Recognizing the Life of Robert Pitts

Floor Speech

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Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Robert Pitts. Bob represents the best of our greatest generation, and I am forever indebted to him for his service to this nation. As a fellow member of the 150th Combat Engineer Batallion, I am grateful for the precedent set by these brave soldiers.

Bob was born in 1923, the second oldest of ten siblings. In the height of the Great Depression, Bob often found himself working odd jobs after school to support his family. In the 8th grade he dropped out and attended Boston Trade School to train as an electrician.

In 1943, Bob enlisted in the United States Army. After training in Ft. Devens, he joined the 150th Engineer Battalion, an experimental unit comprised mostly of New England locals. After Basic and Engineering Training, Bob relocated to New York to continue his training as an electrician. The outfit returned from West Virginia and trained in a mock German village at Camp Edwards. On Christmas, Bob deployed with the 150th on the Queen Mary to Europe.

While overseas, Bob was assigned as batallion photographer. His duties included taking photos of unit operations, which often placed him in the line of fire. He was awarded the Bronze Star for actions under fire while operating in Germany. He was also awarded the rank of Tech5. After VE Day, TSGT 5 Pitts and his unit were sent to Czechoslovakia and returned to the states with different outfits. What distinguishes the 150th is their continued relationship. For more than sixty years the unit enjoyed annual gatherings. After the war, Bob pursued his interest in engineering at MIT. He worked on some of the earliest computers and earned the title Electronic Engineer Assistant.

Mr. Pitts was married to Eleanor M. Hathaway for 48 years before her passing in 1998. Together, they had three children; Robert, Nancy, and Richard. His youngest built and mantains the webpage for the 150th batallion, honoring his father's memory and the accomplishments of the unit.

Robert Pitts was an outstanding man dedicated to family, faith, and country. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

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