THOSE
CLAIMING MEDAL OF HONOR
NOTE: In 1996 HLI Lordship
Industries (at the time, the OFFICIAL USG contractor for the Medal of
Honor) admitted selling THREE HUNDRED unauthorized medals for $75.00
each from 1991-1994. They were fined $80,000. NOT ALL of those medals
have been recovered. Offenders in possession of an
unauthorized medal can be arrested, fined (up to $10,000) and jailed
(up to a year). It is the only military medal that CANNOT be bought,
sold, bartered, traded, collected, auctioned, exchanged.... EVERY
Medal of Honor is awarded by act of Congress. Less than 150 REAL Medal
of Honor recipients are alive today.
|
The
names listed in the next pages have made VARIOUS or multiple
claims that cannot be substantiated or have been proven FALSE.
|
S
[2]
|
| Name |
Date Reported |
Hometown |
Claims |
Findings |
| Smith,
Allan Henderson III |
02/2007
05/2007 |
Glenside,
PA |
Claims he was a Naval Aviator flying
A-6s on two combat tours with VA-35 in the Vietnam War and was
shot down once. He has allegedly forged documents and
staged/altered photographs of himself to support these bogus
claims. He was on a civilian contract to fly L-39s at the United
States Naval Test Pilot School, NAS Pax River Md. when he made
the mistake of making the bogus claims to some REAL intruder
pilots. After they did some preliminary checking they notified
NCIS and a full investigation was done. The result was that he
never attended flight school with the Navy much less flew A-6
Intruders in any capacity. What they did find was that his
fakery went beyond the norm in that he had forged DOD documents
and altered pictures at his home in the Philadelphia, Pa
area. He was thrown out of Pax River and his contract cancelled.
His charade continues at civilian and military airshows on
the east coast. He did modify his claims on his website, http://www.allens-airshows.com/ somewhat...
. He has been asked (forcefully ) by real military pilots past
and present to cease and desist but continues the charade
ie the NAS Oceana Airshow this past Sept/2006.His claims
were also put in print in the latst issue of World Airshow News
( Dec 2006).
The
worst thing is an article that Smith wrote about 5 years ago for
one of the air show magazines in which he detailed his
shoot-down over NVN and his escape to the coast and subsequent
rescue. It was shameful.
========================
http://www.schultzairshows.com/millville-performers2007.htm
Allen H. Smith
III L-39C Albatross
Allen is a native of Wynnewood, PA just west of Philadelphia and
has been flying since he was 17 years old.
After graduation from Lower Merion High School he entered
Penn State University at College Park, PA as part of the first
Pre-Med class to graduate through the Hershey Medical Center.
During his freshman year he literally bumped into the
Naval flight recruiters that were on campus and offered to take
him for a ride. The
hop was in a T-34B, just
like the one Allen now owns, and after just 15 minutes of
aerobatics, Allen’s life was changed forever.
He passed all of his testing and medical exams that same
week and sworn into the Navy at the age of 17 as part of the
AVROC Flight program.
In very quick order Allen changed his major to Aerospace
Engineering and started taking flying lesson at the local
airport. After 2
summers at Pensacola FL for INDOC and OCS he was commissioned an
Ensign at his graduation from Penn State with his Aerospace
degree. Then he
reported to Pensacola FL five days later to start flight
training.
Today Allen is a retired Vice President of Engineering for
Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals in St. David’s PA .
Along with his son
Chris they live in Glenside PA and own 2 immaculate museum
quality aircraft. The
first, a NAVY T-34B
with a 285 hp engine that had 1650 hours TTSN in 1974 when the
FAA zero timed the plane after Allen’s restoration.
Most T-34’s have between 7 to 11,000 hours on them.
Their second plane is a Soviet L-39C Albatross Jet
Fighter that they imported directly from Estonia, Russia in late
1996. Allen and
Chris spent 1950 man-hours, and most of 1997 & ‘98
restoring the L-39 to better then new condition with all new US
avionics and electrics.
We welcome Allen to this year's
event with the Czech Jet L-39C Albatross.
========================================
05/2007 - Saw Alan mentioned on your website. Noted the
references to USN Test Pilot School. Please be advised
that Alan removed all reference to the US Navy in his
Narration and BIO published in the air show program at
Millville New Jersey last week. However, his name badge on his
flight suit is a "red stars" name badge with Red
Stars wings, with his name under that (no reference to rank)
and L-39, and USNTPS on the bottom line of the name badge
-- he said he had instructed there for two years.
|
TPS is
sending an official letter to Allan Smith to cease wearing a TPS
Instructor Patch. The patch is shown in several of his
photos. He is also to permanently delete any and
all references to such on his web site. |
|

ACTUAL RECORDS
|
| Smith,
Gerhard |
09/2007 |
. |
Read
this - need you see more? |
. |
| Smith,
Harry Gilbert Jr. |
03/2006 |
. |
http://www.shimabuku.com/ronin.html
|
Records
show only a National Defense Service Medal. MOS included
"shower unit man"; electrician and a rifleman at CAMP
LEJUNE. Active duty July 56-July 1958 and July 66 to April 67. |
| Smith,
James Fred Williford |
12/2007 |
Minnesota
Jesup, Georgia
|
Claims
SEAL Team ONE
What was his BUD/S Class Number?
"classified"
Where did his training take place? "Coronado
Island"
When did he graduate from Basic Underwater
Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training? "classified"
"All of my information is
sealed"
Dates of military service :
1967-1979
Branches served : Navy (SEAL
team ONE), Marines, Army
Purple Heart Recipient, Medal
of Valor
72 confirmed kills
Disabled veteran license plate |
 |
| Smith,
Jimmy |
. |
MN/GA |
Claiming
SEALS and/or Frogman... Recon,
Diver, SEAL, 5PH, SS |
. |
| Smith,
Keith S |
08/2007 |
GA |
The
tale and the result |
. |
| Smith,
Kurt W. |
12/2005 |
. |
Court
Grants Accelerated Probation To Former Owner Of Security Company
By ETHAN
ROUEN
Day Staff Writer, Police/Fire Reporter
Published on 12/30/2005
The former owner of a Groton-based security company who forged
signatures on employees' security license applications has been
given a special form of probation that will expunge his criminal
record if he stays out of trouble for the next two years.
Kurt W. Smith, 40, was granted accelerated rehabilitation last
week for committing 13 acts of forgery. As part of his deal with
the court, Smith is not allowed to work in the security or
detective fields.
He was arrested in July for faking the signature of an emergency
medical technician on the security license applications of guards
he trained at the company he founded, Special Operations Security
Forces. The company has gone out of business.
After his arrest, The Day reported that Smith, whose last address
was in Canterbury, cut corners in the training of guards and the
monitoring of sites he was contracted to protect.
In February, Special Operations trained 28 guards who worked for
another company, Securitas, that provided security at the
Millstone Power Station, said Millstone spokesman Pete Hyde. They
were trained by Special Operations shortly before Securitas set up
its own training program, he said.
After the state Department of Public Safety informed the nuclear
power plant that Special Operations did not follow guidelines and
trained the guards improperly, Smith provided a certified
instructor to retrain the guards at no charge in March, Hyde said.
According to former employees, Smith, a former Republican
candidate for constable in Canterbury, sent untrained guards to
fill armed positions at at least two utility companies. In one
instance, Smith gave guards a five-minute lesson on his personal
shotgun before sending them into the field, employees said.
The company was run as a paramilitary
operation and tried to capitalize on fears created by the Sept.
11, 2001 terror attacks, according to employees. He assigned ranks
to employees and required that they refer to him as “Colonel.”
A company brochure states that “Our CEO and Operations Chief
CMDR K.W. Smith Sr., recently retired from the United States Army
Special Forces Group 5, serving our country abroad and defending
the constitution of United States against all enemies foreign and
domestic.”
According to Army records, Smith enlisted in the Army Reserves in
October 1982. He went through basic training in Missouri and
received advanced training in “Personnel Records” before being
discharged in 1983.
In an interview in August, Smith insisted that he had been a
member of the Special Forces but was forbidden from talking about
it.
He could not be reached for comment Thursday. His lawyer did not
return messages left at his office.
A month after his arrest and the publication of the article in The
Day, Smith's lawyer said the company had lost 80 percent of its
business.
In recent weeks, the company closed its doors at 1 Crouch St. in
Groton. |
| Smith,
Robert |
. |
Mound City,
MO |
CLAIMING MEMBER OF WWII
FLYING TIGERS |
. |
| Smith,
Robert C |
. |
MI |
DECEASED 1995 - Headstone
reads NAVY CROSS, Vietnam |
. |
| Smith,
Robert D. |
04/2006 |
Mt Airy NC |
http://www.salboarms.com
http://www.gunsnet.net/album/showphoto.php?photo=38068&sort=1&cat=all&page=1
|
ACTUAL RECORDS |
Smith,
Robert Harrison
aka Smith, Robert Harrison Jr.
aka Bobby Smith
aka Smith Robert A.
aka Smith Robert H |
. |
Joliet/New
Lenox IL |
Claiming
SPECIAL FORCES and "GREEN BERET"...
American Indian/Alaskan Native, 6 ft, 195 lbs
Brown/Brown
Uses THREE socials, and notes THREE countries (E. Germany,
Mexico, W. Germany) as place of birth.
CLAIMS: U.S. Army Special Forces, Honorable discharge, E5, Bronze
Star w/Y (yes Y), Purple Heart, Nat Defense, Vietnam Service,
Vietnam Campaign, CIB, Parachute Badge, "Vietnam Special
Forces Honorary Jump Wings", Sharpshooter Badge w/rifle.
Sept 11, 1069 Indicted for larceny of
auto...served 4 months.
11/11/81 -Arrested. Convicted of burglary 1984, served 2 yrs
in Wisconsin prison.
1989 Arrested for unlawful use of a weapon.
1994 Failed to give correct and accurate information about
criminal background for IL PERC (Private Investigator) card.
1997 - Sued employer - then lied under oath.
|
DISCHARGED 31 Oct 1969,
"Under Conditions other than Honorable". PVT.
Decorations and awards: National Defense, Parachute Badge, Expert
M-14, Expert M-60, Expert M-16. Total active service 1 yr 9 months
13 days. RE-3B, SPN 284 - "Misconduct/convicted or adjudged a
juvenile offender by a civil court during current term of
active military service."
Currently works as an
(unlicensed) Private Investigator for RBI Investigations.
|
| Smith,
Thomas W. |
05/2005 |
MT |
The
Great Falls Tribune, Monday May 9th, 2005
Thomas W. 'Pinky' Smith
Thomas W. "Pinky" Smith, 85, of Great
Falls, a retired Air Force veteran and postal employee, died of
natural causes Friday at a local hospital.
His memorial service is 2 p.m. Tuesday at
O'Connor Funeral Home.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Frances
(O'Neil) Smith of Great Falls; daughters Patty (Bill) Law of
Beaverton, Ore., and Paula (Milt) Rhiner of Des Moines, Iowa; a
son, Eric Smith of Seattle; and five grandchildren.
Pinky was born March 4, 1920, in Glasgow and
raised in Great Falls. He was preceded in death by his parents,
Carrie and Thomas Smith; a brother, Robert "Bobby"
Smith; and a sister, Margaret Warden.
Pinky grew up in Great Falls and graduated in
1937 from Great Falls High School. After graduation he worked at
the Anaconda smelter, joining the Army Air Corps in 1941 and
retiring from the Air Force in 1961. During WW II, Pinky was a
navigator with the 8th Air Force on B-17s. In 1945, his plane was
shot down over northern Germany and he spent the rest of the
war in a prisoner of war camp. Pinky was awarded a Purple Heart
and a Congressional Medal of Honor.
After his military retirement, Pinky worked for
the Post Office for 17 years and then drove school bus for five
years on the Bootlegger Trail route. For many years after
retirement, he volunteered with Montana Fish, Wildlife &
Parks.
Pinky enjoyed fishing, hunting and his special
rose garden.
Memorials are suggested to the Montana
Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Originally published May 9, 2005
|
|
| Solomon, Harris |
Still at it 12/2004
|
Glacier Park MT
area
Portland, OR
|
86 yrs old. Claims- Airborne D-Day Ranger, Colonel, bullet
in the spine, wears black beret with possibly the 29ID patch
on it. OR claims LtCol, Normany invasion, Darby Ranger with
training at Ft Bragg. Travels on trains from Montana to
Alabama to Oregon to Kansas to Virginia. Tales vary every trip.
Solomon
is currently working the Portland,
Oregon
area.
He is spending time in the NW Portland Hostel...... So far I have
heard the “Private Ryan” story, Omaha
Beach
landing, bullet in spine, consulting the movie staff....
|
QUESTION EVERYTHING !!!
The
WWII Ranger Association DENIES Harris Solomon was a Ranger in WWII
- and state the Rangers of WWII NEVER wore a beret of any kind,
they wore standard U.S. Army gear. They also state NONE were
Airborne and NONE trained at Ft. Bragg.
In
YUMA AZ Nov 2002. Used tale to get free motel/food. Claiming
connection with real "PVT RYAN" incident... Claims had
been to VA in San Diego, and friends in Gila Bend. News reporter
checked before running any story on this "hero".....
also told him he checked.. and all tales were in question. Harris
on the move again.
=================
12/2004 when confronted
"he says he has a lot of enemies out there..."
As
a veteran of the 5th Ranger Battalion, who landed on D-Day during the
early morning waves, I can assure you that there were ONLY two Ranger
LtCols on D-Day - Earl Rudder of the 2nd Rgr Bn and Max Schneider of
the 5th Rgr Bn.
As Secretary of the Ranger Battalions Assn-World War II (RBA-WWII), I
can also attest that no Soloman Harris is listed as having served in
either of those two Battalions, or any of the other four Ranger Bns of
WWII.
Also,
Darby's Rangers were the Rangers of the 1st, 3rd and 4th Ranger
Battalions, formed by William O. Darby, who served in Africa, Sicily,
and Itlay until they were disbanded following their decimation at
Cisterna after the Anzio invasion of Italy. The 2nd, 5th and 6th Rgr
Bns were never considered part of "Darby's Rangers" since
they were formed under other auspices.
If the man is listed as a phony, then he has,
apparently, been researched earlier and found to be deserving of that
title.
Tom Herrinf, Secretary, RBA-WWII
|
| SORAH,
SHAWN L |
03/2008
|
Grandview,
MO
|
Claims Purple Heart in Kosovo, claims shot in the leg during
battle
or he got it when he was a Prisoner of War in Kosovo.
Claims he was 19K in the army and was a POW in Bosnia. He said
that he was one of 3 surviving members on a 12 man team and that he
was taken captive after escorting a Colonel into do some
negotiations with the Serbs. He said that his mission was to capture
Slobodan Milosevic
.... served this country starting at age 17. He quickly
rose through the ranks, (remember that small event in Bosnia?),
he is a highly decorated veteran who lead his team of soldiers through
several dangerous and successful missions. He has been
awarded several honors and medals. He is also the first to
receive a full honor retirement from the military since the Vietnam
war for his service and that retirement came at the age of 24...
|
ACTUAL
RECORDS
http://www.diveone.net/
|
|
South, Michael (Mike) |
. |
. |
Claims Medal of Honor, POW, NC, escaped Laos |
. |
| Sowers, Kenneth L. |
. |
. |
DECEASED - Obit
states: He was a veterans of the USMC during WWII and Korea.
He was awarded the Purple Heart, Silver Star, and Cong Medal of
Honor. Member of VFW Post 481, Midland. When contacted by
interested parties - the newspaper refused to print a
retraction/correction. Obit was published in the TIMESONLINE.COM
obit area 01/07/2004. |
NO Silver Star,
Purple Heart or MOH is noted in Military records. |
| Speakman, Gary |
05/2007
12/2007 |
Canada |

So much MORE
|
Neither Speakman nor Pillage are SEALS. |
| SPEARS, JAMES HERSCHEL |
02/2008 |
. |
Vietnam veteran back
in war zone
Washington Times
By Philip Smucker
February 25, 2008
1st Sgt. James "Grumpy" Spears
CAMP WRIGHT, Afghanistan -- Shot
down over Vietnam on his first tour of duty in 1972, 1st
Sgt. James Spears is back in the U.S. Army -- one of hundreds of retired
soldiers whom the Pentagon has ordered to suit up and serve the nation once
more.
"If you cut me, I"d probably bleed Army green, but this is
definitely my last deployment" said the 54-year-old veteran, who is
better known to his fellow soldiers as "Grumpy."
Sgt. Spears said he did not expect to end up in a war zone dodging bullets
and rockets, and that such business should be the work of younger warriors.
Retired in 1995 after 24 years in the Army, Sgt. Spears felt the call of
duty after watching the World Trade Center's Twin Towers crumble in 2001 and
picked up the phone just to let the Army know he was there if he was ever
needed.
"I guess they put my name on a list somewhere, but, for the life of me,
I didn't really expect them to call me back to service," he said. But
in 2005, the Defense Department rang his home number in Daleville, Ala.
"A Pentagon colonel told me that I could come back now or, if I did not
act then, she wouldn't give me a choice as to where I was deployed."
With mixed feelings, Sgt. Spears called her back an hour later.
Now, while he often longs for the golf course, Sgt. Spears finds himself in
a mentoring role to some 80 soldiers, struggling to keep them working
together smoothly.
As the "human resources manager" for NATO and the Army's 173rd
Airborne Brigade's Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kunar Province, Sgt.
Spears keeps the soldiers in line with stentorian growls across the mess
hall and quiet, reassuring chats in his quarters.
Just knowing there is a veteran of the Vietnam War, a far bloodier conflict
than those being fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, is reassuring to some of
the young soldiers who seek his advice.
But Sgt. Spears said he worries as would a father about the strains caused
by the lengthy military deployments in both theaters.
"In general, we have excellent morale, but the Army is definitely
overstretched and undermanned here in Afghanistan," he said. "I'm
really afraid that some guys and girls will snap. I've seen it already --
people with severe combat-related stress."
Sgt. Spears has two sons who joined the Army and one who served two tours as
a helicopter crew chief in Iraq. He said his wife of 32 years, Sherry, had
only one piece of advice for him when he deployed last year: "Keep your
head down, Grumpy."
A soldier's life hasn't changed much since Vietnam, but there aren't any
easy comparisons between the two wars, Sgt. Spears said.
"I'm not sure this is an ideologically driven war in the respect that
Vietnam was pretty much communism against capitalism," he said.
"But even there, you had an enemy that would show their face and
occasionally fight in real uniforms."
Sgt. Spears pointed toward a ridgeline and noted that Kunar province sits
across only a couple of mountain ridges from Pakistan, where the September
11, 2001, mastermind, Osama bin Laden, is thought to be hiding.
"I can't tell you why they haven't caught him with all their gee-whiz
toys," he said. "But I don't believe in conspiracies either, like
we have him in a box somewhere."
URL: http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080225/FOREIGN/784994149/1001 |
ACTUAL
RECORDS |
| Spence, Al "the Blade" |
. |
Vestal, NY |
Claiming SEALS and/or
Frogman... |
. |
| Spencer,
Donald R |
02/2006 |
. |
Claims
Vietnam Navy SEAL. |
NO
MILITARY RECORDS COULD BE LOCATED |
|
Spencer, Richard Tracy |
11/2000 |
. |
Claims Medal of Honor. convicted
of posing as Navy Admiral, forgery, court martial for forgery 1963 Served Navy 57-63
(Claimed MOH, SS, DSM. Escaped Prison in 1981 after
being
convicted of impersonating a LT.)
|
. |
| Sperry, Roland |
05/1999 |
CA |
CLAIMING
MEMBER OF WWII FLYING TIGERS
A VETERAN CONFRONTS HIS MILITARY MYTH
OCREGISTER.COM: Top news stories
PEOPLE: Roland Sperry spun a web that spun out of control. Some are
aghast at his lies; others knew.
May 23, 1999
By SUSAN BESZE WALLACE
The Orange County Register
FICTION: Roland Sperry, wearing his medal-studded leather flight jacket,
holds an artist's rendering of the plane he claimed to have flown as a
Flying Tiger in World War II. Since this photo was taken in October,
Sperry has admitted that he never piloted a military plane, and that
most of his medals are bogus........
========================
http://www.warbirdforum.com/sperry.htm
Roland Sperry 'fesses up
[Several years ago, the late R.T. Smith came across Roland Sperry
selling his fabulous Flying Tiger yarn at an air show, and he outed the
imposter in Air Classics magazine, August 1990. R.T. generously hid the
man's name behind the monicker Captain Incredible, which allowed Sperry
to continue the charade. What's puzzling about his book is that it reads
like a juvenile novel--Sperry is forced down and spends some time on the
run in China with the help of two Chinese boys--as if he knew that he
couldn't have faked up a real story of the USAAF Flying Tigers without
it being spotted as a phonie. -- D F]
China
through the Eyes of a Tiger
Roland Sperry / Pocket Books, 1990
Story by SUSAN BESZE WALLACE / The Orange County Register
He earned a Purple Heart. But he felt he needed more.
So Roland C. Sperry, a World War II veteran with a solid military
record, fabricated a heroic one.
A gregarious speaker at yacht club, high school or military
functions at least once a month, he always brought the book he had
written and news of the next airshow he was to emcee. His resume, as
thick as his Texas drawl, awed audiences:
Member of the elite Flying Tigers. Fighter pilot who downed four
Japanese aircraft and twice survived being shot down behind enemy lines.
Decorated captain, awarded the equivalent of 12 Air Medals and seven
Distinguished Flying Crosses, among others.
This week, after months of inquiry by The Orange County Register,
Sperry admitted that he's been living a lie. One he profited from. One
that veterans say cheapened their service.
He never piloted a military plane. There were no downed fighters.
He wasn't an officer. His book — "I was a fighter pilot, a Flying
Tiger. There were guys who'd give their eye teeth for my job, with good
reason" — is all fiction.
"I don't know why I did it," said Sperry, who turned 77
on Friday. "I'm ashamed. I should have stopped it, so help me
God."...... |
Spiegel,
Ron
aka
Shpigel, Ron |
08/2007 |
AZ |
Claims
Navy Seal, was in the IDF, and worked in the Pentagon. Claims
2 bullet wounds.
Works for Gold's Gym in Tucson.
-------------------------
NO military records could be located.
....
If the name you provided is
spelled correctly, I do NOT find a listing in the SEAL database for
anyone named RONALD (RON) SPIEGEL/SHPIGEL. Be aware that I have
also examined possible alternate spellings, and names with similar
pronunciations. There is only one man with the last name SPIEGEL listed
in the entirety of the SEAL Database, and that man graduated from
training for UDT "Frogman" duty in October 1947. It is very
likely that our man would now be in his early to mid 80s. There are no
listings for any other names which even come close to either SIEGEL or
SHPIGEL in spelling or pronunciation.
Unless he has undertaken the
unlikely action of a legal name change (an action for which there would
be court documentation) since his claimed service with the SEAL Teams,
and based upon the information you have provided, I can state
conclusively that RONALD (RON) SPIEGEL/SHPIGEL has NEVER
completed SEAL training, and he is not now, nor was he ever a US Navy
SEAL or UDT "Frogman". Please be aware that the SEAL database
includes the names of all men who served with the Underwater Demolition
Teams ("Frogmen"). Since 1983 when the UDTs were all
re-commissioned as SEAL Teams it has been the convention within the
Naval Special Warfare community to use the modern term "SEAL"
when referring to all men who ever served in any of the SEAL ‘precursor’
units.
When members of the Naval
Special Warfare community meet others who claim similar service, but
whom they do not recognize, there is a conversational exchange of
information that establishes the bona fides of each to the other. There
is no set formula for this exchange, nor for the information that is
exchanged, but it ALWAYS takes place, and the REAL Naval Special Warfare
members can ALWAYS spot a phony as a result of this exchange. I urge you
(or those who may have contact with him) to ask Mr. SPIEGEL three
questions:
(1) What was his BUD/S Class
Number? (NB: No SEAL ever forgets the class number he shouted all
day long, every day, for 6 months)
(2) Where did his
training take place? (NB: Training has been conducted at several
locations over the years; different portions in different places)
(3) When did he graduate
from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training? (i.e. a specific
graduation DATE)
The answers to those three
questions may then be compared to hard, firm, comprehensive
documentation to absolutely verify his claims. There are many other
questions which could be asked to further establish the level of
veracity or untruth regarding his claims, but those three questions are
absolutes; the answers are totally UNCLASSIFIED, and every real SEAL
will gladly provide that substantiating information upon request. If Mr.
SPIEGEL offers you any specifics which he claims are definitive
and valid answers to these questions (or if he offers reasons why he
cannot answer them), I would be very interested in learning about it.
The only men who can
legitimately call themselves SEALs are US Navy sailors who have
completed the entire SEAL training program which lasts approximately 2
years and who have received a formal/official designation as
"Combatant Swimmer [SEAL]" with an attendant entry in their
military records of a specific Naval Enlisted Classification Code (NEC).
There are no SEALs in any other branch of the US military armed
forces and there are no foreign military men who may legitimately call
themselves SEALs. While many units of different branches of the
military services are called upon from time to time to work
"WITH" the SEAL Teams, it is incredibly rare for any non-SEAL
to ever be engaged in an operation as a part of a deployed SEAL unit.
These rare exceptions generally involve members of highly trained
Special Operations Forces from those other branches of service or ‘other
government agencies’ involved in gathering/evaluating intelligence
information. Non-SEAL Navy units, other branches of the US military
services, and some few foreign military units do occasionally send men
to the SEAL Teams for brief training sessions. Those training sessions
do NOT confer the qualifications for being a SEAL on any of those ‘students’.
Such training is most generally intended to facilitate a familiarity
with the way SEAL Teams operate, and are intended to make cooperation
between different units easier and more effective when they are in the
same area of operations.
It is quite common for those
making fraudulent SEAL claims to cite a "secret" training
class, "special selection and skills which allowed them to bypass
BUD/S training", or "secret missions" as an explanation
for the lack of military documentation to back up their stories. SEAL
imposters also tend to claim their military records are
"sealed" and cannot be accessed. Occasionally inventive
imposters claim their records were destroyed in a fire at the National
Personnel Records Center. While that facility did experience a fire, no
Navy records were involved, damaged, or destroyed. I would caution you
that despite anything the man might have told you, there are NO secret
SEALs. Before any classified operations may be undertaken, a man must
first successfully complete the totally unclassified BUD/S Training
program; the names of all those who successfully graduate from that
training program are compiled in the SEAL database. Later participation
in classified operations has no impact on whether or not a person is
listed as a graduate of the training program. No one gets to the SEAL
Teams without completing BUD/S training; there are NO EXCEPTIONS! The
graduates of that training program are listed in the SEAL database –
an unclassified document which is nonetheless considered "highly
sensitive" and therefore not available for general public
circulation. There are records of every man who has qualified for the
title of "SEAL"; there have been and will continue to be
secret missions, but there are NO secret SEALs… we know them all.
I might suggest that you also
ask Mr. SPIEGEL to specifically identify WHICH SEAL Team(s) he
served on, and when. I am in direct contact with several hundred of my
SEAL Teammates whose collective experience covers virtually all time
periods from the Korean War to the present; I can quickly contact those
individuals to verify any specific names, events, or other claims
offered by Mr. SPIEGEL. If he feels that his name has somehow
been mistakenly omitted from the SEAL records, I’d be pleased to speak
with him and hear details of his service which would serve to validate
his claims. The Director of the Naval Special Warfare Archives – a
close personal friend and SEAL Teammate – is only a phone call away
and standing by to amend the records if this is ever found to be true.
However, I’ve made the same offer to more than 3,600 SEAL imposters in
the last six years, and none of them ever turned out to be a valid SEAL.
If Mr. SPIEGEL subsequently suggests to you or others you know
that he has contacted me, the Department of the Navy, or "the
government" in some way and "straightened things out", I’d
be very interested in hearing from you again.
If Mr. SPIEGEL has made
a practice of claiming to be a former Navy SEAL, and he has been
imprudent enough to make those claims in writing on his resume and/or
job application, he may be liable for termination by his employer. Most
employers take a very dim view of someone offering any false claims or
"creative writing" exercises on resumes and/or job
applications in order to positively influence the prospects of their
being hired. If you decide that it is appropriate to share the
information contained in this letter with Mr. SPIEGEL’s
employers, please do so openly; do NOT act anonymously by shoving a copy
of this letter under an office door or mailing it to his boss without a
return address. Anonymous ‘tips’ of this nature are generally viewed
as unreliable and destroyed without action being taken. On the other
hand, if you step forward and present this information openly, then a
formal investigation is much more likely to result.
You will not be surprised to
learn that false claimants of being a US Navy SEAL vastly outnumber the
men who actually earned that title. Informally-gathered statistics
(2001-2004) indicate that there are approximately 350 imposters for
every real SEAL who ever served in the Naval Special Warfare community.
I recently visited a web site which ranked claims overheard by
bartenders during the course of their work… "I was a Navy
SEAL" was at the top of the list! Statistically you are more likely
to encounter someone who has played football in the NFL than you are to
encounter a real Navy SEAL. So, ask yourself this; how many professional
football players have you met?
One last note; It was formerly
a violation of federal law to WEAR specific military unit
insignia, badges, patches, pins, tabs, awards, commendations, medals, or
uniform garments for which one did not have formal/official
authorization. Such actions were listed as a prosecutable offense under
Title 18 US Code Section 702 and 704, which specified up to $5,000 in
fines and up to 6 months imprisonment per each count on which an
offender was convicted. It was subsequently recognized by lawmakers that
a loophole of sorts existed within the wording of Title 18 USC which
allowed imposters to make false verbal claims regarding military
credentials, and to then display items for which they had no legitimate
authorization as keepsakes without legal repercussions so long as they
did not actually wear them on their person. To avoid prosecution false
claimants often filled their walls with forged citations, commendations,
and awards for valor, and then posed for pictures beside those false
certificates, but never actually WORE them on their person.
A recent amendment to Title 18
USC, Section 704, called the "STOLEN VALOR ACT"
(S.1998), which was signed into law on 20 Dec 2006, now makes it illegal
to even make false VERBAL claims of receiving "any of the
service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, the
ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration, or medal, or
any colorable imitation of such item". It must be presumed that
since the earning of the status of US Navy SEAL carries with it a
special Naval Enlisted Classification (NEC) code and a unique breast
insignia (SEAL Trident badge) that the offering of false verbal claims
of being a SEAL would fall within the jurisdiction of this amended
version of the 18USC. This matter, of course, would be for the courts to
determine.
Thank you again for your
concern in this matter, and for your assistance in upholding the honor
of the US Navy SEAL Teams. As noted in my opening paragraph, I am a
private individual and am in no way affiliated with the US Department of
Defense or the US government. Despite any reports you may make/send to
me regarding Mr. SPIEGEL’s false SEAL claims, any such
information which I might pass along to the authorities in this matter
would be classified as "hearsay" and therefore inadmissible in
a court of law. The responsibility for reporting the individual named in
your inquiry to the federal authorities rests with you and with anyone
else who may have personally heard or received these claims from the
individual himself. Whether or not you decide to report him to the
federal authorities is entirely up to you, but at least you now know the
truth regarding his bogus claims. If I can be of any further assistance
to you in this matter, please contact me at your convenience.
Very respectfully,
Steve Robinson
USN 1970-1978
SEAL Team ONE
Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE
UDT-SEAL Association
Special Operations Association
POW Network Advisory Board
Naval Special Warfare Archives - SOF Analyst/Contributing Journalist
Disabled American Veterans - Life Member
FORMER Special Investigator - SEAL Authentication Team
Author of the book NO
GUTS, NO GLORY - Unmasking Navy SEAL Imposters |
Spranger,
Jeffrey A.
ala Jeffrey Phelps |
09/2007
and again
and again
and again
and again
|
Atlanta,
GA |
http://www.onepathsystems.com/people1c.html
(new posting)
original posting:
After serving in the Army's elite 3rd Ranger
Battalion for 3 years, (click)
Multiple
witnesses state:
#1 Over the years the claims have gone
from small comments of how he was a “Ranger”, “CID agent”, etc.
to grandiose to grandiose outright lies like he was in Desert Storm as
well as investigated Economic Crimes within the Army.
#2
- Mr. Spranger stated.... I have some shrapnel in me that I received
during the Gulf
War while assigned to the Marine Corps.” ....
prior to this
time, Mr. Spranger had stated he was in the Army ... was told
that he had served as a Ranger in a Ranger Battalion.
#3-
Claimed
He has fought in Desert Storm
He was a Ranger with Army.
He guarded Dick Cheney.
He served on Air Force One.
He has been to Quantico for FBI training.
#4 - Claimed
-- he
was in a Ranger Battalion, and had fought with the Rangers in the 1st
Gulf War.
-- he had gone through
Ranger
School
; but could not provide a graduating class number.
-- he
had not only fought in Desert Storm, but was General Norman
Schwarzkopf’s personal body guard. This seemed to conflict
with his statement that Jeff was fighting with the Ranger’s in the
Gulf.
-- he
was on a staff that provided direct protection for Dick Cheney
-- he was an Army Criminal Investigative Agent. Also
claimed he was a Warrant Officer in the Army while a CID Agent. He
further stated that while assigned to CID he was tasked with
‘staking out’ the local gay bars.
-- That
his family was in the “Witness Protection Program”.
-- he
was a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. He actually stated to a
group of people - that he had once had the FBI come to his place of
work to investigate a claim that he was posing as an FBI agent.
-- That
his father was in the CIA for 25 years.
#5 - He tends to stay close to the
same story every time, and gets very angry and upset if anyone
questions his comments.
|
Actual
Records filed for under Spranger: NOT a tabbed Ranger
Actual
Records filed for under Phelps

May have been an "intern" only with CID. |
| Springer,
David D. |
08/2006 |
Rock
Island, IL |
He has stated to
family, friends, and employers that he was an Air Force jet pilot during
the Viet Nam was and was shot down while performing missions and spent
many hours in the sea before being rescued. He also claims purple
heart and silver star medals. He also claims to have been trained as an
Air Force medic and RN. |
In
a secondary database, we have E1 SPRINGER DAVID D entered the Air Force
6 June 1972 and got out 3 July 1972. MOS: 90010 which
was Medical Helper. He was not in Vietnam.
Looks like he did a lot in that one month. |
| Sproat, Johnnie |
. |
Skidmore, MO |
CLAIMING COMBAT STATUS
|
served USMC - but never in
Vietnam, combat or USMC 1/9 |
SQUIRE, LESTER
L
|
05/2007
03/2008 |
Princeton,
Ca |
He claims 100% ptsd as well as two purple
hearts. River boat commander ( Navy and enlisted) at the time of his
"service"
Then I say ...I know you now, your the guy who was claiming to have
earned a C.I.B. while serving in the Navy. Yea, he says.. a General issued
it to me. Oh.. I say...You must have orders for it then. No.. he
says.....I say...well, do you even have a service number, How about you
sharing it with me and I can help run your records.....He says....no way...I
say....Lets clear this up.... man, I have already run your ass and you don't
show any records of being in the service.....Your a F..N phoney aren't
you....he says...it's guys like you who are causing all the trouble....I
say,,,yea man...guys like me hate phoney's like you...by the way I say....
we going to put your face in the paper with your Phoney story....by now he
walking off.....so I say...If your getting any benefits illegally you going
to jail boy....end of story,,,,, |
St.
Louis found NO RECORDS. |
| STALLINGS, JOHN
WALLACE JR |
02/2008 |
. |
Claims to be a Navy SEAL
Reportedly has a Dishonorable discharge from the Navy in 1983
|
NOT
A SEAL |
| Staniski, Edward |
05/2006 |
. |
| |
| Edward
Staniski |
|
|
STANISKI,
EDWARD, 77, of Debary, Fl passed away May 7th
after a long illness. Born in Ambridge, PA, he
served as a corporal in the Army, receiving 2
Medals of Honor. He received his Bachelors
Degree from Washington-Jefferson College, and
Masters from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. He
retired as a teacher, teaching Biology at Miami
Southwest and Miami Coral Park High Schools. Ed
was an avid gardener and enjoyed lawn work. ...
Online, go to
www.herald.com/obituaries.
Published in The Miami Herald
from 5/20/2006 - 5/21/2006.
|
|
|
|
. |
| Stanley, Carlos
Martin |
06/2005 |
. |
Claims Korean
War POW
escapee
|
Bull S---t
He is not on my list and there were no escapes from Manchuria.
Pate
|
| Stanton, John |
05/2006 |
. |
5/28/2006 - Pine
Grove Veteran’s Dedication To Be Held In Conjunction With Memorial Day
By ANN R. SWANSON
PINE GROVE — Phase One of the Pine Grove Township Veteran’s Memorial is
complete, according to George Belin, chairperson.
The granite monument, which replaces a wooden structure, was set in place
this week. It is covered until the dedication ceremony that will be held in
conjunction with the township Memorial Day Service. John
Stanton, Pine Grove Cemetery Association president and Congressional Medal
of Honor winner, will assist with the dedication.
The memorial honors veterans from the township who served in the armed
forces from World War II through the Vietnam conflict. All names of those
who served their country are listed.
Money for the memorial came from a grant and individual donations. Plans are
underway for Phase Two, which involves the placement of two benches in front
of the monument. Donations are still needed for the benches, with anyone
wishing to donate should do so through the account at Northwest Savings Bank
or by contacting Belin.
It is hoped that veterans and the families that have ties to veterans from
Pine Grove Township will attend the Memorial Day celebration and dedication
ceremony. All are invited to be part of the celebration that remembers all
veterans.
The Pine Grove Township service begins at 11 a.m. and is held near the
flagpole at the Pine Grove Cemetery.
|
| Star, Timothy North |
. |
CA |
Claiming SEALS and/or
Frogman...
POW, SEAL
|
. |
| Stark, Thomas Cory |
05/2006 |
Fayetteville, NC |
Claims Navy SEAL
|
. |
| Stern, Jackie Albert |
1996
2007 |
FL |
Bought Medal of Honor at Flea
Market. Sentenced 1996, 1 yr probation and letter of apology to
every MOH. EXPOSED |
http://www.ohiotkd.net/taekwondoreporter/page5.htm |
| Stephens, Robert A.M. |
. |
|
Claiming SEALS and/or
Frogman...
Phoenix Program
|
. |
Stewart, Christopher S
aka
Christopher S. Hoins |
11/2006
11/2007
|
Laramie,
WY |
book for sale by the title A Knight's Grotto
Christopher Stewart - about the author
He works for the Government, Badged by Interpol in
1978, NYPD Black Homicide 1982, CIA 1976 Hostage Resque, DEA 1978,
Internal Security 1984, Presidential Security 1988. USMC Force Recon 1989.
His last action was Desert Storm. He received the United Nations
Congressional Medal Of Honor 1986, Silver Star 1991, Purple Heart with
Cluster 1989, USMC Medal Of Honor 1989. He was Knighted By Queen Elizabeth
II 1983 in England, and trained with the SAS. He was Born in NY in 1970.
"For those fans that were there, I�m Steven Cooper of the
Nightmare band, the Warm up band for Lita Ford Glenfalls NY Dangerous
Curves Tour 1989 or 1990 I forget. I fence, Fight SCA Heavy Weapons,
Martial arts, Paint, write, and study Geology and Archaeology."
This is repeated on another page selling another book
Rebecca: Rebecca De Mornay
Sir Christopher Stewart
Towards the bottom of his BIO page he states:
"Then came Desert Storm and I joined the US Marine Cour, As
part of basic Training they threw me in a few extra rolls in movies like
Firebirds, Tactical Assault, By Dawns Early Light, Shadow warriors,
Undersiege, and Preditor.
As A US Marine I hold the United Nations Congressional Medal Of Honor for
service above and beyond the call of duty in protecting a UN Diplomat,
Special Forces Silver Star, and a purple Heart with Cluster."
He was also knighted in England according to his claims.
|
St.
Louis states NO MILITARY RECORD can be found. |
| Stiles, Chester
Arthur |
10/2007 |
. |
|
Fugitive
Accused of Raping Child Caught
By
KEN RITTER
Associated Press Writer
Oct 16, 2007
|
|
LAS VEGAS
(AP) -- A fugitive accused of raping a 3-year-old girl on videotape
was arrested quietly during a traffic stop, telling the officer,
"I'm tired of running," police said.
Chester
"Chet" Arthur Stiles, 37, was pulled over late Monday in
Henderson
for not having a license plate. He admitted his identity after police
said his license looked suspicious.
"He
said, 'I'm Chester Stiles, the guy you're looking for,'"
Henderson
police Officer Mike Dye said. "He said, 'I'm tired of
running.'"
Las
Vegas police Capt. Vincent Cannito said Stiles has been wanted since
Oct. 5 on warrants issued for 21 felony charges in connection with the
acts seen on the videotape. The charges include lewdness with a minor,
sexual assault and attempted sexual assault.
........
He
was convicted in 1999 in
Las Vegas
of carrying a concealed weapon, and in 2001 of conspiracy to commit
grand larceny. Police were also looking into an allegation that he had
sexually assaulted a young girl in 2001.
Nye
County District Attorney Bob Beckett had said he was told Stiles was a
"survivalist type" who always carried knife and had
a Navy SEAL background.
The
man who turned in the videotape, Darrin Tuck, 26, was arraigned Monday
on probation violation and pornography possession charges, Beckett
said.
|
|
MORE
|
| Stillings, James
|
2001 |
KY |
VVA
MEMBER Claims Medal of Honor |
. |
| Stilton,
Donald A.
|
03/2005 |
Forked
River, NJ |
Claims
Dive Instructor for Navy SEALS. Showed up for court in a Navy uniform. |
He
has petty warrants in FL. |
| Stimpson, Merle E. Jr. |
09/2004
01/2007 |
Meridian,
CT |
Claims US Army Special Forces, green beret, Airborne Ranger
with Service from 91-94. Claims 226th "Reaper's Rangers" outfit,
and that he almost got Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War.
He constantly brags about 'snapping people's necks",
and tells that he was ordered to blow up a mosque full of women and
children in "El-Al Kaddiid." You name it, he claims it.
MY DEAR CHOWDER HEADS,
AS USUAL YOUR TYPE HAS CAUSE ME ALOT OF PROBLEMS,NOT ONLY
HAVE THE JAG CORPS COME AND GIVEN ME THE CRAP ABOUT "TALKING"ABOUT
WHAT WAS TO BE LEFT SILENCED,NOW I HAVE TO GO TO D.C. AND ANSWER TO
THE ADMIN AT SOCOM AND THE U.C.M.J. (UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY
JUSTICE)CLEARLY STATES THAT I BE BROUGHT BACK FOR A(N) ARTICLE
33!!!!
AS I AM WRITING THIS,MY BELOVED BETTER HALF IS SITTING AND
CRYING,WHILST PACKING MY DUFFLE BAG AND HER OWN BAGS.DO ME ONE BIG
FAVOR............................
DONOT EVER GET A KNUCKLEHEADED BRIGHT IDEA LIKE THIS AGAIN,OR
YOU'LL END UP IN A VERY DEEP AND DARK PRISON CELL!! OH AND FOR THE
ASSHOLE THAT THOUGHT IT TO BE CUTE TO START A
LITTLE"VENDETTA"WITH ME...................WELL I HOPE YOU
ARE PROUD OF YOURSELF!!!
KISS OFF MORONS;MY DD-214 IS REAL AND I CAN PROVE
THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
M.STIMPSON JR.
P.S. I KNOW WHO DID THIS AGAINST ME AND I PLAN ON LETTING THE
JAG KNOW WHO YOU ARE ALSO,NOT SO SMART,ARE YOU?
|
Reported to be EXTREMELY
VIOLENT.
Weighs 300 lbs, has flat feet, asthma, Tourette's Syndrome,
bad ankles, bad knees, a lazy eye, and is 5'8''.
Has forged DD214.
|
| Stokes,
James |
12/2007 |
MA |
|
BOSTON GLOBE
A former Lawrence School Committee member pleaded guilty
yesterday to possessing and exhibiting a fake military
discharge document and falsely asserting he was a US Marine
who had received a Purple Heart medal, the US attorney's
office in Boston said. James F. Stokes, 63, was arrested on
the charges Jan. 9. He resigned from his School Committee post
after weeks of phone calls from angry residents and angry
veterans showing up on motorcycles at a committee meeting. For
each charge, Stokes faces a maximum punishment of one year in
prison, one year of supervised release, and a $100,000 fine,
federal prosecutors said. Sentencing has been scheduled for
May 15 in US District Court.
|
| Stone, Neil E.
Deceased |
06/2005 |
. |
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:iqX9J2lFzFwJ:www.bcstandard.com/News/2003/0820/Obituaries/
031.html+obituaries+medal+of+honor&hl=en
Mr. Neil Edward "Dick" Stone, age 81, passed away on
Wednesday, August 13, 2003, at his residence in Olustee, Florida. Mr.
Stone was a native of Olustee, but had lived in Jacksonville Beach for
43 years. He was the son of the late Ralph Edward Stone and Cora Bell
Lanier Stone. He was a highly decorated veteran of W.W.II, serving with
the Army Air Corp, and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross as well as
the Medal of Honor for his exemplary
service, achieving the rank of Tsgt. Mr. Stone had worked for Western
Electric Company in Jacksonville, Lucent Technology, and Bell South,
acting in a supervisory capacity. Memberships include American Legion
Post 129, Jacksonville Beach, and V.F.W. also in Jacksonville Beach. He
was an avid hunter and belonged to the Cracker Boy Hunt Club and the
Macclenny Hunt Club for many years as well as the N.R.A. and the Loyal
Order of the Moose Club. ... Funeral services were conducted on
Saturday, August 16, 2003, at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Guerry Funeral
Home, 420 East Macclenny Avenue, Macclenny, Florida. Leading the
services were Tommy Johns of Macclenny, Florida with Calvin Campbell
assisting in eulogizing Mr. Stone. There were Military Honors by the
U.S. Air Force Honor
Guard and an Honors Ceremony by the V.F.W. at graveside at Swift Creek
Cemetery. The family received friends at the funeral home on Friday,
August 14, 2003, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Floral tributes were accepted or
donations made in Neil’s name to either the N.R.A. or The American
Wild Life Foundation. |
| Storm. Alvin A.
|
. |
. |
- official AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE with
everlasting gratitude of the Republic of Korea.
- professes to have been wounded during
the Battle of K-mag Korea on July 6, 1950
- Claiming ex-POW, displaying POW license
plate.
- Claiming interred Oct., 31, 1950 and
Liberated Feb. 20, 1951
- Claims he has a CMOH in his possession
that he tells as being a gift from his daughter who bought it in a
Pawn Brokers shop.
- IS noted as a past member of the American
Ex-POWs, now DECEASED..
- IS a member of American Legion Post 82
in Nashville, Tenn |
Alvin
Storm is not listed as a Korean POW on the official listing or any
of those others put out by services and organizations. I suspected
this immediately I saw the capture and recovery dates because that
would have meant a before hostilities ended recovery. I have never
heard of an escape from captivity that got anyone back to friendly
control, but I do know that 10 evaded and avoided capture. Both of
you take care and I hope to run into you somewhere soon,
Claude (former membership chairman, American Ex-POWs)
I don't have anything on him.
Pate (Korean War Ex-POWs)
|
| Strickland, Jessie Frank |
. |
. |
Claims Medal of Honor. highlighted in the
Cleveland Advocate, 12/11/2001..."President Harry Truman
awarded Strickland the Purple Heart and the Congressional Medal of
Honor...." |
. |
Strider,
Mickey
aka Strider, Mickey Ray
aka Burger, Mickey |
05/2005
02/2007 |
. |
The
individual claims to have been an Army Ranger. Claims to
have operated in
South America
, and claims to have been awarded a purple heart. This individual
has been selling knives to our troops and has been in dozens of
magazines for more than 8 years. He is very popular and now has a
deal with Buck knives. No matter who you talk to it never adds up.
I am looking to confirm military service, type of discharge, MOS held,
and confirmation if he was in fact a Ranger.
Says
he was a Ranger held the rank of E5 when discharged.
Claims
to have been personally awarded a purple heart by the head of the CIA
President
of Strider Knives
Possible
years of service 1985 thru 1992
Has
been published in numerous magazine articles
Currently
has a deal with BUCK Knives making Strider/Buck folders and fixed blades
Sells
to military personnel at the SHOT show in
Las Vegas
every year
Web
site to the business www.striderknives.com
|
I have been both a witness
to, and an adversely affected victim of the fraud perpetrated by
Mick Strider et al.
|