Oscar Wilson, phony Ranger
The folks at Military Phonies sent us their work on this Oscar Wilson fellow. They wrote about him in May, but they were waiting for his Army FOIA. I decided that I’d wait until the FOIA came back. He is legitimately a Marine veteran of the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon for his participation there with 1/9th Marines from June 1969 – June 1970. But somewhere along the line, he decided that wasn’t enough, and he became a Force Recon Marine;
Wilson claimed two tours of Vietnam, but I only see the one, after which he was stationed at the Marine Barracks in Bremerton, Washington with a series of prestigious jobs, none of which were as a Force Recon Marine. He was discharged as a Corporal, not as a staff sergeant like he claims now.
He also had to make the claim that when he reenlisted and went into the Army that he was a Ranger in Bad Tolz, West Germany;
Of course, there were no Rangers at Bad Tolz (the home of the 10th Special Forces Group at that time), he was a mortarman with the 1/39th Infantry of the 8th Infantry Division – a fine unit, and there was no shame in serving with them, but they weren’t Rangers. When he finished his time in Germany, he went to Fort Hood, Texas and did time in the 2nd Armored Division and the 1st Cavalry Division. He was discharged as a sergeant E-5. The National Personnel Records Center saw no Purple Heart;
Category: Phony soldiers, Valor Vultures
Well, at least he’s not on the rolls at the 3rd Recon Association.
What the fuck? He was in Charlie 1/9.. The fucking Walking Dead… one of the most bad ass units in the Corps,,, they saw plenty of shit.
Thats a unit Marines would give their fucking left nut to say they were in.
A grunt in C 1/9 during that time saw just as much or even more shit than Recon..
Talk about uneeded embelishments!!1
My thoughts exactly.
Well, here’s the thing. He and others like him don’t pad their shit for us: they do it for the largely ignorant public. That is, Special Forces, Rangers, Purple Hearts–these things most everyone recognizes and regards with respect, awe, and–for the Purple Heart–some degree of sympathy. In other words, this stuff sells. It ain’t too tough to figure in cases like this one. They want the attention and the ‘golly-gees’ that being a plain old Marine at war just doesn’t provide. Or so they think, anyway.
With the SOF worship going on these days, it sounds cooler to say “I was SOF” rather than “I was in this legendary unit that most civilians probably don’t know about unless they were in themselves.”
You hit on the head, This how I see it in the 70’s being a Marine was cool because of Nam so everyone was a Marine. 80’s and early 90’s it was The ranger thing. Ealey 2000’s the SOF thing and now Mid 2000’s it’s SEAL worship. So that’s ant everyone’s mind so if you can’t lay claim to SEAL next best thing is anything SOF.
To the best of my recollection being in any branch of the military was not seen as real cool in the 70’s unless you were
hanging out with
other veterans,
and not always
seen as all that cool then. The 70’s was probably one of the most fucked up decades in our countries history. I was jyst a dumb Grunt and have always been proud of the fact although it was not always something folks wanted to talk about, that was ok because I could not explain it to them anyway.
I get what your saying and what meant was around the Military because for some reason I think that’s were it starts in the bars and VFW, Legion and other type clubs. I know what you are saying I was a Military brat back then and know what my dad and his buddies went through. I joined the Navy in 89 and we were taught respect for all Marines especially Nam ones. I grew up around the Military and my dad was always around the Joint Military basses and Marines were the ones everyone wanted to be. That is all I am saying. I lived it my hole life for 21 years then joined the Navy for another 24 so that is how I see it..
Yes-that’s exactly it and the funny thing is that not too long ago this blog and others exposed a different Marine, who also had a perfectly honorable career (I think as a signals guy), for lying about being in the 1/9 in Vietnam. So that guy was lying about what this guy legitimately did while this guy felt the need to embellish even that.
SMH. . .
That would be Larry Guggle, who started his career with that lie, until it finally caught up to him when he was a 1st Sgt. Even though it cost him a rocker, he continued that lie years after retiring.
A very good point. This guy had all the respect he could possibly have wanted from those whose opinion should’ve mattered more to him.
This guy had an admirable service record, in both the Marines and Army. I guess for some people the truth is just never enough.
I did send him a respectful message via FB. Maybe he’ll do the right thing.
What. A. Way. To. Shit. On. What. Was. At. One. Point. Very. Honorable. Service.
With a great record like he has, there is no sense whatsoever in making up stories about his rank and such.
It’s one thing to make up stories about combat engagements you were in but going on to embellishing rank is just not needed.
He is already Certified Badass, he doesn’t need to embellish anything.
I hope he sees this post and the comments on it and comes back to planet Earth.
This is such a shame. I would have nothing but respect and admiration for this man but now that he has lied about his experiences I can’t give him that.
Hmmm… a very good record and he had to pull a stupid stunt on himself? Aside from self esteem issues, what is his real problem?
Served honorably as a Marine and a Soldier when people wouldn’t serve… but has to go all “Rice Paddy Daddy” with his Recon/Ranger stories. Time to give another “rump riding ranger” a TAH Hall of Shame “welcome” and make is name Internet famous.
FUCK. YOU. OSCAR. WILSON.
My service is as follows; jet mech in the Navy, supply guy and jet mech in the Air Force reserves. No combat, just a guy doing his job.
What drives these guys with outstanding service to embellish?
Ironic that Wilson says this on FB:
“Speaking of Stolen Valor, that Asswipe Sen.John Kerry got Some Balls, Fucking Office Pencil Pushing Limp Dick”
..In that same exchange he reiterates being a Recon Marine, the “Hell” in training and 2 combat tours in Nam to another Marine.
But he does have that ranger roll pop going in in his cover. Is that not good enough to validate his claims? Lol.
lol…ask a real Ranger and take a few paces back immediately. Ya might wanna wear earplugs.
I think it would be safer to act as if you had pulled the pin on a grenade.
This guy should hang out with Brian Culp. Remember that “ranger” here on TAH?
“But he does have that ranger roll pop going in in his cover”
Actually it looks like a picture of the Marine Sateen Cover. thats sort of how they were worn. Even today Marines wear the utility cover like that.
We were taught to use a cover block to get the 5 point edge and we would use a boot band around the visor to shape it. Heavy starch and you could damn near knock someone out with it.
And this the inspiration for Kevlar.
Pencildick!
Hmmm, a 12 years total active duty, Combat Arms MOS, Sergeant E-5 with only one Good Conduct Medal to his credit.
I guess the “Up or Out” QMP system did have some good points after all.
In his personal bio at top of page, he was in too much of a hurry to brag about going into Force Recon. He forgot to mention that in those days, at least, upon graduation from boot camp EVERY SINGLE SWINGIN’ ____K went straight to two weeks of AIT…..regardless of MOS. Maybe he forgot and maybe it’s nothing….but with other distortions, one tends to wonder.
O12,
Ditto here. Commo puke, “you can talk about us, but you can’t talk without us.”
Supported one of the more bad-ass units in Germany at the time, 2ACR out of Merrill Barracks, Neurnberg. It is enough, no need to embellish (except for small “war stories”).
I would give anything to have his real pedigree!
And he goes and fucks it all by making shit up?
What is WRONG with him?
I believe the 1/39th was at Schweinfurt along with the 2nd. Regardless, another respectable service record tarnished by bullshit.
Nope, during that timeframe 1/39 INF was at H.D. Smith Barracks at Baumholder. I drove by their Battalion area at least once a week while on the parts runs for my outfit.
The Second and Third Battalions of the 39th INF were with the 9th ID at Fort Lewis during that period of time.