We Were Soldiers

[SSgtRobertMorris]

A great flick. And I heard that Maj Crandall was recently awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions. I looked it up.

Cool.



CRANDALL, BRUCE P.

Rank and Organization: Major, U.S. Army, Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and dates: Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam, 14 November 1965. Place and date of birth: Olympia, Washington, 1933. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Major Bruce P. Crandall distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism as a Flight Commander in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). On 14 November 1965, his flight of sixteen helicopters was lifting troops for a search and destroy mission from Plei Me, Vietnam, to Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley. On the fourth troop lift, the airlift began to take enemy fire, and by the time the aircraft had refueled and returned for the next troop lift, the enemy had Landing Zone X-Ray targeted. As Major Crandall and the first eight helicopters landed to discharge troops on his fifth troop lift, his unarmed helicopter came under such intense enemy fire that the ground commander ordered the second flight of eight aircraft to abort their mission. As Major Crandall flew back to Plei Me, his base of operations, he determined that the ground commander of the besieged infantry batallion desperately needed more ammunition. Major Crandall then decided to adjust his base of operations to Artillery Firebase Falcon in order to shorten the flight distance to deliver ammunition and evacuate wounded soldiers. While medical evacuation was not his mission, he immediately sought volunteers and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, led the two aircraft to Landing Zone X-Ray. Despite the fact that the landing zone was still under relentless enemy fire, Major Crandall landed and proceeded to supervise the loading of seriously wounded soldiers aboard his aircraft. Major Crandall's voluntary decision to land under the most extreme fire instilled in the other pilots the will and spirit to continue to land their own aircraft, and in the ground forces the realization that they would be resupplied and that friendly wounded would be promptly evacuated. This greatly enhanced morale and the will to fight at a critical time. After his first medical evacuation, Major Crandall continued to fly into and out of the landing zone throughout the day and into the evening. That day he completed a total of 22 flights, most under intense enemy fire, retiring from the battlefield only after all possible service had been rendered to the Infantry battalion. His actions provided critical resupply of ammunition and evacuation of the wounded. Major Crandall's daring acts of bravery and courage in the face of an overwhelming and determined enemy are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/vietnam-a-l.html

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277434/



GOOD SHTUFF!!!

[Locutisprime]

All true and moving.

Semper Fi.

[rm444]

Air Cav.

Airmobile.

[CLR]

 

[LineDoggie]

Indeed, Great movie, and doesnt show the hollywood Vietnam Soldiers (usually portrayed as Murderers, drug addicts, etc.), but real Soldiers  fighting for each other, and winning on the Battlefield.  I saw the Premier at Eisenhower Hall USMA in 2002. Mel Gibson and LTG. Hal Moore.

It was a great night, marred only by a Fellow NCO getting drunk and walking down Highland Falls Main Drag wearing His Chocolate Chips and carrying a 12 Ga Shotty to test security at Thayer gate.

Remember the end of the Blues Brothers?

He was surrounded by MP's, Highland Falls PD, CID, Our QRF, and the Gate team, suddenly calls out "ENDEX"

Field Grade Ar. 15 for him, and Impact ARCOM's, AAM's for not shooting the piss out of him for the G.I.'s.

[hooah71]

Read the book and own the movie.  I watch it countless times and will never get tired of it.  Love the Sgt Major.

[wilddavemsg]

I always like the series,Tour Of Duty on t.v.That was a good show about Nam.

[LineDoggie]

I always like the series,Tour Of Duty on t.v.That was a good show about Nam.

2 things about that show though

1- they never cursed, and you know grunts, we use Fuck as a Comma
2- couldnt figure out how one episode they were vanilla grunts, the next MACV- SOG

[Cider33Alpha]

"Tour of Duty" was OK for the first season or two.  Then they'd be out in the boonies in the Highlands (with palm trees no less  ), and when day was done they'd knock off and head into ... downtown Saigon?  They did pretty stupid stuff the longer they were on, until it was an unrecognizable Hollywood version of "war."  Ditto for "China Beach."

[hammar]

    Once they were soldiers...............last dustoff.............
    *Ed "Too Tall" Freeman*

    You're an 18 or 19 year old kid. You're critically wounded, and
    dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley, 11-14-1965. LZ Xray,
    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 1/2 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 a 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 died August 20, 2008 at the age
    of 80, in Boise, ID......

    May God rest his soul.....

Worth Citation of his Medal of Honor:

http://www.medalofhonor.com/EdWFreeman.htm

[outlaws93]

if i recall correctly kit was there... but dont talk to him about it... i once said it was a good movie and he bit off my head....

[wilddavemsg]

God bless Ed Freeman.May he rest in peace.His last name says it all Free Man.A hero.

[SSgtRobertMorris]

CITATION: Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).  Place and date: Landing Zone X-Ray, Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam, 14 November 1965. Born:  20 November 1927, Neely, Mississippi.  Entered Service At: Hattiesburg, Mississippi Citation: 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, 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 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 Freemans 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 Freemans 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.


Good Shtuff!!!




FREEMAN, ED W.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress,
March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to

CAPTAIN ED W. FREEMAN
UNITED STATES ARMY

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, 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 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.

http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/vietnam-a-l.html

[SSM]

I have to say, that before DS enlsited and was deployed, . . . these were my favorite types of movies, because of the heroism and loyalty and bravery . . . The Green Berets used to be one of my favorites, and Black Hawk Down, . . . .

However, since DS have been deployed, . . . I can't even watch a clip. . . or hear the gunfire, . . . .because now I see each soldier as some mother's son, . . . and the despair and pain I feel in watching is completely overwhelming.  I highly doubt it will ever go away, no matter how many years pass by.

Its like when I was at a store yesterday, . . . . and the news reported that an IED had killed a soldier in Baghdad, I had to go to the back of the store, because I started to cry. . . . it is just too fresh and too painful. . . . I DID however, almost go take it out on the "veterans for peace" who were picketing on the street corner nearby.  They are SOOOO lucky that my mom held me back, . . . IDIOTS.

[Cider33Alpha]

Sorry, SSMom, but "The Green Berets" is one of the most gawd-awful supposedly-military movies ever made.  Filmed at Ft. Benning, as you will see when suddenly there are Georgia pines in the middle of the VN jungle.  Good grief.  My Dad was an SF Colonel at the time, commander of the Unconventional Warfare School, and that movie gave him a supreme case of the screaming meemies - and he HAD been a John Wayne fan. 

However, he had a great deal of respect for LTG (LTC at the time) Moore ... that's been passed down to his daughter and grandsons, for sure.

[SSM]

Sorry, SSMom, but "The Green Berets" is one of the most gawd-awful supposedly-military movies ever made.  Filmed at Ft. Benning, as you will see when suddenly there are Georgia pines in the middle of the VN jungle.  Good grief.  My Dad was an SF Colonel at the time, commander of the Unconventional Warfare School, and that movie gave him a supreme case of the screaming meemies - and he HAD been a John Wayne fan. 

However, he had a great deal of respect for LTG (LTC at the time) Moore ... that's been passed down to his daughter and grandsons, for sure.

As far as authenticity, probably true, but for the ideals, . . . it was great. I will never forget that little boy looking for Petersan at the end. 

[Charles Martel]

 Oy Vey..!    Cider33Alpha--- The Thread Topic was about Major Bruce Crandall winner of the CMH.   
 
 What does it matter if "The Green Berets" was filmed in Ft. Benning ?? Surely you did not want them to make/film a movie on location in So. Vietnam..!?! Much of "We were Soldiers" was filmed at Fort Hunter Liggett off the 101 in Central California.

[lcplcross]

 


                           

[Hercules1944]

Don't get me on a roll on Hollywood movies. Just remember, it is Hollywood. "Full Metal Jacket" was very realistic the first half. Damn sure brought back memories of "Boot Camp". The second half, well that was "Hollywood".

Oh, for those not in the know, rounds are accounted for on the range. You might sneak one by, but, hard to do. Also, no way would a DI pull that chit if a guy had a loaded weapon. But, that's Horrrywood for you.

[Hercules1944]

Oh, as far as location goes, most of "Flags of Our Fathers" was shot on location in Iceland, of all places. There were also some shots actually on Iwo Jima.

"Letters from Iwo Jima" was also a good movie.

Not saying I do not like or watch movies, but, sometimes you gotta realize it is Hollywood after all.