Medal of Honor Host City Program of Gainesville Texas: Medal of Honor Weekend April 2-6

GAINESVILLE – Two Medal of Honor Recipients from the 1965 Battle of the Ia Drang Valley, Bruce Crandall and Joe Marm, are the special guests for this year's Medal of Honor Host City Program gathering here, April 3-5.

Tickets go on sale Friday for the Medal of Honor Weekend Banquet, set for Saturday, April 5, at the Gainesville Civic Center, 311 S. Weaver St. According to Lynette Pettigrew, social hour begins at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the Civic Center, or by contacting her at 940-668-4530 or Lpettigrew@cogtx.org.

Guest host for the evening is long-time Fox News commenter John Gibson and the guest speaker is Joe Galloway, veteran war correspondent and co-author of the definitive best seller, "We Were Soldiers Once... And Young."

"We will probably welcome 15 Recipients this year which may bring the total number who have visited Gainesville to 22," said Mike McHorse, Host City Program President.

Thus far, possible first time Recipient visitors include Marines John McGinty and Richard Pittman, and Army Recipient and aviator Fred Ferguson.

Joining Marm and Crandall will be fellow Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipients Drew Dix, Doc Ballard, Clarence Sasser, Bob O’Malley, and David McNerney, James Taylor and Korean War Recipient James Stone—frequent Gainesville visitors for several years.

Scheduled events include a parade featuring law enforcement patrols cars from North Texas and Southern Oklahoma, antique Rolls Royces and Bentleys, WWII and Vietnam era military vehicles, the Ft. Sill Army Band, a Texas A&M Cadet Honor Guard, and a fly-over by military warbirds.

"Our goal is to recognize our nation’s military and veterans by giving our citizens as chance to meet and talk to—especially our young people—those who have an inspiring message of service, duty and patriotism," said McHorse.

The annual event has attracted 20 Recipients since it began in 2001, and in the name of each one, an oak tree has been planted along the community's walking trail.

Pivotal Battle

The three-day battle in the Ia Drang Valley produced heavy casualties and numerous top decorations. IN addition to Marm and Crandall, a third Medal of Honor was earned by Ed "Too Tall to Fly" Freeman", who flew a Huey helicopter as Maj. Crandall's wingman. The pilots combined to re-supply the surrounded Americans with ammunition, water and food, while evacuating the critically wounded.

Lieutenant Marm, a young platoon leader, received his Medal of Honor in his first few hours of ground combat, while paperwork problems and the massive build up of the war resulted in Freeman's being awarded in 2001 and Crandall's only last year.

Ia Drang -- the first major battle in the early days of the Vietnam War pitted 450 US soldiers against 2,000 North Vietnamese and has inspired several books and a movie. Then United Press International combat correspondent Joe Galloway and Lt.Gen. Hal Moore who commanded a battalion of the 7^th Air Cav at LZ Xray collaborated on “We Were Soldiers Once… And Young” on which the Mel Gibson movie, "We Were Soldiers Once" was based.

Their second collaboration, "We Are Soldiers Still", will be published in August.

In 1998 Galloway, although a civilian, was decorated with Bronze Star Medal w/V Device for Valor for rescuing wounded soldiers under fire at LZ Xray. His is the only medal of valor the U.S. Army awarded to a civilian for actions during the Vietnam War.

The all-volunteer, non-profit Medal of Honor Host City organization limits public activities to four or five events over three days, so that the Recipients and their guests can relax and visit with one another in an environment of small town America. However, the primary emphasis is to bring those who have received the nation's highest honor together with local citizens and especially students.

Copies of “We Were Soldiers Once… And Young” as well as “Medal of Honor”, a book of Recipient portraits, will be available for purchase at the community autograph session scheduled for Saturday, April 4.

The Medal of Honor Program is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is funded entirely by local donations.

2008 SCHEDULE FOR MEDAL OF HONOR WEEKEND

Thursday, April 3, 2008

County School Children meet Medal of Honor Recipients
First State Bank Center for the Performing Arts
By Reservation Only for Schools
9:00 a.m.-9:45 a.m.
10:00 a.m.-10:45 a.m.
1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Open to the Public
Contact: Catherine Lloyd at 940-665-5481