Comments for Someone You Should Know

Someone You Should Know

2008-08-21T11:57:29Z

If you read We Were Soldiers, Once ... And Young, or saw the movie, you may remember the helicopter pilot who kept showing up whenever Hal Moore needed him most. You may remember the character, but I'd like you to remember the man -- MAJ Ed Freeman, the aviation company's commander...

Boise Medal of Honor recipient passes away
03:23 PM MDT on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Maj. Ed Freeman died at a Boise hospital Wednesday. He was 80 years old.

His exploits in the Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam were featured in a book and on film, and for his heroism, he was awarded the nation's higest honor.

This morning, Major Ed Freeman, known as "Too Tall," passed away at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise. He was 80 years old.

Freeman's youngest son, Doug Freeman, says his father died from health complications due to Parkinson's Disease.

Freeman was a helicopter pilot, who flew multiple missions under heavy enemy fire to re-supply the 7th Cavalry in the Ia Drang Valley, and evacuate wounded troopers.

The 1965 battle was the subject of the book "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young" by Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, and the Mel Gibson movie adaptation "We Were Soldiers."

Freeman was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Vietnam War by President George W. Bush in July of 2001.

Lt. Col. Tim Marsano, with the Idaho National Guard, says funeral services have been scheduled for Saturday. Freeman will then be buried at the Idaho Veterans Cemetery in Boise.

We used to joke that Vietnam helicopter pilots earned medals for valor every day -- and sometimes somebody actually got one.

You should've heard the brags we passed around when Too Tall actually got his MOH. Damn, but we were proud of him...

Six is inbound with the numbers, Fiddlers' Green contingent -- make a hole!

And now is the time at the Castle that we Dance...

Comment from Larry K. 129th Assault Heli. Co. on 2008-08-22

2008-08-22T19:30:05Z

Ornage smoke popped, he's on final approach and all the other pilots there are talking him in. RIP Maj. Freeman. You were an inspiration to the rest of us.

Comment from Snake Eater on 2008-08-22

2008-08-22T05:00:51Z

Fiddlers Green indeed...I first read about Maj Freemen's heroism in " We Were Soldiers, Once and Young"... For me, more than forty years later, the ever present and comforting sound of a chopper coming to save your butt or to just evac your sorry exhausted ass out of Indian Country is the evocative sound of my whole time in country... A toast to Maj Freemen and by inference to all chopper pilots and crew...you all made a difference when it mattered....RIP..Godspeed and ...Gary Owen... Best

Comment from Justthisguy on 2008-08-21

2008-08-22T03:14:55Z

I signed the petition for Rick Rescorla years ago, at the suggestion of The Donovan. Rescorla was last seen heading upstairs, and singing. Even Lon (spit!) Horiuchi signed that petition, if that was not a spoof.

Comment from Justthisguy on 2008-08-21

2008-08-22T03:07:01Z

Libation just spilled. Imbibing more. (Y'all know me.)

Comment from j.pickens on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T20:39:56Z

Another veteran of Ia Drang, Army Col. Cyril Richard ("Rick") Rescorla deserves to be honored, as well. Rescorla was the soldier depicted on the cover of "We Were Soldiers". He was head of security for Morgan Stanley, and predicted both the earlier truck bombing of the World Trade Center, and the final attack prior to both events. There is a petition with over 80,000 names to have Col. Rescorla awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Posthumously, unfortunately, because he died making sure all "his people" got out on Sept. 11, 2001.
I will go further, and suggest his award of the Congressional Medal of Honor, both for his gallantry in Ia Drang, and his devotion to those attacked on 9-11.

Godspeed, Maj. Freeman.
Godspeed, Col. Rescorla.

Comment from Dustoff on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T17:30:30Z

Rest in Peace sir. Your last flight shall be a smooth one.

Comment from SangerM on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T17:29:25Z

It's Garryowen, Sir!

One of my wife's uncles was a 2LT in B 1/7 at Ia Drang (George Jennings). He may owe his life as much to Freeman as to anyone else.

I was in CSC 1/7 from '74-'75, and in spite of our usual solders' disdain for seriousness (and the Custer-had-it-coming mockery), most of us had a pretty good idea about our unit's history and we wore that crest proudly. It is still the unit and crest I am most fond of, along with the 1st Cav patch, of course.

BTW, I'm serious about knowing the unit history. We had a British exchange officer for a BN XO (named Osborne, I think) and he was supposedly a student of the 7th Cav. We were given a small pamphlet we were told he wrote about the 7th Cav that we had to learn so we could answer guard mount questions. That was my first real taste of being part of an organization whose past members were almost a palpable presence, and though it sounds silly, I never see that unit crest without feeling some kinship to the other people who have and are wearing it. It's the closest I come to being a 'fan' of any team.

Comment from HomefrontSix on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T17:15:59Z

Thank you, sir, for your service. My prayers are with your family.

Comment from Garduneh Mehr on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T16:32:28Z

Rest in peace Major Freeman.

Comment from BloodSpite on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T15:11:22Z

Gary Owen!

Comment from Marine6 on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T14:45:02Z

Surely the lads on Fiddler's Green are hoisting a few to welcome a great cavalryman.

Comment from Glenn M. Cassel AMH1(AW) USN RETIRED on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T14:38:43Z

May God keep him in His arms. To the Family, My prayers and sympathies to you.

Comment from Katherine Optima Maximae on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T12:45:34Z

He'll be met by some fine aviators who've gone before

Comment from RetRsvMike on 2008-08-21

2008-08-21T12:31:02Z

clear a seat at the head of table, boys, we've got a hot one coming in on final approach!

a toast to his memory!