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Editorializing by Pecos
(Taken from "About.com")

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 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 Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 at the age of 80, in Boise, ID…May God rest his soul.

Be sure to check out the Reunion info, Links, etc. There is good stuff there.

Surely someone has this! Please let me know!!

A few years ago at one of the reunions (I think, San Diego), I loaned someone Jack DeWitt's qual book. They told me they were going to write a book and needed the material. I wrote down the name of the shipmate that borrowed it, but of course I lost it and forgot who it was.

Well, Jack is gone now and I think this is something that should be returned to his family. I had it on loan from Jack. I know his son would appreciate it.

COB's Corner:

According to my wife, Barbara, while “ambling” (limping) down “the road less traveled,” I turned 65 April 11^th and was officially classified as a “senior citizen” and “OLD” … like I needed to be reminded!

A HAPPY ENDING!

HI BILL.. oh you don't know how pleased you have made me, I want to thank you so very much for these pictures of my DAD, Dudley, I have searched so long for a picture and you have helped me so much, I am so deeply grateful. THANK YOU a thousand times...sincerely Denise his daughter....

The reunion committee is looking for the lanyard for the ship's bell (which will be there). Anyone knowing of its whereabouts let Captain Davis know. Or....someone may have made a new one for one of the reunions. Let us know that also. I'd hate to have to toll the bell with a spoon.

Just in from Captain Davis:

" Pecos, how about publishing the photos and ask the crew about the lanyard? You might say that a search of northwest naval museums with no luck, led to the overall Navy Historical Society museum staff in Washington, D.C. where Captain O'Connell discovered the bell in the Washington Navy Yard and helped us obtain official permission and arrange for borrowing it for our reunion. SPINAX Captains have offered to cover the cost of shipping the bell to and from the reunion. A specific "Shipping the Bell Fund" might bring donations. "

JK

A fund is a good idea. No sense putting this all on our Captains. If you want to contribute, contact Jay K. Davis at: "jaykdavis@comcast.net"

Note any checks donated as "Shipping the Bell Fund".

Pecos

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