THE ENERGY OF COURAGE

By Edwin Cooney

Last week, I featured a story about U.S. Army Captain Ed Freeman who was given a medal for courage by President George W. Bush in March of 2001.

Captain Freeman had certainly demonstrated courage on September 14th, 1965 when he repeatedly flew his helicopter into danger during a battle in the Ia Drang Valley in South Vietnam. After fourteen missions and under intense enemy fire, “Too Tall” Ed Freeman rescued some thirty wounded men while also bringing in needed supplies of ammunition and water to the men in the field. Even more significant, Captain Freeman flew these missions despite the fact that Medevac pilots had been ordered not to go into the area due to the intensity of the enemy barrage. I noted that earlier in the day Captain Freeman had flown in many of those same men to confront this enemy which had dominated the area for some time. This day, his immediate reward for substituting duty and a sense of obligation to orders was multiple wounds to his legs and an arm.

Rather than offering my own opinion, I invited you, my readers, to tell me what you thought was the real energy behind Ed Freeman’s courage. Here are just some of your responses.

From Fessenden, North Dakota, a gentleman asserted: “Duty! He had a path to walk, and during his walk, he got the job done. No need for complications. Most often people look at things from a backward perspective, rather than a forward one. I doubt the man looked forward before he did the deeds, but only as we look backward do we realize his valor.”

From Huntsville, Alabama came a more terse response: “My take on Captain Ed Freeman is that he should be honored for what he did, I don't really care about why he did it.”

A reader in Oakland, California was even more to the point. The word “honor” was his only response.

From a lovely lady in Memphis, Tennessee came a gentler analysis: “Captain Freeman demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice and place another's needs and welfare above his own. Obviously, he values humanity.”

A clergyman friend of mine offered the following analysis: “Perhaps it was "loyalty", or maybe “guilt”: I put them in this situation, I must do what I can to support them and/or get them out."

Another reader from, I believe, Minnesota was also brief in her judgment: “It’s selflessness!”

Finally, a senior citizen asserted simply: “I say people do these things simply because they need doing...”

My take on what lay at the center of Ed Freeman’s courage concurs with most of the opinions offered above.

As I see it, conscience is the prime energizing force behind the good things we do. The task lying ahead of us may be painful, even life threatening, but once we’re faced with the reality in what must be done, invariably we do it.

Bravery or courage and even honor may be demonstrated by both sides in battle. The Gray (who fought to sustain chattel slavery) and The Blue (who fought officially to sustain our Union) both showed courage during our Civil War. German soldiers certainly demonstrated both courage and bravery as they fought Adolf Hitler’s war. Honor, after all (although not Hitler’s), was the center of the Prussian Generals’ creed. Surely, no one can doubt the bravery or courage of Communist forces during World War II despite the ruthlessness of the political creed under which they fought.

To possess a conscience automatically compels a sense of duty, honor, and obligation not only to our friends and loved ones, but also to our community, country, and our religious or political creed. Thus, the question: how much more compelling or potent do you suppose our political and religious creeds might be if they were advanced by conscientious advocacy rather than by querulous criticism of other political and religious creeds?

For me, our individual conscience is almost, but not quite, the most powerful force behind our best deeds and accomplishments.

Atop the pyramid of “the better angels of our nature,” as Lincoln used to say, only our capacity for one human force is powerful enough to master our consciences. My guess is that you probably know even better than I do what that is!

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
EDWIN COONEY