The following articles were written in the Valley Herald Newspaper:
Eaton story on History Channel
By Marcia Akes
Valley Herald Newspaper (Milton-Freewater, Oregon)
If you were watching the History Channel’s two-hour premiere of "Sniper:
Deadliest Missions" on September 14th, you saw an incredible story from the
Vietnam War; about a 20 year-old US Army Sniper who, from the top of a downed
helicopter, held off a platoon of enemy soldiers and saved his injured
comrades. What most people probably didn’t realize was that the young hero, Ed
Eaton, was a member of the McLoughlin High School Class of 1966.
The show’s producers came across Eaton’s story in author Michael Takiff’s
book "Brave Men, Gentle Heroes." In the chapter, "He Came to Die With Me;"
Captain Mike Perkins tells how Eaton, a platoon sergeant and sniper with the
9th Infantry Division's River Raiders, saved his life while they were stationed
together in the Mekong Delta.
Their helicopter was shot down on a night mission (April 3, 1969) and
almost everyone was severely injured. “It was a brutal crash,“ Eaton remembers.
Perkins was hurt the worst as the helicopter had fallen on him.
"We were in a desperate situation,” says Eaton. The Viet Cong, in two
separate groups, were firing on them from around 200 yards away and moving in.
He made his way to the top of the wrecked chopper and with his broken sniper
rifle and a M16 he alternately fired, hoping the enemy would think there was
more than one person shooting back. At this point in the story, the History
Channel referred to Eaton as “an army of one.” Eaton’s expertise with his
sniper rifle slowed the Viet Cong down and he held them at bay until help
arrived.
“Sometimes he who makes the most noise wins,” Eaton explains. “My starlight
scope was everything.” The night-vision rifle scope allows snipers to see in
the dark.
Once on board the rescue helicopter, Eaton noticed that Perkins was
missing. The man was so badly injured he had told them to leave him. It was
then that Eaton jumped out, saying he was not going to let Perkins die alone.
“I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it (out of Vietnam) anyway,” the
sniper states.
“Ed laid down next to me and started firing,” remembers Perkins. “There are
people who will die for you and with you,” he adds.
With just a few rounds left and the Viet Cong close, the two men didn’t
hold out much hope; but Eaton finishes the story: “Our Battalion commander
returned with his helicopter and two Cobra gunships. The gunships expended the
last of their ammunition as Col. Peterson picked up Mike and the rest;
overloading his helicopter to the point that I was left behind for a period.
Shortly thereafter, the Cobras came back and one landed nearby allowing me to
grab a ride on the outside ammo door of the helicopter. They then took me to a
rice paddy about 30 minutes away where they dropped me off. By then I couldn't
walk, due to the vertebrae fractures, and was feeling at my lowest when out of
nowhere a Medevac Huey came in the dark night and took me to the base camp
hospital; ending the nightmare.”
Eaton had a broken back among other injuries so he spent a couple weeks in
the hospital before he could walk again. He then returned to the field out of a
sense of duty to his men. "It was one of the stupidest things I did,” he notes;
“because I didn't have to." (The Army had given him 90 days of light
duty.)
In 1965, while still in high school, Eaton joined the Oregon National
Guard. He then went Active Duty in early 1968 and was in Vietnam 1968-1969. “I
became a Sniper because I considered it to be safer than the straight
infantry,” he says with a smile.
After serving his country, Eaton came back home to Milton-Freewater. He
recently got into the radio business; and in 2003 moved to Tillamook, Oregon
and took a job as the original manager of Coast 105.5 FM. However, his mother,
Dona Shockman; sister, Karen Shafer; and brothers Gary and Bill Eaton still
live in the area.
Ed has now retired, sold his interest in the radio stations; and he and his
wife, Donita (formerly Donita Smock of Weston), live in Bay City which is a
small town near Tillamook.
The History Channel flew him and Perkins (who lives in Tremonton, Utah) to
Hollywood and videotaped their comments for the show. Eaton says that it was
really good to see his old friend.
Perkins, who Eaton notes “was an incredible soldier with more combat
experience than any of us,” was a Special Forces/Green Beret officer. He spent
many months in the hospital, due to his extensive injuries from the helicopter
crash, then returned to active duty and saw a 4th tour in Vietnam; retiring
from the service as a Major. After that, he went back to his home in Utah; and
retired last year from teaching geography and history in a middle school near
Tremonton.
Perkins says he only tells a few war stories, but, “I’ve told the Ed Eaton
story a number of times, because I want kids to know that there are some fine
people in this world. I tell the kids there are wonderful people out there,
ordinary people who do extraordinary things when called upon.”
For his bravery and being wounded several different times in Vietnam, the
Army sniper was awarded 3 Purple Hearts, 3 Bronze Stars with Valor device (or
“V device”), 4 Air Medals, and numerous Army Commendation Medals along with
other miscellaneous medals. At this time, Col. Pete Peterson and Major Perkins
are requesting the Army to properly award Eaton a Medal commensurate to his
actions on April 3, 1969.
Eaton is a down to earth and humble man and one can only imagine what he
and other war veterans have faced. When ask why he did what he did that night
in the Mekong Delta, to save the lives of his fellow soldiers; he simply
states, “Fear is a great motivator.”
__________________________________________
May 4, 2012 Article in Valley Herald
NRA produces TV special of Eaton story
By Marcia Akes
Valley Herald Newspaper
(Milton-Freewater, Oregon)
Ever since the History Channel told of Ed Eaton’s heroics on their two-hour
television premiere, "Sniper: Deadliest Missions," his life has not been the
same. The show was based on part of Michael Takiff’s book "Brave Men, Gentle
Heroes" - a chapter named He Came to Die With Me.
In September 2010, the nation became aware of an incredible story from the
Vietnam War about a 20 year-old US Army Sniper who, from the top of a wrecked
helicopter, held off a platoon of enemy soldiers and saved his injured
comrades. When rescue helicopters arrived to pick up the soldiers, their
captain’s injuries were so severe that he told them to leave him behind. Eaton
became aware of this and jumped back out; saying he was not going to leave the
“Old Man” to die alone. With little ammunition left, Eaton protected Captain
Mike Perkins until their battalion commander returned to pick him up. By the
time the young sniper was rescued and dropped off in a rice paddy about 15
minutes away, he couldn't walk. It was later discovered he had a broken back,
shrapnel in his jaw and a bullet had creased his shooting finger; among other
injuries. He spent two weeks in the Dong Tam hospital regaining his ability to
walk.
After the television show, Eaton’s story was printed in various magazines,
newspapers and books. Hundreds of comments about the sniper’s actions were
posted on the internet, he was contacted by various organizations and was a
guest at conventions and gun shows.
Then, last Friday, the National Rifle Association released a detailed TV
special of what happened on the night of April 3, 1969 in the Mekong Delta. To
view the piece, go to: http://lifeofduty.tv/#/home and click on Patriot Profiles
“Choosing Honor – The Story of Ed Eaton.” The video is impressive with old
photos, flashbacks to the Vietnam War, and Eaton and Perkins telling the story
as each of them lived it.
Eaton, who was a member of the McLoughlin High School Class of 1966, says
he definitely wasn’t expecting all of the attention that has come his way; and
the hardest thing for him to get use to is people asking for his
autograph.
On the changes in his life over the past 19 months, Eaton notes: “The
American Sniper organization, a group of police and military snipers that raise
monies for the troops overseas, has taken me in and I now help them with their
mission. Our largest show is the Shot Show (largest gun/sportsman show in the
world) which is held in Las Vegas. We raised over $60,000 there this year. It
also affords me a free trip to Vegas each year. I mentor a Sniper Platoon in
Afghanistan, through the organization; a very rewarding experience at the very
least. My name within the industry has risen to the point I’m often asked for
an autograph. I was recently sent to the NRA Convention, compliments of the
Sportsman Channel and the show “Respect Outdoors,” which has invited me to
Costa Rica to do a Marlin/Dorado fishing show. I now have manufacturers
giving/building me rifles and scopes. Black Hills Ammo is supplying me with
match ammunition so that I may get back into the shooting world. The NRA film
crew showed up here in Bay City in February for a couple days, resulting in the
latest lifeofduty.tv special. So, all in all, it’s been good; although
sometimes embarrassing, as to how I’m now treated.” He adds that through it
all he’d like to remain just “Ed.”
Many people have asked what medal was presented to Eaton for his actions.
Unfortunately, the paperwork Captain Perkins submitted for the Congressional
Medal of Honor was lost when the battalion moved. For his bravery and being
wounded several different times in Vietnam, the Army sniper was awarded 3
Purple Hearts and numerous other medals; but Perkins and Col. Pete Peterson are
working hard to see he receives the proper award commensurate to his actions on
April 3, 1969.
After serving his country in Vietnam, Eaton came back home to
Milton-Freewater. He got into the radio business and in 2003 moved to
Tillamook, Oregon. However, his mother, Dona Shockman; sister, Karen Shafer;
and brothers Gary and Bill Eaton still live in the area.
Ed has now retired, sold his interest in the radio stations; and he and his
wife, Donita (formerly Donita Smock of Weston), live in Bay City which is a
small town near Tillamook.
There is also an interesting website dedicated to Eaton at:
www.EdTheSniper.com Various magazine, book, newspaper and online articles are
listed on the site. And there is a Harley Davidson poster showing two bikes
with Eaton and Chuck Mawhinney, the top US Marine Corps sniper, standing behind
them with their sniper rifles. The poster is titled: Your Long Distance
Providers.