My friend Teddybearcholla sent me this email today:
 

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 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 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 last Wednesday at 
the age of 80, in Boise , ID......May G-d rest his soul.....
 
I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but we sure 
were told a whole bunch about some Hip-Hop Coward beating the crap out of 
his "girlfriend."
 
Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman!
 
Shame on the American Media.

Medal of Honor Citation

Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

For 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), action against enemy aggressor forces at LZ X-Ray, Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam, on 14 November 1965 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 infantry 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 experienced a 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.

Service: Army                                  

Rank: Captain

Remember to say "Thank You" to a Veteran.