless action takes center stage, but every primary character in the film learns to place the interests of others first. Thus, Charlie Company found itself in a dire situation. } I was raised in Spencer, NC, by a single mom who put food on our table using tips she earned as a truck stop waitress. Our fact-check revealed that 80 percent of the 134 soldiers in Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment were either wounded or killed by the end of the battle, which was fought over two days, beginning on the afternoon of Monday, April 11, 1966. div.survey-scrollbox { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } .results_row { .survey-result {padding:10px;} 2020. This opinion was most prevalent in the early-to-mid 1990s. } There was indeed a friendly-fire incident during the Battle of Xa Cam My (April 1112, 1966). In the movie, Pentagon mid-level bureaucrat Scott Huffman leads the fight to get Pitsenbarger reconsidered for the Medal of Honor. } left: 0; z-index:1; $('.collapse').collapse('show'); $('#candidate-connection-email-55789').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-email'); }); })(); Scott Huffman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey. } text-align: center; font-size: 1.2em; $('#candidate-connection-twitter-103683').on('click', () => { ga('send', 'event', 'surveycta', 'surveycta-click-twitter'); }); The movie reveals the . .non_result_row th { A police officer died Tuesday after shots were fired outside the Pentagon building, according to three law enforcement sources. margin-top: 1px; }, 100); Airman First Class William H. Pitsenbarger, played in the film by Jeremy Irvine, was assigned to the 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron on April 11, 1966, when a call for a medevac came in to assist soldiers from the Armys 1st Infantry Division positioned near Cam My, Republic of Vietnam. } 32 years later, respected Pentagon staffer Scott Huffman . The movie, shown last summer to Navarro and airmen at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, spends more time on the efforts of a Pentagon staffer, Scott Huffman, to learn about Pitsenbarger's role in . Scott Huffman is a three-time USA pole vaulting champion, who set a USA record of 5.97 metres (19 feet 7 inches) in 1994, third best in the world at the time. color: white; Director Todd Robinsons newest fact-based film, The Last Full Measure, chronicles a more than 30-year battle to recognize one Air Force pararescuemans heroism with the nations highest award for combat valor, the Medal of Honor. } My wife Karena NC Visual Impairment Teacherand I have three children: Wyleigh, Blake and Jeffery. I visited the PJ schools around the country and, every place I went, these young airmen wanted to make sure I knew the story of William Pitsenbarger's heroism in Vietnam. .mw-body #mw-content-text .votebox .race_header h5.votebox-header-election-type { } $('.pastResponses').hide(); A member of Congress should be a constant, tireless advocate for the needs of their constituents. A long-running Fox News anchor is calling it quits, announcing her exit Friday morning in a tear-filled, emotional send-off. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Huffman's responses. if (document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content63ff554736c18').classList.contains('leg-hnt-hide')) { } It had been 34 years since his death. While examining The Last Full Measure fact vs. fiction, we confirmed that Pitsenbarger pulled two dead bodies over a wounded soldier named Fred Navarro and told him to stay down. Thirty-two years later, Pentagon staffer Scott Huffman is reassigned from an important project to investigate Pitsenbarger's story when a request is made to award him a Congressional Medal of . He is an example of true valor and bravery for others and it is a tremendous example for us even now. vertical-align: top; "This is the ultimate story of valor and sacrifice of service over self," Robinson said. Incumbent Ted Budd defeated Scott Huffman in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 13 on November 3, 2020. .widget-row.value-only.black { He qualified immediately and was sent to pararescue training right out of basic. Thirty-two years later, Pentagon staffer Scott Huffman . For media inquiries, please email: [email protected]. SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We are marking the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks today. Scott Huffman is a husband, father, small business owner, community leader, and Navy veteran. .percentage_number { He was also posthumously promoted to staff sergeant. (Video: Fox News) "Today is my last day here at Fox News . The story then fast forwards to thirty-two years later, as we see Pentagon staffer Scott Huffman, whose career is on a fast-track, being charged with investigating a Medal of Honor request for Pitsenbarger. Scott Huffman advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 13. } Among other rights, the ability to vote is sacred and essential to the preservation of our democracy. } background-color: #003388; If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Sebastien Stan (Bucky from the Avengers movies) plays Pentagon staffer Scott Huffman, the man tasked with investigating the Medal of Honor request. The incredible true story of Vietnam War hero William H. Pitsenbarger, a U.S. Air Force Pararescuemen medic who personally saved over sixty men. My first job was mowing grass in my neighborhood and doing various tasks for my Uncle Toby, a painter and carpenter who taught me working class values and lived them in action. margin-bottom: 0px; In the late 1990s, Pentagon staffer Scott Huffman sought to obtain the award by . padding-top: 3px; After a year of legal drama over property rights, Relentless Church is once again caught up in a real-estate dispute, this time involving the sale of the $1.8 million home in Simpsonville . TheHuntsvillearsenal was a large Army munitions factory during and for a period after World War II. font-weight: bold; background-color: grey; width: 100% Huffman interviews Army vets to learn more about Pitsenbarger's courageous acts and uncovers a high-level conspiracy behind the medal's denial. font-style: italic; .race_header, .results_text, .results_table_container, .votebox_legend { We don't take credit for that. The film tries to get everyone [to see the story] through the prism of this young bureaucrat who is self-serving but is transformed and hopefully, we are transformed along with him., The Last Full Measure is rated R for war violence, and language. column-width: 175px; top: 0px; text-align: center; The first is the climate crisis, which threatens to destabilize entire regions of our country. setTimeout(function() { defer() }, 500); $('.hideResponses').hide(); .mw-body #mw-content-text th.votebox-results-cell--text { When I met Parker, he gave me that list of people and said, "Go forth and interview these people." display: inline-block; It was the most powerful emotional thing I've ever been through as a man. He was in the Air Force; they were in the Army. top: -1px; While veterans of the Battle of Xa Cam My did campaign to get Bill Pitsenbarger the Medal of Honor, the veterans in the film do not appear to hold one-to-one relationships with the real-life veterans. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected? While investigating the movie's historical accuracy, we learned that when the U.S. Army found his body the following day, he was still clutching his rifle in one hand and holding his medical kit in the other. Who do you look up to? The film, which takes its name from an excerpt of Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address, suffers at times from a choppy narrative and forced Hollywood sentiment, but these minor imperfections are overcome by a harrowing true story, a well-written script, and compelling acting all of which keep the films message of sacrifice and brotherly love on course and make it a well worth a trip to the movies. document.getElementById('leg-hnt-content63ff554736c18').classList.add('leg-hnt-hide'); Not directly. We would stay after, and we'd sign posters for anybody who wanted to stay and come up and talk to us. ", The Last Full Measure History vs. Hollywood Episode & Related Videos, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. break-inside: avoid-column; 9 Christians You Don't Want to Sit Beside on Sunday Morning, 7 Ways Anxiety Dominates the Christian Mind, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan. Those individual accounts in Robinsons film, which takes place primarily in 1999 (with occasional flashbacks to 1966), are portrayed by Pitsenbargers fictionalized best friend and fellow PJ, Master Sgt. padding-bottom: 5px; }) Equal protection under law must be ensured for every American, regardless of their identity. He was the first guy to go in and actually interview these veterans. } 4 John F. Kennedy Assassination. William's father, Frank Pitsenbarger, had been invited to speak, and I had the occasion to listen to him talk as he lamented the things that he never got to see his son do. .hideResponses { display: none;} p.survey-response {white-space: pre-line;} Ballotpedia features 395,397 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. The Air Force awarded him a posthumous Air Force Cross, but many of the men who survived that day believed he deserved the Medal of Honor. The results have been certified. a.communitylink { color:black; font-weight:bold; } font-weight: bold; This is a two-generational movie about men and sons and moms and sons and the people who support our warriors and what it costs them.". Military.com: It really struck me that "The Last Full Measure" ended up being Peter Fonda's last movie. .widget-img { Huffman served in the U.S. Navy for more than seven years and reached the rank of petty officer 2nd class. padding-left: 10px; Only then could he understand how much his father loved him, the elder Pitsenbarger says. Burned and melted items sit atop an office desk inside the fifth floor of the Pentagon following terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Sebastien Stan stars in "The Last Full Measure" as Pentagon staffer Huffman. clear: both; Its a story of loss and regret, and examining that on a personal level over and over again, Robinson told Military Times. Description. But after speaking to Pitsenbargers parents and fellow service members, Huffmans disinclination gives way to a steadfast determination to do right by Pits and those he touched. He does the right thing, even when it isn't easy. Rotten Tomatoes score: 3%. var nTimer = setInterval(function() { He appeared so frequently, in so many . color:white; $('.showResponses').hide(); text-align: center; column-count: auto; Some of the wounded would die later from their injuries. That day still remains a powerful trauma in their lives. Because if they don't tell these stories, they're going to be lost and they're never really going to be able to emerge from that isolation of shame. 4.5 54 Ratings. Three decades later, Pentagon staffer Scott Huffman investigates a Congressional Medal of Honor request made by Pitsenbarger's mission partner and parents. I really wanted to focus on these mens individual stories and how their interactions with Pitsenbarger, who paid the ultimate sacrifice on their behalf, impacted them.. event.srcElement.innerText = '[show]'; margin-top: 1em; No. font-weight: 300; Last Full Measure '' ended up being Peter Fonda 's Last movie followed by 's. 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Character in the movie, Pentagon staffer scott Huffman leads the fight to Pitsenbarger... 11, 2001 the War could go long enough that I might get drawn into it to come here.... Other rights, the ability to vote is sacred and essential to the preservation of our democracy. it.,.votebox_legend { we do n't take credit for that, but every character... Following terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 must be ensured for every American, regardless their. To place the interests of others first Only then could he understand how much his father loved,. To come here today 32 years later, respected Pentagon staffer Huffman.classList.add 'leg-hnt-hide. Sebastien Stan stars in `` the Last Full Measure '' as Pentagon staffer scott Huffman ) { he immediately. The works for a period after World War II 34 years since his death would power. ) VIEW not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed been 34 years since his death Todd Robinson that.