|
Post by librarylady on Jun 18, 2021 19:02:17 GMT
I think my sisters and I stumbled upon a man guilty of stolen valor. My logic: All the people/men I know personally who were involved in battle don't really want to talk about it. One only gets small snippets of information from them. Secondly, this man's story is just not believable.
What happened: While we were in LA awaiting a connecting flight, a man wearing a cap that said "Vietnam Veteran" sat down beside us. After a few minutes, one sister thanked him for his service to the country. With that, he then gave us a story of his Marine experiences. He claimed to have been involved in the 1968 Tet battle and when it was over only he and another man were still alive and the 1200 (I think) other Marines were dead. Then he was in another battle and was shot in the jaw, and was sent to a hospital in Japan. While in the hospital he was told that he would be sent back to the states because of his injury. He didn't want to do that, so he sneaked out of the hospital, got his gear and sneaked back to Viet Nam and returned to battle.
I could accept that he survived the Tet battle, but that last story of sneaking back to battle is just not believable. I wanted to say, "I don't know which is worse--you telling me this, or you thinking I will believe it."
I said nothing, but it annoys me greatly that he is spouting a crazy story that some will believe. I imagine that his friends just roll their eyes and think, "Here he goes again."
Stolen valor guys annoy me and insult the men/women who really fought for our nation.
|
|
|
Post by pierogi on Jun 18, 2021 19:32:36 GMT
Yeah, everything about that sounds suspect.
The kind of stolen valor you're describing is far more common than you think. Real military people can out them in under 15 seconds.
|
|
|
Post by christine58 on Jun 18, 2021 19:38:09 GMT
Any chance he had dementia??
|
|
|
Post by Zee on Jun 18, 2021 19:42:29 GMT
If you only knew how many patients I've had that claimed to be "special forces", Green Berets, or Navy Seals with wild tales of their "special missions". I generally just smile and nod and say I don't know anything about the military.
But, there have been many WWII and Korea vets who really did want to talk to me about their war stories at 2AM when they couldn't sleep. Maybe they were just at the point in their lives when they wanted to do some reflection. Those are some of my best memories about nursing, the WWII vets. I love those guys. Stoic, generally down for a dad joke or two, appreciative of the little things. I miss them since they're mostly gone now.
ETA generally the ones with the wild tales also had some type of mental illness or borderline personality, etc so keep in mind that he might or might not be intentionally telling these tales. I'm not ever going to call someone out on it, it might not end well since they're already painting themselves as some sort of hero/warrior.
|
|
|
Post by freecharlie on Jun 18, 2021 20:08:49 GMT
Really, the only thing I would question is sneaking out of Japan and back to Vietnam. IF he had been in a hospital in Vietnam and snuck back out, I would see that.
Sometimes Vets want to talk and sometimes it is out of the blue. My dad didn't tell me much growing up and then one day he was talking to my kid and telling him all sorts of things I never knew. It might be because it has been longer since the war now. It might be that it was his grandson. It might be that most of the Vets my dad knew have passed on. Who knows.
Maybe this guy just needed to talk. Maybe he got confused. Maybe he was a coward in the war and has spent his life trying to not be that coward.
War is hell. Anybody that saw action is going to be a little off.
|
|
|
Post by freecharlie on Jun 18, 2021 20:10:12 GMT
FWIW, my grandfather joined the Navy during WWII. He was 16, maybe, at the time. He was in the Pacific during the war when they realized how old he was and sent his ass home. The day he turned 18 he rejoined.
|
|
|
Post by jennifercw on Jun 18, 2021 21:00:19 GMT
Maybe the guy was totally making it all up or maybe every word was true. More likely it was an embellished (or misremembered) version of true events. In MY opinion that wouldn't quite rise to the level of stolen valor but I do understand how some might see it that way.
I will also say - there are bits and pieces of my FIL's Vietnam story that probably would sound completely bogus to a stranger.
|
|
|
Post by voltagain on Jun 18, 2021 21:23:36 GMT
One does not sneak from a hospital in Japan back onto a battlefield in Vietnam. He needed a flight out of Japan. To get on a flight needed orders. Sneaking from a field hospital triage back might be possible if his wounds weren't visible... but in that case they probably wouldn't be sending him back to the US either.
Personally I would let it go and tell sister to ignore guys wearing hats advertising their Vietnam vet status; even the ones who could have been in the military at the time but are advertising it on a hat probably didn't actually GO to Vietnam. They are Vietnam Era vets; not combat vets. They are riding the coattails of those who endured the hardships.
|
|
|
Post by freecharlie on Jun 18, 2021 21:27:02 GMT
One does not sneak from a hospital in Japan back onto a battlefield in Vietnam. He needed a flight out of Japan. To get on a flight needed orders. Sneaking from a field hospital triage back might be possible if his wounds weren't visible... but in that case they probably wouldn't be sending him back to the US either. Personally I would let it go and tell sister to ignore guys wearing hats advertising their Vietnam vet status; even the ones who could have been in the military at the time but are advertising it on a hat probably didn't actually GO to Vietnam[/v]. They are Vietnam Era vets; not combat vets. They are riding the coattails of those who endured the hardships. I disagree with the bolded. My dad wears his vet hat and he most definitely was in country
|
|
|
Post by SockMonkey on Jun 18, 2021 21:32:48 GMT
One does not sneak from a hospital in Japan back onto a battlefield in Vietnam. He needed a flight out of Japan. To get on a flight needed orders. Sneaking from a field hospital triage back might be possible if his wounds weren't visible... but in that case they probably wouldn't be sending him back to the US either. Personally I would let it go and tell sister to ignore guys wearing hats advertising their Vietnam vet status; even the ones who could have been in the military at the time but are advertising it on a hat probably didn't actually GO to Vietnam. They are Vietnam Era vets; not combat vets. They are riding the coattails of those who endured the hardships. My dad wears his hat proudly. He served in Vietnam, in combat. Please reconsider your post, as you do not speak for veterans.
|
|
|
Post by jennifercw on Jun 18, 2021 21:36:27 GMT
Personally I would let it go and tell sister to ignore guys wearing hats advertising their Vietnam vet status; even the ones who could have been in the military at the time but are advertising it on a hat probably didn't actually GO to Vietnam. They are Vietnam Era vets; not combat vets. They are riding the coattails of those who endured the hardships. Glad you at least threw in the "probably". My FIL occasionally wears a Vietnam hat and has some t-shirts too. He is absolutely a combat Veteran. Has the prothestic leg, purple heart, and PTSD to "prove" it. I believe the hats and t-shirts are mainly from the semi-annual reunion with the other combat vets he served with in Vietnam. I would hate for someone to judge him as a coattail rider simply because of a hat.
|
|
lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,146
Jun 26, 2014 5:46:37 GMT
|
Post by lindas on Jun 18, 2021 21:40:19 GMT
One does not sneak from a hospital in Japan back onto a battlefield in Vietnam. He needed a flight out of Japan. To get on a flight needed orders. Sneaking from a field hospital triage back might be possible if his wounds weren't visible... but in that case they probably wouldn't be sending him back to the US either. Personally I would let it go and tell sister to ignore guys wearing hats advertising their Vietnam vet status; even the ones who could have been in the military at the time but are advertising it on a hat probably didn't actually GO to Vietnam. They are Vietnam Era vets; not combat vets. They are riding the coattails of those who endured the hardships. My DH was a combat vet and I find your comment disgusting. The guys in the Navy serving on the ships may not have been ‘in country’ but they endured their own set of hardships during that time. They have every right to wear a hat advertising, as you so callously put it, their service during Vietnam.
|
|
|
Post by lisacharlotte on Jun 18, 2021 22:00:01 GMT
I wouldn't judge all vets that saw combat as "never wanting talk about it". My FIL served in Korea and Vietnam (2 tours). He never talked about it until he was in the end states of lung cancer that had spread to his brain. At that point he liked to get out all the pictures he took and tell me stories.
DS deployed to Afghanistan (Infantry) in 2011. I think it was the 2nd deadliest year for US troops (after 2010). He talks quite openly about his experience. It may help that we are veteran family and all of us have served. He had some issues with PTSD. When DS got out and came home he suffered from agoraphobia, was afraid of open spaces outdoors and walking against traffic on a sidewalk (cars driving towards him). It took years for him to get over those fears. His unit had post deployment troop issues with anger management and risky adrenaline junkie behavior. The VA at that point was overwhelmed with troops returning from deployment getting kicked out and then going the VA for PTSD issues. When DS got out and went to the VA, they denied any PTSD. It's shameful.
|
|
|
Post by magellen on Jun 18, 2021 23:03:21 GMT
Listen gently, then go in your way. This person doesn’t affect your life in anyway.
|
|
lizacreates
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,856
Aug 29, 2015 2:39:19 GMT
|
Post by lizacreates on Jun 18, 2021 23:27:54 GMT
I wouldn’t form any conclusion one way or the other from that conversation.
My father was a WWII vet and he never spoke about his experiences. It wasn’t until I was into scrapbooking and I told him I wanted to make an album of some of his service photos and mementos that he opened up a bit.
His brother who was stationed in U S Subic Naval Base in the Philippines, on the other hand, used to talk to me often of the good, the bad and the ugly of his war experience when I was much younger and spent time in that country.
Different people, different personalities.
|
|