Old News Re-visited

idahoskunk

idahoskunk

Joined
Mar 10, 2002
Messages
19,806
You may have seen this email before.

Courage.

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 in 2008 at the age of 80, 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 Michael
Jackson and Tiger Woods.

Medal of Honor
Winner Captain Ed Freeman


.
 
Bless those that serve with courage, protect them in their time of need, and should they pass deliver their souls to their chosen heaven.
 
May God Bless Captain Ed Freeman,and all our Brave men in uniform. We rarely hear about Brave men like this and they should definately take precedence over any sports player,ect,ect.
 
md02geist said:
Bless those that serve with courage, protect them in their time of need, and should they pass deliver their souls to their chosen heaven.
Click to expand...

Very well put.

As to Skunk's story and comment, it IS a damned shame that we hear too much about the sick and twisted and too little about those we might hope to emulate. To Captain Freeman and all of those who have, who do, and who will serve with distinction, my utmost respect and gratitude.
Pete
 
IIRC, he drove a "slick" - meaning no guns on the puppy.

Similar to Bruce Crandall of "We Were Soldier's Once" legend. Another MOH recipient, for similar valor in delivering ammo while hauling out wounded.
 
We Were Soldiers Once...and Young!!!

It doesn't get any better, Skunk! He's my kind of hero! :thumbup:
 
Those are the real heros.

It is them that gave us the luxury to choose how we spend our time, even if some do so unwisely.
 
What a great story. It is to bad we don't hear more about this type of hero on the news.
 
Oh, yes.

I remember Ed Freeman. Met him back in the late 80's.

A simple, unassuming man. He told me he just "did the right thing." Actually, I've heard pretty much the same thing from the 20 or so MoH winners I've met.

Would that everyone could both recognize "the right thing," and then do it. I wonder ... which step is hardest?:confused:
 
It's people like this that show what strength there is in the human spirit. Every generation has them and it's good to know they're still valued and respected.

Great post skunker.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top