Herbert Williamson: Cav secret squirrel
Art sends us a few links to the story about Herbert Williamson, the CEO of an oil exploration company in Texas who has been speaking to veterans’ groups in the area like in the picture above advertising himself as a decorated Vietnam veteran and retired colonel. The San Antonio MySA did a little digging;
In sworn depositions for the lawsuit, he said he was in the Army from 1970 to 1973, rising to the rank of chief warrant officer, second class. He also claimed to have served one year in Vietnam, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross in 1971 as a scout helicopter pilot.
But Connecticut Army National Guard records indicate he served in that state from January 1971 to August 1972, working as a communications wireman at the rank of private first class.
“Our records don’t reflect that he went to Vietnam, or that he received any decorations,” said Lt. Col. Tim Tomcho of the Connecticut Army National Guard. He noted that Williamson was honorably discharged when he moved to Maryland, where he joined the Maryland Army National Guard.
Documentation was similarly lacking to support claims by Williamson, 63, that he was awarded a Purple Heart and served 30 years in the Army Reserve, retiring in 2003.
“I did not find a record for Herbert Williamson having served in the Army or Army Reserve,” said Mark Edwards, media relations chief at the U.S. Army Human Resources Command.
Of course, when he’s confronted with military records, Williamson goes all secret squirrel on the reporter;
Asked Monday about the apparent inconsistencies, Williamson said, “There are other things you are unaware of that I can’t comment on.”
His lawyer, Richard Mosty, suggested that Williamson may be unable to speak about his service because of its being classified.
So classified that he’s talking about it every chance he can? The military can’t find records of his Bronze Star and Purple Heart, so those are classified, too? Here’s a lesson for all of you prospective posers (none of whom read this blog, apparently) awards aren’t classified, the citations may be, but not the awards themselves. The fact that you were in Vietnam along with several thousand others wouldn’t be classified. What you did there might be classified, but not the fact that you were there.
Category: Phony soldiers
Of course it’s classified. But ya know seeing as this administration keeps leaking every little thigh classified doesn’t mean what it used to
His service is “classified”? Classified as “Bullshit” would be my guess.
Fucking dick……
At least some in the Media are starting to do their homework.
-Ish
A civilian question here. I have reading this blog for months and long wondered, where do you get the nicknames for people. I know, you are thinking if they are an idiot, that fits. but it seems there are some handed down through the years… I know about the Marines and Jody but Secret Squirrel, Soup Sandwich, etc. Those seem to be more institutionalized than the typical, “he’s a raving loon.” Thanks in advance.
Andy Kravetz, reporter
Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star
Yeah right … and much of my service is classified as well. Like the time I “dirty dicked” someone’s coffee cup, the day I filled everyone’s boon dockers up with shaving cream, and the weekend I spent in Subic in the care of a lovely brown wowan. All secret stuff!
Mr. Herbert C. Williamson III, Herb Mr. Williamson is owner of a game ranch in Hunt, Texas, and has significant oil and gas experience with a strong focus on international activities. Mr. Williamson has been a private investor since 2001. Prior to 2001, Mr. Williamson held numerous director and officer positions with a variety of energy and finance companies. He serves at Titan Exploration, Inc. His experience includes positions at Jones, Lloyd & Webster and Lehman Brothers, … both in Houston, in the corporate finance area. From March 2001 to March 2002, Mr. Williamson served as an Investment Banker with Petrie Parkman & Co. From April 1999 to March 2001, Mr. Williamson served as Chief Financial Officer of Merlon Petroleum Company and served as a consultant and interim Chief Financial Officer from January 1999 to March 2002. Mr. Williamson served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Seven Seas Petroleum Inc., from March 1998 to April 1999. From June 1995 to March 1999, he served as Director in the Investment Banking Department of Credit Suisse First Boston. Mr. Williamson served as Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President of Parker and Parsley Petroleum Company (now Pioneer Natural Resources Company) from April 1985 to April 1995. Mr. Williamson has been Chairman of the Board at ZaZa Energy Corporation since May 2012. Mr. Williamson has over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and investment banking business. he served as an Independent Vice Chairman of Toreador Resources Corp. since January 25, 2007. He has been a Director of Titan since August 1999. He has been Director of ZaZa Energy Corporation since February 22, 2012. Mr. Williamson has been an Independent Director of Toreador Resources Corp. since January 2006. He has been an Independent Director of Eagle Rock Energy G&P LLC at Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. since July 30, 2010. He serves as a Director at Merlon International Inc. He served as a Director of Westside Energy Corp. since March 30, 2005. He served as a Director of Golden Gate Homes, Inc. (alternate name, JK Acquisition Corp.)… Read more »
This guy makes Boon Pickens look like a friggin pussy!
Second to last sentence: He is also a highly decorated Vietnam veteran and a retired Colonel in the US Army Reserve with Military Intelligence and Civil Affairs command positions.
A very smart man once told me…nothing is ever as secret as the claims they are secret…Hmm, Steve Robinson, I think…
Herbert C. Williamson III
Independent Director
Chairman of the Board
Chairman, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee
Herbert Williamson III serves as a director and Chairman of the Board of ZaZa Energy Corporation. He is a private investor and has significant oil and gas experience with a strong focus on international activities. From July 2001 to June 2002, he was a part-time consultant to Petrie Parkman and Company for new business development. From April 1999 through July 2001 he was a Director and Interim Chief Financial Officer of Merlon Petroleum Company. From October 1998 through April 1999 he was a Director and Chief Financial Officer of Seven Seas Petroleum. From 1995 through 1998 he was a Director in the Energy Group of Credit Suisse. From 1985 until 1995, he was Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President at Parker & Parsley Petroleum Company.
Mr. Williamson holds an MBA degree from Harvard Business School (1977) and a BA degree from Ohio Wesleyan University (1970). He also serves as a director of Merlon International, a private oil and gas exploration company with primary operations in onshore Egypt, and as a director of Eagle Rock Energy Partners, LLC (EROC, NASDAQ), a domestic U.S. midstream and upstream oil and gas company. Mr. Williamson brings to the Board of Directors extensive industry experience as an executive and a consultant with a focus on finance, investment banking and general management.
@5. To answer your question, well at least partially: Some of the names used here are what would be called colloquialisms (jargon) that has grown up in the military culture and have specific meanings. To use your example in the military a “secret squirrel” is generally used to describe someone who works with classifed (i.e. secret) and in many cases may or may not be all there in the head (i.e. squirrely) So secret squirrel (i.e. intel folks are not right in the head…). Other phrases/nicknames derived their meaning in similar fashion or have become synonymous with specific sub groups or activities: wing nuts or chair force for AF personnel, jar heads, leather necks for Marines, swabbies or squids for Sailors, snake eaters for some Special Forces folks, cable dogs (people who install cabling/wireing) etc. The list goes on. So in this case since Herbert Williamson us claiming to be former Air Calvery (i.e. Cav) and “can’t talk about what he did casue it is uber classified” he’s Cav Secret Squirrel…
Hope that helps
-Ish
“There are other things you are unaware of that I can’t comment on.”
That’s because he has been outed!
“…may be unable to speak about his service because of its being classified.”
Classified Bullshit!
I have a Secret Squirrel patch I wore on deployment until someone noticed it (it took several days)! It was holding an acorn. I LOVE that thing!
🙂
As for this tool…
What the hell is it lately? Has there been a rash of these frauds or is it just exposed more?
Surprise, surprise!! The DFC Society has no record of this douchenozzle being awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross. And, unless he hails from Marquette, Michigan, he was not awarded the Purple Heart.
Fuck this phony…
Our family friend (Maj. ret. James R. Thomas) who just passed away last Monday really was a pilot (gunship) in Vietnam. He also was Special Forces, Ranger Master Paratrooper etc…
Stolen Valor really does hurt.
http://www.greenhillsfuneralhome.net/obits/obituary.php?id=184363
#11, Ish, it’s CaValry. CaLvary is a hill outside Jerusalem, CaValry are they guys with the hats and spurs and horses.
But in this case, this guy is calvery. He doesn’t deserve to have it spelled correctly or used contextually.
I cannot stand it any longer. That mofo is wearing a Stetson! Ain’t know way that pus nuts is CAV, AIR CAV, or any other form of mounted recon. Secret? Kind of hard to hide the OH-58 and the Stetson (not a fucking hat!) There are no secret agents in the CAV MTOE. All hat no cattle. I’m assuming that #7/#10 was posting the bio as a public service so we can see the extent of his lies.
BTW…Names were never sewn on the Aviators nomex jacket. They were a leather patch over the left breast like every other aviator in the military.
#16 thanks for the assist its been a long day…and its only gonna get longer
-Ish
I always get Chief Warrant Officer Second Class and Private First class mixed up. No wait… I’ve never heard of Chief Warrant Officer Second Class.
In other news, I was at a Returning Warrior Workshop in Seattle this past weekend, when during one of the presentations, some dude (in the audience) started rambling about having been at Hamburger Hill and the Tet Offensive, and mumbled something else I couldn’t understand. I was going to call him out on it, but he seemed border-line retarded and I don’t think anyone took him seriously. He supposedly was a spouse of a Navy Reservist (who was not there). I believe his last name was Bates and he was wearing a Marine Corps Force Recon cap. He looked to be in his 60s, about 5’4″ 120 lbs and bobbed his head around like Eddie Murphy in Trading Places.
@19 …. I think I know that guy. He and abouts 700 of his clones roam the streets of NYC holding up signs that say “VETERAN NEED HELP”, asking for money, smelling up the environs, etc … Most are not Veterans as honorable veterans have a decent comportment about themselves, even in hard times. Sounds like Mr. Hamburger Helper is not what he says he is.
@5 and @11… and Secret Squirrel was a cartoon character back in the day.
I have $5 that says “Colonel” Williamson doesn’t have a Harvard MBA either.
A question for all you legal types out there – if dipshit used his assumed false claims of rank and awards (and education) to motivate investment into his business, would that be fraud or worthy of an SEC investigation?
@21… I’m with you on the Harvard MBA!
Notice how things seem to be getting WORSE these days with poseurs and wanna be’s popping out of every little hole? Just about every day we read about yet another clown with fake claims, etc. etc.
Another clown beclowns himself.
Looking into the Harvard MBA now. Have a friend there. So far, no sign of him.
Just a note: even if what he did/did not do in or during Vietnam WAS classified then, it is NOT classified now. That stuff’s all been declassified, as far as I know. That stuff’s all been published in history books and magazines. NO secrets any more. Even Nixon’s bombing raids on Cambodia and sending 6,000 troops into Cambodia, which were done in secret, are no longer secrets.
And since he didn’t actually go to Vietnam, it’s just more twaddle.
Man, I can even make up better stories than these dorks come up with.
I’ve forwarded his info to a LTC friend of mine in our area who earned his spurs. He won’t be speaking in the Houston area much longer.
I was going to say more, but the big fire at the St Louis server burned my comment.
“I can’t talk about it because it’s classified” is every stolen valor loser’s response.
That particular is the best confirmation that the speaker is a fake.
“I can’t talk about it because it’s classified”
“Then why did you call attention to yourself with your stories and fake awards?”
Followed by knee to nuts a knuckle strike to larynx.
I’m really hoping the SCOTUS backs up the Stolen Valor Act. Assholes like Williamson are a slap in the face to people who have served. There’s no record of this fucking loser serving in the military in any capacity. It’s not a harmless prank, it causes damage. These fakes con money and unearned prestige from their communities. Time for a crackdown.
What you did there might be classified, but not the fact that you were there.
Bingo. Ask any bubblehead (particularly fast attack guys) what they did, where they went, etc., you’ll usually get the, “Out to sea, drilled, spilled, killed, and cleaned a lot of shit.” The SPECIFICS might be SSS (Secret Squirrel Shit) but 99 percent of what we do/where we go is almost public knowledge.
I knew I wasn’t gonna be a high-speed/low-drag spook type on my first Westpac when we pulled into Subic for a one-day stores load, and the stevodores were telling us the schedule down to the day for the rest of our Westpac, which was supposedly classified.
And damned if they weren’t right.
After reading the article, my first thought was also that the Harvard MBA was also bogus. Also, I don’t know about the INTEL stuff, but he stated he worked for Civil Affairs. The Civil Affairs guys I’ve worked with always stress that nothing they do is classified. They are Civil Affairs, not Special Forces and they always make that distinction. Their mission is always Overt, never Covert.
You can always contact the alumni office at Harvard and ask if this person is, in fact, one of their own, and tell them you’re asking because he claims to be and he’s making money off of his claim.
Lo and behold the only Herbert Williamson in AKO is a retired SGT in Lansing, MI (anyone surprised?) I say that knowing damn well ANY Soldier, especially an officer would have his AKO still active, espcially a Colonel.
Still think a POSER hunting season is unreasonable. How about tar and freathering and rode out of Town on a rail?
Good article about the Attorney and how he came to file the Stolen Valor Complaint with the FBI on Williamson:
http://www.richellison.com/Kerrville-Attorney-Blog/2012/June/Stolen-Valor-Is-it-criminal-or-just-lying-.aspx
Yeah, C-Rat – that “Mr. Smith” sounds kinda familiar.
“Mr. Smith” better hope the local DA doesn’t have the proverbial “hard-on” for perjury and perjurers – because depositions in civil cases are given under oath. And that won’t be affected one way or the other by the SCOTUS decision on the SVA, either.
Yeah, “Mr. Smith” may well have royally screwed himself here. (smile)
I just read article … fantastic!
Mr. Smith’s Secret Squirrel code name:
Rice Paddy Daddy!
He wore his DFC on his lapel when he testified to a grand jury to get a former partner indicted. He swore in a state court deposition that he flew OH60’s in Nam, got a DFC, Purple Heart, Bronze Stars and other medals. Claims got the DFC for rescuing an ARVN officer under heavy fire but can’t remember who his CO was or who recommended him for the DFC.
Swore to same achievements in a federal court deposition. Refuses to release DD-214.
He wore his DFC on his lapel when he testified to a grand jury to get a former partner indicted. He swore in a state court deposition that he flew OH60’s in Nam, got a DFC, Purple Heart, Bronze Stars and other medals. Claims got the DFC for rescuing an ARVN officer under heavy fire but can’t remember who his CO was or who recommended him for the DFC.
Swore to same achievements in a federal court deposition. Refuses to release DD-214.
I think I’ve seen that Son of a Bitch at The Wall back in 2004. He wouldn’t talk to me then and I found that extremely strange. I hgope he rots in a jail cell for years to come.
Richard Ellison: I’ll run another FOIA with both the CT ARNG and the NPRC if you’d like. You may have info about the individual that would be helpful. Can I contact you at the e-mail address you used while posting here to discuss?
Alternatively: if you’ve already run FOIAs with both the NPRC and the CT ARNG – this site’s owner, Jonn Lilyea, would likely be very happy post a scanned copy publicly. He can be reached at the e-mail address in the “Contact Us” link at the top of each article.
Richard Ellison: and I assume the local US Attorney would also be interested in those same FOIAs. And the local US Attorney can subpoena his official records, including his DD214, if he suspects perjury.
Hondo – I have a letter from NPRC that shows he was in the Army for 4 months, which is when he was in training for the Guard. What’s CT ARNG? I have a whole packet of documents including deposition transcripts I’ll send. Email me at tejasbulldawg@gmail.com.
I reported him to the FBI for Stolen Valor and perjury in a federal lawsuit. Thank you for contacting me.
Richard Ellison
Kerrville, TX
CT ARNG==Conneticut Army National Guard.
richard: e-mail sent.