Stolen valor returned
Thomas Faleskie, an 83 year old retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, had his home recently burgled. Among the items stolen were the medals he was awarded over a 25 year career, including two tours as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.
Local police made an arrest in the case, but were unable to return the medals. They did however replace them out of their own pockets.
Detectives in Virginia surprised a veteran Marine who served in Vietnam, replacing service medals stolen from him in a burglary.
The detectives are members of the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office and made arrests in the incident, but were unable to recover the medals that belonged to retired Marine Corps Lt Col. Thomas Faleskie.
“I’m absolutely floored. I am still in a state of shock,” Faleskie said at a ceremony Friday where he was presented with the medals, WTVR-TV reported. “I never expected this. I still can’t believe it’s happened.”
Faleskie, who turns 84 in few days, served in the United States Marine Corps from 1958 to 1982, including almost two years in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot flying the UH-34B, the station reported.
The lead detective on the burglary case was Frank Corona, a retired Marine.
“If there was one thing that I wish I could have gotten back that would have been it,” Corona said.
Excellent work, Deputies. You make us proud.
Among his awards are two Distinguished Flying Crosses and two individual Air Medals. He also has 37(!) strike/flight awards of the Air Medal. Since we’re in the stolen valor business around here, I did some checking on Colonel Faleskie. He’s legit.
More at the source; Fox News
Category: Feel Good Stories, Marines, Police
A Big BZ to lead Detective and Marine Frank Corona and his Compatriots for their work on not only busting the perp, but for replacing the Awards earned by Marine LTC Thomas Faleskie. “…Above and Beyond…” A Big Happy Birthday to LTC Faleskie, may he have plenty more. I’m sure at some point in time during those two tours and the earning of those medals, he may have thought there wouldn’t be any more birthdays.
SALUTE!
PERFECT TIMING…
TODAY, Sunday, 27 September 2020 is Thomas Joseph Faleskie’s 84th Birthday.
Our Nation needs to focus more om these stories of Unity instead of paying attention to those Spoiled, Pampered Brats who destroy other folks lives at night, wearing their Nike Shoes, designer clothes with designer backpacks and facemasks, going home to sleep it off in the daytime, while Mommy and Daddy wash their clothes in preparation for their next night of rioting.
Nightime is when Roaches come out to spread their filth.
Thank You, again, Mason, for sharing.
I’m the Dad to one of them, it really suck to watch them destroy their own lives and the lives and property of so many other people.
Fortunately I told her of the consequences of getting arrested and her scholarship money etc. She even listened….
She’s just spouting Trump hatred on her FB page….
She’s about to get her ass handed back to her about her dreams unless she straightens up her act.
Stupid kids…
And I thought I was stupid when I was that age.
Have you seen what happens to them when they do ger arrested ? They curl up in the fetal position and whine and cry like the babies they are.
And here comes daddy and mommy to bail them out and hire corporate lawyers to save them from the big bad meanie Trump Federales !!!
Thank God for Trump…
Oh, fuck off larsie-boi…..
Hang In There, Thunderstixx…
It has already happened to one of our Battle Buddies…our Co-Worker is agonizing as to what he did wrong with his Son getting involved and arrested for a BLM incident (not in our AO).
You are doing the right thing…You are a loving Parent..
Yes, I remember seeing one of them on the News Media curling up in the fetal position, crying…hope that young man learned something..
We used to call it “tough love” when we let an old-enough-to-know-better child experience the consequences.
AB brother, a now-retired LEO, told his #1 son about ‘failure to identify’. When #1 son gave a false name to an LEO, he spent the night in jail – Daddy didn’t go his bail for 1 night.
He learned. He also learned what kinds of scumbags are ‘guests’ in the lockup.
Best thing to do to a kid that won’t listen. had to leave my son to the Police one night back in the 90s when he and some of his buddies thought they could get a free drink by tipping a pop machine in downtown Marietta, OH one night. Two went out on perimeter guard, while my son, the ring leader, and a buddy went to tip the machine. One spied a cop and rather than act nonchalant, like he had every right to be there, ran instead. Worse, he ran to my son and the other perimeter guard. They nicely bunched themselves and saved the cop the trouble of rounding them up. I thought that was nice of them to save the cops so much work.
The other fathers bailed their sons out. I left mine to stew and try to sleep in an interrogation room. The cop called me at 5:30 Am. My son told him it was no9 use calling me as I wouldn’t come. Nice that he remembered and let me sleep.
I thought the bronze service stars went across the VSM, not vertical.
Very nice of them though to replace what was stolen.
I believe they do. At least that was what we were doing back in the Viet of Nam days.
Them Air Medal were big in Vietnam – General Patrick Brady has 52 of them!
Lots of different criteria for the award, and flying in combat checks a lot of boxes! I missed mine by just a couple flight hours in GW Round I.
Awesome gesture by the LEOs!
Amazing career
My going away gift service plaque from 1/1 SFG(A) was stolen.
Whenever I remember it I am bummed a little. Not every unit bothers to give you a plaque when you leave.
These kinds of thefts seem really ridiculous.
Long ago in a galaxy far far away I attended the monthly awards parade at MCAS Beaufort. On that day he recieved the only personal decoration he got in his 26 year Marine career. A Navy/Marine Achievement Medal with V device for his service in Vietnam. He received this as a MGYSgt. One of his Staff NCOs a Staff Sergeant was awarded his 2nd through 44th Air medal at the same Awards parade. The individual had volunteered for and served as a helicopter door gunner. Ove the next couple months I went to a couple other of these events and it seemed routine for at least one individual sometimes multiple to receive their 2nd through Nth Air Medal where N was in the 30s or 40s.
The fact that the Colonel had 37 plus 2 individual Air Medals and 2 DFCs sounds pretty normal for Marine helicopter aviators.
I don’t know whether these strike Air Medals were the result of 10 missions or 20 mission per award but whether it was 270 mission or 740 missions that a lot of time in hostile skies.
370
Cool.
Getcha in the feelz goodz.
Good job Spotsylvania S.O.
Kudos all around!