Joe Pitts
| Joe Pitts | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 16th district |
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In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Walker |
| Succeeded by | Lloyd Smucker |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 158th district |
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In office January 2, 1973 – November 30, 1996 |
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| Preceded by | Benjamin Reynolds |
| Succeeded by | Chris Ross |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
October 10, 1939 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Virginia Pratt (1968–present) |
| Education |
Asbury University (BA) West Chester University (MEd) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
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| Service/branch |
 United States Air Force
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| Rank |
 Captain
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| Unit | 346th Bombardment Squadron |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards |
 Air Medal
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Joseph R. "Joe" Pitts (born October 10, 1939) is an American politician who was the U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district from 1997 to 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Lancaster and Reading and includes much of Amish country. It also includes the far southwestern suburbs of Philadelphia in Chester County.
In December 2015, Congressman Pitts announced he would not run for reelection in 2016.
Pitts was born in Lexington, Kentucky and graduated from Asbury College. Pitts served five and a half years in the United States Air Force, with three tours in Vietnam. Initially commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, he was promoted to Captain by the time he left the service. He graduated second in his class from Navigator School, after which he was trained as an Electronic Warfare officer. As an EW officer, he served on B-52 Stratofortresses out of Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts, with payloads of nuclear bombs. In all, he completed 116 combat missions in the Vietnam War and earned an Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters.
After leaving the Air Force in 1969, Pitts moved to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia and the hometown of his wife, Ginny. They built a house there, where they still live today.
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Wikipedia