Posted on 03/06/2002 9:41:22 AM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
NEVER FORGET
...MEL GIBSON and RANDALL WALLACE's new Vietnam War Masterpiece ..'WE WERE SOLDIERS'.. which came out Nationwide March 1, 2002 ...very realistically depicts the Heroism of many taking care of each other on the Battlefield and those Loved Ones doing the same at Home while waiting for their Heroes far away to come home ...or not.
...Actor ..GREG KINNEAR.. portrayed Commander Helicopter Pilot ..BRUCE "Snake" CRANDALL.. Hero of this Battle of the IA DRANG Valley in November 1965 ..the first Major Battle between invading North Vietnamese Communist Army Regulars and American Forces. That American Force was my 1st Battalion U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment heavily supported by Air and Artillery.
...Major BRUCE CRANDALL over and over again flew into heavy fire to bring in crucial Ammunition, Food and Water into our 7th Cavalry Skytroopers at Landing Zone X-Ray and to take out our wounded and dead ..which were many ..that I personally carried from his Helicopter to others waiting at our Artillery's Landing Zone Falcon nearby.
...CRANDALL always led his Wingman Capt ED 'Too Tall" FREEMAN into the Fires who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President GEORGE W. BUSH in a White House Ceremony at the White House last year for his own Heroism at Landing Zone X-Ray.
...So as not to have any appearance of a Conflict of Interest BRUCE "Snake" CRANDALL asked that the Paperwork for his own Congressional Medal of Honor be be held back since he was ED FREEMAN's Commanding Officer and was supporting his award.
...I have just learned as a result of my calling into BRUCE "Snake" CRANDALL on The MICHAEL MEDVED Show Monday from His son ...who was in Studio at the time and had started to smile broadly when I asked his Father just when we would be seeing him get his own Congressional Medal of Honor he so richly deserves.. that...
...BRUCE CRANDALL's Congressional Medal of Honor Paperwork that had been submitted to the Office of Former State of Washington Senator GORTON (R) ...and was "Misplaced" when this Senator was defeated by Senator MARIA CANTWELL (D).
...Is there anything we Freepers can do to see that this True American Hero gets what he so richly deserves...?
Signed:..ALOHA RONNIE Guyer / Vet-Battle of IA DRANG-1965 / Landing Zone Falcon / www.LzXray.com
NEVER FORGET
A long time in coming but good news was recently announced by Hal Moore at the VFW National Conference in Reno, NV
mdcrandall (Proud to be #3 Son of Snake)
http://www.vfw.org/index.cfm?fa=news.newsDtl&did=3573
Award Recipients Recognized
After receiving VFW’s Armed Forces Award, retired Army Lt. Gen. Hal Moore announced that Bruce Crandall will receive the Medal of Honor (MOH). Moore credited Crandall, a Huey helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, with saving many lives by continuing to fly in and out during the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley, Nov. 14-16, 1965.
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Great News, #3 Son of Snake.
Now we can finally answer that question asked of Battle of
IA DRANG Hero BOB CRANDALL by a caller on National Tak Radio during the week of the Movie Release of "WE WERE SOLDIERS,"
...and by Mrs. JULIE MOORE herself of him durng our 2001 IA DRANG Alumni Dinner in Washington, D.C.,
"And now, BOB, when will we be seeing you receive your own Battle of IA DRANG Congressional Medal of Honor at the White House" ..?
GOD is indeed GOOD..?
Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer
-IA DRANG S-1 Personnel Clerk who took a just shot in the back S-2 Officer Capt. TOM METSKER off of BOB CRANDALL's Huey Helicopter, while ID'ing him, 3 air minutes out from IA DRANG's Landing Zone X-Ray on the 1st day of Battle.
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Thanks for the ping, Ronnie. It's always good to hear GOOD NEWS about our fellow service men and women.
Helluva job!
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BRUCE CRANDALL it is indeed, #3 Son of Snake, not BOB.
Got up this morning to your wonderful news about your father BRUCE's coming CMOH and started happily typing back to you, very sleepy-eyed.
So a high school classmate of mine's name from long ago, one BOB CRANDALL, got his name posted in error here. Please accept my heartfelt apologies..?
We here on this end are so very happy for you, and the entire BRUCE CRANDALL Family, for your longtime patience finally being so deservedly rewarded.
GOD Speed.
AR
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