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Please remember Major Ed Freeman this Memorial Day
remingtonoaks
Member Posts: 26,251 ✭✭✭
And others like him
The story of a helicopter pilot, Major Ed Freeman, who flew his unarmed Huey into to the battle zone during the Viet Nam War multiple times to supply troops and evacuate wounded personnel after the MediVac helicopters were ordered to stop evacuations. This act of courage earned Major Freeman the Flying Cross and decades later, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The story of U.S. Army Veteran Ed Freeman is true.
He was a veteran not only of Vietnam, but of World War II and Korea.
He was the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on November 14, 1965, at Landing Zone X-Ray, in the Ia Drang Valley of Vietnam.
During the Vietnam War Freeman served as a helicopter pilot with the rank of Captain in US Army?s Company A, 229th, Assault Helicopter Battalion, First Cavalry Division Air Mobil.
On November 14th, 1965, a US battalion was surrounded by the enemy. In the heat of the battle when all hope was lost, an unarmed helicopter came to their aid, bringing water, much needed supplies and ammunition.
According to survivors of the battle, Captain Freeman returned 14 times even though being ordered not to with supplies and evacuated the wounded on each trip. Captain Freeman was shot 4 times in the ordeal, three times in the leg and one time in the arm, yet still kept flying. More than 30 soldiers were flown to safety by Captain Freeman.
Freeman was decorated with the distinguished Flying Cross for his act of bravery but for decades those who survived this battle felt that a higher honor should be awarded to the helicopter pilot. On July 16, 2001, Congress awarded the Medal of Honor to Freeman with the persuasion of Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Crandall, other survivors who were rescued by Freeman, and Senator John McCain. That day, Freeman and his wife, Barbara, were invited to the Whitehouse where President George W. Bush presented the Congressional Medal of honor before witnesses consisting of Vice President Cheney, the secretary of defense, secretary of veterans affairs, the joint chiefs as well as members of the Joint Chiefs, Senator John McCain, Senator Craig, Congressman Otter, and Congressman Simpson from the delegation of Idaho.
On August 20, 2008, Major Ed Freeman passed away from complications of Parkinson?s disease at the age of 80 and was laid to rest at the Veterans Cemetery in Idaho, where he settled.
In March of 2009, the United States Congress bestowed one more honor to Major Freeman. They designated the US Post Office in his place of birth McLain, Mississippi, the ?Major Ed W. Freeman Post Office.?
The story of a helicopter pilot, Major Ed Freeman, who flew his unarmed Huey into to the battle zone during the Viet Nam War multiple times to supply troops and evacuate wounded personnel after the MediVac helicopters were ordered to stop evacuations. This act of courage earned Major Freeman the Flying Cross and decades later, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The story of U.S. Army Veteran Ed Freeman is true.
He was a veteran not only of Vietnam, but of World War II and Korea.
He was the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on November 14, 1965, at Landing Zone X-Ray, in the Ia Drang Valley of Vietnam.
During the Vietnam War Freeman served as a helicopter pilot with the rank of Captain in US Army?s Company A, 229th, Assault Helicopter Battalion, First Cavalry Division Air Mobil.
On November 14th, 1965, a US battalion was surrounded by the enemy. In the heat of the battle when all hope was lost, an unarmed helicopter came to their aid, bringing water, much needed supplies and ammunition.
According to survivors of the battle, Captain Freeman returned 14 times even though being ordered not to with supplies and evacuated the wounded on each trip. Captain Freeman was shot 4 times in the ordeal, three times in the leg and one time in the arm, yet still kept flying. More than 30 soldiers were flown to safety by Captain Freeman.
Freeman was decorated with the distinguished Flying Cross for his act of bravery but for decades those who survived this battle felt that a higher honor should be awarded to the helicopter pilot. On July 16, 2001, Congress awarded the Medal of Honor to Freeman with the persuasion of Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Crandall, other survivors who were rescued by Freeman, and Senator John McCain. That day, Freeman and his wife, Barbara, were invited to the Whitehouse where President George W. Bush presented the Congressional Medal of honor before witnesses consisting of Vice President Cheney, the secretary of defense, secretary of veterans affairs, the joint chiefs as well as members of the Joint Chiefs, Senator John McCain, Senator Craig, Congressman Otter, and Congressman Simpson from the delegation of Idaho.
On August 20, 2008, Major Ed Freeman passed away from complications of Parkinson?s disease at the age of 80 and was laid to rest at the Veterans Cemetery in Idaho, where he settled.
In March of 2009, the United States Congress bestowed one more honor to Major Freeman. They designated the US Post Office in his place of birth McLain, Mississippi, the ?Major Ed W. Freeman Post Office.?
Comments
There is no greater love then risking it all for another.
Dad now resides at the Johnson City, TN. VA Memorial Cemetary.
Although he wanted to be buried at Arlington, there was a 8 month dely. My Mom learned it would cost between $2-4K/mo. In order to store his body to make that happen. It still burns me up thinking about that whole thing. My Dad EARNED that right. He should be at Arlington in my opinion.
Major Freeman sounded like quite the guy. (Obviously.) The Generation that served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, were Men's Men. We will be hard pressed to find others of their equal when we need them.
My hats off to your dad.
Is there a chance to have him exhumed and transferred to Arlington? Lord knows he deserves it and if he wanted to be there he should be there!
Thank you Sir.
As much as he wanted that, I can not see exhuming him to tranport and reburial to Arlington. It would take months beyond what we were quoted anyway. It is a done deal at this point. I was(and my Family was) extremely saddened to hear about the 8 months wait. That was never communicated to my Mom/Dad, prior to his passing.
A bunch of BS, if you ask me, with a Veteran of his Service record IMHO. Are there others more worthy of being buried there? I (personally) think not.
Yeah, I don't understand the eight-month waiting period... what reason did they give for that?
I never heard the justification/reason behind that, beyond what my Mother told us.
I/We, were not very happy. I can tell you that.
This may shed a little light on it for you. Although I don't understand why they don't have enough Personnel to process all application in a more efficient manner to expedite the requests
https://www.military.com/benefits/burial-and-memorial/arlington-national-cemetery.html
That is pretty much Exactly what we were thinking.
A completely inadequate response to a Lifer ABN CSM's 32 years worth of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam Service.
Pathetic, if you ask me. Inadequate in the extreme.
Yeah, Nice Knowing You. Thanks For your Service.
I didn't want to say it out of respect for your father, but you wrapped it up in a nutshell and is my sentiments exactly
This is a sore point with me.
I think my Dad got Screwed.
Don't worry about it, your dad did get screwed by the way
I just had no idea how badly the government treats hero's