Darrel Zimmerman; phony Korean War combat veteran, POW
Someone sent us their work on this fellow, Darrel Zimmerman, who claimed to be a combat veteran and a POW of the Korean War.
He joined the Army right after the Second World War on November 5th, 1945 and he trained as an auto mechanic. He was discharged three years later;
He immediately reenlisted and when the Korean War started in 1950, he was stationed in Camp Roberts, California as a stock clerk. The following year, he went AWOL and got tossed into a confinement facility;
The following year, he went to Japan, as close as he got to the Korean War;
He completed his term of service and immediately reenlisted again;
Then, as a supply clerk, in 1962, he was caught stealing stuff from the Army, court martialed, imprisoned for 6 months and discharged;
This is what his records say he earned in the way of awards;
Compare those with what he’s wearing in the picture above. I guess that he figures the time he spent in a confinement facility in California during the Korean War qualifies him as a POW of the Korean War.
Everyone wants to wear jump wings, but no one wants to lug the parachute to the turn-in point on the drop zone.
Category: Phony soldiers, Valor Vultures
Cocksucker.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Shack!
The hat he is wearing has a VFW symbol. He lives in Pontiac, MI and that would be VFW Post 1370. No e-mail but they have a Facebook page.
A quick look through the pictures on VFW Post 1370’s Facebook page proves very, very interesting.
Yeah, especially the picture of “Sergeant Major Giles.”
Full color CIB on ACU’s with the Parachutists Badge on top of the CIB.
VFW Post where you couldn’t swing a cat without hitting a poser.
Yup.
I just took a look at their VFW Post photos, and it looks like a world class poser-fest over there.
The “Sergeant Major’s” costume is particularly impressive.
The other clown wearing the BDU top with dicked up sleeves and no name tape is quite impressive also.
And the soup-sandwich green beret with the 5th group flash, too.
There are so many green berets over there that it looks like most of the guys at their VFW Post must be former SF.
Oops.
Forgot to add the sarcasm tag.
His Facebook page says that he’s also a member of American Legion Post 63 in Clarkston, MI.
His Facebook page also says that he’s ‘US Army (ret)’.
I’m thinking the word he’s looking for that belongs in the parenthesis is (retread).
Retread as in the first outfit he served with and probably started stealing from (but didn’t get caught), the 7844 Tire Rebuild Detachment./smile
I’m thinking that maybe the “Ret” there stands for “Returned” – as in “returned by the Army to civilian life due to being a thieving azzhole.”
Felonious cocksucker…
His jump wings even have three stars for combat jumps. All of the NCOs and Officers I knew stopped wearing their weapons qualification badge at a certain point. It seems like these guys not only feel the need to wear the bolo badge, but want to hang a bar for every weapon in the inventory on it.
There were three combat jumps in Korea if my memory serves me correctly.
But with his claimed records he should have more than just those.
I mean MACV-SOG alone did six drops in Vietnam, plus I’m sure he’d have jumped with 173rd (2), French Forgien Legion (1) and the Belgians (1).
Fucking under achiever.
I remember asking my uncle, who was a legit snake-eater in Vietnam, (http://www.sflistteamhouse.com/Memorial/Pelletier/bill_pelletier.htm) how many jumps he had, and he said “3”. I kept badgering him (as a newly minted 5 jump chump) how he could have been SF with only 3 jumps, and he just giggled and said, I’ve got plenty of training jumps, but only 3 jumps that counted. Never ceases to amaze me how little the legitimate badasses talk compared to the barroom phonies like this turd.
A couple real winners today, Jonn.
Darrell Zimmerman and John David Dyke are kind of like posering shitbag blue falcon bookends, spanning the mid 1940s to the early 1990s. Between these two, there’s a whole lot of SV thieving, posering, embellishing, stealing, AWOLing, and deserting going on…
Is the WW II Victory medal legit if he joined 3 months after the war ended??? Help me out on this one
It was awarded to everyone who was on active duty December 7, 1941 – December 31, 1946. Like the Southwest Asia Service Medal (Desert Storm) eligibility dates were Aug. 2, 1990 – Nov. 30, 1995.
Thank you Jonn for the info on the ribbon.
Don’t know about that.. The SW Asia Service Medal was awarded to everyone that was in theater. Not to everyone on active duty at that time.. I was medically retired in Sep 92, never received it. Was assigned to VII Corps Artillery, stayed there while they went to go play in the desert. Got a star to put on my National Defense Medal, nothing more.
Theft of spotting scopes and a pistol, that sounds like every supply sergeant homecoming from deployment.
Staff Sergeant Zelmo Zaleas Zale?
Must not have been paid up on his dues to the Top and/or SGM 😉 Everyone knows who to keep happy so that equipment can go missing. Make friends in supply, young ones!
Prisoner Of War, prisoner IN war….meh.
I wonder if he was an LEO by his stance in the above pic.
Looks more like he’s scratching himself and pretending not to.
Thank’s EX, he looks like he’s a little “crabby”. I guess we can “scratch” the LEO stance then. No, I mean he can scratch if he has crabs. I really love these comments.
Sheriff Buford T. Justice.
He meant to say:
Prisoner of the, and or in, a War.
LEGIT.
POTAOIAW
Is it just me, or the bigger the dirtbag they are the more they get into the “HEY, LOOK AT ME!!” game, bling and all?
Is “Ole Felonius” wearing brigadier general insignia on his shoulders? Given the misbehavior in the Flag ranks these days perhaps he is “honoring” them
Wow, he sure is! What an idiot!
Generally speaking, about how much does a parachute weigh?
T-10 main, reserve and harness about 35 pounds I believe.
About 55# (including reserve). Its less about the weight though as it is about the bitch of a time you have recovering it for turn in.
Qualification: Five jump chump.
I’d bet it could be quite a wrestling match to recover if there’s enough wind to mention.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WHrTWih0rnE
HOLY CRAP!
Not really, you cut the capewell disconnect loose on the riser on one side and collapse the chute, pull the apex into the wind, and S-roll your canopy and pack it into the bag you carry under your harness. The steerable chutes weigh about 30-35 lbs, IIRC. The real problem is if your chute gets tangled in trees or, as we experienced in Germany, grape vinyards.
And there is some law of the universe that says you will land as far away as possible from the turn-in point with the worst terrain possible in between.
While someone yells at you over a badly garbled loudspeaker to “hurry up…everyone’s waiting on you…”
Nothing funnier than seeing a class full of newbies looking like windmills on Friar DZ trying to “s” roll their mains for turn in lmao!
Hey, at least he didn’t claim to be a SEAL! This cocksucker should be put in prison where he belongs. What an asshat!
Anyone do a count? I’m not sure Army isn’t keeping up with the SEALs count this week, or close to it!
No one can keep up with the SEALs.
PR machines those guys.
Wow, at least he isn’t from Florida.
Jeff LPH 3, 63-66:
Still chuckling what you wrote about Florida..that was GREAT…Thank You! 😁
Only one year of high school? Did he run away to join the Army?
He joined the Army a month and a half after he turned 17 years old.
But he actually was lucky to be somewhere (Coldwater, MI) in a larger city/town that had a high school with grades 9-12 to go to.
In many rural/farm areas of that time period the little township schools only went up to the 8th grade and that was the end of the education process.
Dammit, my grandparents lived right around the corner from this idiot. I bet he was even there at Ft. Custer doing the funeral details. This pisses me off.
Why do so many of these idiot poser assclowns want to claim that they were POWs?
My great uncle was a POW in WW2, and I’m acquainted with a few of the POWs who were held by the Iraqis during Operation DESERT STORM. Not one of them has ever found having been a POW to be something to go around bragging about.
Met Chuck Rice and some of his ilk once at a wedding and later at a wake, never knew till clued in later by the widow who they were.
Just another old, gnarly fuck.
I love the “Smokey the Bear” look.
This clown seems to be the quintessential and consummate thief although he seems to suck at that chosen profession.
Ain’t nothing like a little brig time to help with promotion…..
So, he’s a shit bird, an old one, but a shit bird nonetheless.
I wonder if anyone has referred this information to the Michigan department of motor vehicles. Those license plates might not have been issued if they had.
My uncle made the Bataan death march and spent 42 months as a POW. He talked about it ONCE. He relayed the story of witnessing an inspection of the guards by their NCO. One of the privates rifles apparently wasn’t clean and was given a full speed butt stroke with said rifle which knocked him all the way to the ground. My uncle chuckled and admiringly said, “By God, they had discipline in Japanese army!”
I wonder what he did for a living after getting thrown out of the US Army with the previous day’s trash, Janitor? Dishwasher/Busboy? Trashman? I bet he’s blown scores of winos behind bus stops since then! I wonder if he panhandles with a sign saying something like “VETERAN, need money for unearned bling so I can parade like a clown”?
This clanker gives me a pounding headache.
“Everyone wants to wear jump wings, but no one wants to lug the parachute to the turn-in point on the drop zone”.
Truer words,,,,truer words.
82nd Airborne tail lights.
Awesome!!
It would even better with a drag chute under the POW tag.
Being in an SF unit we would sometimes jump Static Line and MFF on the same bird. The SL jumpers would go first and then the plane would go up to ~10,000′ or so for the MFF jumpers.
Of course, the MFF guys all had steerable ram-air chutes (MC-4 I think) which meant that if they were good (and most of them were) they could literally steer themselves so as to land right next to the turn-in truck.
So even though us SL jumpers jumped first, we were still trudging in off the DZ with parachute, reserve and ruck while the MFF guys were sipping coffee from the AAFES gut wagon.
Good times! 😀
Whoops this was supposed to go under Sandman’s post above about lugging the parachute to the turn-in point.
The closest I ever got to a parachute was when I was a kid and my parents took me to Coney Island amusement Park.
This is so sad:
https://m.facebook.com/KoreanWarProject/posts/10156233001159672
Sad that his own daughter does not know this information…yet strangers were able to obtain it.
Have this feeling that he has forged his military documents (sarc) based on obtaining the License Plates as well as his family not having a clue about the unit he “served” with.
Still sad, for the family that is..and hopefully, based on his age, his family does read this post as well as the VFW, because they may think he is entitled to a military headstone, buried in a Veterans Cemetary, etc. ( If I am wrong on my last statement, please, someone correct my error).
As I recall, he might get those – unfortunately. If I recall correctly, while a DD is a bar to both, the VA has discretion in the case of a BCD.
I could be wrong about that, and I hope I am. But I don’t think I’m wrong.
Thank you, Hondo.
Had a chance to break away and found this on his burial benefits:
https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book/benefits_chap08.asp
So it looks as if he is ineligable because of his BCD…but again, I could be reading this wrong.
What is scary based on him getting those POW tags is that the family may have forged military documents…and he may end up in VA cemetary, to include Arlington. Look at the Gary Gilbert case:
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=39748
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=67528
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=36765
And who knows…he might be collecting POW benefits monetary wise..or other VA benefits.
The VFW lets those with BCD join? Or is that another case of him presenting phony documents?
He needs to be exposed to the public (other than TAH) ASAP. He will turn 90 in less than a year. And I don’t care how old he is. He’s been stealing valor for a long, long time.
You are right again Hondo. It is the DD for the no go. Everything else is well everything else.
Hondo and Vexatious Defendant:
Yes, you both are right and I was wrong since he received an OTHD and not a DD. I failed to look carefully at his last DD214 (knocking out more pushups)..😔
For every mistake I make here (and I make alot of boo-boos), I will donate $$ to my “mistake” piggy bank until I am researching better…and provide the $$$ to Jonn..
Going from memory so correct me if I’m wrong – but I think that even if the BCD is disqualifying for most benefits, he may still be entitled to benefits based on his earlier enlistment that terminated honorably.
MrBill: As explained above, he did receive an OTHD based on the BCD and not a DD..so I was wrong when I read the VA Eligibilties. It looks as if indeed he is entitled to burial at a VA Cementary with VA Headstone. At least he is not eligible to be buried at Arlington unless he has fake DD214s. Heck, CSM (Ret) Richard Cayton had Vietnam POW on his DD214 when he retired from the Army:
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=62197
MrBill: per the VA, the criteria is “service other than dishonorable”. With a BCD characterized as under OTHC, I believe that means the VA has latitude to make a case-by-case determination.
https://www.cem.va.gov/pre-need/
Here’s the rules on eligibility:
a. Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard)
(1) Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who dies on active duty.
(2) Any Veteran who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. With certain exceptions, service beginning after September 7, 1980, as an enlisted person, and service after October 16, 1981, as an officer, must be for a minimum of 24 continuous months or the full period for which the person was called to active duty (as in the case of a Reservist called to active duty for a limited duration). Undesirable, bad conduct, and any other type of discharge other than honorable may or may not qualify the individual for Veterans benefits, depending upon a determination made by a VA Regional Office. Cases presenting multiple discharges of varying character are also referred for adjudication to a VA Regional Office.
(3) Any citizen of the United States who, during any war in which the United States has or may be engaged, served in the Armed Forces of any Government allied with the United States during that war, whose last active service was terminated honorably by death or otherwise, and who was a citizen of the United States at the time of entry into such service and at the time of death.
It’s in Paragraph (2), which references multiple discharges. His family can appeal to the VA based on the varying character of his discharges. On the other hand, they may not really care.
Looks like his daughter is going to be in for a really rude awakening due to Danny’s lies.
What’s really sad is (BCD) Private Zimmerman has been pulling this crap for at least 57 years on everyone including his family. I researched the photo his daughter posted and he has issues with his uniform from 1961. His ’61 photo shows him with jump wings, CIB and a UNPIK patch on the wrong sleeve and clearly his records don’t reflect any of it. His VFW uniform shows UNPIK “Airborne Infantry Badge” and “Agent Wings” yet none of this is on his 1961 uniform either. He’s the grandfather of Stolen Valor.
“He’s the grandfather of Stolen Valor”
I respectfully disagree. Zimmerman is small potatoes compared to Kirjath Toney.
Put “Kirjath Toney” into the search block up at the top of the page and get the popcorn and adult beverages ready.
At least Zimmerman didn’t go to Arlington Cemetery wearing yellow leather gloves.
Its wierd, if that’s a picture of him it doesn’t match his records as shown above (jump wings but no jump school) so he’s been at this a long, long time.
SSG Kane: You are right about the Airborne Wings.
Also, does it look as if he is wearing a CIB?
Last: With the uniform he is wearing..am guessing the picture was taken in the 1950s and his rank of SP4. Should not he be wearing a tie (Khakis) since it is long sleeve…or is that small potatoes compared to his other claims of fame? 😉
15 years of AD, all thrown away. Obviously, he is still stealing, Valor that is.
Medals of America helped him make his rack that much bigger with those shitty commemorative medals that they sell.
Gotta love it. PCS “commemorative medal”. Mess Hall Head Count “commemorative medal”. CQ”commemorative medal “. PT test “commemorative medal “. Should l continue?
“Everyone wants to wear jump wings, but no one wants to lug the parachute to the turn-in point on the drop zone.”
Or do that whole pesky “training” and passing requirements shit either from what I can see.
Or risk the broken bones from landing in the dark in the tank tracks.
Jesus, Can this fucker scream, I’M A GIANT ATTENTION WHORE!!! LOOK AT MEEEEE!!!”
Any more than he already is?!?!?
What a dusty skanky old fart.
OH LOOK, HIS FACEBOOK PAGE IS WIDE OPEN!!
We should all go on there and ask him if he knows where we can get a good deal on a Buhl Spotting Scope. 😀
Don’t forget to mention that we understand they’re worth about $40. (smile)
Got a link? I can’t find his page now. He probably changed his settings to private, or shut the page down.
Isn’t he looking at jail time for the POW Plates
For lying to the DMV ???
Could well be – and for charges of tax evasion as well, if the MI DMV wants to push the issue. Many states give a pretty hefty tax break on PH and Ex-POW plates – and you do generally have to sign a document when you apply that all info is “true and correct”.
It would be poetic justice to see someone from DMV come and remove those plates from his car, then hand him a retroactive tax bill for about 20 years of plates (with interest, of course – compounded) and a summons to appear in court.
I was wondering the same. I had to give them proof of my service and sign an official document under penalty of perjury to get vet plates.
Are the Vet plates different than the US Navy plate I have on my Rav 4 from the DMV. I did not have to show any proof of service when I got the plate. Lady told me that proof was needed for Purple Heart and DAV plates. I vaguely remember reading which plates one had to bring in proof for obtaining certain plates.
I believe the rules vary by state on the individual service plates
Michigan Ex-POW plate application:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/bdvr-87_16253_7.pdf
👍👍👍
According to his DA form 2-1 it looks like he did serve in Korea… landed at Inchon about 7 years too late for the war, with duty at/as AFFE. No clue what that might be… maybe Armed Forces Field Exchange!
The guy couldn’t be happy with serving in Germany and Korea shortly after the war… not cool enough I guess.
The Big Chicken Dinner wipes it all out in my opinion.
Well, technically the Korean War is still going on. So he’s got that going for him. /s
Pretty sure that AFFE = “Army Forces Far East” in that time frame.
LOL…
I figured with his “supply guy” experience he may been running the local PX Canteen…
One of those section five forms above shows him in Korea from June 30th 1957 through August 28th 1958.
True – but the Korean War period (e.g., period of eligibility for both the Korean Service Medal and the NDSM) ended on 27 July 1954.
Just suggesting that “Japan was as close as he got to Korea” is not an accurate statement.
I said that Japan was as close as he got to the Korean War.
Did his service in Japan during the Korean war rate the KW campaign medals? Or did he have to actually step foot on (or fly over) the Korean peninsula itself in order to qualify?
Having done some time on the trail as a DS, that is one jacked up brown round!!
So what are Michigan’s standards for confirming someone is eligible for something like sayyyyyy a POW plate? Oh hey, look at what I found. http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1640-408563–,00.html
Email sent to the SOS. I didn’t call, only because it’s late Friday afternoon, and I’m sure there’s one low-seniority clerk working in their office and his/her heart, and mind, could care less what is going on anywhere. So, I sent the email.
You have to provide documentation to the SOS for any type of Veteran Plate.
Way to go! I think a bunch of us should email them…
Got this reply today, after I emailed the SOS.
And a 3rd complaint about Mr. Zimmerman getting a POW plate that he’s not entitled to Emphasis added.
—–Original Message—–
From: [ ]
Sent: Friday, December 8, 2017 3:42 PM
To: SOS-OIS
Subject: Fraud
Sounds like a good deal for an EX-POW… $5 bucks to register, personalize for free, and no annual renewal fees! Might be some stolen valor going on here… for profit or benefit…
From Michigan’s website:
“Ex-Prisoner of War – You or your spouse must have been a prisoner of war. (Submit copy of Certificate of Discharge.)”
“The fee for the standard design is $5. The Spectacular Peninsulas design is $10. You may also personalize the plate at no additional cost. You may purchase more than one Ex-POW plate. Only the service fee is charged for your first plate – no annual vehicle registration fee will be charged.
Funny none of the pages that show negative have names on them. Makes me wonder if those pages belong to someone else? Just saying.
You mean except for the General Court Martial paperwork, suspension of favorable action paperwork and DD 214 showing OTH discharge? Crazy how all the dates line up but yeah, I’m sure the two pages that don’t have his name on them are totally someone else’s.
The more I think about this and look at his records, the more I think he WAS awarded the Korean Service Medal and the NDSM due to his time in Japan from 1952-1954 even though I don’t see any campaigns listed.
He might have flown over there to provide logistical support..and who knows..he might have been boots on the ground in Korea for a short time, but it is not recorded on his records.
My Dad was in Occupied Japan in the early 1950s during the Korean Conflict..and was credited with the Korean Service Medal and the NDSM (it is on his DD214). He did not talk very much as to he did (he is deceased), but I remember his DD214 having campaigns posted (Counteroffensive periods, just as Vietnam). He wore some CAV patch for his SSI..and he retired from the Army in the late 60s.
I will look again at his DD214 during that time period, but I’m sure it did not list any places in Korea, only the campaigns. So different than how they mark DD214s today versus the 1950s.
As far as being a POW, no.
From Wiki;
Thank you, Jonn, gor the info.
Since my Dad was with 1st CAV (and that was his War Patch) and he was in Occupied Japan around 1950/51/52/53 ( have to dig up his DD214 for the dates of the two-four Korean Conflict Counteroffensives he participated in), am guessing that is why he qualified for the KSM and the NDSM even though on his DD214 it does not have a Duty Temporary Station as Korea. He also was part of an Airdrop Unit that flew over Korea and dropped supplies to the troops (he never told us that which I discovered later on his DD214.). As I said, he did not speak much of that Conflict. Neither did my Father-In-Law..and he was with the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th ID and went to Korea in July 1950.
Thank you, again, Jonn. I could be wrong about Zimmerman and his KDM and NDSM. Just going by personal experience.
Japan was a major logistical support area for the Korean War. It’s possible that many personnel transferred there during the war were deemed to have “supported” the war, and rated the KSM as a result.
Dude was in Korea for appx. 14 months according to the section 5 form shown above.
Disregard, I’ll go Haze myself. Sorry.
Hey guys,
Sr. Vice Commander of VFW Post 1370 here. We were given this information about 2-3 days ago if memory serves correct. State VFW has already recognized it and we are handling it internally.
I come from 5 years Active from 2008-2013 as a Navy Corpsman with Marine Infantry units (1/4 Alpha Co and 2/4 H&S Co), and speaking on my own behalf I can say when I first got to this VFW he had already been an established member for something around 30 years, with dozens of relationships with Vietnam vets and (what I had presumed) other Korean war vets. Never once a red flag raised which was why I never really had my antennas up in the first place.
While I thank this page for doing it’s research, and obviously you guys in the comments for doing your best to bring forth more information, please stop messaging our VFW page about it, and do not let this be something you go on a witch hunt about with every member of our post.
In regards to his uniform with the VFW DI style cover, that is the Honor Guard uniform that he’s obviously done some personal modifications to. The running joke in the VFW was that he was “The General” because of the perceived level of saltiness he carried with him, so that’s why he’s rocking the stars. Not trying to make excuses for him or defend in any way, just wanted to give you all some back story there.
The honor guard will continue to lay Veterans to rest at the Great Lakes National Cemetery as far as I know, without Mr. Z.
Thanks again for bringing this information to light. It’s truly an unfortunate situation.
Michael S., Thank You for this info.
Has anyone looked at all of his DD214s he provided?
Thought that in order to be eligible for VFW Membership, one has to have an Honorable or General Discharge:
https://www.vfw.org/eligibility
He has “Other Than Honorable Conditions” on his final DD214 based on his BCD.
It will be interesting if he ever explains and tells the truth about his Military service including how he managed to obtain a Ex-POW Michigan Car Tag.
Yeah, like I said when I checked into this VFW maybe 4 years ago(?) he had obviously already been an established member. Typically when we receive applications we just review the awards section and cross reference to determine eligibility in addition to checking the discharge papers.
My guess is he likely used one of his first DD-214’s that did say honorable and just left out the other several years of his service when he applied.
We don’t keep DD-214’s on file in our building though, simply because once they’ve been vetted, we’ve just about done as much as we’re ever going to do with it, and we typically give it back to the service member within one meeting cycle.
Our next VFW Monthly meeting is Tuesday the 12th of this month. To be honest I have no idea if he’ll even show, but we’re going to address it then.
Thank you and appreciate your feedback, Michael S.
What you wrote about him using his DD214s that lists “Honorable” makes sense in him getting into the VFW.
Thanks for looking into this , Doc…
Rah Senior Chief.
Michael S., I appreciate you coming here and rogering up about the situation. We don’t often see that kind of intestinal fortitude.
One more thing, I think you need to do a little more house cleaning. My advice is to find someone that is up to speed on Army cats. Army SF, in particular. I will guarantee you that they already have eyes on what’s going on and they don’t like it.
Jay,
To my knowledge we only have two other Army cats that claim SF, both of which I intend to cross reference as much information I can on with some actual team guys I personally know. The unfortunate thing is given how big the SF community was during Vietnam, I doubt we’ll get anything for certain without taking the long road to the archives.
Once again though, we’ve got dozens of other Vietnam vets from all types of MOS’s and branches that have known both of these guys for something around 20+ years. Never once has it been an issue or has a red flag hit me personally, but I don’t understand Army uniforms the way I could pick apart a Marine or Sailor uniform.
My only path for Devil’s advocate on the two others I’m fairly certain you’re referencing is that they basically took some old shit that they rated and just said “Yeah I’m gonna put that on this” without really putting too much thought into placement, spacing, etc… Having your flash on upside down like Mr. Z here, yeah that’s fucked though.
I don’t know about the wars my parents fought in, but when someone comes in our post talking about Afghanistan, I can usually pick apart their bullshit in less than 2 minutes of simple questions.
In any case, myself and the Commander are doing a full sweep of all our members from an objective standpoint to see if anyone else sticks out as obvious as this one did. My hopes is that our hunt starts and ends with just one person, but never the less we’ll do what we can.
If you or anyone else reading this that has actually served is ever in Pontiac, MI, first round is on me.
Cheers,
Mike
If you would, recommend you expand it to all valor awards and purple heart claims, in addition to any members making SF or POW claims.
Because as someone once said, this is why we can’t have nice things.
Thanks for taking charge, Doc.
BZ Michael S. At my AL post, we have been reviewing all DD214s, and any questions we ask the member to sign a SF180.
We’re trying to forestall the common complaint from prospective members of “it’s full of phonies”
Ass Hamster 1st class.
This maggott makes the phony Seal of the week, and phoney SF troop of the week, look good! What a bag of horse s–t!
Arrest that poser.
Hey! Camp “Bob” is my neck of the crappy places the Army likes to establish training bases!
Worked there for 22 years, on East Garrison.
I’ve crossed the river a number of times, mostly driving M113s, occasionally an M577. The river was dry, most of the time, when I was there.
I have sources at The American Legion was told Legion Post 63 is aware of this situation and addressing it, same as the VFW.
He looks like a cartoon character that saves picnic baskets, if you ever run across someone that looks like that, run fast because there are 2 hungry bears close by.
Ah that would be picanic …
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=boo+boo+picanic+basket&&view=detail&mid=73E9F2970EE22141FBEB73E9F2970EE22141FBEB&rvsmid=85F9C07902D744E0755185F9C07902D744E07551&FORM=VDQVAP
https://tinyurl.com/yda75k2e
as a trustee of VFW 1370 i find it hard that so many veterans want to jump on bashing fellow veterans. I wish one of you that have been posting 1370 would at least come to the post before posting anything or bring any complaints of our post to the meetings thank you
So, I take it that you find being a lying scumbag to be okay? Says a lot about you. See above how Michael S. handled it? That was the right way. You should have kept your trap shut and stayed away.
As Commander of The American Legion Post 63 (Mr. Zimmerman’s post) I was stunned when I discovered his decades of Stolen Valor. I fully support the VFW and The American Legion as both organizations provide veterans and their families with financial help, VA assistance, scholarships, and just plain old camaraderie being around other individuals that understand them. That being said, Mr. Zimmerman had been an established Legion member and transferred to Post 63 long before I joined, however I can tell you Mr. Zimmerman was vetted. I have learned from this situation that processes were different when he was in the military compared to how things are done now. Apparently back in the 1940’s-50’s the military would give discharge paperwork prior to each re-enlistment and that policy did not change until sometime in the early 1960’s. He has 2 honorable discharges (WD-53 dated 1948 and a DD-214 dated 1952) and we suspect that’s how he was able to do it. We believe he’s been producing his Honorable DD-214 when he completed his 2nd enlistment dated 18 Feb 1952 to join Veteran organizations along with obtaining license plate. He’s obviously been keeping the second half of his military service history a closely guarded secret.
He committed fraud against all of us, which includes the Michigan Secretary of State by obtaining POW/Veteran license plates he’s not entitled to. Please try and refrain from impugning Veteran organizations due to Mr. Zimmerman’s fraudulent and dishonest behavior. I can tell you my post does not knowingly allow non-qualifying people to join. It upsets us just as much as you, but there are processes that we must follow and everyone is entitled to and must be given due process. I appreciate these websites and all who comment on them. Communities like these help to expose Stolen Valor frauds and smoke them out so they can be dealt with appropriately. Thanks for supporting Veteran organizations such as The American Legion and VFW. These hucksters are the ones that are lying and dishonoring all past and current military members who served honorably.
Again, thank you for your support!!!
Kim L., I think I speak for the majority here in saying that we appreciate the work that the VSOs do. I also, appreciate you and Michael S. coming here to show us that you as an organization, do not take it lightly and are proactively handling the situation.
No one here has bashed a veteran! Who we did bash is a lying scumbag, with a bad conduct discharge, who at one time, happened to wear a Army uniform!
Really? Seems that you’re Ok with this, with lying. And posting on your site is a way of letting you know, since it appears that no one checked.
Are you OK with a liar being a member of your post, Jerry? Darrel lied about his service and lied when he wanted to be a member of your post – and nobody caught it.
If you’re all asshurt over this, then do the right thing and start vetting all members of your post and holsing those that have lied accountable. I’m guessing that Darrel isn’t the only one with a credibility issue.
It seems Mr. Zimmerman changed his Facebook profile after the VFW had their meeting last night.
https://www.facebook.com/darrel.zimmerman.35
The American Legion just booted him last night at their membership meeting on a 5-1 vote. Amazingly, one of his Hop-Along-Cassidy pals who’s a former commander voted NOT to kick him out believing his POW and combat stories ignoring all his military records. Stupid is as stupid does.
There’s always one.
He’s a fraud
So from what I read, the American Legion kicked him out. Did the VFW also kick him out?