Sammy Joseph McGloflin; phony POW in Arkansas
So there was this Post Commander of American Legion Post 71 in Cabot, Arkansas by the name of Sammy Joseph McGloflin who told his story to a journalist at the Arkansas Leader a few years back about his imprisonment in Vietnam;
While flying a night mission in 1972 the crew’s helicopter came under fire. The pilot and co-pilot, close friends of McGloflin, were shot and killed. The helicopter crashed down near the Vietnam and Cambodia border. McGloflin and the door gunner survived the crash but were surrounded by North Vietnamese soldiers. They were blindfolded and their hands bound behind them.
McGloflin was a prisoner of war for 89 days at a camp near the Cambodian border. He recalled being put into a pen made of bamboo fencing with gaps large enough to stick a hand through. It was hot and they lost weight. The Vietnamese made fun of the POWs, poking them with sticks.
“It was very hard being a POW. The treatment was nothing like I’ve been through before,” he said.McGloflin said over time they became friends with one of the prison guards and one day the guard left the gate unlocked. McGloflin and 15 other POWs made their escape to freedom. McGloflin, still in his flight suit, made the one-day walk to Cambodia.
“The Cambodians treated us like royalty. They took us in, fed us and took care of all our needs physically. We got to take a shower. The Cambodian people helped us get to Thailand,” he said.
Crossing Cambodia into Thailand took two days riding in an ox-drawn cart.From there, they made it to a U.S. Army/Air Force base in Bangkok. They were able to eat, gaining back their weight and strength.
McGloflin kept in touch with many of the former POWs over the years.
“We corresponded for several years. Many are now in bad health or deceased. The door gunner I had, a month ago his wife called me and said he’d committed suicide,” McGloflin said.
McGloflin has no lingering physical effects from his injuries, however he was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.
He has flashbacks about combat.
He also told the reporter that he had been wounded “several times” and that his helicopter had been shot down seven times. He says that he spent three tours in Vietnam because he “liked combat”.
Yeah, well, as you might have guessed, it’s not completely true. he wasn’t a POW, according to the DoD DPMO and from his FOIA, I guess he did two years in Vietnam, but there are no Purple Hearts for his wounds;
So, yeah, another fellow who had perfectly honorable service who couldn’t help but crap on the rest of us and demean our service, by making up stories when it really wasn’t at all necessary.
Category: Phony soldiers
Yep. Doesn’t seem to show up in any Viet Nam POW database. Maybe he was with that other dude who was a POW for 9 hours…..
“The treatment was nothing like I’ve been through before,” he said.
You ain’t seen nothing yet jackass.
More likely another g00b who fondly remembers his time spent in the S&M/B&D section of some brothel and says “Well, it was KINDA like being held POW, wasn’t it? I thought so!”
Snotsucking bedwetter.
Sweep the fucking LEG
Aww – you missed the hero claim:
“What you may not realize is that he was a prisoner of war for nearly three months during the Vietnam War before escaping. McGloflin is a decorated Vietnam veteran, who was awarded two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars and four Purple Hearts.”
I was told he has used his status to climb the ladder at AL. And yes – this was one case where it was not by email. He stood and listened to me talk all day about frauds and phonies at the Vietnam Vets Welcome Home celebration we attended.
BTW – He uses “JOE,” so trace had a few bumps – but only for a minute. He was swearing a SS on his AL white hat.
Got to be, Mary. 🙂 Hi ya!
Busy man.
Mary, It is good to “see” you on the thread!
Doesn’t seem to be any proof of his two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars and four Purple Hearts in any databases either.
As much as he to blame for this bullshit, the “journalists” who write this junk and can’t even do a simple quick search to verify the legitimacy of the claims are to me just as guilty. It took me a whole 3 minutes to search a few credible websites. I think we oughta start going after these fools too. The fakers want recognition for their made up service, but the “journalists” want recognition for a BIG “look at the hero I found” story. And then when the story is proven to be bullshit, you MIGHT see a little tiny “correction” down in the corner of the sale ad section. Bullshit. Let’s go after this peckernecks too!
Just my thoughts…..
Agreed…and we have from time to time….and quite often they correct themselves but more often than not, it’s a deletion, a miniscule quotation about an error or ignoring us altogether.
Yep. They are enablers and piss me off almost as much as the actual faker does.
Aaargh.
Seriously. The guy claimed to have escaped from a POW camp in Vietnam, then to have made his way from Vietnam, all the way across Cambodia and Thailand, by foot and by ox-cart, all the way to Bangkok, in three days. Did that raise any red flags with this idiot reporter at all? Did he think to maybe look at a map and consider whether that story even sounds remotely feasible?
That’s only about 350mi, Hayabusa.
Piece of cake. Just give the oxen a few “upperes” and some of that “wacky terbackey”. (smile)
If all they know about Vietnam are progressive fairy tales and Rambo movies, how can they form an intelligent opinion?
Poor buggers probably don’t know most of the history of their own country, much less a specific period like Vietnam.
Only one individual whose last name begins with the letter “M” is recognized by DoD as being a POW escapee in Southeast Asia. As you might have guessed, that individual’s last name was NOT “McGloflin”.
http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/vietnam/reports/pmsea_escapee.pdf
Skrue this damned lying POS. Geez, I really detest fake POWs.
Two years from now his daughter will tell us how much of a hero he was.
And want to meet at the truth bar.
You’ll have to go see Samantha’s father, LebbenB. He’s the one “selling it”.
The article stated that his medals were going to put into some local museum. Maybe I could check that out and see if they are aware that they are displaying fraudulant items?? Could be fun to hear their excuse.
Have had team already working on that. No medals display with his name has been found anywhere in the area. The event took place early April – so have had some time to work this through.
He also worked for 25 years as a school custodian, but claims to have a master’s degree. Not impossible, I guess, but come on! How likely? Another dubious claim that the reporter apparently swallowed whole, with no attempt to verify.
MrBill Remember…we’re talking about Arkansas here. 😀
“Good Will Hunting” was OBVIOUSLY about him. The writers moved the story to Harvard to keep from having to pay him royalties.
Yep … He is our prisoner now and we are making fun of and poking him with sticks.
Kinda funny how things work out in the end!
He needs to be a the guest of honor at a blanket party.
These guys are like criminals, not too bright. How can they believe they won’t be caught some day?
As a member of both the American Legion and the VFW, they both checked my DD214. In fact TSO signed me up for the Legion and I even had to show him my DD214. The IVAW even checked my DD214 before they’d let me attend their little soiree in Silver Spring.
I was one of the guys standing outside holding a flag. To think you walked right by me without even saying hello. I’m going to cry 😉
He came to meet me…8-)
Even from a historical point of view, this liar’s story is full of holes. No sane American POW escaping from an NVA camp in South Vietnam would willingly cross into the Cambodia of 1972 and trek across the length of that country into Thailand.
By 1972, the NVA and Khmer Rouge had already routed the Cambodian FANK from the rural regions and had them bottled up along the land/river MSRs and population centers, and the ARVN was no longer able to provide any meaningful support to FANK by the time of the NVA 1972 Easter Offensive. The NVA and KR pretty much dominated the Camodian countryside.
A bunch of American POWs trying to cross the length of Cambodia to Thailand, ridiculous as that sounds, would have been almost guaranteed to be scooped up by a Khmer Rouge patrol after being informed on by a cowed Cambodian populace and then quietly massacred. This guy’s story does not even pass the historical smell test…
It does, however, have a smell to it …
… pure bullshit.
Even if you didn’t know anything about the history of the area, his story should have raised multiple red flags. He claims to have traveled, by foot and by ox-cart, from the Vietnam border, all the way across Cambodia and Thailand to Bangkok, in three days. A distance of roughly 700+ miles. Anyone capable of reading a map should realize that is geographically impossible.
Eyeballing it on Google Maps, the closest distance appears to be more like 350mi Hayabusa (just north of “Parrot’s Beak”, straight-line to Bangkok).
Still, that’s quite a hump through jungle and rice paddy in just 3 days – better than 4 mi/hr for 72 hrs straight. Must have given those oxen some “good stuff”! (smile)
Aw, fuck- I live right near Cabot and missed this shit? I miss all the fun. Guess I should go on down to the museum and double-check for dude’s medals- although I’m willing to bet they haven’t made it in yet
the Al…pardon my Arkansas comment above. I did serve my whole Air Force tour at LRAFB, except for TDYs. I was in comm for SAC, servicing the 18 Titan II missile silos that use to be throughout northern Arkansas. I loved my time there. It was a great base to serve at and the Arkansas folks are good people. No harm, no foul. I did love poking fun at the Arky’s though.
No worries- I moved out here from Virginia about 10 years ago, so any Arky jokes don’t bother me. Besides, this is the state hat gave us Hill and Billy Clinton
the Al: Arkansas only gave us Bill. Hillary was raised in Chicago, and after college lived on the East Coast. She only moved to Arkansas after she (1) failed the DC bar exam, (2) passed the Arkansas bar exam, and (3) married Bill.
Never knew that part about the Hildabeast.
I’m originally from New Yawk and retired here, married to an Arky and it is a great state. Like other states, we have our dirt bags. They particularly like favorite sons and Clinton is one. In fact, they even renamed the Little Rock Airport Hilly-Billy Airport then removed the I-540 road sign for the Confederate Blvd exit so as not to offend PC visitors.
Hey the Al, how about raising some fuss from your AO about this? If the media starts hearing about it from more than me, maybe they will do something. Also, the Cabot mayor about his crap in the museum.
I traveled ALL of the Lower 48 except for ND when I was a Trucker, and THE most vandalized highway signs I ever saw were the ones along I-30 announcing Hot Springs as the birthplace of “Blowjob Willie”!
Y’know why it took the Clintons so long to move to Chappaqua, NY? THEY HAD to let the neighbors know that a sex offender was moving in!!
The state is most famous for giving us Johnny Cash.
At least something good came from there.
And Big Earl.
I find it amusing that the only person that could corroborate his BS story committed suicide.
Maybe it was a case of Death before Dishonor the second time??
I really don’t think there was an actual person with him. Just more BS from a long time BS artist in order to garner more sympathy for himself.
We have a winner of today’s “spot the bulsh!tter” contest!
We better watch it… he’s got “the stare”… and being a POW for 90 days, with seven choppers shot down and liking combat, were looking at the real deal RICE PADDY DADDY!
/sarc off
Time to HAMMER THE DAWG SHIT out of this assclown!
I just shared the post with the Arkansas American Legion Commander and other associates in the veterans community, and will report back what action (if any) was taken. This guy is old news in these parts but when first exposed no one seemed to want to do anything about locally. A retired female AF major has been ragging it for some years and I hope she is still around to enjoy this. I have also sent the information to the Cabot newspapers and Arkansas Dem Gaz. Problem is the Dem Gaz reporter who publicly exposed the phony green beret Congressional candidate is no longer there.
He needs to be booted from the American Legion for life…”Conduct Unbecoming.” It is in the National Charter.
These POW guys are a special kind of turd.
Dude also looks very, very sad.
Picture was probably taken right after someone explained to him what “FOIA request” means. (smile)
That was funny.
That guys exploits remind me of the time I was doing Covert Black Ops in Russia, no records of which exist because it was that far “off the books” and was captured by Pussy Riot. Awful time that was.
jonp: I want a copy of the debrief report. With photos. (smile)
I’ll corroborate your story…right sfter I drink this hemlock.
– John “Faker 6” Giduck
You were on the OP too? I was the guy in the gilley suit!
I remember that OP. I was the tree you peed on just behind the big rock over by the Cow.
Wadda minute! I was the guy that covered shit over with a hand shovel. Who kept the map to the bodies?
Another “Truth Molester” outed. I feel bad for is the retired AF Major who outed him to no avail. As for his family…tough nails…he reaped the lie and tended to it…collateral damage via shame is its consequence. Sadly public shaming doesn’t go far with these molesters.
On the bright side, at least he didn’t use the POW plot from “The Deer Hunter” like we’ve seen her so many times before.
It was more along the lines of “Missing in Action.”
I guess this is apropos here, too.
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=47254
This clown is so full of shit. According to the Arkansas Ledger article, “McGloflin is a decorated Vietnam veteran, who was awarded two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars and four Purple Hearts.” What utter horseshit. Also he says, ““I chose to be a crew chief. I qualified to be in the maintenance division but I wanted to be in the air,” McGloflin said.” More horseshit. You start in maintenance and have to earn a prized seat as a crew chief. This turd had honorable service. Why did he feel the need to embellish his service? Probably because he felt unappreciated at his job as a school custodian.
I loved my old school custodian…he was an ex-POW and never said a word. No one knew. He had more respect than many of the teachers. We found out about many years later when the POW Medal was authorized and he was awarded it. A personal reason why I despise these Phoney Phucks.
Holy Jumped Up Jesus Christ on a crutch!! The turd claims to have a masters degree in political science, yet he’s a school custodian. He’s just a sorry old fart, looking back at a life where he accomplished little to nothing of any note. So he feels he must make shit up so people will remember him and to boost his fragile ego. Yep, people are going to remember him alright. It just won’t be the fame he wanted.
Lots of folks out there rocking their “degrees” (and other stuff) from MSU, ArmyATC.
Nothing makes me see red faster than false claims of MoH, POW status, and receiving a Purple Heart. In that order, with the last two pretty much equal.
This clown actually was assigned as air crew, and received an Air Medal, plus a couple of GCM’s and a few other nice awards. More than most folks throughout history have earned. And he did not just bail after his first enlistment. (Would kind of like to see what his later assignments might have been.)
Dang, fool! All that wasn’t good enough for you? What crap in a very nicely built nest like that?
or “why”
The guy did 14 years, was Sgt and did two tours, at least some of it flying around in combat…WHY the extra shit?
I’m thinking it might be because he didn’t leave service when and in the way he wanted to, Just an Old Dog. He does appear to have left during the height of the Reagan buildup.
But that’s certainly just speculation on my part. And I could be wrong.
More speculation. Overweight Program QMP? 14 years in, only two GCM’s,(vice eligibility for four), no listing in the VHPA (Vietnam Helicopter Pilot’s Assn)/Army Gold Book(loss to inventory) of a bird in 1972 that included McGloflin as a crewmember. 7th CAV was a ground Cav outfit, and didn’t gain any air Troops until after service in RVN. Lots of holes in this story.
Oops maybe wrong about the GCM’s. Looks like he did split time Active and Reserves, so not sure on entire time frame for eligibility on GCM’s. My bad.
Claw…….Not to mention being shot down seven times! Surviving seven shoot downs is just not possible.
I think this POS must have read about Bill Reeder’s 1972 shootdown and capture:
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/r/r090.htm
Funny you mentioned his getting out during the Reagan buildup, my Dad’s a retired Judge, and I grew up near a Military Installation. During the Jimmeh Kahtuh years, some Serviceman or Woman would be in front of Dad, and a Liason from the Installation would be asking my Dad what could be done to help salvage his/her career, etc… But during the Reagan years, said Liasons would ask the same, but that time they’d instead say “Okay, just wanted to know, we’re putting him/her out over this!”, thus I presume he was quite the substandard kind of Troop!
Club Manager writes to tell us that Joe isn’t in his American Legion post now – his post commander booted his ass with a copy of this TAH post in her hand.
Good.
I was by my own measure an average soldier and NCO. I did my time, I got hurt, I got out.
I am damned proud of my service though, in that I will never claim to be anything but what I stated above. I will never tolerate others who do embellish, lie, attempt to steal the Honor of those who earned it.
Wish there were a few more post commanders that had the balls that Sammy’s has to kick out the posers and frauds in their local posts.
Can you imagine if this guy was the VFW Post Commander who threw his ass out?
I would have loved to hear him go off on McGloflin!
So MCPO NYC USN Ret.
What you’re trying to tell us is …. *DEFINITELY* not a REDSKINS fan?!?!?!?
/NFC East woot!
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
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