Stolen Valor free speech that doesn’t hurt anyone
According to Capi Lynn of the Statesman Journal, that obituary was written by Marion Jimmie Ballinger’s widow against the advice of friends, based on stories he’d told her all his life, . And it’s mostly false.
Ballinger’s lies were uncovered a couple of years ago when he became ill, couldn’t afford medical care, and friends tried to help the family find out if he was eligible for veterans health benefits.
These friends went to his church, they were fellow veterans, and they tried to get him to come clean.
“He stopped coming to church after that and stopped talking to us,” Lake said. “It was pretty sad.”
Yup, quit going to church and that’ll cure the whole thing. After all it’s those pesky questions that are the problem, not the lies.
Carter said the eulogy was filled with the same false claims as the obit, and then some. Ballinger was described as a drill instructor (his records list him as a wheel mechanic, rifleman and scout driver) and as someone who carried out secret missions in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand (his records show he was stationed at Fort Riley, Kan., and in Hawaii.)
Shitting on his buddies and fellow veterans even while he’s embalmed.
Even so, Ballinger was inducted to the Oregon Military Hall of Fame in the spring of 2008, along with 95 other POWs. He was just one of three Vietnam POWS in the group. Officials later were alerted to Ballinger’s false claims, and his name has since been expunged from the hall of fame.
Inducted into a hall of fame, standing right there with 95 other real POWs and stealing their valor and strength and looking them right in the eye.
I noticed among the survivors in Ballinger’s obituary that he has two grandsons listed as Marine corporals. One just returned from Afghanistan, according to their father, and the other is headed there.
No shame what-so-ever. Shitting on the service of his own grandsons.
Here are his real records;
Category: Phony soldiers
This saddens me. How could someone get so tied up is his fake records to ignore his own blood kin?
It’s been my experience that “blood kin” is the first thing to get trampled if they stand in the way of glory or riches.
Instead of “telling stories” about how you were a bigger man than you were all your life.. How about these people take that energy and become the bigger men they profess to be?
Did anybody notice that his only award is the Expert Rifle badge with M16. But if he served from 57-62, should that not say M14? I didn’t think the M16 was even a twinkle in Mattel’s little eye.
I noticed that too, Matt. He was National Guard; they still were fielding M1 Garands at least as late as 1970. And the active Army only started issuing M16s to conventional units in ’65.
Also, he served 5 years and only made PFC… color me impressed. Not.
I was active Army 60-64. Started with M-1’s and graduated to M-14’s. Sho nuff phony claim there.
Served from 66-68 and only saw a few M-16’s in USAREUR in all that time, and that was toward the end of 68, carried the M-14 til I turned it in.
A few things. First, I have to say I am honestly surprised by the Statesman-Journal. I didn’t think they would ever print a story like this and since I live in the area, I may have to write the editors a thank you.
Second, isn’t the paperwork that shows him as an Expert with M16 filled out by someone answering the FOIA request? That could explain why, instead of an M14, its the 16.
I am sorry for the embarrassment that this has caused some of his family members. Its sad that they were caught up in his lies.
Lastly, I am surprised I hadn’t heard about this guy. As I am still serving and being around veterans almost every day. He was never brought up in a conversation or showed up at any functions.