SP4RVN1971 Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 You're an 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 1/2 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 un-armed 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 at the age of 80, in Boise , ID ......May God rest his soul..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonio Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 God Bless You Ed !!! R.I.P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs rockman (widow of vet) Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 What a remarkable person, Ed Freeman! You were the "only" way those veterans had a chance of getting out and getting the medical attention they needed. My hat is off to you! Ed, God is taking care of you now! Celia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridehard2208 Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 (edited) Thank you for your kindness and humanity Ed Freeman trading in your earthbound wings for a different type God Bless You and Yours! SP4RVN1971 great job on the write up God Bless Rich! Edited February 24, 2013 by Ridehard2208 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SP4RVN1971 Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 (edited) Thank you for your kindness and humanity Ed Freeman trading in your earthbound wings for a different type God Bless You and Yours! SP4RVN1971 great job on the write up God Bless Rich! The write up was done by Seal of Honor. I'm not that good of writer! Edited February 24, 2013 by SP4RVN1971 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadIt.com Elder john999 Posted February 24, 2013 HadIt.com Elder Share Posted February 24, 2013 There are a lot of older guys than the usual 19 year old we think of as a Nam vet. Many career soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen served in Nam. They are dying every day. I see them in the obits. The 19 year old Nam vet today is between 60-68 usually depending on when they served. If you were a marine guard 19 years old in 1973 you could be 58-59 possible. I am 63 and I think most are 65-66 if you look at bell shaped curve. Number of Nam in-country topped out in late 1968 or early 69 I think.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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