Re: [Electric Boats] Fw: *Damn right I'll forward it.*

All,

Ed is absolutely correct. It's shameful that this man's bravery is exploited to score cheap points against the "liberal media", popular cultural figures, political debates and so forth. That he's become an urban legend is really not the biggest disgrace, it's that he's become a prop, usually of conservatives - of all people.

Captain Ed W. Freeman did not die "last Wednesday" as stated in this email. He died in August of 2008.

There have been various versions of this email over the years, each citing some other complaint, date of death and inaccurate versions of his story.

Below is a picture of him receiving the medal and the actual citation for his Medal of Honor, which contains the real facts of his bravery. HIs story needs no embellishment, but his valor and service to his country deserves more respect than these emails afford him.

From Snopes.com

Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, distinguished himself by numerous acts of conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary intrepidity on14 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 separaterescue missions, providing life-saving evacuation of an estimated30 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.

On ThursdayMar 10  11:26 PM, at Mar 10  11:26 PM, Bill Spires wrote:

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Linda Spires <spiresljw@yahoo.com>
To: Jamie <starcraftplayer18@yahoo.com>; Bill <spiresac@yahoo.com>; Maxine Spires <maxipoet@gmail.com>
Sent: Thu, March 10, 2011 11:16:45 PM
Subject: Fw: *Damn right I'll forward it.*

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Roy Smith <royjen832@live.com>
To: April <foxhornshowhorses@gmail.com>; Beth- home <butrfly@live.com>; Betty Matthews <mattfarm1997@earthlink.net>; Bonnie Ringo <bonnie.ringo@busmi.com>; bunn armstrong <jbunna@hotmail.com>; Cathi Moore <mediatemoore@comcast.net>; Celeste Smith <celestialann91@yahoo.com>; Darty <reddottradtech@aol.com>; db.brock <db.brock@comcast.net>; Deanna <deavirgo@aol.com>; Don <donroar@aol.com>; jane.conner@bucorp.com; Jeannie/David <djtan6@hotmail.com>; Jonathan Womack <jonathan.womack@bucorp.com>; Kat <dsmith1601@aol.com>; Linda Cole <lincole@comcast.net>; Linda Spires <spiresljw@yahoo.com>; MAGS <moms2009@centurylink.net>; Snooks <davisv1@comcast.net>; Teresa <teresacole_king@cable.comcast.com>
Sent: Sun, March 6, 2011 11:24:10 AM
Subject: FW: *Damn right I'll forward it.*


 

---

From: jimbarbee@charter.net
To: ;
Subject: Fw: *Damn right I'll forward it.*
Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2011 14:45:52 -0500

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Subject: FW: *Damn right I'll forward it.*

 

 

From: John Noullet [mailto:jnoullet@att.net] 
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 1:55 PM
To: undisclosed recipients:
Subject: Fw: *Damn right I'll forward it.*

 

Subject: Fw: *Damn right I'll forward it.* Date: Friday, March 4, 2011, 1:36 PM           I NORMALLY DON'T PASS THESE ON BUT THIS WE MUST REMEMBER.   SCROLL DOWN           You're a 19 year old kid.  You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam .  It's November 11, 1967.    LZ (landing zone) X-ray. Your unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so  intense from 100 yards away, that  your CO commanding officer) 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 would not have made it without the Captain and his Huey. Medal  of Honor Recipient,Captain Ed Freeman, United States Air Force, 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 Lindsay Lohan, Tiger Woods and the bickering of congress over Health Reform. <image00111.jpg> Medal of Honor Winner Captain Ed Freeman Shame on the American media !!!  Now... YOU pass this along to YOUR  mailing list. Honor this real American.   Please.                                               =                         <imstp_animation_monkey_en_020908.gif>     -- The Nehemiah Mission of Cleveland rebuilds the lives and homes of the physically and fiscally challenged of Cleveland through volunteer mission teams who improve living environments in order to sow seeds of hope for individuals and neighborhoods.   Jim Szakacs, Executive Director The Nehemiah Mission of Cleveland 6515 Bridge Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44102 director@nehemiahmission.org office: 216-961-6968 x 10 fax:    216-961-2361 cell:   440-263-8125 www.nehemiahmission.org Personal email: jfs5487@gmail.com