"Stolen Valor" story

[A4sForever]

My DAD was in uniform before Dec 7 ... he saw some 'heat' and definitely saw the elephant in the next 5+ years ... towards the end he was in one famous (infamous?) picture taken in the aftermath @ Malmedy. He was highly decorated.

When I was a kid, I asked him (stupidly, as kids are wont to do) "DAD, did you ever kill anyone in the War .... "?

He stared out the window and after what seemed a LONG pause ... simply said: "Yes ... "

When I asked for details (again, stupid kid) ... he just said "I don't want to talk about it ... " and got up and left the room.

Nothing more was ever said about that subject.

Now days, it seems like every Ready-Room Commando can hardly wait to 'share' their daring & exploits ... I've often found the guys that talk the most of their daring-do usually did the least.

I think we can still take lessons from that Greatest Generation ...

 

[Boomhower]

My dad was a cryptographer in Korea during the war. He got a letter of recommendation from Gen. Ridgeway for following regs. My dad was NCOIC of 8th Army's crypto center and Gen. Ridgeway along with my dad's CO showed up to inspect the center. My dad met them at the door and asked to see their IDs. General Ridgeway couldn't produce his, and my dad - citing Army regs - refused to allow him into the center. My dad's CO blew a gasket, said he would vouch for the general, but my dad wouldn't budge. General Ridgeway was a by the book officer, told my dad's CO that my father was right, and commended him for having the guts to tell a general no.

Does your old man make a clinking sound when he walks?

 

[Tex_Hill]

Does your old man make a clinking sound when he walks?

My dad was a remarkable man. He dropped out of school at 17 and joined the Army. After leaving the service, he earned a masters degree in history and went on to teach at Carter High School in Dallas for 30 years.

 

[phrogpilot73]

As a young adult, the most I learned about Dad's service in Vietnam was from his citations, and me poking around in his memorabilia box. I had read a book about the Brown Water Navy, and it explained that after their first engagement - they'd cut the ribbon loop at the back of their beret in half. After they'd killed someone, they'd notch the ends. After digging around in his memorabilia box - I found his beret and found a cut ribbon loop that was notched. He really didn't start sharing stories with me until I came back from Iraq (and for the record, he met me the day I came home with a six pack and a map of Iraq). Dad left Vietnam with two Bronze Stars w/Combat V - and when you read his citation - it illustrates how comical a Bronze Star is now a days...

 

[phrogdriver]

It never fails to blow my mind when these people bask in adulation they never earned. How that makes them feel good about themselves, I'll never know.

It's even worse when some guy who was or is in the military does it. The clerk who claims he was Force Recon, etc. These guys know what this stuff means, and how valuable honor is, yet they steal it.

Just like with sex, those who talk about it the most, do it the least. The real heroes know that anyone can wake up and it's his day to either be the hero or the goat. All you can do is do your best to be ready, and if crunch time comes for you, God willing you'll be good enough that day.

 

[EODDave]

The second article has been pulled? Any chance someone has a copy?

 

[craftingraptor]

Weird that they would leave the other article up. Are they now suggesting that his story is true?

While going after a third, "for some reason my guns wouldn't fire and I was closing on him fast, so I throttled back, dumped the flaps and slowed down," he said. "I decided that I'd let the prop chew into his tail."

Reality check.

Also, I have a related question. My current neighbor claims to be a veteran in the Marine Corps as a pilot. He claims to have flown the A-10 at some point in his 9 year career. He wouldn't say where and when it happened because of "OPSEC." My bull**** alarms went off, but just for sure I thought I'd ask. Is that actually possible...? To fly for the Navy/USMC and fly AF planes?

 

[Cron]

Reality check.

To be fair, there are many documented cases of things like this happening in WW2. One of the most famous ones: http://www.ifma-austin.org/facs/Propdamage.htm

Also, I have a related question. My current neighbor claims to be a veteran in the Marine Corps as a pilot. He claims to have flown the A-10 at some point in his 9 year career. He wouldn't say where and when it happened because of "OPSEC." My bull**** alarms went off, but just for sure I thought I'd ask. Is that actually possible...? To fly for the Navy/USMC and fly AF planes?

Sailors and Marines can do exchange tours with the AF, but the "OPSEC excuse" makes it sound like bs.

 

[phrogdriver]

Like Cron said. If he did an exchange tour, it's non classified. If it was really some secret squirrel weirdness, he never would have mentioned it in the first place.

The "I'll tell you enough that you'll think I'm cool, but I can't say any more because it's secret" is a standard poseur strategy.

 

[Ventilee]

Two of the coolest moments of my life:

I met Art Bloomer at a convention two years ago. It turns out we are members of the same Fraternity.
http://www.ironhawk.com/about/board/art_bloomer

I met a WWII and Korean Vet that had flown Hellcats and Corsairs(the sexiest airplane ever made) at a friends Graduation Party. I got him to sign a thing that has a Corsair and a pin-up girl on it. It is one of my most prized possessions.

I would be crushed if I found out that either one of them were falsifying their stories.

 

[SynixMan]

Also, I have a related question. My current neighbor claims to be a veteran in the Marine Corps as a pilot. He claims to have flown the A-10 at some point in his 9 year career. He wouldn't say where and when it happened because of "OPSEC." My bull**** alarms went off, but just for sure I thought I'd ask. Is that actually possible...? To fly for the Navy/USMC and fly AF planes?

Common questions to ask that are all UNCLASS: What was your primary squadron? Who was your primary owning? What was your Advanced squadron? I'd be very skeptical of someone claiming to be a USN/USMC Aviator who didn't know these right off hand.

 

[craftingraptor]

Common questions to ask that are all UNCLASS: What was your primary squadron? Who was your primary owning? What was your Advanced squadron? I'd be very skeptical of someone claiming to be a USN/USMC Aviator who didn't know these right off hand.

Thanks, definitely helpful.

 

[Boomhower]

Also, I have a related question. My current neighbor claims to be a veteran in the Marine Corps as a pilot. He claims to have flown the A-10 at some point in his 9 year career. He wouldn't say where and when it happened because of "OPSEC." My bull**** alarms went off, but just for sure I thought I'd ask. Is that actually possible...? To fly for the Navy/USMC and fly AF planes?

The A-10 isn't really much of a "secret squirrel" aircraft. If it's shooting at someone, everybody knows about it. It's loud as hell and the plane is low.

I could be wrong, but your neighbor is full of shit.

One thing you'll find about "OPSEC" is that it's not nearly as sexy as people make it out to be.

 

[helolumpy]

Looks like someone else is in trouble for making up a fictitious military career....

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/26/maryland-man-arrested-lying-military-service/

 

[OnTopTime]

The second article has been pulled? Any chance someone has a copy?

It appears that they have now pulled the original (fabricated) story and made the retraction once again available online.