Medal Of Honor Vet died

[Paul B]

You're an 18 or 19 year old kid. You're critically wounded, and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley, 11-14-1965, LZ Xray, Vietnam. Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8 - 1, and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander 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 1/2 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, and you look up to see an un-armed Huey, but it doesn't seem real, because no Medi-Vac markings are on it Ed Freeman is coming for you. He's not Medi-Vac, so it's not his job, but he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, 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 2 or 3 of you on board, Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire, to the Doctors and Nurses


and, he kept coming back.... 13 more times..... And took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out


Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman died last Wednesday at the age of 80, in Boise, ID ......May God rest his soul


(Oh yeah, Paul Newman died that day too. I guess you knew that -- He got a lot more press than Ed Freeman)

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[masterswimmer]

RIP to a true hero.

Russ

 

[lfsmarineguy]

I was never around for Vietnam. I have a cousin who survived a mortar attack on his camp that the guy in the next bunk over did not. I have several friends in Iraq and Afghanistan and a cousin currently flying the F-22 for the marine corp. helping them with creating the protocols for the jet. I know retired colonels who were in Vietnam one of whom still has shrapnel in his back and one who was a forward observer (one of the scariest jobs I could ever imagine in that war).
I'm not shocked by what the media does anymore it's become no better than tabloids. It's sad that acts like this regardless of how long ago it was are passed over without a second thought. Atleast there is his family and 30 other families out there that will never forget him and his actions. Most people don't know the kind of sacrifices that are made to keep our way of life intact.

 

[Paul B]

Medal Of Honor recipients are a step above the rest of us.
Most of them died getting the medal while almost always helping save the lives of others.
I was with one guy who got the medal and he deserved it.
http://www.homeofheroes.com/profiles/profiles_lemon.html
These guys don't get anywhere the recognition they deserve.
They don't give these things out too often.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

no doubt a brave soldier and person

Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
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.

to him and his memory

Pedro Nuno

 

[Paul B]

Thanks pedro.
I couldn't find it.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

Thanks pedro.
I couldn't find it.

My pleasure Paul!
At least for Ed Freeman due recognition was granted, unfortunately that is not the case for many others who simply were ignored and mistreated...such is the case over here to and to aggravate it evenfurther this week one more stupid law was passed to lower the veterans already meager war compensation. Yesterday on a local radio station some of them spoke about things that the majority of us can not feel or even understand properly simply because we didn't go through it.

Pedro Nuno

 

[duke62]

thats all right my great uncle was a green barett who has had been in articles about how he took over hills and fought off tanks i tried looking for him on google in his death and nothing.very wrong how no one would speak of him yet paris gets front page when she gets into car accidents

 

[fernandokng]

Hats off to all the brave soldiers, past, present and future that keeps this country safe. I have the upmost respect for them.

 

[Paul B]

thats all right my great uncle was a green barett

Another bunch of guys I have great respect for. Special Forces.
I remember when I went through basic training, no body in my unit made Special Forces. Of course I diden't even try. The training for a regular draftee was brutal but for those guys, forget it. If I had to climb up to a 60' tower, they expected those guys to jump up there. If I had to repel out of a helocopter on a rope, they had to fly out, and land smiling holding a dozen eggs.
Remember the Rambo movies, some of those guys would have chewed Stallone up and spit him out. Most of those guys were tough. Many of them were just nuts but they were all in great shape.

 

[NYPDFrogman]

RIP ED!
and THANK YOU!

 

[Tangs Rule]

Sounds like a true American hero to me. May he R.I.P.