The media is going to believe what they want
We first dicussed Ralph “Cotton” Lawson back in August when we discovered an article about him and his “Most Interesting Life” of winning the Second World War ll by his lonesome. Well, here we sit months later an the newspaper that ran the original story, finally comes out and tells the real story;
The Union Daily Times contacted the U.S. Department of Defense for clarification. Lt. Cmdr. Alana Garas of the Navy Office of Information in Washington, D.C. provided the following summary: “He joined our Navy Aug. 13, 1941 and served until Aug. 13, 1947. He was discharged as an RM1 (Radioman 1st class). His NAVPERS-553 (DD-214) states he ‘served on’ the S.S. Challenger, COMFLTAIRWING 17 (aboard the Cumberland Sound), S.S. Oregonian, U.S.S. Melville, U.S.S. Pine Island, U.S.S. Rehoboth and Acorn 45 in the Philippines.” Garas also addressed the status of Lawson’s awards.
“His awards include the American Defense Ribbon, American Theatre Ribbon, Philippine Liberation Medal, Good Conduct Medal Japanese Occupation Ribbon, European Theater Ribbon and the World War II Victory Medal – NO Navy Cross and NO Purple Heart,” she stated.
Does this mean there is no record of Ralph Lawson serving as a pilot? “Based on the information that was available in Mr. Lawson’s record, no,” Garas stated. “If Mr. Lawson had been a naval aviator, I believe information regarding flight school and the date he was designated as a naval aviator would have been included.” The Aug. 13 story also stated, “Lawson had already acquired two years worth of college credit while serving, and when he returned, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Newberry College.” “In order to be a naval aviator (pilot), one must be a commissioned naval offi-cer,” Garas stated. “If Mr. Lawson had not entered the Navy with a degree, he would not have been commissioned.
So after that, authoritative information from the Navy, why would the “journalist” even include a convoluted explanation from “Cotton”?
“In ’47 they let me go back to an enlisted rank so I could get out and go back to school,” Lawson said. “So that’s what I did. I went to Wofford. I could have stayed in and retired, but I didn’t want to stay that long.” In addition to his discharge papers, Lawson has printed information con-firming his story, which he said was a copy of his ship’s log.
“I understand that some of the records could have gotten lost,” he said. “We were hopping from one island to the next.” Lawson also said he has no idea why records of his service as a naval aviator cannot be located.
“People are going to believe what they want to believe anyway,” he said.
Yeah, all officers really want to back to being enlisted so they can get oout of the military sooner, I’m sure none of them thought to simply resign their commission.
Now, I understand that journalists have to provde both sides of the story, but this doofus doesn’t even take the column inches it would take to call Bullshit on Larson. And lets him get in the last word. Old fools are the worst fools.
Thanks to UpNorth for the link.
Category: Phony soldiers
Jesus…even after he knows the jig is up he still has to spin his bullshit. That takes some serious balls…but not the good kind.
Have no idea how the Navy did things back then, but several friends of mine were commissioned officers in the Army Air Corps during WWII with either none or minimal college credits at the time of commissioning. Of course, they already were civilian flight instructors, and much in demand as such in the military.
And their records so indicated.
1. Actually, some do. It’s easier to scrub toilets than to deal with a stellar E-7 who’s just been busted for child porn/drug possession with intent to distribute, blah blah blah.
2. Captain in the directorate retired recently. Since he didn’t have enough TIG, he was retired as an SFC, which he was before OCS. In a while he’ll be authorized to re-apply for retirement at O-3. Never doubt the absolute strangeness to be found in AR covering personnel.
3. The Army’s experience following WWII: massive downsizing forced many officers, including senior field grades, to accept their former ranks, whether LT, NCO, or Private, if they wanted to stay in. Believe this reduction increased the combat experience in the companies and platoons that later successfully fought the NORKs in 1950.
They wouldn’t “lose” his Naval Aviator designaton record–that was maintained at BUPERS.
However, I did serve with a Master Sergeant who’d been given a choice between a RIF from his F-4 RIO job and going down to Staff Sergeant. He found that he enjoyed fixing radar systems better than operating them.
My grandfather was a naval aviator in WWII. Not sure he had his degree before he entered the Navy. I’ll need to check the records I got from St. Louis. Working on scanning the yearbook from Carrier Air Group Nine of which he was a part (and posting said pages to my blog – it’s a work in progress…).
I was shocked to read that the Navy missed Lawson’s 198 combat missions, his 99 aerial victories, and his Navy Cross and Purple Heart./sarc
“Lawson also said he has no idea why records of his service as a naval aviator cannot be located”. Sure he does, he just doesn’t have the stones to admit that he’s a fraud, and got caught.
I do know that there are some officers that go on to be enlisted. Its usually through convoluted circumstances though, and never a good thing.
He is a liar and a bitch. Fuck him. God bless the real heroes who did what this phony claims.
“I do know that there are some officers that go on to be enlisted. Its usually through convoluted circumstances though, and never a good thing.”
That depends on the time frame. My grandfather (USMC during Korea) knew two guys who were Marine flying sergeants and then commissioned during WW2. After the war they could either go back to their permanent NCO rank or get out. During Korea they ended up getting commissioned again.
There were enlisted Naval Aviators in WW II – http://bluejacket.com/sea-service_nap_index.htm. Also, in WW II, a degree was not required for commissioning. The Lt. Cmdr. needs to take a hit off the history books before answering anymore WW II questions.
Commenting on an old story here. But while reading an article about the mission to shoot down Adm. Yamamoto, I was reminded of this guys who was called out on being a phony, and still refused to back down from his BS. Here is a link to a good article on the real heroes. http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2013/04/historian_says_oregonian_rex_b.html