29. Too Tall Freeman’s Medal of Honor
Ed Freeman’s commission made him eligible to fly helicopters, but when he applied for pilot training, he was told that at 6 feet 4 inches, he was “too tall” – hence his nickname. When the height limit was raised in 1955, Freeman finally qualified. Ten years later, during the Battle of Ia Drang, enemy fire was so intense that the landing zones were closed for evacuating wounded troops. Freeman volunteered to fly his Huey anyhow, and made fourteen trips through heavy fire, bringing in water and supplies, and taking out dozens of wounded.
He was nominated for a Medal of Honor, but a paperwork filing deadline was missed, so Freeman ended up with a Distinguished Service Cross, instead. Decades later, the deadline rules were changed, and Freeman’s eligibility for the country’s highest honor was restored. It took 42 years, but Ed Freeman’s 1965 heroics finally received their just recognition in 2007, when he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He passed away a year later.