An American hero dies… and hardly anyone knows

Michael Jackson dies and it’s 24/7 news coverage. A real American hero dies and not a mention of it in the news.

You’re a 19-year-old kid. You’re critically wounded and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam . Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac 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 and you look up to see an unarmed Huey, but it doesn’t seem real because no Medi-Vac markings are on it.

Ed Freeman is coming for you. He’s not Medi-Vac, so it’s not his job, but he’s flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, after the Medi-Vacs 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 2 or 3 of you on board.

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

And he kept coming back, 13 more times, and took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out.

Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman died on Wednesday, June 25th, 2009, at the age of 80, in Boise , ID.



http://bitsandpieces.us/

RIP Ed Freeman.....:patriot:

was one of the most inspiring things I've ever read.

After I read the account of his actions, I paused and wondered if I would've had the courage and selflessness to do something like that. I was humbled by his actions and still am.

Sounds like a great man. American hero indeed. Thanks for sharing this.

for posting this. And thank you, Ed Freeman.

I got the same email and checked t out at snopes.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/freeman.asp

He still deserves a salute.

I was just correcting the date of death. He accomplished so much under fire.

he still deserves the recognition, as I'm sure you agree. Without this thread, I never would have heard of him and his heroism. Thank you for the due diligence in your fact checking and thank you Ed. :patriot:

True hero!

Ed saw first hand what war does to people.

And we have people like Bush and Cheney who never served their country when it was their time, and in fact later disgraced their country with lies, corruption, illegal wars, and spying.

It's pathetic.

Thanks for your service, Ed. You are a real hero.

" Military service
Ed McMahon wanted to become a US Marine Corps fighter pilot. Prior to the US entry into World War II, the Army and Navy required 2 years of college for entry into it's pilots program. Ed McMahon enrolled into classes at Boston College. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, the military dropped the college requirement for pilot training, so McMahon dropped out of school and applied to the Marines. His primary flight training was in Dallas and was followed up by fighter training in Pensacola where he received his carrier landing qualifications. He spent the next 2 years as a flight instructor training other Marine pilots. Ed McMahon finally received orders to the Pacific fleet in 1945, but those orders were cancelled after the Atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ending the war.

As an Officer in the reserves, McMahon was recalled to Active Duty during the Korean War. This time, he flew the Cessna O-1E Bird Dog, a single engine unarmed plane. He functioned as an artillery spotter for the Marine Batteries on the ground and as a forward controller for the Navy and Marine Fighter/Bombers. He flew a total of 85 combat missions, earning a number of Navy Air Medals. After the war, he stayed with the Marines as a reserve Officer , retiring in 1966 as a Colonel."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_McMahon#Star_Search

So he is expendable.

And like most true hero, not known by the public in general. Thanks for the report.

We lost a lot when he died.

As a nation, we need to pay more attention to what REAL heroes are so we know when fake ones are being passed off on us.

Great post

RIP Ed Freeman

Sergeant, 1st Force Recon...

Since being with him, I have become so much more aware.

He was treated like dirt when he came home. Thankfully, now we have come around to respect for those who serve the country's defense but he will never truly heal from the stupid cruelty dumped on him back then.

Please let him know that the vast majority of people at DU, myself included, are grateful to him for his service and care about our soldiers.
:hug:

Maybe I used the wrong words "he will never truly heal from that"... Bleh that sounds hopeless! Even though he'll never forget, he can always aim to feel better, know that he IS appreciated...

:hi:
:hug:

:patriot:

"we were Soldiers once, and Young"?

if so he still needs a shave? :patriot: :cry: :patriot:

for conspicuous bravery that they showed over a few seconds or minutes. Heroes all. BUT... Freeman did something crazy/brave over a long period of time. And to save... not kill. M of H material if I ever saw it.

I can imagine what courage it took to go in the first time, and then fly to safety.

What I cannot fathom is the courage it took to continue to fly into that hell again and again. He had time between trips to realize his situation, but flew on anyway.

I resent that the people who dreamed up this video couldn't resist lying about the date of Freeman's to make a point of showing the shallowness of the American media. What he did transcends some private agenda.

they would land in hot LZs to get wounded, risking themselves, the blackhawk and their crew.

And then they came back and did it again.

:cry: :cry: :patriot:

:patriot:

:kick:

:patriot:

I agree that his death ought to receive the attention it deserves. Although I don't like it when people bash Michael Jackson's death either. I'm just saying.

Great and true patriot. His account in "We Were Solderers Once" is gripping as is many other young, alive and fallen.

And shame to those who seek to manipulate others by using your honorable service to your country for their own ends.

this story should be published here once a year. Ed Freeman gives me a little hope in a selfish and greedy world. Fourteen times he risked death for those guys. I hope everyone of them who had kids named one of them for this extraordinary man.

:patriot:

Lay the fuck off of Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson was not about a fucking moon dance, nor a thriller record,
he was much more too. Humanitarian, that donated millions of dollars to causes around the world and an all
around good person and not A FUCKING CHILD MOLESTER - THAT WAS ALL BULL SHIT!

So enough with the fucking moon walk and thriller!

By the way, there is enough room in this world for more than one fucking hero.

If you don't like MJ. Good. I don't fucking care. Just stop bringing up Michael every time one of you young fuck tards
pull another hero out of your ass!

Thanks. FUA!

:patriot:

Freeman had a post office named after him on June 25th. He died last August. That doesn't take away from the fact that Ed was a great man though.

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20090625/NEWS01/90625003/McLain+post+office+honors+war+hero

And thank you, Mr. Freeman, for your service. Rest well, sir.

:patriot:

I mean, I totally believe it, and all honour to Ed Freeman....but it's hard to imagine that kind of courage and dedication.

:)

Well done Mr. Freeman - :patriot:

RIP

:patriot:

This brought a little tear to my eye. I hope this gets some TV attention.

:kick:

Why did you mention MJ at the beginning of this thread? A snide way to bash MJ even in death just because he was famous?

SGT PASTO

:patriot:

...RIP.

He saved 30 young Americans from dying in a useless war for no reason except the ego of politicians.

I have rarely been so impressed with a story and I'm in awe of Ed's deeds.

Thank you for posting this.

So sorry...........

RIP Ed we will not forget

if you think a comment like that is appropriate here.

You should probably read a little and get to know DU before you decide to post again, or your stay here will more than likely be cut short.

But I am now.

I'm the son of Vietnam Vet.

Fuck off and die.

They did not start the war, they did not necessarily want to go, and you can rest assured that a majority of them took no particular pleasure in either being in Vietnam, or taking part in the vicious conflict there. Call them murderers if you will, that is your right, but in doing so all you expose is your own immaturity.

Things may seem so beautifully black and white from where you're sitting, but study a little history, and you soon realize that things are not so easily defined. If all of those young men were murderers, then by extension we all are, because we didn't overthrow the last Presidency in blood and fire. By your own judgment we should all be brutally destroyed for that. Think about that the next time you lightly condemn someone you never met.

Bless you, Ed Freeman.

RIP Sir...and thank you...:patriot:

FREEMAN, ED W.

By direction of the President, under the Joint Resolution of Congress approved 12 July 1862 (amended by act of 3 March 1863, act of 9 July 1918, and act of 25 July 1963), the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, is awarded by the Department of the Army in the name of Congress to:

CAPTAIN ED W. FREEMAN
UNITED STATES ARMY

Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, of Boise, Idaho, who distinguished himself by numerous acts of conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary intrepidity on 14 November 1965 while serving with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). As a flight leader and second in command of a 16-helicopter lift unit, he supported a heavily engaged American infantry battalion at Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam. The unit was almost out of ammunition after taking some of the heaviest casualties of the war, fighting off a relentless attack from a highly motivated, heavily armed enemy force. When the infantry commander closed the helicopter landing zone because of intense direct enemy fire, Captain Freeman risked his life by flying his unarmed helicopter through a gauntlet of enemy fire time after time, delivering critically needed ammunition, water, and medical supplies to the besieged battalion. His flights, by providing the engaged units with supplies of ammunition critical to their survival, directly affected the battle's outcome. Without them the units would almost surely have gone down, with much greater loss of life. After medical evacuation helicopters refused to fly into the area because of intense enemy fire, Captain Freeman flew 14 separate rescue missions, providing lifesaving evacuation of an estimated 30 seriously wounded soldiers-some of whom would not have survived had he not acted. All flights were made into a small emergency landing zone within 100 to 200 meters of the defensive perimeter, where heavily committed units were perilously holding off the attacking elements. Captain Freeman's selfless acts of great valor and extraordinary perseverance were far above and beyond the call of duty or mission and set a superb example of leadership and courage for all of his peers. Captain Freeman's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/vietnam-a-l.html

We've all got a story ... most of us should be mourned.

Ed Freeman (in the OP)
Bruce Crandall
Walter Marm


http://www.mishalov.com/Freeman.html Medal of Honor citation for Ed Freeman, battle of la Drang

http://www.mishalov.com/Crandall.html Medal of Honor citation for Bruce Crandall, battle of la Drang

http://www.mishalov.com/Marm.html Medal of Honor citation for Walter Marm, battle of la Drang

I'm sure they have his "minute biography" in those MoH & war hero pop culture books but it would interesting to read about the entirety of his experience before, during and after Ia Drang.

It would be shame if his story is now lost with his death.

Let that be a wake up call to all others who played a part in history no matter how large or small, boring or exciting - Time is catching up with you. Soon you will be gone. Don't let your story pass with you.