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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: W7LPNRICK on January 06, 2010, 09:07:47 PM

Title: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: W7LPNRICK on January 06, 2010, 09:07:47 PM
You're a   19 year old kid. 
You're   critically wounded and dying in the jungle in   the Ia Drang Valley.     
November   11, 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. 
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   anyway.   Even   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!!   He   took about 30 of you and your buddies out who   would never have gotten out.   Medal of Honor   Recipient, Ed   Freeman, died recently at the   age of 80, in
Boise , Idaho   . May   God 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. . . 
Medal   of Honor Winner   Ed   Freeman--Shame   on the American media !!!   :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Ruler2 on January 06, 2010, 09:11:38 PM
 :salute

Talk about guts, this is what makes our troops who they are today, character.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: bravoa8 on January 06, 2010, 09:15:39 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: baine1 on January 06, 2010, 09:25:15 PM
The story above is amazing, but it's only half of it. The real facts are even more impressive. :salute

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/freeman.asp
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: LCCajun on January 06, 2010, 09:48:26 PM
 :salute Thank you.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Brooke on January 06, 2010, 09:54:20 PM
 :salute and thanks for the post.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: MajWoody on January 06, 2010, 09:55:01 PM
 :salute Ed Freeman
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: OSU on January 06, 2010, 09:58:05 PM
A True American Hero.
 :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: MutleyBR on January 06, 2010, 09:59:30 PM
 :salute Ed   Freeman

And anyone who does not let his comrades down...
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: EskimoJoe on January 06, 2010, 10:55:30 PM
<S> Freeman
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: MadHatter on January 06, 2010, 11:13:28 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Obie303 on January 06, 2010, 11:39:43 PM
:salute

Semper Fi
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Larry on January 07, 2010, 12:07:26 AM
......


Did you get this is an email or something and just wanted to post it here? Ed Freeman passed away on August 20, 2008.


IIRC this same post with almost the same exact wording has been made numerous times since his passing.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Bodhi on January 07, 2010, 12:14:31 AM

Did you get this is an email or something and just wanted to post it here? Ed Freeman passed away on August 20, 2008.


IIRC this same post with almost the same exact wording has been made numerous times since his passing.

What's wrong with posting it again?
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Larry on January 07, 2010, 12:32:00 AM
What's wrong with posting it again?


http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,262842.0.html
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,269312.0.html
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,262121.0.html
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,253316.0.html
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: allaire on January 07, 2010, 07:23:22 AM
Ah good old Larry.  So what if it has been posted before.  It's better to make a new post about it than to exercise the mighty and dangerous Threadnecromancy.  A power so great and terrifying, that the great and powerful Skuzzy must descend from on high to put a stop to it before it gets out of control.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Bear76 on January 07, 2010, 12:40:57 PM
Ah good old Larry.  So what if it has been posted before.  It's better to make a new post about it than to exercise the mighty and dangerous Threadnecromancy.  A power so great and terrifying, that the great and powerful Skuzzy must descend from on high to put a stop to it before it gets out of control.
Feel better? :huh
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: ABDCWOT on January 07, 2010, 12:44:49 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Shuffler on January 07, 2010, 12:46:44 PM
Ah good old Larry.  So what if it has been posted before.  It's better to make a new post about it than to exercise the mighty and dangerous Threadnecromancy.  A power so great and terrifying, that the great and powerful Skuzzy must descend from on high to put a stop to it before it gets out of control.

Think he was refering to the OP not keeping up with the times. Most all here knew of him passing and have heard his story many times while he was alive.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Nutzoid on January 07, 2010, 01:29:02 PM
You're a   19 year old kid.  
You're   critically wounded and dying in the jungle in   the Ia Drang Valley.      
November   11, 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.  
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   anyway.   Even   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!!   He   took about 30 of you and your buddies out who   would never have gotten out.   Medal of Honor   Recipient, Ed   Freeman, died recently at the   age of 80, in
Boise , Idaho   . May   God 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. . .  
Medal   of Honor Winner   Ed   Freeman--Shame   on the American media !!!   :salute
  :salute Gary Owen  
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Zoney on January 07, 2010, 01:45:09 PM
 :salute  Ed Freeman, sir.

Thank you.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Zoney on January 07, 2010, 01:46:52 PM
:salute  Ed Freeman, sir.

I had never heard of him before.  I never had a chance to thank him before.  I appreciate you posting this.  I do not care how many times he has been honored here before.

Thank you.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: 007Rusty on January 07, 2010, 02:07:42 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: pervert on January 07, 2010, 03:24:28 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: ares473 on January 07, 2010, 04:08:47 PM
  :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: ROX on January 07, 2010, 04:18:40 PM
     :salute





ROX

(PS--one of the saddest parts of the story is he died around the same time as Michael Jackson and the news of his passing got pushed to the curb by the media as they instead covered the circus of Jackson's death.  Sad that a real American hero's passing is overshadowed and barely remembered because of the death of a pop icon.   :(
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: W7LPNRICK on January 07, 2010, 04:30:22 PM

Did you get this is an email or something and just wanted to post it here? Ed Freeman passed away on August 20, 2008.


IIRC this same post with almost the same exact wording has been made numerous times since his passing.

I didn't get it nor hear of it in 2008, & apparently many folks appreciated hearing it. If you don't like it being here, don't read it. Seems easy enough to me.   :P
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Ack-Ack on January 07, 2010, 04:43:10 PM
     :salute





ROX

(PS--one of the saddest parts of the story is he died around the same time as Michael Jackson and the news of his passing got pushed to the curb by the media as they instead covered the circus of Jackson's death.  Sad that a real American hero's passing is overshadowed and barely remembered because of the death of a pop icon.   :(

Too bad you are incorrect.  Micheal Jackson died in 2009, Ed Freeman died around a year before in 2008.  Someone added that part, originally it was a reference to Chris Brown's beating of Rhianna then someone else replaced it with Jackson, at the end of the email chain letter.  The first version with the Chris Brown reference changed the date of Freeman's death to Febuary 2009 to create the mistaken impression that Freeman died on the same day and the media ignored it to report instead about Chris Brown.  When someone else altered it and replaced the Brown reference to Jackson, they also changed the date to June 25, 2009, again to give the false impression that Freeman died on the same day as Jackson.

The media didn't ignore him and his death was widely reported on major news networks and newspapers.


ack-ack
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Badboy on January 07, 2010, 04:44:49 PM
I didn't get it nor hear of it in 2008, & apparently many folks appreciated hearing it.

Yep,

That story brings a lump to my throat every time I read it.

What a man... God bless him!!

Badboy
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: mike254 on January 07, 2010, 10:55:01 PM
 :salute Ed Freeman
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: ShrkBite on January 07, 2010, 11:09:48 PM
Yes that is pretty bad. Sadly, they made more money with micheal jackson then they would writing about a Hero dieing. Media is becoming a sad story.  :salute Freeman
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: W7LPNRICK on January 07, 2010, 11:11:02 PM
Too bad you are incorrect.  Micheal Jackson died in 2009, Ed Freeman died around a year before in 2008.  Someone added that part, originally it was a reference to Chris Brown's beating of Rhianna then someone else replaced it with Jackson, at the end of the email chain letter.  The first version with the Chris Brown reference changed the date of Freeman's death to Febuary 2009 to create the mistaken impression that Freeman died on the same day and the media ignored it to report instead about Chris Brown.  When someone else altered it and replaced the Brown reference to Jackson, they also changed the date to June 25, 2009, again to give the false impression that Freeman died on the same day as Jackson.

The media didn't ignore him and his death was widely reported on major news networks and newspapers.


ack-ack

I never get offended about clarifications. I appreciate the facts...must have missed it the first time it went around. However, that was not my main point. As usual, when we pass something along without "Snoping" it, we take a chance. I rigged parachutes for air rescue & flew in UH-1N's(Twin engine Navy version of the Huey). The bulk of the story touched me deeply. I probably knew some of the guys who road with him. In recent years, worked at the VA hospital hear in Boise. Again, thanks for the kind words toward a hero and the clarifications as well.   :salute :rock
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Sloehand on January 08, 2010, 05:04:39 AM
The story of Ed Freeman is well known by those that care about our service men and women from the Vietnam War.  Such calm, selfless valor is almost unbelievable. 

In these last few years the American public has given great consideration and appreciation to those of the "Greatest Generation", and deservedly so as we are losing too many too quickly.  But we must never forget the many others who've risked and sacrificed in other wars and actions over the years, and more recently.

With that in mind, I pose the question to anyone who remembers.  Can you name the two servicemen, a sniper team, who, knowing it was most likely suicide to do so, on their own initiative, volunteered to drop into the crash site of the second Black Hawk down in Mogadishu, Somalia to defend the injured flight crew (of which only the pilot eventually survived), both receiving the CMOH posthumously?

Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: RTHolmes on January 08, 2010, 06:40:20 AM
Is this the incident portrayed in We Were Soldiers?
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: mbailey on January 08, 2010, 06:46:36 AM
 

With that in mind, I pose the question to anyone who remembers.  Can you name the two servicemen, a sniper team, who, knowing it was most likely suicide to do so, on their own initiative, volunteered to drop into the crash site of the second Black Hawk down in Mogadishu, Somalia to defend the injured flight crew (of which only the pilot eventually survived), both receiving the CMOH posthumously?



Master Sgt Gary I Gordon        :salute

SGT FC Randall Shughart   :salute



Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Ack-Ack on January 08, 2010, 01:12:35 PM
Is this the incident portrayed in We Were Soldiers?

The book is a far more accurate portrayal of his actions, the movie took certain liberties with his role and the other helo pilots.


ack-ack
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: betty on January 08, 2010, 01:36:56 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: A8Hunter on January 08, 2010, 04:03:06 PM
Yes, a hero did die. This is a hero that did not win the Medal of Honor but instead; he earned it. It is sad that he was ignored, not by the media, but all the propoganda people, like this email making the rounds. Instead of posting when he died they find out about it later and then choose to remember him when it can be a gain for thier misguided causes.
The media attention was broad upon his death. A message was also read aloud at the Senate in his home state and in the Congress of these United States. He was well remembered for all that he was; a hero and a soldier.

It would have been a great post if it simply stated the facts; a hero died, let us remember. Sadly, the orignal author published this with a political agenda and a misguided one at that.

Remember the hero, forget the politics. Rest in Peace Mr Freeman, we know you didn't do it for recognition but instead for the same reason as those before you. We can't explain that reason here because those who understand it; need no explanation. Those who do not, never will.  :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Scotty55OEFVet on January 08, 2010, 04:34:37 PM
  I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but we've sure   seen a whole bunch   about Michael   Jackson. . . 
Medal   of Honor Winner   Ed   Freeman--Shame   on the American media !!!   :salute
[/quote]
Along with this compelling account is this...I recieve the VFW magazine every month and not more than a month ago was a story of a gentleman from Illinois who had just passed, was a WW2 Medal of Honor winner for escaping his German guards and making it back to enemy lines.  There was much more to the stroy but im sure you could find it on Illinois MOH winners in google.  <S> to all those who serve!
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Sloehand on January 08, 2010, 06:21:03 PM
Does anyone know how many double recipients of the CMOH there have been?  Find out here.

http://www.cmohs.org/ (http://www.cmohs.org/)
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: baine1 on January 08, 2010, 08:50:57 PM
Master Sgt Gary I Gordon        :salute

SGT FC Randall Shughart   :salute




You read about what these guys did and you can't help but be humbled.
Sitting at home, in the comfort of my living room, it's easy to dream big "Lord Jim" dreams about what I might do if I ever found myself in such a situation when the truth is, I'd probably make some half-assed offer to help and then be relieved when my officer said no.
I guess that's why so few folks actually win the MOH. Dreaming is easy. Doing, that takes the kind of bravery most of us will never have.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: W7LPNRICK on January 08, 2010, 10:26:18 PM
From Audie Murphy to Ed Freeman, They all say they never felt like hero's...just regular guys doing what had to be done at the time. Many of us would be surprised by our own actions when the chip are truly dwn. Normal people reach inside & find the strength...somehow.  :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: dev1ant on January 09, 2010, 06:34:31 PM
I'm actually just reading We were Soldiers Once and Young for the first time.  I've passed it up on the shelf at Borders for quite some time until I recently decided to buy it.  I'm half way through and it hasn't disappointed...simply an amazing story.

Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: MadHatter on January 09, 2010, 06:42:03 PM
I have "We Were Soldiers" on DVD. Apparently Megan got bored one day and decided to watch it. She's not into war movies, but since I introduced her to LOTR trilogy she watches any movie I say is good. Anyways, I get home from work to be greeted by a red eyed wife with tear tracks and promptly get smacked upside the head. I asked what was that for, she told me she watched the movie. I asked her if she liked it, she said yes, then smacked me again because it made her cry. Go figure.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Bodhi on January 09, 2010, 10:42:04 PM

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,262842.0.html
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,269312.0.html
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,262121.0.html
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,253316.0.html

kiddo, remember, you aren't the board police.   
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: BoilerDown on January 10, 2010, 03:37:06 PM
Yes, a hero did die. This is a hero that did not win the Medal of Honor but instead; he earned it. It is sad that he was ignored, not by the media, but all the propoganda people, like this email making the rounds. Instead of posting when he died they find out about it later and then choose to remember him when it can be a gain for thier misguided causes.
The media attention was broad upon his death. A message was also read aloud at the Senate in his home state and in the Congress of these United States. He was well remembered for all that he was; a hero and a soldier.

It would have been a great post if it simply stated the facts; a hero died, let us remember. Sadly, the orignal author published this with a political agenda and a misguided one at that.

Remember the hero, forget the politics. Rest in Peace Mr Freeman, we know you didn't do it for recognition but instead for the same reason as those before you. We can't explain that reason here because those who understand it; need no explanation. Those who do not, never will.  :salute
This is the best post in this thread.
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: lunatic1 on January 10, 2010, 03:49:39 PM
 :salute
Title: Re: A Hero Dies.....
Post by: Reaper90 on January 10, 2010, 08:01:10 PM
Master Sgt Gary I Gordon        :salute

SGT FC Randall Shughart   :salute


I thought about it and decided that instead of PMing you a "thank you" I'd post it here. I'm glad you mentioned these guys, because what they did 99.9% of average people wouldn't do but I truly believe 99.9% of the guys who fought in that engagement wouldn't have thought twice about doing were they in the same situation.

My younger brother was part of chalk 2, B Co, 3rd Ranger, one of 4 teams that roped in to support the Delta guys who were going into the Olympic Hotel to get Aidid's "generals." His group was the closest to, and first to arrive upon the scene of, the first Blackhawk that went down. He lost a few friends that 18+ hours, and saw a lot of stuff. He was awarded some medals, and turned down one because he didn't think he had sacrificed as much as some other guys who didn't come back or came back in far worse shape.

Their story has been mostly forgotten I sometimes fear, so when you mentioned Gordon and Shughart it made me smile, because I too know what those two absolute heroes did, and I know my brother not only knew who they were but actually knew them (they had gotten to know a lot of the "D-Boys," as they (the Rangers) called them, as they had been training with them at Bragg prior to deployment).

 :salute To all who have served, fought, and sacrificed.

sidenote: You all owe it to these guys to get Mark Bowden's book "Blackhawk Down" upon which the movie is based. It's the first-hand account from the guys that were there, and is the other 95% of the story that the movie, however well-done, doesn't tell.