Veterans, family, and friends remember the life of Bradford Freeman

CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI) – Hundreds line the streets of Caledonia to honor the last of the Screaming Eagles who lived in quiet humbleness.

Bradford Freeman lived and worked unassumingly until the Band of Brothers book was released.

Friday, he was buried with all the glory a hero deserves.

American flags waved in a slight breeze along Main Street Caledonia. Folks stood with anticipation and purpose to honor World War II veteran Bradford Freeman.

“He was my husband’s cousin, and my son was killed in Iraq, and I like to honor the military and this community honors the military,” said Patricia Freeman, Gold Star Mother.

“My father was in Normandy and I didn’t know it until a few years ago. After he passed away I found his discharge papers and found that he was in Normandy,” said Marylin Hood, Daughters of the American Revolution. “So, it’s important to me that this gentleman, one of the very few left of the second World War, to come out here and represent even my father today.”

Veterans were also scattered throughout the crowd, having never met Mr. Freeman they all know the duty to serve, sacrifice, and salute.

“I hate to see them go. I didn’t know him but I feel like I did. I don’t but I feel like I did,” said Bob Ricks, Veteran – Korea Conflict.

“I don’t think you can do enough for them. It’s… people don’t recognize that anymore, I don’t think as much, but they served their lives for it and there’s a lot of the guys that didn’t come back that were in those outfits,” said Kenneth Hood, Veteran, U.S. Army.

Patriotism and sorrow were as heavy as the summer air over Egger Cemetery, as World War II era planes circled the skies. As a result of “Band of Brothers,” more people learned about Freeman’s heroics on the battlefields of Europe.

But it’s the cornfields and hayfields of Lowndes County where his family will remember the former mail carrier and farmer.

“We loved him the most because he was a father to my mother and my aunt. He was a good grandfather to us. He taught me a lot about life. He was something. He was definitely one-of-a-kind,” said John Bradford Gore, Mr. Freeman’s Grandson.

Bradford Clark Freeman – 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division – a solider and father at rest.

Governor Tate Reeves proclaimed today as a day of remembrance to honor Mr. Freeman