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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I'm in no way meaning to take anything away from your post, but CPT Freeman actually passed on 20 Aug 2008 from Parkinson's disease. Facebook strikes again :)
http://www.cmohs.org/news-detail/7/moh-recipient-ed-w-freeman-has-died.php
CPT Freeman was the wingman for his CO Maj. Bruce Crandall, both were awarded the MOH for that battle. A 1st MOH for that battle was awarded to 2LT Walter Marm.
True heroes! All three deserve to have their story told and remembered and their legacy honored.
I've read the book We Were Soldiers...and Young by Col. Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway numerous times, it's an excellent read! And i've also watched the movie i don't know how many times. It's excellent as well IMO.
http://www.cmohs.org/news-detail/7/moh-recipient-ed-w-freeman-has-died.php
CPT Freeman was the wingman for his CO Maj. Bruce Crandall, both were awarded the MOH for that battle. A 1st MOH for that battle was awarded to 2LT Walter Marm.
True heroes! All three deserve to have their story told and remembered and their legacy honored.
I've read the book We Were Soldiers...and Young by Col. Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway numerous times, it's an excellent read! And i've also watched the movie i don't know how many times. It's excellent as well IMO.
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PO1 Brian Austin
I have no idea who that photo is of at the end of my post...lol I've tried editing it out, but it keeps showing back up when i save the edit?!?! Maybe it's this crappy WIFI i'm on.
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I am so suprised! The Idaho Statesman did not publish it? I served for 18 months with the IDARNG in Iraq OIF 3/4. This is not like them to not honor him!
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Pure unaldulerated courage. I salute the Huey pilot who should have received or maybe he did the MOH.
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And this is the kind of story the mainstream media needs to report. This may even be a good movie concept, if hollywood weren't such a bastard sensationalized crapshoot.
I am proud to follow in the footsteps of great men and women like CPT Freeman and many others.
I am proud to follow in the footsteps of great men and women like CPT Freeman and many others.
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