Ed O’Neal, one of the good guys
Several weeks ago, TSO found this link about Ed O’Neal we all thought he was fake just from reading the narrative in the article. You tell me;
“I entered the military June 20, 1956 at the age of 17 and retired November 1, 1976, at the age of 37,” said O’Neal, who lives in Rockingham. “I have five and a half years of combat time in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Once I was under fire for over 30 consecutive days.”
O’Neal’s dog, Airborne, looked up to her master as he spoke with a steady voice.
“I was promoted to 1st Sergeant in 10 years and later to Command Sgt. Major in 14 years. During that period of time, to accelerate that fast was unheard of,” he said.
O’Neal joined the Special Forces in the Army, completed Ranger school and was a HALO (High-Altitude, Low Opening) jumper. He was trained as a medic and helped people when he could. He also conducted missions in which he parachuted into enemy compounds at night to free American prisoners. O’Neal grew close to the Vietnamese people during the time he was there.
“I speak fluent Vietnamese,” he said. “I became somewhat adapted to the local environment, learning their taboos and customs.”
We see so many of these, that we get jaded sometimes. We got his records back today and Ed O’Neal is the real deal. Everything he says about his training and experience is true. I guess I could have said nothing and just let this one go by, but I figure we all need to be reminded that we shouldn’t jump to conclusions sometimes.
Personally, I’m proud to live in the same country as people like Ed O’Neal and we’ll always be grateful for that.
Category: Real Soldiers
HOOAH, SIR! Army leads the way!
The fact that we can’t take such statements at face value any more and now feel compelled to double-check people like Mr. O’Neal is IMO one of the more compelling arguments in favor of the former 2005 SVA. Each lie of a poser diminishes the honor and respect due such men and women, taking from them something of value that can never be completely replaced.
Regrettably, the SCOUTS felt otherwise.
Well done, my elder brother-in-arms. I salute you.
It is heroes like this that the pussy/wimp/posers wish they could be.
Thank you Mr O’Neal!!
I’d like to introduce Mr O’Neal to Jerry Lee and see what materializes…
Excellent stuff. With claims like those, anyone would be skeptical. Then, it turns out he is the 100%, born in the USA, ever-lovin’, genuine article! Dogface superior and extraordinaire!
It is indeed a sad state of affairs that we can no longer take anything at face value, and any and all claims are automatically viewed with suspicion.
Consider it guilty until proven innocent.
I remember a while back the L.A. Times had a story of two brothers who were restoring a boat I believe, and one of the brothers mentioned he was a Navy SEAL. No fanciful claims just that he was a SEAL. And in fact he was a genuine Navy SEAL.
I’m sure some veterans might feel a bit offended if they were to be challenged about their claims when they were telling the truth. But again it is a sign of the times.
well said hondo
Some time ago, I read a commentary somewhere on a blog (or is it here on THL?) from a veteran who talks what ‘happens’ to us when we read about posers. As HONDO says, we all agree that “Each lie of a poser diminishes the honor and respect due such men and women, taking from them something of value that can never be completely replaced.” In the commentary, it discusses how we loose TRUST in one another (fellow veterans) when we perhaps find ourselves questioning their exploits and accomplishments because we hear so much about posers that we tend to loose faith, in a way – and how sad he was that we just can’t seem to trust people at face value anymore because of the actions of a few others. I, for one, was pleased to find that Ed O’Neal is legitimate – and restores my faith a bit today.
He’s my first choice nominee to head the Department of Veteran’s Affairs under President Romney.
You’re right Jonn, a reminder every once in a while is a good thing.
Mr. O’Neal, you sir are a freaking stud, HOOAH!
Out-freaking-standing, Thank You Mr O’Neal!
@2 Hondo, great points…
Trust, but verify.
It makes you wonder how many other vets are out there doing good works without fanfare, without acknowledgement, in spite of passing through the fires of hell. Of such men is our country made great.
May God bless Sergeant Major O’Neill.
George V.
There are heroes amongst us..
“I guess I could have said nothing and just let this one go by, but I figure we all need to be reminded that we shouldn’t jump to conclusions sometimes. ”
I’m glad you didn’t. It’s awesome to see something good and amazing in between all the shitbag fakes.
It’s natural for most of us to be skeptical and people will lie about anything, but the part where he talks about helping deliver babies seems to me like the kind of thing that a poser would not fake (or maybe like the kind of thing a real Joe would take pride in). The fact that he played that up instead of his combat action had the ring of truth, at least for me.
Also Richmond county NC (which is where Rockingham is) is adjacent to Cumberland county-home of Ft. Bragg. That would be a really stupid place for a fake to tell whoppers.
His dog is named, “Airborne”. REAL DEAL. HooYah US Army!
Ed O’Neal.
Didn’t he play Al Bundy?
God bless you, Ed.
Every now and then we get to meat somebody this cool. I had a guy in one of my shootin’ classes…who sounded too good to be true. A Huey pilot in Nam, stayed in and served up to the recent wars…and retired with a million years of service and WO-5. I found he is real and a great modest guy. It was my pleasure to give him some free training.
Incredible story – incredible man. Sergeant Major O’Neal accomplished more in twenty years then most of us can in a lifetime.
Glad you posted this, Jonn.
Please always post the real guys when you find them Jonn, the real deal men and women are always worthy of appropriate mention.
On face value, I would have thrown the BS flag. It makes me sad that I’ve become so jaded that, rather than believe a “bro”, I’ll question him/her first. SgtMaj, may I offer a very sincere OOORAH!
I think the reporter made a few things up. No Americans were freed by special ops jumping into an enemy compound. At Son Tay there were no Americans there. Lt. Col. Bo Gritz led a team that freed some South Vietnamese but no Americans were there. One way to find out if he is flunt in Vietnamese or not. Have someone who is fluent in Vietnamese talk to him. My wife is fluent in Vietnamese. If I could get the Sgt. Major’s phone number we can find out.
Too late to ask him, but I know personally that he was fluent in Vietnamese. You will never have a chance to test this, he passed away this week.
I am Clint Edward Oneal I am one of the six sons of Ret. Com. Sgt. Maj. Edward James Oneal. I was his Vietnamese son that he had when he was over there during the Vietnam conflict he served over 7 tours was there as an advisor from day one he just passed away this year at the age of 75 and I don’t no of any other man that loved and served/gave himself to his country for the freedom of democracy. His service to his country came first he achieved almost every accolade one could be an enlisted soldier he loved all his vet buddies served in his local VFW And championed for all veterans especially those that came before him, I could tell you so many stories and show you so many pictures of him from the war era, but I missed my father and the country has lost another hero.
@21 Amen.
Freakin Legend. 4 Purple Hearts – wow. When’s the movie coming out? book?
People of Earth to harp1034. Come in, harp1034. Do you read? Over.
@ AirCav … It is difficult to hear when your head is way up there … if you know what I am talking about!
harp1034 deconflict
If I may MCPO? Did you mean to say “head way up in there” by any chance? *crisp salute*. On to CSM Ed O’Neil….What fracking a stud! This man had to be to go through all that. Damn…HOOAH!
Jonn, if you ever get his contact info:
C?m ?n c?m ?n b?n ?ã sir d?ch v? c?a b?n. B?n có nhi?u ?? vinh danh.
Wow. Site hates Vietnamese…
Cam ?n cam ?n b?n da sir dich vu cua ban. Ban co nhieu de vinh danh.
Very good to know, Jonn. No question, good news is always worth sharing, especially since most times the claims are contemptible.
:salute:
@ Street Sweeper .. yes … me be caveman most time!
I now have Sgt. Major O’Neal’s address and phone number. I will call to see if the reporter’s account is 100% correct.
@ 33 harp1034 Leave it alone! Don’t do it!
Loved him in Married With Children. Who knew a shoe salesman was such a stud!
Sounds like a real stud. One thing that is missing from the article that posers would have thrown in is the wearing of cammies,medals etc. He also didn’t talk about his “awards” or all “the killing he did”, “buddies dying in his arms” and “his records getting destroyed.”
Thanks John.
@36. Very good point. No Old Glory tablecloth with medals or ribbons on it, either. No tailored uniform to fit the changed physique. Just a plain, old-fashioned snapshot of a man in a tee shirt with no fancy pants backdrop.
Thanks for the post, Notice though how he didn’t mention awards…. just the schools he got through…. =] Hooah!
I found this article very interesting. The most notable fact is that 2.7 million Americans actually served in the Vietnam Theater of war.
In the last census nearly 14 million Americans claimed they served in Vietnam.
Four out of five are lying. I wonder why.
When ever I’m in the same room with someone whom I don’t know comes in with a Vietnam Veteran hat or t shirt, I think to myself, what are the odds that this guy and I both Viet Vets are here in the same room at the same time. When there are so many liars, its easy to be cynical and unbelieving, my reaction is to never bring it up. 4 out of 5 are lying…..what a very sad statistic!
@40. I was flabbergasted to read your post so I visited the Census Bureau and looked at the previously asked Veterans questions. The Census Bureau asked respondents if and when they served, not whether they served in a combat theatre. The Bureau then categorized the answers by era, as in WW II Era service, Korean War Era service, and Vietnam War Era service. So, if someone answered that he served in the Army from 1967 to 1969, that became VN Era service, not VN War service. Blame the Census Bureau for this one.
Bingo, 2-17th AirCav. Because of it’s length (1961-1975) and the size of that era’s US military, the Vietnam Era had a huge number of personnel who served in the Armed forces (14+M). But only about 20% of those actually deployed to the SEA theater.
I’d suspect we’ll see something similar for the GWOT period (2001 to present, currently 11+ years and counting) as well – though since the military is smaller and has less turnover, I’d guess the proportion who end up in theater during the GWOT period will be considerably higher. How much higher is a good question.
And I’d personally love to see the number for those those who actually served in Iraq or Afghanistan vice merely “in-theater”. Outside of Iraq or Afghanistan proper, with a few exceptions you might as well have been in Korea or any other 1-year remote tour as far as the risk of getting shot at goes.
@ bartdp
If bet cha …. Of those 14 million that claim VN status 17 miliion of them live in New York State.
@42, the information that I used came from this site
http://www.military.com/forums/0,15240,84591,00.html
Interesting Census Stats and “Been There” Wanabees:
1,713,823 of those who served in Vietnam were still alive as of August 1995 (census figures — During that same Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country was: 9,492,958 — As of the current Census taken during August 2000, the surviving U.S. Vietnam Veteran population estimate is: 1,002,511. This is hard to believe, losing nearly 711,000 between ’95 and ’00. That’s 390 per day. During this Census count, the number of Americans falsely claiming to have served in-country is: 13,853,027. By this census, four out of five who claim to be Vietnam vets are not.
I looked at the Census site and agree that the way they asked questions this number is probably incorrect.
Maybe you guys could apologize to him for all the insults you hurled at him
What insults? At whom?