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Posted on 08/02/2026 6:05:14 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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The commission made him eligible to become a pilot, a childhood dream of his. However, when he applied for pilot training he was told that, at six feet four inches, he was "too tall" for pilot duty. The phrase stuck, and he was known by the nickname of "Too Tall" for the rest of his career. In 1955, the height limit for pilots was raised and Freeman was accepted into flying school. He first flew fixed-wing army airplanes before switching to helicopters. After the Korean War, he flew the world on mapping missions.
Greetings to all at the Canteen!
To all our military men and women, past and present,
Evening, Kathy! How’s the weather in Alaska? Does it start to get cold in August?
Good evening, radu...got in 20 minutes of chilly sun about an hour ago. Just in time as the clouds are winning.
Hope you aren’t having too much heat and no breeze.
Hope your boot will soon be in the past.
Son's over tonight for dinner and hanging, see ya later!
My dad was a chopper pilot and I met Freeman at one of my dad’s reunions. I asked Mr. Freeman why he did what he did? His exact words were, “I brought those boys in and had to bring them out.” He was wearing his medal. He told me he did not want to but all the other pilots insisted that he wear it.
A man’s man was he.
Was this the event where the medical choppers carried ammo to the troops (a no-no), and when questioned why, said, “We are practicing preventative medicine.”?
My dad was a chopper pilot and I met Freeman at one of my dad’s reunions. I asked Mr. Freeman why he did what he did? His exact words were, “I brought those boys in and had to bring them out.” He was wearing his medal. He told me he did not want to but all the other pilots insisted that he wear it.
A man’s man was he.
Good evening, Mooch...
Never can tell, but usually late September or October. You never know what the weather will be for little trick or treaters. Could be no snow, could be snow, could be COLD, or the streets covered in ice.
Hope life is treating you well. Hot summer?
Thanks, Pro, and have a wonderful time hanging with your son.
Good! I was afraid you wouldn’t get any sun time today when I first pulled up the cam. It was completely cloudy. At least the clouds have broken up a little since then. Not for long though. Big rain system moving your way from the Bering Sea.
Cloudy and fairly cool here today. Upper 70s most of the day but rain came through late in the afternoon and dropped the temp to 70. Low 80s for a couple of days, then upper 80s the rest of the week.
Keeping my fingers crossed for shedding the boot Thursday when I go back to the ortho doc.
Good evening, cpdiii, and thanks for sharing your experience with this hero.
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.
Good luck losing the boot this week.
I’ll probably cry if the dr. says I need to wear it a little longer. LOL I’m sick of it. My foot and ankle don’t hurt any more but there’s still a little swelling near the ankle. My hope is to graduate to an elastic ankle brace for a little while. I can live with that just fine.
Howdy, luvie.
Was today’s weather still relatively decent?
It was almost cool here today.
Hey there, radu!
No, it was awful! We got up to 98, but thankfully with a low-20s humidity that kept if from being completely miserable. Just 99% miserable. 🤣
I’m glad it was cool there. You deserve some cool after what y’all have been through! Will it stay that way for a while, or go away as quickly as ours did?
1st!!
Yuck! I hoped it would stay decent for a couple of days at least.
It was cloudy and 79 here when I woke up but rain came through late in the afternoon and dropped it to 70. It went back up a couple of degrees afterwards but that’s all.
They say 82 the next two days, then upper 80s the rest of the week, with rain chances every day. Not bad for August so I won’t complain.
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Ed W. "Too Tall" Freeman (November 20, 1927 - August 20, 2008) was a United States Army fixed and rotary wing aircraft pilot who received the Medal of Honor on July 16, 2001 for his actions in the Battle of Ia Drang in 1965. As a helicopter pilot, he flew through gunfire more than 20 times during a single, ferocious battle, bringing supplies to a trapped battalion of United States soldiers and flying more than 70 wounded soldiers to safety. Freeman flew wingman for Major Bruce Crandall who also received the Medal of Honor for the same missions. He is also honored in the film "We Were Soldiers" and is played by Mark McCracken.
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.