RIP to an American Hero

[Taiku]

Michael Jackson dies and it's 24/7 news coverage. A real American hero dies and not a mention of it in the news. The media has no honor and God is watching

Ed Freeman You're a 19-year-old kid. You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, 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 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 and you look up to see an unarmed 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 on Wednesday, June 25th, 2009, at the age of 80, in Boise , ID. May God rest his soul.

THANKS AGAIN, ED, FOR WHAT YOU DID FOR OUR COUNTRY. RIP

[SJSAMPLE]

RIP, “Too Tall”.

[JaneNC]

I guess being a pop star for 30 years and selling 700 million cds does make news...as it should

[massgopguy]

Which funeral will Fred Phelps protest?

[Gargantua]

Just damn. I salute you, Ed.

;-/

[Bigg Red]

Thank you for posting this.

RIP, Ed Freeman.

God be with all of our fighting men.

[RabidBartender]

Ed Freeman died August 20, 2008, not last week.

[Wooly]

For those to young to know about this or have only seen the movie We were once solders, the following read is by the late Jack P. Smith (Son of the newsman Howard K. Smith) who was a Private that entered the battle on the on the Fourth day (The movie only covered the first two days). It starts toward the middle of the page

http://www.mishalov.com/death_ia_drang_valley.html

[DuncanWaring]

Citation to accompany award of Medal of Honor:

FREEMAN, ED W.

Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion,

First Cavalry Division (Airmobile)

Place and date: Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam, 14 November 1965

Born: 1928

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, First 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 infantry 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 underseige 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 experienced a 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 estimates 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.

[mcshot]

Incredible feat cheating death to save lives. I’m in Awe Sir.
I’m sure your spirit is among family and heroes now.

[mdk1960]

RIP Hero.

[OrioleFan]

And I’m sure that Congress will have a “Moment of Silence” for Ed just like they did for Whacko Jacko...

[DuncanWaring]

Ping.

[astounded]

It was actually when the remaining Cav troopers attempted to walk out from XRay to Albany that the real SHTF when the NVA ambushed them, cutting the column to ribbons from front and rear. While XRay was horror, Albany was worse, at least to my knowledge.

[Secret Agent Man]

Thanks for the post. Good job Ed. Rest well.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[greatdefender]

A hero is someone who is unselfish & put service over self. Unlike MJ- where greed & fame is to be honor. Honor is no given. its earn.

God Bless to his family & thank you for your selfless service with honor & integrity

THANK YOU ED!!!!

[Gator113]

“May God rest his soul.

THANKS AGAIN, ED, FOR WHAT YOU DID FOR OUR COUNTRY. RIP”

I can’t say it any better than that.

[ExNewsExSpook]

Freeman is indeed, an American hero, but he passed away last August, not last week. A description of his amazing rescue mission in Vietnam has been circulating, in one form or another, for the past year.

It’s also worth noting that Ed Freeman received a battlefield commission that (finally) gave him a chance to fly, his life-long ambition. By the time he flew into the Ia Drang Valley, he was a highly experienced chopper pilot.

Thanks for reminding us of Ed Freeman and his heroism. Men like Major Freeman don’t get the recognition they deserve. Too often, they fade from view after that White House ceremony, while pop star pedophiles dominate the news for months on end.

[NAVYMOO]

But LT Brian Bradshaw and 19 other military members died the same day as Michael Jackson and not a word was said about their tremendous sacrifice. Instead, we’ve been inundated with images and stories about someone who I truly believe was a pervert, a pedophile and a homosexual. And I LIKE Michael Jackson’s music. However, for the media to flood its airwaves with 24/7 nonstop coverage about this man was and remains absolutely ridiculous and, in the light of the service personnel who died, it’s obscene. The 20 service personnel who died gave their lives. Michael Jackson gave us music but was more concerned with what he could get. Tell me, People, whose death has more meaning in the long run? A few CDs cannot compare to the life of a young man or woman who volunteered to serve. As the saying goes, “All gave some, some gave all.”