Posted on 02/10/2007 6:28:36 AM PST by Cailleach
WASHINGTON — A Vietnam veteran who flew his unarmed helicopter into heavy combat to drop supplies and evacuate wounded troops will be honored with the Medal of Honor later this month, White House officials announced Friday.
Bruce Crandall, an Army helicopter pilot, will receive the nation’s highest military honor for wartime valor from President Bush during a Feb. 26 ceremony. The award is for his actions in November 1965, when the then-major served with the Company A 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion.
According to military records, Crandall and then-Capt. Ed Freeman volunteered to fly UH-1 Hueys into battle in the Ia Drang Valley after military commanders deemed the area too dangerous for aircraft.
(Excerpt) Read more at estripes.com ...
ping
What gives?
Crandall retired from the Army in 1977 as a lieutenant colonel. Shouldn't Crandall have been promoted higher then Lt. Col?
FREEMAN, ED W.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, First Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and date: Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam, 14 November 1965 Born: 1928
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, distinguished himself by numerous acts of conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary intrepidity on 14 November, 1965, while serving with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, First 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 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 underseige 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 estimates 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.
(Aloha, Ronnie!)
Interesting that Freeman had been awarded the medal but not Crandall(until now.)
Walter Marm was also awarded the Medal of Honor at Ia Drang.
"Walter Marm was also awarded the Medal of Honor at Ia Drang."
Guess that should read "for his bravery during the battle at Ia Drang" or something to that effect.
I talked to Crandall about this. LT. General Hal Moore was behind getting hs CMH finally. Yes, it was late in many peoples minds, but Hal Moore is a man of great integrity and Crandall a humble man of patience. I am currently doing a bio on General Moore and both he, Crandall and Galloway have given me a lot of time for interviews.
Crandall is a great man, very deserving of this honor and by his own admission he is thrilled to receive it from THIS president.
"I am currently doing a bio on General Moore and both he, Crandall and Galloway have given me a lot of time for interviews."
Very good. Please keep us posted.
And then we have those other brave warriors - John Kerry, John Murtha, Max Cleland, etc. who got undeserved and phony medals for things they didn't do.
Quite a contrast. We know there are also many more brave men and women who performed heroic deeds that no one lived to tell about. God Bless them all.
ping
Ancient Serpent 6 bump!!
"BA University of Nebraska, 1969; MPA Golden Gate
University, 1977"
Another one of those people that didn't study very hard and ended up in a war. LOL.
"Crandall retired from the Army in 1977 as a lieutenant colonel. Shouldn't Crandall have been promoted higher then Lt. Col? "
Bean counters hate warriors. Every time peace breaks out, the scum rises to the top and flushes the good people out of the military.
If you think that's bad, check out the story of Wendell Fertig.
I met Ed Freeman at a reunion of chopper pilots. My dad flew with Freeman (not in Vietnam) and I went to the reunion with him. I asked Mr. Freeman why he went in after the zone had been declared "to hot" to fly into. His answer was very simple. "I flew those guys into the zone and I had to bring them out."
Mr. Freeman was a very gracious and humble man. He wore the MOH at the reunion. The reason he did is because of the insistence of the other pilots. I do not think he really wanted to. He is a noble man and warrior.
"Bean counters hate warriors. Every time peace breaks out, the scum rises to the top and flushes the good people out of the military."
I was at Ft. Lewis in 1973 when the Army switched to peacetime. The change was instantaneous, and I was disappointed to find out that the flood of officers being discharged seemed to be mostly the aggressive warriors, and the combat commissioned types.
I knew Marm about 25 years ago. His son played soccer with my sons in N. Virginia. Someone happen to tell me he had received the MOH. Very quiet and unassuming fellow. Do you know where he is now?
Crandall got out but not because they tried to kick him out or any other such thing. Its not because they screwed him.
Selection for promotion has very little to do with the awards you have earned. They don't hurt but the boards look at efficiency reports and potential. Besides, LTC ain't bad when you consider he was a Captain in 65 and there were brutal RIFs in 73 and 75.
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