Posted on Dec 5, 2015
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You're a 19 year old kid. You are 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 the 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 Army, died on 9-30-15 at the age of 70, in Boise, Idaho. May God Bless and Rest His Soul.
SADLY, his passing did not get the attention of our media; only today did I read about it --and not in the lamestream media! So take a moment to reflect on the selfless example of leadership demonstrated by Army Captain Ed Freeman and take pride in knowing that you are standing in shoes he left. Honor his legacy.
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 the 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 Army, died on 9-30-15 at the age of 70, in Boise, Idaho. May God Bless and Rest His Soul.
SADLY, his passing did not get the attention of our media; only today did I read about it --and not in the lamestream media! So take a moment to reflect on the selfless example of leadership demonstrated by Army Captain Ed Freeman and take pride in knowing that you are standing in shoes he left. Honor his legacy.
Military History
Leadership
Honor
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 15
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Rest in peace Cpt Ed Freeman, USAF. Thank you, Cpt Jeff Schwagger, USMC, Ret, for posting this.
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RIP Capt Freeman and may you find peace and comfort now that you are at rest. God Bless.
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It is a great story that should continue to be passed on for inspiration!
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This scene from that brave pilot I think was shown in the movie "We were soldiers once and young"
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Capt Jeff S. CPT Ed "too tall" Freeman was an ARMY officer, Armor branch. One of my branches heroes.
LTC Mo Vanderslice
LTC Mo Vanderslice
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Capt Jeff S.
Thanks for the correction, LTC Bink Romanick and I'll fix it. I was on my phone when I copied and pasted that from Facebook. Should have done more research.
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LTC Mo Vanderslice
"Too Tall," he's a legend. I would think that anyone who went to "Happy Valley" or was in Armor has at least heard of "Too Tall" Freeman.
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Capt Jeff S.
LTC Bink Romanick, Better late than never. I just missed Vietnam but the NCO's and SNCO's that trained me were Vietnam vets and I heard all their war stories. THAT was one screwed up war! Unbelievable some of the stories I heard from the Vets that were there!
I entered the military at a time when it was looked down on and people thought of you as a loser who couldn't hack life in the "REAL" world. That changed with Reagan, and really changed after Desert Storm. Thankfully, our politicians (at least up until the current one), learned from the mistakes of that war and quit fighting the wars from their armchairs in Washington. Still that doesn't make up for what you guys had to come home to. Someone on RP said the best thing you can tell a Vietnam vet is "Welcome Home!"
I entered the military at a time when it was looked down on and people thought of you as a loser who couldn't hack life in the "REAL" world. That changed with Reagan, and really changed after Desert Storm. Thankfully, our politicians (at least up until the current one), learned from the mistakes of that war and quit fighting the wars from their armchairs in Washington. Still that doesn't make up for what you guys had to come home to. Someone on RP said the best thing you can tell a Vietnam vet is "Welcome Home!"
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Capt Jeff S.
SSgt Norris (USMC Force Recon) lat moved to Avionics and related a story from his recon days. He told me a story about landing in a hot LZ. They didn't have their magazines in their rifles, and were under orders not to shoot unless shot at. So the CH-46 lands and the first guy runs out the ramp, gets hit and falls down. The next guy runs out the ramp, gets hit and falls down. The rest of the guys are sitting in the helicopter wondering where the fire is coming from and they were in the middle of an open field with nothing around but one bush. "Sgt" Norris was next to go and he wasn't having any of that. He jumped out the side hatch and unloaded a clip into that bush. Nobody went over to check, but nobody else got shot.
Can't imagine sending your troops in harm's way and telling them not to have their rifles loaded and not to shoot unless they are shot at first. Is your life worth that little to your leaders that they strip you of your ability to defend yourself?!! In effect their policy was, "If the first shot doesn't kill you, you may return fire." THAT IS AFU! We aren't expendable! Green lives matter too!
Can't imagine sending your troops in harm's way and telling them not to have their rifles loaded and not to shoot unless they are shot at first. Is your life worth that little to your leaders that they strip you of your ability to defend yourself?!! In effect their policy was, "If the first shot doesn't kill you, you may return fire." THAT IS AFU! We aren't expendable! Green lives matter too!
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LTC Stephen Conway
I read this in the Canadian Paper National Post.com and I found this story on VOA today. This guy needs to get the Medal of Honor. He was the senior NCO at the prison camp and he ordered all his men to step forward if they were Jewish. He saved his life and many others even at gunpoint.
http://m.voanews.com/a/israel-honors-us-sergeant-for-defying-commander-of-nazi-camp/3085653.html
http://m.voanews.com/a/israel-honors-us-sergeant-for-defying-commander-of-nazi-camp/3085653.html
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LTC Stephen Conway
Many were not honored in just and forgotten wars like Vietnam and Korea. We need to give those men and women credit!
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