More phony soldier stuff
This morning, as I began reading the Washington Times, my eyes were assaulted by this image;
This is an Obama supporter going into an Obama rally in Fayetteville, NC over this caption;
PHOTOGRAPHS BY J.M. EDDINS JR./THE WASHINGTON TIMES Charlie W. Williams of Raeford, N.C., a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and supporter of Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama, lines up early to get into a rally at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville on Oct. 19. “He’s going to get a lot of white votes,” he said of his candidate
I get real suspicious of veterans who wear all of their medals when they’re not in uniform. Although we’re usually proud of what we’ve earned, we don’t usually wear all of our “bling” because it looks too much like bragging. So I started checking the medals and ribbons on Willie’s left breast (Lord knows I don’t want to get started on the right breast full of Unit Citations). So I blew up the picture;
I also looked for images of Army Medals and discovered that I also needed to find some Navy Medals, too.
The highest award is two awards of the Bronze Star, one with a ‘V’ for valor. Since it’s illegal to claim a medal for valor you’re not awarded, I absolutely believe that, without further evidence to the contrary. The rest are (in order viewers’ left to right and descending);
Purple Heart/Army Commendation Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal/Army Meritorious Service Medal
Reserve Component Overseas Training/Republic of Korea Service Medal/Army Acheivement/Good Conduct
Army of Occupation/Southwest Asia Service (Desert Storm)/Vietnam Service medal (3 stars)/National Defense
NATO Medal/Korea Service/Armed Forces Service Medal/Army Service Ribbon
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal/Army Overseas Ribbon /Navy Meritorious Unit/Navy Combat Action
United Nations Service/Republic of Viet Nam Campaign/Multinational Force and Observers Medal/Outstanding Volunteer Medal
Aside from the fact that his ribbons are all out of order (something a career NCO would never do), he has the Southwest Asia medal for Desert Storm, the Armed Forces Service medal (which is for service after 1992). He’s also wearing a Navy Combat Action ribbon, which he only could’ve earned as a member of the Navy or Marines. He also has an Overseas Service Ribbon which can only be awarded to people on active duty after 1981. The Multinational Force and Observers Medal didn’t come into being until Jimmy Carter started sending troops to the Sinai. His National Defense Service Medal has an oak leaf cluster, subsequent awards of the NDSM are denoted by a bronze star device not an oak leaf.
Willie is wearing medals and ribbons that didn’t come into existence until after he left the service since he says he was in Korea and Vietnam. He wears a star on his CIB so that means he had to have been in the Korean War before July 27, 1953. Since his Good Conduct Medal has five knots, he must’ve served between 15-18 years (each knot is three years of service) but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he did twenty, that means he retired before July 1973 and many of the medals he wears didn’t even exist at the time he retired and they’re awarded for service he couldn’t have.
The Outstanding Volunteer Medal didn’t come into existence until 1992 – Willie could have won it but he would had 40 years of service, but even Colin Powell only did 35. Most E-7s get booted if they don’t get promoted to E-8 before they hit 22 years.
He’s also sporting a 555th Parachute Infantry patch – the famous “Colored” Paratroopers. They disbanded in 1950 before the Korean War when the Army desegregated.
A few weeks ago, I busted out a warrant officer on Military.com who listed every conflict since Vietnam as wars he’d participated in during his thirty year career. Questioning him and comparing his profile to his medals, we narrowed his wartime service down to just the Global War on Terror – and surprise – he was an Obama supporter touting the IAVA report card.
Zero Ponsdorf and Wpage sent me this article about phony soldiers from the Chicago Tribune. They seem to be everywhere.
If you’ve been in the military, just be proud of your service for what it was, you don’t need to make stuff up to be accepted. Cheezum crow.
Welcome, Gateway Pundit and Blackfive readers.
UPDATED: It turns out that “Willie” did indeed serve, according to the folks at P.O.W. Network. He served from 1949 until 1974 – he retired the same year I enlisted;
NAME: WILLIAMS CHARLIE W
SERVICE: A
COMP: R
V_RANK: E07
DOB: Edited out by Jonn Lilyea
SEX: M
V_RACE: N
EDLEV: Edited out by Jonn Lilyea
START: 490100
DOR: Edited out by Jonn Lilyea
PEB: 490100
DMOS: 11B4O
PMOS: 11B4P
SMOS: 11C4P
STOP: 740430
TAFMS: 293
YOS_SEP: 26
But I never doubted his service, in fact I was careful to give him the benefit of the doubt on each point and still found him to be a liar. He’s wearing a glider badge and the school ended the year before he joined. He’s wearing medals that weren’t even in existence nearly two decades after he retired. I stand by this post.
We posted Willie’s actual records here.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Liberals suck, Phony soldiers, Politics
This is good stuff Jonn. Hope this post gets some love out there, because this is a good catch.
Hate the phony crap and I busted somebody who said they were a Navy SEAL. The last straw was that he told me Marcus Luttrell was “banished” for f-ing up!!! Hence, I contacted someone who squared me away.
Good Job, Jonn.
If I am seeing it correctly, he also appears to have a USMC shooting badge hanging from his pocket. What a scumbag.
I have a feeling that John McCain is going to peak in the next few days and really close what I think is in truth a very small gap. Obama shot his wad months ago and has been declining ever since.
http://www.americanarmed.blogspot.com
Is he wearing a Halloween mask?
Can you zoom on the hat? Looks like there’s a lot of stuff there too.
Jonn wrote: Naw, the Washington Times cropped his hat, but I did blow up his right breast and found a pair of glider wings (on the far left of the picture). Glider school ended in 1948, two years before the Korean War started;
So taking into account all of his awards, his career would have spanned at least 45 years…and only made E-7.
May I be charitable and say that he probably was in the service and has since collected and/or been given those ribbons and pins and medals (although why, I have NO idea).
Even a non-military person would never believe all of that was his own, let alone that it would be displayed like that. To me, that’s just sad.
If his name is Williams, why would his name tape read WILLIE?
I’m not military in the least, but I would expect that the tape would display the person’s last name and not a nick-name.
Seems he would be more at home at a Bennigan’s.
Um, since when are medals worn with their ribbons? (Right breast)
Comment Cross-posted at BlackFive
I think this is probably NOT a case of Stolen Valor, but rather just an old man wearing ribbons and medals that he has purchased second hand… or that other people have given him… over the years.
Was he a veteran? Maybe, at some point in his life. Or, maybe he just started wearing all the ribbons and medals to show support and is now just misguided Re; the campaign. Besides, I don’t think any “responsible” minded person would think he earned all of the *bling* he’s wearing.
Plus, he definitely has the look of *KU-RAZEE* about him, so most people probably just discount him.
(Personal note: I don’t agree with anyone wearing a crapload of ribbons and medal, earned or not, all over their civilian clothing. I can understand a miniature Purple Heart -or similar device- worn as a lapel pin, but cringe when I see people with a “fruit salad” on their civvies.)
~Paul
aka V5
This is just despicable. I don’t care what age he is and if any of those items were gifts, they should be displayed properly at home with all the respect they deserve. Nothing is more insulting than a phony soldier.
This desperation display that NObama supporters have “stones” just makes them look like weak idiots.
If you look close you can see that on his hat is at least the word “Veteran” and the hat seems to be a Stetson style favored by airborne troops, I believe it’s specific to Air Cav but not absolutely certain.
I don’t see why the “Joe the Plumber” standard should not apply here, do you? I say out the fart knocker if he’s lying.
http://www.americanarmed.blogspot.com
I love his “Combat” Jump Wings too…
Also notice the uniform this phony is wearing is a Summer uniform. Name tags were black and were pinned on and not sewn on. Also there were no patches that said AIRBORNE. The Patches had the branch of the service, like in my husband’s case US ARMY and the last name only was printed on the tags. Name patches and service patches were only sewn on fatigues
Cut the guy a break. He probably was in Washington and he found John Kerry’s medals laying in the dirt and decided to wear them.
He said he was a vet. I don’t see anywhere where he claimed to have earned all the medals he’s wearing. Go to any Goodwill or junk store and you can find all the fruit salad you want. You can even pin them on your clothing. I once wore my dad’s Army medals on an army-surplus jacket. BFD.
So, was he once a soldier, or not? Can you prove he’s NOT a VET, instead of just a vet with a penchant for wearing ribbons as decorations (gasp! The idea!).
Morons for McCain, scrabbling desperately at any straw they can find. As if proving that this guy wears medals he didn’t earn PROVES anything. You still haven’t proven that he isn’t a vet–only that he doesn’t wear his medals to your satisfaction.
And as for vets not wearing “bling,” I never knew a con who didn’t plump up and fluff himself for once being a soljer–even if all he did was paint buildings or polish a chair. Wearing the bling would just make their ridiculous macho bluster more ridiculous. And it would mark the parameters of the military service–without the bling, who knows if you weren’t any kind of a hero at all?
I knew a guy who went into the military because he thought it would work out well financially–just sit tight for twenty years and then retire fat. Of course, all he did in his early years in the military was drink, drink, drink–until he drank himself into military disability.
Now he gets a big fat military pension for being a DRUNK.
Morons for McCain.\
If you wore your dad’s Army medals on an army-surplus jacket, you were in violation of the UCMJ and Federal law. I’m an Army brat, when my dad gave me his old OD fatigues after they switched to BDU’s, I was required to remove everything except the namestrip before wearing them in public. Claiming ANY medal for valor that you did not earn (and, yes, wearing them in public while identifying yourself as a vet is “claiming them”) is a violation of Federal law. Have you ever LEGITIMATELY worn the uniform? There are strict regulations on what you can wear on the uniform, and when, even after you retire.
Personally I think the female E-7 shoulder boards are a very nice touch to his obviously faked uniform.
But then hey what do I know I’m only an Army E-6 *shrugs*
To this wannabe’s defenders, the left continually trots out these fake “veterans” to try and make it look like the Dear Leader has real support from the troops.
Wannabe Willie here, TomInTib the confirmed fake SEAL over at DU and of course the vaunted Jesse MacBeth.
All claimed to be combat veterans…all of them believed by the Left.
All proven to be fake.
Ahhh JMarra. Another pathetic moonbat that just doesn’t get it. I would prefer this guy WAS a civilian than a Vet. A Vet should realize just how dishonerable it is to wear awards that have not been earned. I don’t care if you are unimpressed with his transgression. Those of us who served in honor care. Talk like your’s would earn you a quick ass whooping and a kick out the door at my favorite watering hole. Come on down to Georgia and give it a try.
Yeah, guys ease up. It’s just an Obama supporter breaking federal law, what’s the big deal?
[/channeling Jmarra]
What bothers me most about things like this is that there are those of us, that for one reason or another wear our ribbons (for instance on veterans day) If you’re going to wear ANY ribbons or medals, wear them RIGHT!!!
The Armed forces are, and must remain an apolitical organization. We can not afford to be drawn into politics. If an SM has acted meritoriously and runs for office, that record can be used, but to just toss around medals, and say “I’m a war hero and I support *****” is wrong, and it gives all of us a headache
It’s sad how much fraud there is in this campaign.
Sad.
http://mccainpalin2008.blogspot.com
[…] support highlighted in rally in North Carolina is a phony soldier. The claims of phony vets are going up, frustrating the real vets and keeping the cops busy. H/T: […]
maybe ACORN brought him to the rally??????????
Probably just an old, lonely guy that collects military ribbons and badges. It was the Washington Times that tried to imply that veterans are for Obama, including this well decorated one.
The Washington Times could have easily written the capiton as such:
“Charlie W. Williams of Raeford, N.C., who says he is a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars and likes to collect militay ribbons….”
THOSE CLOWNS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
There was a fellow over at FloppingAces who claimed a number of conservative distinctions, and then to have voted for Nixon before his ship left for Nam,
http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/09/21/obamas-whopper-of-a-lie/#comment-113755
but now was forced to vote for Obama.
I asked him what his ship was, and he gave me the name of a ship that went to Nam, spent about 10 months there, and returned SIX MONTHS BEFORE NIXON WAS EVEN NOMINATED.
http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/09/21/obamas-whopper-of-a-lie/#comment-113772
The Obamanats are out in force, and lying their butts off.
Thelma,
That’s like saying Willie Sutton just liked collecting pictures of Presidents.
[…] – is outed. In this case, it’s some asshat who showed up at a Barack Obama rally (go figure). This ain’t Hell does the impressive research. Basically, he’s got medals that didn’t exist during his […]
[…] W. Williams is a phony soldier. This Ain’t Hell has the scoop on this highly decorated phony. This ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here Blog Archive More phony soldier stuff Obama supporter and Sarah Palin investigator, Alaska Democratic state Senator Hollis French is […]
[…] Ain’t Hell decided to check on all those medals and came up with the following: I get real suspicious of veterans who wear all of their medals when […]
Hey doesn’t it say he’s a commander of the Military Order of the Purple Hearts? Sounds like a phony version of the real organization.
What a turd.
Every one is ready to stone this old VET….the article did not question the fact that he is a Vet just he medals. We don’t know the circumstances around this man. Does he still suffer from PTSD, is he homeless and on the streets like many Vets, does he have a drug alcohol problem….etc.
No everyone wants to try and us it to a political advantage without even having the facts. Just show how low many in this nation have sunk.
Jonn wrote: Most of the people who come to this blog are combat veterans. Maybe those things you wrote are true about us, too, and your comment just drove us all over the edge.
It hasn’t been mentioned but he claims the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal on his left side which only ran from 1941 to 1945 (3rd row, first ribbon) which I’ve seen in my grandfather’s possession & the Army Superior Unit Award (2nd row, second ribbon) which was created in 1985.
I have found out another one. The “Humanitarian Service Medal” (4th row, fourth ribbon) which was created by President Ford in 1977.
Willie looks like he is 5150 and likes to pad his actual service, which isn’t uncommon for people with mental issues. Of course, the media wants Willie’s photo because he appears to be a heavily decorated veteran supporting Obama. Hey JMarra, pound sand kool-aid drinker and wannabee, since the majority of veterans and active duty military supports McCain/Palin.
Erm I meant to say 3rd row, fourth ribbon, not 4th.
If you look at the data provided by the P.O.W. Network, you will see that his component was listed as R, for Reserve, and his total active federal military service as 293. That is 293 days on active duty total for 26 years of service. This record shows that he was a reservist and very likely did not spend any time deployed to a combat zone during that time. Vietnam tours were 365 days, and Korea tours even longer.
293 days of total active federal military service could easily have been accumulated from basic training, AIT some and annual training as a reservist. Post WWII to late 80s reservists rarely, if ever, deployed, and when they did it was for long periods of time. This man’s medals have “phony” written all over them.
Gromit
Today they had an article in the Chicagi Tribune about fake heros so to speak. How there is a hefty fine and/or a prison sentence for wearing or proclaiming awards you haven’t earned.
What’s even better on the page next to the article was a full page ad for a company that sells military memorabilia, including ribbons, medals etc.
Only in Chicago.
To those who think wearing medals not earned is no big deal,
Admiral Boorda comes to mind.
Where’s the good conduct medal? Or did I miss it somehow?
Let me assure you that this man is a phony and a wannabe. He is one of thousands as confirmed by the POW Network and Stolen Valor websites.
The tragic part of this occurs when his family, friends and acquaintances are hit with the truth. That often happens when they attempt to have him interred in Arlington National Cemetery or want a headstone depicting awards and decorations in other national cemeteries. They have created a false persona and when certification or verification is requested and denied, it becomes very sorrowful indeed.
Professionally, we used to have a name for these kind of people and it was “bubble busters”.
Admiral Boorda, RIP, was warned and/or advised three times during his career that he was not authorized the awards and decorations which he chose to wear and falsely attribute to himself. In additionally, he was the chief of Naval Personnel before ascending to the position of Chief of Naval Operations.
But for those who still continue to falsely claim such awards and decorations: BEWARE! There is now the Stolen Valor Act which is now part of Title 18 of the US Code.
1
FWIW, this clown JMarra is just another of Zero’s “in your face” asshats. He spends his days searching for blogs critical of Zero and leaves comments typical of those he wrote above.
He’s a dick – ignore him.
Reminds me of the soldier in the bus terminal in Kansas City in the early 60’s. Just out of basic, going home for his first leave. He was wearing a set of Major leaves on his collar and Sgt stripes on his sleeves. When ask what rank that indicated he said he was a Sgt Major. Needless to say about a hundred other soldiers rolled on the floor laughing. True story. Maybe this is the same guy. The way to tell a fairy tell from a war story is with the starting line. Fairy tales start with ‘once upon a time’ and war stories start with ‘now this ain’t no sh**’.
As a former Marine, I’m laughing my ass off looking this Ass-clown, “Willie”. Aside from all the other mistakes the idiot has made with his obviously faked medals; he has the Humanitarian Service Medal, above his right breast pocket, and he has it in a golden Frame. The Humanitarian Service Medal wasn’t created until the late 70’s I believe, it’s a Personal Award, strictly controlled; to have earned it, you are on a List, by name, somewhere, either in HQ Dept of the Army or HQMC. Additionally, it is ALWAYS worn on the Left side, and is NEVER in a gold frame; the gold frames are only for certain Unit Awards, never for personal awards. I also love the Southwest Asia Service Medal he is wearing for Service in the Gulf War; which means he was on Active Duty sometime after 1991…yeah right! It’s also worn incorrectly; the base award of the Ribbon has to have a least One brass star on it; it cannot be worn alone. I also love the Navy-Marine Combat Action Ribbon; members of the US Army are specifically forbidden from wearing it! Even if they were with a Marine or Navy Unit that earned one. He is also wearing a Navy Meritourious Unit Commendation, called a “MUC”; again, which is forbidden for members of the US Army to wear. He is wearing a Silver Oak Leaf on his Bronze Star by the sway, not a Bronze oak Leaf; a Silver Oak Leaf means FIVE awards of that particular Ribbon, not one; and the Base Ribbon counts as another; so “Willie” is claiming to have a total of SIX Bronze Stars with a “V” device for Valor; if that were the case, he would be one of the Most Decorated Heroes in American Military History, and would have Books and movies written about him. On his right breast pocket, second ribbon from the right, bottom row, is the Joint Meritourious Unit Award (JMUA); it does come with a gold frame, and at least he has it on the right side; but it is the Senior most… Read more »
JMarra is a punkass. His opinion of the military is typical for the liberal morons supporting Obamarama.
[…] This Ain’t Hell takes a look at this Obama-backing war hero’s stuff and says the hell it is. […]
Did somebody order some crow?
You guys won’t stand up and admit you were wrong about anything. Hell, most of the soldiers on this board are more likely to be fake than ol’ Willie here.Being a Keyboard Commando ain’t service.
This guy must be nuts, recently released from a mental ward or was disabled mentally from the service.
Why any one lies about there connected service awards and citations I’ll never understand.
I’m a peace time veteran, yet served along with thousands of others during the Iran hostage crisis during Operation Eagle Claw aboard CV-43.
Now that wasn’t to difficult to say and its not misleading.
An investagation should be conducted to determine if this guy is sane enough to be fined or jailed.
He is also wearing a Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, called a “MUC”; again, which is forbidden for members of the US Army to wear.
I thought everyone involved in Operation Eagle Claw received the MUC?
They don’t just hand out medals like that in the Navy. Took me three years to get a Sea Service ribbon, and four years to get the Good Conduct Medal.
My conduct wasn’t all that great, I just didn’t get caught.
Third row, last ribbon on our right (his left)- I think the Army gives that to everyone that finished boot camp.
I’m with you Bruce, and “Cross”‘s comment above proves he’s just another Anti-American/Pro-Jihadi Delusional Democratic Traitor Nutbag, like his Idol, “Willie”. I joined the Corps and was in training when the Beirut Bombing hit; when the Gulf War came along, I was in Spain; I went into Iraq, the northern part, from Turkey, for Operation Provide Comfort; I’m not a “combat vet” by any means. But, I had not control over that; you go where the Marine Corps sends you, when they send you. I was in the Arabian Gulf, during Operation Ernest Will, but that was it! So, I missed the action down south in the Gulf War; and as I got out in ’94, and went off Active Duty in ’95, that was the extent of my “war” service. Nothing to see, move along. So “Cross”; how does that make me a “fake”? I haven’t claimed any Medals, nor valorous service that I don’t have! But I DO know my Ribbons and Medals, I had to inspect people’s uniforms, and as a Marine Officer, you Must learn the Precedence of the order of the ribbons, medals, etc., so you can properly inspect your troops. So, I KNOW, even after all this time, how to spot a phony! “Willie” may have been a reservist, and served some time, but he’s a phony thru and thru, and a Democrat too; which is no surprise. But he’s not the only one, remember this guy? He was a Private in the Army, promoted himself all the way to Marine Brigadier General, with a Navy Cross: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8893129/ here’s another: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/325655_fakevet31.html When I was in, Borda was the most famous case of a guy with fake medals, having killed himself. But, we knew of cases on a monthly basis. I knew a Navy Capt with a Silver Star, claimed he was a “SEAL” in ‘NAM; turned out he was bullshit; sucked down the barrel of a Glock when he got caught, out of deference to his family, I won’t mention his name; but I knew who he was, and so did about 20 of… Read more »