I thought young people didn't notice_

[Ray,IN]

My daughters email to me:
Hi all. I received this email and was intrigued by the story so I did a little research. This email has many truths but there are a few corrections that I believe Major Ed Freeman (which was his rank when he retired from the military in 1967) deserves to have made before this email is sent on. I have posted them at the end of this forwarded email. Stephanie.

You're a 19 year old kid.

You're critically wounded and dying in
the jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam.

It's November 11, 1967.
LZ (landing zone) X-ray

Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense from 100 yards away, that your CO (commanding officer) has ordered the MedEvac 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.

You look up to see a Huey coming in. But.. It doesn't seem real because no MedEvac markings are on it.

Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you.

He's not MedEvac so it's not his job, but he heard the radio call and decided he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway.

Even after the MedEvacs 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 3 of you at a time on board.

Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses and safety.

And, he kept coming back !! 13 more times!!
Until all the wounded were out. No one knew until the mission was over that the Captain had been hit 4 times in the legs and left arm.

He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have made it without the Captain and his Huey.

Medal of Honor Recipient, Captain Ed Freeman , United States Air Force, died last Wednesday at the age of 70, in Boise, Idaho

May God Bless and Rest His Soul.

I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but we've sure seen a whole bunch about Lindsay Lohan, Tiger Woods and the bickering of congress over Health Reform.

Medal of Honor Winner Captain Ed Freeman

Shame on the American media !!!

Now... YOU pass this along to YOUR
mailing list. Honor this real American.

Please.

Okay the corrections I mentioned can be found via Wikipedia and Snopes.com.

The real Ed Freeman did all of these things and more. He served in both the Navy and the Army (229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Calvery Divison Airmobile). He served in WWII, The Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Major Ed Freeman was the receipiant of many awards including an Army Comendation Medal, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Distinquished Flying Cross, and the Medal of Honor to name a few. He was depicted in the 2002 movie 'We Were Soldiers' which focused on the the Battle of Ia Drang (during which his rank was Captain).

The Following paragraph was taken directly from Wikipedia. It gives a more accurate description of the battle of Ia Drang:

'On November 14, 1965, Freeman and his unit transported a battalion of American soldiers to the Ia Drang Valley. Later, after arriving back at base, they learned that the soldiers had come under intense fire and had taken heavy casualties. Enemy fire around the landing zones was so heavy that the medical evacuation helicopters refused to fly in to the landing zone. Freeman and his commander, Major Bruce Crandall, volunteered to fly their unarmed, lightly armored UH-1 Huey in support of the embattled troops. Freeman made a total of fourteen trips to the battlefield, bringing in water and ammunition and taking out wounded soldiers under heavy enemy fire in what was later named the Battle of Ia Drang. By the time they landed their heavily damaged Huey, Captain Freeman had been wounded four times by ground fire.'

Major Ed Freeman passed away August 20, 2008 due to complications from Parkinson's Disease.

While I agree with the sentiments of this email it pained me to discover that the facts concerning this brave soldier were incorrect. So I decided to correct what I could in order to, in some small way, honor a man who did much to honor us by way of our country.

Thank you, Stephanie (my youngest daughter)

[4Knights]

Thank you! Tear in my eye, long time since that happened

[Bob/Becky D - VA]

Aint it a shame that such a hero of our nation can be so soon forgotten and that I have to listen to hours of crap about Charlie Sheen.......

Such a travesty.

May he rest in peace. He earned it.

Bob

[Midniteoyl]

Tell her thanks...

"We Were Soldiers"....Battle of la Drang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[bdpreece]

Some gave all. All gave some. My mediocre contribution during this time will never measure up to hero's like this this.

[Jack R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdpreece Some gave all. All gave some. My mediocre contribution during this time will never measure up to hero's like this this.

Brian you did your job, and I betcha a nickel if you were able to ask Freeman he would tell you "I was just doing my job"

I was also there 68-69 did my job and was able to make it home. I don't even talk about it unless it is with someone who has been there and done that. No one else understands.

Very few could or would have done what Freeman and Crandell did. Alot of soldiers are lucky due to what they did. so be it.

Welcom home brian, whatever it may be worth, I'm proud of you.

jack

[W4RLR]

On another forum I am having heated discussions with someone who believes that the military is "nothing special" and that veterans programs need to be cut if public sector workers have their collective bargaining rights taken away, in the interest of "fairness".

Some folks couldn't buy a clue. Even if you were to tell them this story.

[Midniteoyl]

You should give us a link to that forum and thread..

[4Knights]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rray32539 On another forum I am having heated discussions with someone who believes that the military is "nothing special" and that veterans programs need to be cut if public sector workers have their collective bargaining rights taken away, in the interest of "fairness". Some folks couldn't buy a clue. Even if you were to tell them this story.

Tell the person on the other forum to come see me at Ft. Riley and I'll make sure to show em what nothing special looks and feels like. Probably couldn't even handle one day in the life.
Ron

[VietVet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack R Brian you did your job, and I betcha a nickel if you were able to ask Freeman he would tell you "I was just doing my job" I was also there 68-69 did my job and was able to make it home. I don't even talk about it unless it is with someone who has been there and done that. No one else understands. Very few could or would have done what Freeman and Crandell did. Alot of soldiers are lucky due to what they did. so be it. Welcom home brian, whatever it may be worth, I'm proud of you. jack

Thank you and welcome home to all vets.

Tet Hue 68' 69, Just did my job to.

[jackrobinryan]

I have made a point lately to try and strike up a conversation anytime I cross paths with someone wearing a ball cap denoting their military service. Almost always makes for an interesting conversation with someone who appreciates being noticed and recognized for their service.

Met a fella, unloading his wheelchair from the truck bed, wearing an Amored Cav cap. He was there, at the battle noted above. We chatted for almost an hour over a cup of coffee. He appreciated the notice.

I appreciate the chance to talk with them.

Try it.

[Its Paid For]

Me and my wife are both Vets, ironically I was in Iraq the first time, she was there the second. I can't believe we are still there 21 years later.

[JohnRR]

There were many that did things no one ever heard of.

[4Knights]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnRR There were many that did things no one ever heard of.

Still are today