Man arrested for posing as Navy Officer

[oldcrowcv63]

When I worked at Perry Buick, USMC Col. Howard V. Lee was one of my customers. He always asked for me. When I found our he was a MOH recipient, I had to go shake his hand. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking straight, and burst into the waiting room full of customers to do so. I blurted out something about the Medal of Honor, and he got an immediate standing ovation. Later, he came out into the bay where I was working on his Buick and very politely told me to never do that again, in a crowd. I see him now and then at the Navy Federal Credit Union and only wish I were still in uniform. Trust me, it is truly an honor to meet one of these men.

Charles

Charles, that's just the sort of well intentioned faux pas I'd be likely to make were I fortunate to meet a MOH recipient. I think you are not alone in your reaction. It would be a most humbling event.

I service my Subaru at Perry, Their service unit seems a good outfit.

 

[RabidAlien]

From what I've seen, those who've earned their medals are almost unanimous in their feelings that they did not deserve their medals. Every vet I've talked to (current conflicts, or past) all say that the ones who deserved the medals, the true heroes, are the ones who never came back under their own power. The guys who came back in flag-draped boxes, or were buried over there. I can understand the feeling, and I always ask if they'll accept my handshake/salute on behalf of those who are on the Eternal Patrol. I have yet to have one not give a sad little smile and accept my respects on their behalf. Which, to me, is just frikkin awesome.

 

[mikewint]

RA, you said it exactly. Any soldier in Vietnam received the same 3 medals. One of those was the Bronze Star. That to me is a combat medal and I find it hard to believe that a clerk/typest who never left his air-conditioned office in Saigon deserves a Star. Missions run in Laos/Cambodia were under such secrecy that sufficient details could not be provided to the Army thus medals were routinely downgraded 2-3 levels. Guys that should have received a CMH were given a Silver Star. Sorry guys, don't mean to rant

 

[pbfoot]

RA, you said it exactly. Any soldier in Vietnam received the same 3 medals. One of those was the Bronze Star. That to me is a combat medal and I find it hard to believe that a clerk/typest who never left his air-conditioned office in Saigon deserves a Star. Missions run in Laos/Cambodia were under such secrecy that sufficient details could not be provided to the Army thus medals were routinely downgraded 2-3 levels. Guys that should have received a CMH were given a Silver Star. Sorry guys, don't mean to rant

certainly devalues the Bronze Star

 

[RabidAlien]

No worries, Mike, I know exactly how you feel. I never came close to anything of that caliber, but my division spent a month in Japan on 12-on-12-off shiftwork to get a motor-generator working so that the sub would be certified to go to sea. 12 hours (usually stretched to 16 or 18, giving the next shift a hand...and reciprocated when we came back on) of frenzied repair, our only time topside spent walking to the sub tender for parts/gear, meals sucked down in 5 minutes or less, other divisions volunteering to run grab us sodas or smokes or whatnot. At the awards ceremony after the deployment, we got CO Letters of Appreciation. Might as well have been written on a Post-It note, they're worth no points on advancement exams or anything. What really bit the left nut, though, was the topside crew worked an 8-5 shift patching up paint spots on the deck. They got the same thing for about 12 hours' total leisurely work. Needless to say, I no longer have that CO's letter. Its in a landfill somewhere.

 

[mikewint]

Again, to all and mods sorry it was off topic but it is one of my buttons. These morons do indeed devalue combat awards but then (in some cases) so does the military

 

[meatloaf109]

I think that all of us that served know it was about more than the metal dinguses that we got. For me it was about Honor and Brotherhood. I have a friend that I miss dearly. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him. We didn't do anything special, he or I, just our job. He never got special recognition, but his Mom got a flag.
Sometimes I'm mad, but mostly I just miss him.
At one point in time I would have wished incredible evil on those posers. It wouldn't change anything though. Guess I'm getting old. They will never know what those bits of ribbon and metal really mean.
Public humiliation is perfect as it is probably the most effective cure for this problem.
An official "Atta-boy" to Flyboyj and all who have dealt with this in a similar manner, you have my thanks, and that of many others.
Now I will climb down and resume my regularly scheduled insanity.
Thanks again,
Paul

 

[mikewint]

Paul excellently stated. The Wall is something I need to do, want to do, but I still can't bring myself to actually go

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

RA, you said it exactly. Any soldier in Vietnam received the same 3 medals. One of those was the Bronze Star. That to me is a combat medal and I find it hard to believe that a clerk/typest who never left his air-conditioned office in Saigon deserves a Star. Missions run in Laos/Cambodia were under such secrecy that sufficient details could not be provided to the Army thus medals were routinely downgraded 2-3 levels. Guys that should have received a CMH were given a Silver Star. Sorry guys, don't mean to rant

We had the same problem in Iraq. Bronze Stars were given out for rank.

We flight crews had to earn our Air Medals (for Air Assaults and for so many flight hours in a combat zone), yet a staff pilot who only flew maintenance test flights inside the wire, also received an Air Medal. Kind of ruined the value of the air medal for us.

 

[muscogeemike]

We had the same problem in Iraq. Bronze Stars were given out for rank.

We flight crews had to earn our Air Medals (for Air Assaults and for so many flight hours in a combat zone), yet a staff pilot who only flew maintenance test flights inside the wire, also received an Air Medal. Kind of ruined the value of the air medal for us.

Not everyone who served in VN got Bronze Stars. In my unit Bronze Stars went to Officers and NCO's. We had Specialist up to E-7, some with a lot more time in, and in some cases with a lot more responsibility, then some of these Officers and NCO's (one Co. supply Sgt had been in the Army less then 2 yrs). This policy caused many problems.

 

[mikewint]

Muscogee, Many vets did not get and did not receive the medals they were awarded and deserve. In many cases it is because the award became official after the service. The award is always retroactive. To my knowlege all who served their full 13mo15d and were honorably discharged are intitled to a Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal. If you are in touch with these vets have them contact their local Vet Admin

 

[muscogeemike]

Muscogee, Many vets did not get and did not receive the medals they were awarded and deserve. In many cases it is because the award became official after the service. The award is always retroactive. To my knowlege all who served their full 13mo15d and were honorably discharged are intitled to a Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal. If you are in touch with these vets have them contact their local Vet Admin

I served until after the first Gulf War and didn't know this but there in lies the problem. My unit was deactivated and many of us sent home, me to Ft. Hood. So we didn't serve the full "…full 13mo15d".

 

[A4K]

There's an old saying: 'If you're not good enough without a medal, you're not good enough with one'.

Bits of tin on a jacket don't mean much to me, whether in the forces or metaphorically in civvy street. In my experience it's ususally the loud mouthed idiot who gets the credit, often for little or no input, while the true hero often goes unrecognised. I don't have much faith in humanity as a result.

 

[muscogeemike]

There's an old saying: 'If you're not good enough without a medal, you're not good enough with one'.

Bits of tin on a jacket don't mean much to me, whether in the forces or metaphorically in civvy street. In my experience it's ususally the loud mouthed idiot who gets the credit, often for little or no input, while the true hero often goes unrecognised. I don't have much faith in humanity as a result.

I think many (most?) who served in the military feel as you do, like police we see the worst humanity has to offer and that influences or views.

About the medals - of course you are right. I went on to have a successful career without the Bronz Star; but since, in the US Army, promotions are based on a point system the medal might have meant I would have been promoted a little faster.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I never cared about medals, when I was in the Army. The only one that I set out for, was the air medal. I got it (not just one, but two of them), but in the end it was tarnished in my opinion because of others who in my opinion did not deserve it getting it.

Oh well, my time in the service is over, water under the bridge...

 

[mikewint]

Muscogee, the 13mo15d was a the required tour in Vietnam, if you were short for whatever reason you were simply sent back for another tour. When I was wounded during my first tour and sent to Japan I was still good until that really nice doc sent me back home to recover. That ended my tour short thus back to Vietnam for the second time. I'd still check with the VA to see exactly what you are entitled to receive. At the time they meant less than nothing to me but now the grandkids and schools I go to are facinated by them. Think of what they might mean to future generations of your family

 

[evangilder]

Good point, Mike. While I have some good, and not so good memories of my military service, the medals are just sitting in a display case with some other family and military memorabilia and collectibles. My daughter was actually inquiring what they were and why I got them. Granted, she is only six, but my family were either farmers or warriors until the mid-20th century and have been since the American Revolution. I find myself more interested in the medals that my Uncles got in WWII and cousins in Vietnam than in my own. I guess maybe we are all like that. But the kids may be interested in my stuff one day beyond 6 year old fascination.

 

[meatloaf109]

no comment.
too pissed off right now.
have a situation with an inividual that CLAIMED TO BE IN BHAGDAD 12 YEARS AGO,... (let that sink in), said he run out of ammo so he blew a hole in a wall with frag grenades to get back to the squad that he claimed was wiped out and he was the only survivor. And then said, (and this is a quote) "But, I don't like to talk about it"... This was a response to a question about if he had any plumbing experence!!!

 

[A4K]

What a d!ckhead.

 

[RabidAlien]

Heh. I would follow up that question with a test, to see if he could pull my boot out of his "plumbing". And then send him packin'. Well...hobblin'.