I once met a guy in hunting camp who was apart of the lost platoon that spent a night behind the enemy lines in that valley. His close buds where stunned when he started talking about it because he never mentioned Vietnam. What brought it up was that "We Where Soldiers" (starring Mel Gibson and chronicals this battle) was just released. He was a consultant for the movie and the quote "I can smell them-no not the dead one's" is attributed to him. He was a super nice guy and you would never have guessed him as a true American hero upon meeting him.

He is one reason you will never see me bashing Native Americans on this or any other site. Sure I will be critical of certian tribes when warranted but not as a people as a whole. That's just being a bigot. And this guys actions under fire is one reason that bigots are just fucked up humans!!!

Major Crandall is one of eight UW grads to earn the Medal of Honor and UW recently erected a memorial in their honor. I plan on visiting it sometime this fall!

Earning a medal, of any sort, was the furthest thing from Bruce Crandall's mind on the morning of Nov. 14, 1965, as he repeatedly flew his Huey helicopter through a hail of enemy fire in Vietnam. Only this mattered: His comrades needed him.

UW to honor war heroes with Medal of Honor memorial (WA)