Posted on 04/10/2009 9:03:47 AM PDT by MindBender26
You're an 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.... and you are learning that War is Hell.
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.
Ed is 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. He was a very young Master Sergeant at the Battle of Pork Chop Hill in Korea when he received his battlefield commission.
May God rest his soul.....
I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but we sure were told a whole bunch about some Hip-Hop Coward beating the crap out of his "girlfriend"
RIP American hero.
Thank you, Ed Freeman. RIP
Ed died in August of 2008.
Thank you and may you rest in peace.
FREEMAN, ED W.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress,
March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to
CAPTAIN ED W. FREEMAN
UNITED STATES ARMY
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.
Why does the corrupt MSM never see fit to report stuff like this. They’ll report all the hippie protest stuff, but never the true patriot hero stuff.
Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Ed ("Too Tall") Freeman of Boise died Wednesday
Though we should NEVER FORGET
"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and touched the face of God".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WDrbbtaO0E
The MSM doesn’t know what to do with a hero like Ed Freeman.He makes them look like insects.
R.I.P. and a salute from this sailor.
Ping for AR and a link for others to the “We Were Soldiers” IMDB page for the actor who played CPT Ed “Too Tall” Freeman in the movie: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566850/
Thank you! I was racking my brain trying to remember Ed Freeman’s nick-name.... Too Tall!
God bless Ed Freeman.
Our nation is fortunate to have men like him when we need them.
There's no competition to win a Medal of Honor. Stuffed animals on a carnival midway are won. The Medal of Honor is earned and those who do are recipients.
In the Korean war movie “The Bridges of Toko-Ri”, the final scene is a question by the Admiral in Command....
“WHERE DOES THIS COUNTRY FIND SUCH MEN?”
Thank GOD, this country STILL finds such men. From where?
You’re most welcome.
“We Were Soldiers” is one of the finest — and most accurately made — films in ANY genre.
I guess I’ve seen it 40 times. I suspect I’ll watch it a lot as Obama proceeds to destroy our ability to defend ourselves.
Still lose it when Willie Goboldt’s wive reacts to HER telegram. One of the most powerful scenes — ever.
R.I.P.
Just read this one out loud to my 4 boys. Didn’t make it through before my voice choked up.
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