Delwin Ray Barnett; the records

| February 16, 2015

Delwin Barnett

You might remember Delwin Ray Barnett from our discussion back in November when he was featured in a Veterans’ Day article in his local newspaper, the Lawrence Journal. We speculated on his claim that he was a Vietnam veteran. He also claimed that he was a Special Forces Captain and that he earned “two Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars, three Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Service Cross” during his service in Vietnam. Well, he was in Vietnam, according to his records, but unless a Specialist 4 was the same as a Captain back then, and running pavement equipment was the same as Special Forces, then no.

Delwin Barnett Assignments

Delwin Barnett FOIA

It looks like he was a draftee (2 years of active duty and four years in the Reserves) and he has a Vietnam Service Medal with 2 campaign stars. Honorable enough service, but I guess it wasn’t good enough for him. November ’69 – November ’70 in Vietnam. One year, not the four years that he claimed in the article. There’s no mention of him being a POW, either.

Thanks to Hondo for going the extra mile. The journalist, in the updated article says that he believes that Delwin believes his story, but I don’t think it’s possible to “misremember” things that different from reality.

Barnett continued to tell me that he was a Vietnam POW and had received the medals that he claimed. But I didn’t find the assurances I was seeking. For example, I was unable to see his medals because he says he became involved in a dispute that involved someone setting his car on fire. The medals and many other possessions were in that car. He said a former colonel of his is working to get the medals reissued, but he couldn’t provide me the name of the colonel.

I’ll replace his medals for him, he doesn’t need a colonel. I can find the change for a Vietnam Service Medal and he can have my NDSM. I’ll throw in my Expert Rifle badge, too.

Category: Phony soldiers

72 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
AW1Ed

Lost his awards in a car-b-q? Now that’s a shame. I don’t have the VSM, and John has the NDSM covered, so all I can offer him is a steaming mug of shut the fuck up.

Hondo

Hell, Jonn – you don’t have to do that. I’ll spring for a full rack for this tool – NDSM, VSM w/2 Campaign Stars, and an Expert Badge and Rifle Bar. All I ask is that I be allowed to pin them on his chest – “blood wings” style.

Have I mentioned that I REALLY detest LSoS who claim to be former POWs?

OWB

Yep, Hondo. You and several others around here, myself included, find false claims of POW on the top of the disgusting pile, with MOH and Purple Heart very close behind. All false claims are disgusting, but those three false claims make me angry.

Ex-PH2

Yeah, he can have my gedunk medal, too.

I need someone to paint the house. I’ll give him a ‘special’ award for that. I’ll even supply the ladder.

A Proud Infidel®™

Ex-PH2, can I supply a “Special Safety Rope” to be attached to him in case he falls from the ladder? 😀

Joe Williams

Hey PI can I have the honor of going halves with you on the special harness? Joe

A Proud Infidel®™

SURE THING, it’ll be hemp rope, something that won’t stretch before it goes taut, hmmm,… Maybe a safety CHAIN instead?

Joe Williams

No, I want to use poly rope the cheap stuff. Without any stretch he could end with a broken neck. Stretching takes longer. Joe

A Proud Infidel®™

Duly noted, that’s wny i was thinking about a chain instead. Then if the “unthinkable’ happens, OH WELL, a little soap, water, and bleach and it’s as good as new!! 😀

Dave Hardin

Hondo, certainly you must be mistaken. This guy has to be a real Special Forces kind of guy. It says so right here in these links. He has to be legit cause the sites that say so end in .gov. Well except the bankruptcy thing of course.

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/4719

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.04719/

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2014/oct/25/bankruptcies-oct-27/

Hondo

Dave: I’m assuming you’re being satirical. But yeah: a screen capture of your first link was in Jonn’s original article, amigo.

The acronym “LSoS” fits this bozo to a T.

And I also think the LOC needs to do a much better job of front-end BS screening before they accept stuff for their Veterans’ History Project. This isn’t the first account we’ve seen that was complete or mostly bull.

Dave Hardin

I have a special place for false “POW” claims. I would not want the Google Gods to pass up a link with Delwin Ray Barnett in it. You know how somtimes people like Delwin Ray Barnett need a little bump.

Any way great work on Delwin Ray Barnett the embellishing shit bird. Semper Fi Hondo.

Hondo

Agreed, Dave. IMO there is a special room in hell for those who falsely claim to have been a POW, or to rate the Purple Heart. And there’s a special pit within that room for those who falsely claim to have been a POW held by the Japanese, North Koreans, or North Vietnamese.

Sparks

Hondo…You took the sentiments right from my heart. Claim a lot if one wants to pose but when they claim Prisoner of War or Purple Heart Medals, even my newly repaired heart still goes into overdrive.

A Proud Infidel®™

One of my late childhood Mentors was a Bataan Death March Survivor, thus the extra hatred I have for fake POWs!

John Robert Mallernee

@ HONDO, Et Alii:

Is there a way to inform the Library of Congress of the false anecdotes being perpetuated by their agency?

Or, do they already know all about it, but just don’t care?

Dave Hardin

I already have. This time I also requested a copy of their policy for dealing with fraudulent profiles.

John Robert Mallernee

@ DAVE HARDIN:

Thanks.

Please keep us informed about how it goes.

Hondo

Dave, if you need a copy of the FOIA reply on this tool to provide to LOC Jonn has one and will probably forward you a softcopy if you ask. I can also send you a copy directly if necessary.

Dave Hardin

I am Spartacus, why would I send a copy to myself?

cc DRC

A Proud Infidel®™

No, I AM SPARTACUS, no, wait…

I might be Melvin P. Cowznofsi…
I MIGHT be Hubert P. Puttkrabski…
I MIGHT be Clyde Diddit…
I MIGHT be Eugene T. Puttgrass…
I MIGHT be Waldo P. Sadowsky…
BUT I AM NOT DELWIN RAY BARNETT.

EAT THAT, Dutch Rudder Gang-bitches!! 😈

#BringElaineRicciHome
#DuctTapeisNotForDogs
#Make #SureThereIsFuelInYourAirplane

justsayin

There is none. In the story several years ago exposing the Project as filled with fakes with MOH, NC, etc,

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/20853588/ns/us_news-military/t/error-fraud-mar-vets-oral-histories-critics-say/

all they did was remove the medals lists. They have NO verification. All stories are based on the veterans “recollections” – not on fact, a DD214 or historical evidence. No records are checked.

HMCS(FMF) ret.

Dave, on the first link it shows that he claims that he wasn’t a POW… guess he has a selective memory.

Dave Hardin

Ya, I have found that to be common with these shit birds. They tell so many lies to so many different people as their stories embellish over the years they loose track of who they told what lie to.

This clown has had many months to clean up the bullshit he posted online over the years. Hondo’s follow up on this asshole just proves these people will stop.

Delwin Ray Barnett wanted to live the lie.

Dave Hardin

“will NOT stop”

I really have to get better at prof redin thngs b4 I hit the dammm sublit bottin.

A Proud Infidel®™

Noe Swet, My kayboreding skillz stimk plenty of tines!

HMCS(FMF) ret.

Just watched the first couple minutes of the video at the second link… stated that he and a buddy stole an unmarked cop car and took it across two state lines and was arrested. The judge told him at sentencing “join the military or go to reform school”.

Had to stop before I started puking up lunch… also claimed that he was notified by the Army about two PH’s and a couple of other medals.

Boldfaced fucking liar…

ThommyMac

Well played, sir, well played. The Pepsi out the nose also cured today’s dragon ass as well.

John Robert Mallernee

He was in Viet Nam at the same time I was.

His DD-214 doesn’t list a Good Conduct Medal, but from what I’ve been told, it’s normally awarded as a courtesy to draftees, either upon leaving active duty, or at some point during their Reserve obligation.

Also, his DD-214 doesn’t list the Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal, which is automatic.

He’s also entitled to the Republic of Viet Nam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Unit Award.

Understandably, that wouldn’t be listed on his DD-214, since that wasn’t authorized for EVERYBODY until around 1975 (?).

I wonder if he’s aware of that?

If he’d research his unit’s history, he might even yet discover one or two additional unit awards, just as I did when I searched the history of my own unit, the 501st Signal Battalion (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), during the period that I was assigned to it, 1970 to 1972.

So, why should he live a lie when the truth is sufficient?

OC

John, I was in at the same time (Korea, not Nam)and I didn’t get a Good Conduct Medal. Were they awarded just to draftees?
OC

John Robert Mallernee

@ OC, Et Alii:

The Good Conduct Medal is awarded to ANY AND ALL enlisted personnel who serve faithfully for three (03) years in the United States Army.

Commissioned officers do not receive the Good Conduct Medal, unless they served in the enlisted ranks prior to being commissioned.

A sergeant told me that the Good Conduct Medal is awarded to draftees, who only serve two (02) years of active duty, as a sort of courtesy, waiving the requirement for a third year of active duty.

A lot of times, medals are awarded on paper, but the recipient isn’t informed, due to military bureaucracy.

I received my Good Conduct Medal at Camp Eagle, Republic of Viet Nam, while serving as a Field Radio Relay And Carrier Equipment Repair Specialist (MOS 31L20) in the 501st Signal Battalion (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), where it was formally presented to me while standing in Company formation.

I was so proud of receiving it, for I never expected to ever receive ANY medals, so, as permitted by regulations, I wore my Good Conduct Medal on my jungle fatigues for twenty-four (24) hours, and had someone use my Kodak Instamatic camera to snap a photograph of me wearing my Good Conduct Medal on my jungle fatigues.

I recommend you send for your personnel file, because unless you were court-martialed, or received a less than honorable discharge, it’s almost certain that you were awarded a Good Conduct Medal, AND possibly some other awards, too.

OC

Thanks John.
I recently did send for an updated 214 and medal list. They put the Korea defense medal out after I was out, but I was qualified for it. Back in the 70’s one could enlist for a two year stint, rather than wait to be drafted. I had a high draft number so to the recruiter I went. For being in Korea I got a 6 month early out. So I fer sure didn’t hit the 3 year mark and not being drafted no GCM for me.
Thanks again,
OC

Hondo

OC: see my comment below. I think you got shorted.

Hondo

OC: sounds to me like your chain-of-command blew it.

If you had a “clean slate”, you may well rate the GCM. Can’t say for certain about the Vietnam era, but as I recall policy for at least the last couple of decades has been the following:

(from AR 600-8-22)

4–5. Qualifying periods of service
Any one of the following periods of continuous enlisted active Federal military service qualifies for award of the AGCM or of a AGCM Clasp (see para 4–9) in conjunction with the criteria in para 4–6:
a. (omitted)
b. (omitted)
c. For first award only, upon termination of service on or after 27 June 1950, of less than 3 years but more than 1 year.
d. For first award only, upon termination of service, on or after 27 June 1950, of less than 1 year when final separation was by reason of physical disability incurred in line of duty.
e. (omitted)

I’m pretty sure this policy was in effect during Vietnam, but I can’t swear to that. However, even if it’s a recent change, you may qualify for a retroactive award.

Not sure how you’d get that fixed other than applying to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records. Up to you if you want to go that route.

OC

Thanks all.
Jonn, good idea, I’ll look into that.

This is why I hang around this joint.

OC

CLAW131

JRM, the VCG w/Palm was still being kicked back and forth as to whether is was a unit award or a personal award while I was in Germany for my last tour from 1981-1983.

IIRC, it wasn’t until mid 1984 that Big Army announced definitively that it was to be worn (with frame) with the unit citations on the right side of the dress uniform.

Green Thumb

This gnarly maggot needs a hearty handshake, a warm coup of soup and some fish oil for that memory issue.

Mustang1LT

So is a “coup” bigger or smaller than a cup?

:₩

nbcguy54ACTUAL

Depends on the country I reckon…

MrBill

A soupcon, maybe…

HMCS(FMF) ret.

Green Thumb – he probably has a taste for that special Southeast Asian dish that all posers like – Cream of SomeYoungGuy

A Proud Infidel®™

With a side dish of SumSloDog! 😀

Silentium Est Aureum

DSC for running a paver?

As they used to say to me many moons ago, “Choose your rate, choose your fate.”

Green Thumb

The only action Barnett has seen was in his mouth on R&R.

Turd.

John Robert Mallernee

@ GREEN THUMB, Et Alii:

In spite of his lies, he probably did see some action, though it might not have been very close up.

Regardless of MOS or location, just about every soldier in Viet Nam endured sporadic rocket and/or mortar attacks, plus there were snipers to pick off the paving machine operator, sappers to infiltrate the combat base and sabotage the paving machine, and ambushes for the unfortunate combat engineer travelling to or from his paving machine.

And that was just the war!

The combat engineer (and everybody else) also had to deal with the constant misery of Viet Nam’s natural environment, where EVERYTHING was deadly poisonous and would sting, stick, or bite them.

Then, soldiers in Viet Nam also had to deal with the racial problems and the illegal drug use, some of which led to eventual murder (i.e., “fragging”) by fellow soldiers.

Again, with all that stuff that actually happened, why was it necessary for him to make up lies?

Maybe something REALLY bad happened, and he just couldn’t deal with it?

Green Thumb

Good point.

But, “Maybe something REALLY bad happened, and he just couldn’t deal with it?”

So now he claims POW< multiple combat medals and SF status?

That must have been some really bad stuff to claim all of these things.

I would love to see the psychological evaluation on that. And I wonder if the VA is paying him?

Hondo

Bingo. If he’d been involved in something that bad, my guess is he’d simply STFU and not want to talk about it – period.

Sparks

Green Thumb…I know the “really bad thing” that happened to him. He had just finished rolling down some fresh asphalt and the motor pool ran a deuce and a half over it after an oil change. He’s never been the same since. PTSD all the way.

CLAW131

I think the “really bad thing” that happened to him was spending those two weeks in July 1973 going through the Basic Leadership Course at Fort Wolters,TX.

At that time Fort Wolters was in it’s waning months as an active duty post (it closed it’s doors in November 1973) and I’m sure that being there was very traumatic. Lots of coyotes and armadillos to contend with, the Texas heat in July,etc. The list of PTSD
stressors could go on and on.

In the end, a LSOS and a legend in his own mind.

CLAW131

Yep, the more I think about it, I’m sure that when the coyotes carried off his last C-Ration meal of Beans and Baby Dicks, that was the Combat Stressor that started him on his lifetime of lies.

AW1 Tim

I’m thinking that the sub-title for TAH ought to be “The Daily Expose'”. It’s pretty sad, to my mind, that it’s come to this. That there are so many damned fools trying to parade around in someone else’s kit. Maybe it’s been that way all along, and it’s only since the internet got up to speed that these folks have been found out.

But I doubt it. Veterans have always been able to see when the BS flag was raised and distinguish between a sea story and someone fabricating a personal history.

But to echo everyone else here, the ones who claim to be former POW’s get to me the most, followed closely by the ones who claim to be Beirut bombing survivors. I hope the lot of them rot in hell.

AverageNCO

Of all of Delwin’s false claims, my favorite was his story about being chased by baboon’s in Panama. It’s one thing to claim to fight off baboons, but to claim to do it in Central America when baboons live in AFRICA is just awesome. You know how a lot of our posers steal their stories from the movies? Well, I after listening to his story, I realized what movie he stole the baboon story from.
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131119152530/disney/images/e/e1/Tarzan-disneyscreencaps_com-4255.jpg

Green Thumb

Maybe he was the one chasing the baboons….?

Dave Hardin

Maybe he was one of the special operators inserted for the rescue operations during the Lost City of Zinge crisis. I wonder how he responded to “Amy horney, Amy need laid”.

Hondo

Or maybe he was just channeling “Tarzoon – Shame of the Jungle”.

(I recommend you DO NOT Google that title from work or around prudes/clergy/small children. [smile])

A Proud Infidel®™

NO, no, WAIT!!! Whatif… WHAT IF those baboons had JUST escaped from a Circus Train he had just single-handedly kept from wrecking, and… Hey, it’s about as believable as some of the rest of his bullshit!

Old Trooper

Ya know; I have a good friend that wears his Ranger tab, jungle expert, and airborne wings on his leathers, and he served in Vietnam. However, he doesn’t claim that he was a Ranger in Vietnam and actually corrects people that say he was. He tells people that he was a truck driver in Vietnam and that after he got out of the Army, he became a prison guard for a while and then went back in the Army and did the Airborne/Ranger school/jungle expert thing. He served honorably in both Vietnam and CONUS and makes no claims of daring-do, but he’s someone I wouldn’t mess with.

AverageNCO

That is the sad thing about this one. If he had showed up at that veteran’s fellowship gathering and told the guys he had spent his time in Vietnam laying asphalt and driving a bulldozer; don’t you think they still would have told him to sit down and have a beer with them?

Bob Harvey

Yes we would have.

Jordan Rott

Guarantee that he is in an MC of some sort

2/17 Air Cav

Can you just imagine the division that could be formed with the posers and embellishers? No one would rank below E-8 and nearly all would be listing on ‘wear-your-medals day.’ The division would have no cooks or motor pool. It couldn’t have supply or clerks, either. No officers would rank below captain and all would have at least one Silver Star. What an outfit!

Big Steve

Funny stuff ! :->

beretverde

A captain in Special Forces? More like Captain Kangaroo in Special Services.
Fuck him.

A Proud Infidel®™

Maybe we should call him “CAPTAIN SHORT-BUS, King of the windowlickers”? 😀

Joe Williams

Being chased by Baboons is LEGIT. When he chuted in LALO(low altitude/late opening). Delwin ray Barnett landed on Baboon island of the cartel boss’s private zoo. Joe

Mr Wolf

The doc says “court martial- Not In File” did he have one? Or is this one of those normal entries?

You’d think if he didn’t have one, it would be ‘N/A’

Hondo

I don’t think so, Mr Wolf. Best I can tell, many records techs at NPRC seem to use “NA” and “Not in file” interchangeably in that block on a FOIA. I don’t think either means anything in particular other than “there was no court-martial transcript in the guy’s file”.

Ozzie 11B

In a way I ALMOST feel pity for some of these fools. Serve honorably in any capacity is plenty to be proud of, then they go and fuck it all up by embellishing. I can only think that they have done nothing in their lives they felt proud of themselves about. And to me that is sad. When people ask me about my time in service, I have a few stories, nothing combat related, because, luckily, I never had to see it. Do I find it a loss that I didn’t get the chance to prove myself in battle with the enemy? NO. I did my job. I had planned to stay in, but a medical condition put an end to that. Oh, well shit happens. I AM proud of my time in service. I got to see a lot of places I would not have seen. I was stationed in Berlin when the Wall opened. That in itself was a once in a lifetime experience. And just for a tour in Berlin, we were awarded the Army of Occupation medal, a WWII medal, so at times, I have gotten funny looks, even at the VA. Lady looked at me after reading my DD214 and asked “YOU’RE a WWII vet?” and I had to explain the “gimme” medal. I get a lot of laughs. That’s good enough for me. But my time in the Army is not what I am proudest of. I have had 25 years of life since I got out and I have done a lot with my life. Raised 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, and got them all graduated high school without one pregnancy. ACCOMPLISHMENT!!! Both sons are now serving, and one has seen combat, the other is a Chinook mechanic, so support, but a very critical job. I have done thousands of hours of volunteer work and received many plaques and certificates, and they are in a file cabinet. I don’t display my awards. I don’t feel I need to, I feel good about myself without needing to brag, and I sure as… Read more »

Big Steve

Very eloquent and thoughtful post, Ozzie.

Big Steve

And great job raising 4 kids. Not an small achievement these days.