Donald Kimball; Still claiming a Silver Star and Purple Hearts
Donnie Kimball is still running about the mouth. We posted about him back in March. He is still a member of the Marine Corps League. We have tried to contact them several times, as recently as yesterday. I am getting no response. Can anyone explain how someone without a Silver Star in his records gets an official plate from the state of Florida?
We have reports that this clown has claimed hand fulls of Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts from his 2 years of service.
His Official records show no award of a Silver Star or Purple Heart. Donnie has managed to convince some people that he was awarded these medals during The Battle of Khe Sanh. We get reports of him claiming to have been in RECON and all the other usual nonsense. He was in Viet Nam and was attached to a unit that did have people in Khe Sanh.
According to his official records he was NOT a RECON Marine. He spent 3 months as an 0311 basic grunt from late Aug of 67 until Nov of 67. He then spent the rest of his time working at the E-Club or in Supply. It seems his conduct while on Barracks Duty in Arlington was piss poor so they sent his ass to NAM. For what ever reason the Corps thought it would be best if he didn’t play with guns and sent him to the E-Club to probably mop floors and pick up beer cans. I can find nothing about his claims of daring-do.
The Marine Corps League has not responded thus far. Its really easy for them to get a FOIA done. One would think a fraternal organization representing United States Marines would take more interest in reports of potential fraud within its ranks. We hear this Kimball fella likes to threaten people and such, I guess that kinda thing worries civilians.
If an award is not in your official records…do not lay claim to it. I can use some help down in Florida finding out why this guy still has those plates on his car.
Category: Phony soldiers, Politics, Valor Vultures
Kimball should be arrested for wearing plaid shorts.
It’s also doubtful he spent any significant time at Khe Sanh given his timeline. The siege at Khe Sanh lasted from January to July of ’68.
Does he wear black loafers with the plaid shorts while mowing his lawn?
I know that in Florida, if one wants A purple Heart or other award types, they have to show the DMV an official DD 214 or other paper work showing the awards. I have a US Navy plate on my car which anyone can get without showing proof of service.
Dave, I would be glad to help in any way possible? Just let me know what I can do and I will jump on it like a dog on a bone! One more thing, my wife is a ninja when it comes to finding things on the interwebs!
I knew those professional basketball players would raise their ugly heads again.
Can anybody say “altered DD214” was submitted to the Floriduh DMV?
Is he related to that Doctor whom was on the lam after being accused of killing his wife and later on it turned out that a one armed man was the murderer.??
Sorry to bust your bubble, but Nope. Different surnames.
The main character in “The Fugitive” was Dr. Richard Kimble./smile
What ever happened reference the Department of Veterans Affairs Pensacola Vet Center issuing a letter signed by Michael A. McGreevy that certified Kimbell receiving a SS and PH for service in Vietnam?
Posted by “A Marine” in TAH Blog:
https://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=78395&cpage=1
“On 2 December 2015 The Dept. of Veterans Affairs Pensacola Vet Center issued a letter signed by Michael A. McGreevy which CERTIFIED that Kimball had been awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for service in Vietnam. The phone number of the office is 850-456-5886. Anyone who issues such a letter should be able to produce the proof that these awards are valid, especially if they are saying that the VA has CERTIFIED the awards.”
I would like to know the same thing. Who is this clown and why does he think he has the authority to award a Silver Star to anyone?
I spoke with Michael McGreevy and suggested he post what he told me here to clear his name in our eyes. The Marine Corps League brought this sonovabitch to Mr. McGreevy asking for help. He responded because a known bona-fide vouched for him. The villain here is the Marine Corps League and apparently the Sergeant Major who vouched for this imposter resigned.
ALCON, I concur with the Marine Corps League being the villain who accepted this letter from McGreevy. I have seen this letter personally and I can assure you that there is no Sergeant Major that I know of who vouched for or assisted in getting this letter. Also, until this post there has been no mentioned of a Sergeant Major on the side of this man being the decorated veteran he claims to be. If you know who that is I would be interested in knowing. The only Sergeant Major involved in this that I am aware of is the one who actually brought this issue up to this detachment and informed them of their wrong doings in accepting such a letter as certifiable evedince and publicaly announcing him as a war hero without proper documentation or proof (DD214/215), not a DVA letter by the office manager. McGreevy is covering his ass for his bad judgement and there was no SgtMaj who vouched for this guy rather some key indivisuals that beleived it all once they got this letter. It’s been an Navy guy, league member, who has taken the self proclaimed war hero by the hand from day one in assisting him in getting all VA bennifits and this letter you speak of. He dose this for many of the Marines in the detachment who are having issues with the VA. It’s comical how they are trying to turn the tables for his bad judjument and blame a Sergeant Major. I am deeply in the middle of this, and I know that is not true. I have not seen any proof of the following however, it is my understanding that McGreevy received a letter of counseling for his bad judgement and that the Detachement received a letter recanting McGreeves letter with an apology. Again that I have not perosnally seen but was informed of it. I can garrantee you there has been no Sergeant Major who has resigned from the detachment, and especially not for anythign to do with this issue.
S/F
SgtMaj
M.C. League Life Member
Yes, I know Spelling, Grammar, Spelling, I will have to pull out my old MCI’s for a refresher course.
Enlisted club duty was treacherous. Try restocking beer nuts under the nose of dozens of angry off-duty POGs playing darts. Try explaining you’re out of ice which becomes the last straw for the guy coming off the night shift. Try telling a few servicemen that bingo is only on Wednesday’s and see if you can look the other way when that tear wells up in the corner of their eye.
Hell, we may as well have invented the word “siege” before those boys at Khe Sahn latched onto it. While it is true their resupply was challenging to sustain combat operations, the 4131’s that worked the DivClubs had to be a little dinky-dow to barter with the local mama san for number one Banh Tet.
Shades of Camp Alpha! Try telling the parched warriors they ain’t getting any of that iced down Budweiser until the last can of Crown Beer is sold.
What was that crap they pushed off on you guys, PBR?
No, it was Black Label and/or 33 Beer.
Ahh, Carling Black Label, carbonated Canadian piss in a can. Someone from Carling must have done some serious graft with the Army to sell all of that beer to the Army. 33 Beer was Vietnamese and tasted only a little better. Hamm’s was available from some PX’s in the rear. But Carling was usually the only beer available as the clubs at the base camps I visited.
I caught the PTSDiarrhea from CBL.
A whole lot of somebodies, somewhere were getting kickbacks off beer and/or soda sales. I drank a fair amount of PBR and Balentine during my tours in Viet of the Nam, but what really pissed me off was the 1st Div club system. Most units had their own watering holes where guys could get a cold beer or soda after work without a lot of hassle; didn’t even have to wash off all the oil and grease before getting served. Then Division made all the unit clubs incorporate with their system. Their most egregious sin was doing away with the canned cokes and substituting some gawd awful kool-aid concoction in paper cups.
I don’t remember drinking any PBR, but have heard it was popular on Seafloat. For our weekly beer busts out on the rivers, lukewarm Ballantine and Black Label are all I remember forcing down. Both tasted like tin cans but at least the price was right. We only had a chance to visit one enlisted club, and that was at An Thoi on Phu Quoc Island, and I didn’t waste that opportunity on beer after a soldier offered to share his supply of Suntory whiskey and vodka!
Another holder of the highly coveted National Defense Service Medal.
I am on this as a personal vendetta because a Marine friend received the Silver Star Medal and three Purple Heart Medals at Keh Sanh. When I told him, “Bo, most people even Marines know when to stay low after their second Purple Heart.” He responded, “I was at Keh Sanh and didn’t have much choice. I am contacting these folks now and encourage all y’all to do the same. Let’s bring this sonovabitch down.
Motorist Services Support
Motor Vehicle Fraud Unit
Room C208/MS69, Neil Kirkman Building
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: 850-617-2907
Fax: 850-617-3952
Email: dmv-enforcement@flhsmv.gov
I am Michael McGreevy, Mr. Kimball (Kimbrell) was brought to me for assistance by a member of the Marine Corps League here in Pensacola several years ago to assist him with an MPRC request for the documentation and the medals in question. I had known the Marine Corps League member for several years and trusted him. This member informed me that the Marine Corps League here held Mr. Kimball out as a recipient of the Silver Star at an event in the past. I assisted Mr. Kimball with the request to NPRC. Some time later the Marine Corps League member brought Mr. Kimball back with a letter from NPRC stating that his request was forwarded to the Marine Corps at Quantico for further action. The person assisting Mr. Kimball informed me that a retired Marine SGT MAJ blew in to Pensacola and spoke with a Mr. Sandavoll at the Marine Corps League here attacking Kimball’s claim to the Silver Star. I never met the SGT. MAJ. Since then Mr. Sandavoll resigned his position with the Marine Corps League. So I also wrote to the Quantico office to ask them to assist Kimball directly. That was the last I heard from or seen Kimball. I have been handling admin and fiscal in this Vet Center for over thirty years and have provided and still prove direct assistance to many Veterans and their family members with requests for 214s and other documentation and other needs. This is the first time I have had something like this occur. We are taught to always give the Veteran the benefit of the doubt when providing assistance. My thanks to Stewart Soffer for calling me about this. We had a good conversation over this subject. Your efforts to call out the false claimers of valorous distinction is appreciated.
As I am sure you are aware, submitting a DD-215 for a correction of records is fairly straight forward. This individual has managed to manipulate the system and people who have tried to help him. Under no circumstances should anyone be using official state vehicle plates that recognize an award of valor unless that award is part of their official military record…I am sure you agree. Kimball should be removed with prejudice from the Marine Corps League and held accountable under the provisions of the Stolen Valor Act if he is found guilty. Thank you for your service to veterans, much respect.
The word is “questioned” not attacking the awards. And (questioned) how a letter from a DVA office manager could certify such high combat decorations? A retired Marine SgtMaj did not fly into Pensacola for this. Also I am sure Ret MSgt Sandoval will answer for himself but he is still a Life Memmber of this detachment and his leaving the paymaster position after seven years of no one else wanting to do it, had nothing to do with this situation. And I hope you sent the letter to PMSB at Quantico as they are the only ones who can certify awards when in question, not NPRC. NPRC only maintains our records and does not creates them, if something is on file it will be sent directly to you when requested, if not they forward to HQMC. After your time in service and 30 years on this job, one would think you’d know better, your letter has caused a lot of damage for trying to help in something that is not the DVA jurisdiction. Either way all this should have been done before anyone acknowledged him as the receipent of these combat awards and and there would have been no need for you to write a letter since it would have been certified by the proper jurisdiction. In his own words to me, his lic plates, recognitions all the glory he receives, he always refers to your letter Mr. McGreevy and states that you certified his awards and helped him get his bennifits becaue of them. His words not mine!
Mr McGreevy, my name is Ben Sandoval and I would like to know where you are getting your information about me. What you are saying here about me is completely wrong. I resigned my position as the Detachment paymaster because of health reasons and not because of Mr. Kimball. I am still a member of the Cpl J.R.Spears Marine Corps League detachment, Pensacola and a Life Marine Corps League Member. Because of the letter you put out and signed in December 2015, Kimball was allowed to falsly claim stolen valor for a Silver Star that he never received or was entitled too. You say, you have over 30 years in assisting veterans with their VA claims. Well it seems you should of know better. I wonder how many more false claims were authorized by your false certification of personal awards. Now it seems you are trying to clean your rear end by claim that a SgtMaj flew into Pensacola to report Mr Kimball. A SgtMaj never flew in, he was already living in Pensacola and a Life Marine Corps League Member. What gave you the right to certify a Silver Star, who authorized you to do so. It sure was not HQMC or NPRC. There is no documentation or citations presenting Mr Kimball with a Silver Star. If there is prove it, show me a citation, DD214/215. What did my resignation as the Paymaster have to do with Mr. Kimbal? Do me and yourself a big favour, admit your mistake, take ownership of it and stop trying to blame someone else. What has been taking place within the detachment is none of your business so I will not expand on it. What I will say is because of your false certification of a silver Star a lot of hurt, hate, bad feels have been created with in the detachment.
It seems that my first reply to you was not posted so I will try again to clarify my stance on Kimball. My name is Ben Sandoval, I am a life member of the Marine Corps League and still a member of the Marine Corps League detachment 066 in Pensacola. I don’t know you personally so I don’t know where you are getting any information about me. I never resigned from the Marine Corps league. What I resigned from was the position as the Paymaster. I had served in that position for over seven years and was involved in every program conducted by the detachment and was a proud member to serve with this detachment. However, since December 2017 when I started to learn the Mr. Kimball was not the honorable and hero Marine that he purported to be. Myself and the SgtMaj brought him to the attention of the detachment staff. It was through one this staff members that we learned that you had given Mr. Kimball a letter certifying that he was a Silver Star recipient. You might of known Mr. Kimball and the Navy Corpsmen that brought him in to you for assistance with an MPRC request for documentation and medals but it seems that you took it upon yourself to certify a silver star for him rather than to wait for verification of his awards and records from NPRC and HQMC. NPRC is the keeper of military service records and can not verify documentation not in their files for personnel awards, especially the three highest awards given for valor to Marines. Only, HQMC can verify those awards. You state that you have been a been handling admin and fiscal in the Vet Center for over thirty years, then you should of known this not going around certifying Silver Stars. Because of this, I wonder how many more veterans are out there wearing illegal medals that you certified. You also state that a Sergeant Major blew into Pensacola and spoke with me and we attacked Kimball’s claim to the Silver Star. The Sergeant Major did not blow… Read more »
In my state I have medal plates on one of my vehicles (when you get one in my state they donate $25 to the Veteran’s home so I figured why not?).
The clerk did not ask for any supporting documents although I had my 214 handy. The DMV rules say that “supporting documents” are required. I asked her about the “supporting documents” requirement after she gave me the plates. She told she did not know what to ask for or even what it should look like. Awesome.
My experience as well. Well meaning people who would do the right thing but lack the guidence in how to do it.
Since every veteran without a dishonorable discharge can get a VA ID card…that should be what is required for many reasons.
Don’t mean to get on my soapbox, but another VSO that seems to be looking at the money (membership) instead of the integrity of its members.
IMO, the local chapter should have taken action against Donald Kimball for his bullshit claims and embellishment of service. But, like we have seen here before, the local VSO turns a blind eye/doesn’t have the balls to hold members accountable.
As for Donald Kimball, here’s hoping that the state of Florida drop kicks you through the goalpost of life and into the loving arms of Bubba, Thor, Julio and Mr. “Tiny” at the local poundyouintheass lockup.
Now if the state of Flori-duh found out this guy is scamming his way out of paying taxes on said vehicle, betchur ass they’d be on his ass like white on rice in a glass of milk on a paper plate in a snowstorm.
JMHO.
FLORIDA STATE TROOPER (to KIMBALL): Do you have any ID?
KIMBALL: About what?
All my Silver Star recipient friends wear that Chineeze made after-market, ghoulish ball cap … so he is LEGIT!
I wonder if that picture (the one with his fat ass sitting on top on the car) was taken in the parking lot of All-Points Logistics?
These POSer shitheads need all the exposure and notoriety we can give them. This guy apparently just won’t stop his shitbaggery. Keep up your GOOGLE fame Donald Kimball, who has no Silver Star or Purple Heart and was never in combat in the Viet of the Nam.
This 2015 story about Kimball being a 19 year Rifleman in Khe Sanh was posted in the TAH March 2018 thread:
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2015/10/21/battle-khe-sanh-revealed-heroes-among-us/74344268/
“The jungles were so thick, you couldn’t see your hand in front of you,” he said. “And the fighting was fierce. I remember one time there was three days of nonstop, unbelievable hand-to-hand combat.”
“Frequently marching through the area jungles, Kimball and his battalion would sit in L-shaped ambushes and wait for the enemy to walk through. It was always a dangerous situation but more so when they had to cross a rice paddy because it was out in the open. These were times where the fear of death was constant, he said, and heavy on your minds.”
“Every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week — it was nonstop,” Kimball said. “I prayed a lot…”
“And the bullshit was so thick…”
Green Thumb:
Best Line Ever!
😆
The only thing this clown ever engaged by hand was a 18-pack of cheap tall boys of which he promptly killed 10 or 11.
What a fucking fat clown.
Or he did three winos at once behind a bus stop Dutch Rudder style!
Nah, he engages his happy stick with his hand every day.
That is one of the biggest crocks of shit Viet of the Nam war stories I have ever seen. First, there was no thick jungle in the immediate vicinity of Khe Sanh base, from what I saw from the back seat of an OV-10 Bronco when I over flew it in the summer of 1971, even though the jungle had about three years to reclaim it. Second, whole battalions did not conduct ambushes, period. Nothing larger than a platoon ever conducted any of my ambushes patrols. Usually, only a squad or two was sent out on an ambush. Even in the Marines there was no such thing a battalion sized ambush; that would mean at least three rifle companies involved in the same “L-shaped ambush.” Third, no one felt the “fear of death…every minute of every hour of every day of every week.” What unmitigated horseshit from someone who likely never went outside the wire of a large secure base camp.
What?
You have never seen a Battalion ambush?
The support by fire element alone would take about a week to get in place.
And a main effort of three Companies!
Charge!
Yeah I remember this COCKSUCKER from March. I think that Merc has passed me on I75 a time or twelve on one of my many journeys to the Tampa area. May have even seen him @ one of those rattle the cup for Vets tables at the rest areas. Don’t give to them or buy their trinkets. What about his other listed ribbons, maybe some pencil whipping there on that VSM with 4 stars? Unit Award? Maybe the cup rattling gig and being an around scamming, lying, embellishing piece of shit ass hamster wanna be never was Combat Marine, is how he got the $ to buy a high dollar car like that. Or could have gotten it in tips from being #1 towel boy at Brucies Bath House (entrance in the rear)? Donald Kimball, another GOOGLE Hit!
I’m in Pensacola and don’t know him. I want to say I’ve seen the license plate, but not sure. If I did, I probably marked it up to some former Skywarrior jockey… we got a lot of vets down here as you know.
CTIC(SG (Ret)
I’ve seen this car at the Pensacola VA Clinic. I’ve never seen this load, though. I would remember him. The VA Clinic here is a massive affair that probably puts through 300 patients a day. I kind of doubt he would dare wear that outfit inside the clinic. There are many, many combat veterans there who would not take lightly a load such as him dressed as a clown. I’ve never known someone who honestly rated those medals having the stupidity to wear them. Those people have been there and done that, they have proven their heroism to themselves, they don’t have to try to impress others. I’m at the clinic several times a month; I’ll keep an eye out for him and have a conversation with him about his heroism if he dresses like this.
With pictures, please? Better yet with video.
Flush the load!
Yeah, that may be where I’ve seen it…. I used to work at Corry and use the commisary and NEX next door. Definetely going to keep an eye out.
If this guy showed up at the VA Clinic in his clown outfit, someone would almost certainly question him and if his answers didn’t jive with documented facts, his hat would be down his throat or up his ass.
The Florida legislature passed a law which awards a fee free distinctive license plate, and free registration, to recipients of the top 3 awards. These can’t be purchased, like a Purple Heart plate. They arent issued by DMV. He definitely qualifies for prosecution under Stolen Valor in that he derived financial benefit.
Donald Kimball, thine face is not worth sunburning, thou lump of foul deformity! Thy sin’s not accidental, but a trade, would thou wert clean enough to spit upon.
It was sad years back when the Marine Corps League stood up for Senator “Blood and Guts” Blumnethal who got confused between his USMCR service in South Carolina and other’s actual duty in South Viet Nam. I agree most service organizations have a bias towards keeping dues paying fakes and stolen valor types.”under the rug” until outed
CAPT Bones USN (ret)
CAPT – Forgin’ Frank Visconi (aka: Door Gunner) is still a member of the MCL…
I found this contact info for the Pissacola Marine Corps League:
CONTACT: Ed Rouse, Pensacola Marine Corps League public affairs, Heroes Among Us committee, 623-3250, erousecpa@bellsouth.net.
I will call him when I wrap up something that I am working on now.
I have e-mailed the writer of the article linked below, letting her know that he is a piece of shit story teller.
https://www.pnj.com/story/news/military/2015/10/21/battle-khe-sanh-revealed-heroes-among-us/74344268/
Good luck with that Frankie Cee. Been there done that and this is the answer: “If Mr. Kimball comes up in another story, we will certainly verify his background or any claims he makes. If he is criminally charged in relation to falsifying his background, we would likely write about that”.
They are not going to embarrass themselfs or anyone else if they dont have to.
Wonder if Donald Ronald Kimball knows this Marine:
“Marine veteran receives Vietnam service medals after 50 years”
http://www.tribdem.com/news/ex-marine-receives-vietnam-service-medals-after-years/article_0dc0a59e-b3e6-11e8-9c48-371bc3045543.html
“David “Dee Dee” Osborne initially had little interest in pursuing the medals he had earned during his service in the U.S. Marine Corps in Vietnam.”
“Osborne didn’t speak much about his time in Southeast Asia. In fact, the less he thought about being among the U.S. forces cut off and isolated while defending the Khe Sanh Combat Base during a brutal 77-day siege, the better…”
😉
If someone will send me this guys info, I’ll make a trip to HQMC on Quantico. I keep in contact with folks at the Marsh Center so I’m pretty confident I can get some definitive answers and squash his claims once and for all.