OT,...............for my fellow vets.....

[triry]

You're a 19 year old kid.
You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam.

It's November 11, 1967.  LZ (landing zone) X-ray.

Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 yards away, that your CO (commanding officer) has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in.

You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns and you know you're not getting out.

Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll never see them again.

As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.

Then - over the machine gun noise - you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter.

You look up to see a Huey coming in. But ... It doesn't seem real because no Medi-Vac markings are on it.

Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you.

He's not Medi-Vac so it's not his job, but he heard the radio call and decided he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway.

Even after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come.  He's coming anyway.

And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 3 of you at a time on board.

Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses and safety.

And, he kept coming back!! 13 more times!! Until all the wounded were out. No one knew until the mission was over that the Captain had been hit 4 times in the legs and left arm.

He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have made it without the Captain and his Huey.

Medal of Honor Recipient, Captain Ed Freeman, United States Air Force, died last Wednesday at the age of 70, in Boise , Idaho .

May God Rest His Soul.
God Blesss Him & God Bless America!!!!

I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but we've sure seen a whole bunch about Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods.



Medal of Honor Winner
Captain Ed Freeman

Shame on the American media !!!

Now ... YOU pass this along on YOUR mailing list.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[North Pack]

Great post, - and I did forward it to a few folks.

[pindog2000]

Exactly u will never hear about heros like marvin shields a seabee hero and others who risk there lives for comrades and they do it because its the right thing to do I'm a vet 9 years us navy 3 on a guided missle frigate 6 with the bees u never hear about the good things we do or the lives we touched or the lives we changed or the lives we lost but you hear about the bs that has no meaning. The tiger woods, the kim kardashian nose jobs and all that nonsense I tell you its sad.

[onemountain]

I've seen this email before. The "last wednesday" that the email mentions is Wednesday, August 20 2008.

I highly recommend sending a copy of Maj. Freeman's Medal of Honor citation with the email if you forward it. For one, I think the email's author took some creative liberties in saying that Maj. Freeman was hit 4 times. His Medal of Honor citation makes no mention of him being wounded. But more importantly, the email shortchanges the Major by failing to mention his role providing supplies to the battalion:

Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, distinguished himself by numerous acts of conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary intrepidity on 14 November 1965 while serving with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). As a flight leader and second in command of a 16-helicopter lift unit, he supported a heavily engaged American infantry battalion at Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam. The unit was almost out of ammunition after taking some of the heaviest casualties of the war, fighting off a relentless attack from a highly motivated, heavily armed enemy force. When the infantry commander closed the helicopter landing zone due to intense direct enemy fire, Captain Freeman risked his own life by flying his unarmed helicopter through a gauntlet of enemy fire time after time, delivering critically needed ammunition, water and medical supplies to the besieged battalion. His flights had a direct impact on the battle's outcome by providing the engaged units with timely supplies of ammunition critical to their survival, without which they would almost surely have gone down, with much greater loss of life. After medical evacuation helicopters refused to fly into the area due to intense enemy fire, Captain Freeman flew 14 separate rescue missions, providing life-saving evacuation of an estimated 30 seriously wounded soldiers -- some of whom would not have survived had he not acted. All flights were made into a small emergency landing zone within 100 to 200 meters of the defensive perimeter where heavily committed units were perilously holding off the attacking elements. Captain Freeman's selfless acts of great valor, extraordinary perseverance and intrepidity were far above and beyond the call of duty or mission and set a superb example of leadership and courage for all of his peers. Captain Freeman's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.

His wikipedia page  is also very good reading. Like many remarkable men, he wasn't remarkable only for a single event.

Ed "Too Tall" Freeman, 20 Nov 1927- 20 Aug 2008

For what it's worth, Maj. Freeman's Medal of Honor ceremony was covered live on CNN. But I still think that our heroes don't get the attention they deserve in general.

•••

RIP "Too Tall," you were a better man than I.

[Bogey]

Without a doubt, those that served, especially in combat will never recieve the gratitude from the american press that they deserve.   And politicians want to forget them as quickly they can.   At the age of 17, my Dad was a combat medic.   He served in North Africa and hit the shore of Europe on Omaha Beach on D-day.   Stayed with the wounded at a little thing that came to be known as the Bulge.  He had been ordered to evacuate but refused and stayed.   Eventually, he marched into Germany.   He also served in Korea.   Had his own MASH unit.  His unit was on hand to recieve the POWs when the cease fire was signed in Korea.  During the course of his service he was wounded  several times and was awarded a box full of medals that he really did not care that much about.   Later he ran a X-Ray  clinic in a U.S.Army Hospital.  It broke his heart to see all the wounded coming into the Hospital from Vietnam.  His best friend, also a Medic, was ambushed and killed in Vietnam    

I guess this is why I don't give a rats -ss about so called celebs and politicians  that have not paid thier dues in blood.

[Gene_SC]

He was a hero and he managed to save a good friend of mine who is now deceased. Long live his memory. And what a true American soldier stands for.

[pindog2000]

I met a hospital corpsman masterchief in losangeles when I did a job I knew he was navy from his tattoos we talked for a hour he thanked me for the seabees building a fleet field shower in nam a field shower! 40 years ago! I wanst even born yet and I have this man thanking me it not only made my day it made me realize the love military folks have for each other vets ,active duty and retired

[Big_Bill]

Yes, Ed Freeman was a GREAT American Hero and a Role Model if there ever was one.

I feel a Great loss at his passing !

Truly Great Men only come along ounce in a lifetime !!!! But by their actions live on forever in the hearts and minds of those who knew oftheir Courage, Duty and Honor !

I have only head and read of his Great rescue of American Combat Soldiers, but Courage was his middle name, and HERO was his Fame !!!!!

GOD PLEASE BLESS HIM !!!! And GOD PLEASE HOLD HIM CLOSE TO YOUR HEART!!!!!!

Bill

[clip]

Taking nothing away from the pilots that flew us out, a lot of us owe our lives to the Corpsmen on the ground that got us ready for extraction. I never saw one in combat that was unarmed....regardless of regulations. They were targeted but it didn't stop em from doing their duty without faltering.