Phony Marine in Sacramento
Another phony pleaded guilty in California yesterday of making claims to service he never had;
Kenneth Jerome Nelson was once celebrated as a war hero and the unofficial caretaker of a monument dedicated to Vietnam veterans in the shadow of the California State Capitol.
Now, he’s known as a liar.
The veterans activist pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento to wearing a Silver Star that had not been awarded to him, a misdemeanor. Nelson, 60, will be sentenced March 1 to a violation of the federal Stolen Valor Act, which prohibits wearing unearned military decorations, authorities said.
Apparently, he enlisted in 1977 and was booted a few months later without graduating from basic training. One thing I don’t understand is that he’s 60 years old, which means he was prime draft age during Vietnam – how’d he dodge that bullet? And if he wanted to be a Marine, why’d he wait until 1977 – the year Jimmy Carter pardoned draft dodgers.
That reminds me, I have one that I’m looking at on a tip from COB6 – does anyone know where I can get a list of Silver Star Bronze Star w/V awardees from Grenada? This guy has orders and has it in his records, but he was a clerk. How many clerks in the 82d CG’s staff got Silver Stars Bronze Stars w/Vs in Grenada?
Category: Phony soldiers
I’m surprised this guy wasn’t a member of IVAW. lol
the ones that put themselves in for the award (see John Kerry)
The 82nd. has a website.
Too bad Mr Nelson went that step too far. If he had just called himself a veteran activist without claiming to be a veteran. And I’m sure no one would have begrudged him taking care of the California VietNam Vet Memorial.
But he went that step too far.
Actually he sports a Bronze Star with a “V” device not a Silver Star. It’s still a criminal offense but harder to track down all the BS “V” out there.
Jonn,
see here:
http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/search.php?conflict=35
5 awards of the Silver Star. 4 Marines and 1 Army.
Maybe more, but that’s what I’ve been able to find so far.
respects,
Sorry,
here is the complete list:
http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/02_awards/silverstar/6_PostRVN/05_grenada.html
The Army guy was a medic with the Rangers.
Sorry, you are correct. Had this guy confused with another likely poser.
This is extremely saddening for several reasons, the most important and obvious being the Stolen Valor angle. But I know this guy. I walk by the Viet memorial in Sacramento’s Capitol Park every day on my way to work. For years, Nelson has been there each morning, saluting the flag and doing docent duty to folks visiting the memorial. “Gunny Ken” always had on some USMC garb and all the clothing signs that would indicate he was a vet of Vietnam. I would always give him a hello or a “Semper Fi” and a civilian salute when I saw him. I never pressed him on details of his service. Perhaps I should have, but I took him at his word and he acted as if his life revolved around caring for the memory of the soldiers, sailors, airman and Marines whose names are etched in the memorial. Then about 6 months ago he disappeared from the memorial site and hasnt been seen since then, making me wonder what happened to him. I guess now we know. I dont for one minute excuse his stolen valor offenses and think he should be prosecuted for it. But as a human being, Nelson came across as a good guy. I once saw him crack on some teenage weedheads who were screwing around inside the memorial like it was a skate park. It was beautiful. That doesnt excuse his conduct but I would like John and all the folks who read this very excellent blog to know that altho he misrepresented himself, he did so by standing watch over the memorial every day, rain or shine. Wow. this is a big bummer. Of course I am glad that a stolen valor fraud has been exposed but I wish it didnt have to be Gunny Ken. Damn. I took him at his word for years that he was a Vietnam vet acting as unofficial guardian of the Capitol Park memorial. Truth be told he wasnt all there, mentally. But, even as he ultimately did a dis-service to the memory of California’s Vietnam dead, I believe… Read more »
I meant to say Nelson should be prosecuted civilly…not tossed in county jail. Jailing a guy like that for this offense would be a bad thing.