COURAGE!

[giantfan]

I got this in an email and I figured that I would pass it along.

Your a 19 year old kid.

You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle somewhere in the central highlands of vietnam.

It's Novermber 11, 1967
Landing zone X-ray
Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 yards away, the your CO 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 whould not have made it without the Captain and his Huey

MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT, CAPTAIN ED FREEMAN, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE, & NBSP; 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 tiger woods

Shame on the American media!!!!


.

[erg153]

Thank you for sharing that. We do seem to have our priorities a little misaligned.

[giantfan]

I have just been informed of the following


He was Army not Air Force, and he died Aug '08 of Parkinson's disease.


Thanks Jesse!!!!

[Fortunate One]

Courage. I'd say.

I believe I've heard of this man somewhere along the way.

I'm sure there are others in recent wars that have exhibited extraordinary feats of courage like this American Hero.

You're absolutely right about the media. They portray average Americans that attend Tea Parties as a bunch of " Violent Racist, Red Necks". And how do they portray the uppity violent Mexicans in Arizona? As Victims!

Not that it means much but I saw a story where the spineless producers of Comedy Central are so quick to allow South Park to jump all over every religion but when it comes to South Park showing Mohamed in a cartoon I guess the threats from some of those that follow the "religion of peace" have intimidated those weak bastards to sensor the sacred image of Mohamed.

The media needs to have courage like Captain Ed Freeman. The United States would be a much better place.

[Agitated88]

Courage. I'd say.

I believe I've heard of this man somewhere along the way.
The media needs to have courage like Captain Ed Freeman. The United States would be a much better place.

Yes, you probably have Fortunate One...George W. Bush awarded him the Medal of Honor July 16, 2001...obviously way overdue! And your right...the United States would be a MUCH better place with more MEN like him!!

His official citation reads:


Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, 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 due to intense direct enemy fire, Captain Freeman risked his own 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 had a direct impact on the battle's outcome by providing the engaged units with timely supplies of ammunition critical to their survival, without which they would almost surely have gone down, with much greater loss of life. After medical evacuation helicopters refused to fly into the area due to intense enemy fire, Captain Freeman flew 14 separate rescue missions, providing life-saving 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, extraordinary perseverance and intrepidity 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

[Big Jay]

We have some really amazing individuals in our armed forces. Yes, many of the true acts of heroism are going on AS WE discuss this. Our media is truly misaligned. We need to hear more about these amazing acts than which worthless celeb is cheating on his wife.

Sad world we live in.

[Big Fish Billy]

Thanks for passing that along, life well done....as for the Tiger Woods aspect...I hope everyone heard Reba at the awards a week or so back..."country music owes it's inspiration for all the lying, cheating, cold hearted, double dealing, mean, mistreating country songs this year...to Tiger Woods and Jesse James"....you go girl...........

[marine4003]

I also remember hearing something about the flight crew mentioning that there was no reason that bird should of flown as long as it did that day..hydraulics shot up..holes in the control cables..airframe looked like swiss cheese..God Bless Ed and all Men of his caliber.

[chumslicker27]

Thats good stuff there.

[clt_capt]

That was definitely newsworthy - My best wishes to his family.