The AFTERMATH 09/15/01

THE RIGHT STUFF - TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

NETWORK NOTE: The purpose of posting not only the the below email, but the original stories, is EDUCATION.

Most times, when confronted, reporters feel sympathy for the "wannabe". They don't want to "ruin their life" with a public retraction, or condemnation of the lies EVEN WHEN PROOF IS GIVEN of the lies. Each time a phony is left "unexposed", it cheapens the value of every TRUE hero, and cheapens the sacrifice that every veteran makes. The PHONY has ruined his own life with his lies. The phony MUST face the consequence of his actions.

When the AIR FORCE NEWS and the Fairbanks NEWS-MINER received word from several sources that the man in the story was NEVER a Prisoner of War, and the tale he told had several factual/historical errors, they reacted like we could only hope every journalist would who had been "taken in" by a false hero. Sadly, many of their comments/promises about follow-up stories, comments and interviews never came to pass.

Additionally, the staff at the Fairbanks, Alaska News-miner was quick to start an investigation and print the update and her eventual findings in the stories below. We appreciate Ms. Ipsen's work and willingness to get to the truth!

Our thanks also to the Stars and Stripes Managing Editor Ed Offley; The USAF NEWS staff that truly did work to uncover the truth; and Capt Mike McGrath, USN (Ret) and his fellow POWs that kept us all on this story - start to finish. THEY "Returned with Honor" and serve that way still.

[edited]

Subject: (Fwd) Re: Jim Spohn story
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 18:22:35 -0600
From: "Mike McGrath" <mmcgrath@iex.net>
To: info@pownetwork.org

Wow!!!

Mike

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:                   "Jensen, Robert R, GS-14"
To:                     "'mmcgrath@iex.net'" <mmcgrath@iex.net>
Copies to:         [12 adddresses clipped]
Subject:                Re: Jim Spohn story
Date sent:              Fri, 22 Sep 2000 10:48:54 -0500

Capt McGrath:

Let me introduce myself. Bob Jensen, chief of news operations for the Air Force News Service.

Thank you for working with MSgt Dave Nolan on the recent article sent to us from Eielson AFB regarding Mr. Jim Spohn. When I saw the story originally I thought it was a fairly "heroic" tale and one that might be good to use online for POW/MIA Day. My Air Force Print News editors followed my recommendations and put it up online last Friday. I've since learned a tremendous lesson.

Coming back from a short two-day TDY to Ft Dix and McGuire AFB, NJ, I picked up a copy of Brill's Content magazine (about the media) in the airport and read an article entitle "Lies and More Lies" by Mark Bowden about phony POWs, false service claims and B.G. Burkett, the Dallas stockbroker who wrote "Stolen Valor" and like you, was working to expose the lies. [emphasis added] You can imagine what instantly came to mind when I read this.

Back at work yesterday I was informed that Dave had brought up his suspicions with CMSgt Gary Emery, our IMA standing in for two weeks as the chief of print news. Chief Emery had already begun the phone calls to research the situation.

Your email to MSgt Shock at Eielson (and cc'd to MSgt Nolan) has been forwarded to me as well.

Here's what we're doing to correct this situation:

1. I've had the story pulled down off the news page of Air Force Link.

2. I'm having TSgt Mark Kinkade, our Air Force Newspaper Consultant send a message to all of the major command newspaper consultants about the situation and to let every Air Force base newspaper editor know to purge the story from their morgues and story files.

3. I will alert our liaison at the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs, Colonel Linda Leong (chief of the internal information division, SAF/PAI) of the situation.

4. We will include information on verifying claims of POW status and "heroic" wartime deeds online on: PALink, the Air Force Public Affairs resource website; PA Forum, the Air Force Public Affairs 'bulletin board'; and in Internal Talk, our monthly electronic newsletter to Air Force newspaper editors.

5. We will produce a story on phony POWs and false claims for inclusion in Air Force Print News. I'd like to request your support for this article through a telephone interview. If that works for you let me
know. I certainly would appreciate it.

6. I've given a copy of the Content story and information included on the POW Network website on phony to all of my news product chiefs.

Additionally, I've called the Eielson AFB PA office and spoke with Major Valerie Trefts. She is fully aware of the situation and has been working a complete review and reporting action. She has briefed the entire Pacific Air Forces PA community via teleconference, contacted the DPMO Office, and has spoken with Capt Don Lewis, the author of the article. Capt Lewis contacted Mr. Spohn (as you recommended in your email) who claims to have documentation. Mr. Spohn is on annual leave until Monday. They will review the documentation on Monday and if (as we suspect) the documentation is
not valid I've advised them to run a retraction of the story in their base newspaper.

Major Trefts said she will call me Monday with the status of the situation.

That's the situation as it stands now. Just wanted to touch base with you and let you know what we're doing. This is actually a good opportunity for us to learn from the situation and help educate the public on the phonies as well.

Thanks again for your help.

Sincerely,

Bob
ROBERT R. JENSEN
Chief of News Operations
Air Force News Service

------- End of forwarded message -------

Subject: Air Force Print News for Jan. 27, 2001
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 15:48:13 -0600
From: "82. USAFnews" <usafnews@AFNEWS.AF.MIL>
To: USAFONLINENEWS@AFPRODUCTS.EASE.LSOFT.COM

Welcome to today's U.S. Air Force ONLINE NEWS.

Today's stories include:

0113. Prisoner-of-war claims unsubstantiated
-- http://www.af.mil/news/Jan2001/n20010126_0113.shtml

WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- On Sept. 15, Online News ran an article about Jim Spohn and his experience as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam Conflict. Spohn is a retired Air Force noncommissioned officer who currently works as a civil servant at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

After the validity of the story was questioned, the story was pulled from the Web site and base newspaper editors were told not to run the story until the story could be validated. A records review has turned up no evidence to support Spohn's prisoner-of-war status.

Spohn's name does not appear on the list of prisoners of war or those missing in action maintained by the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office in Washington. Only those individuals on this list are officially recognized by the Department of Defense as having been a POW/MIA. The list is available online at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/.

A review of Spohn's personnel and medical records produced no documentation placing him in Vietnam during the time of his alleged captivity -- December 1965 to February 1966. There is also no entry for him being awarded the Purple Heart, though he was awarded, among other decorations, the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze service stars, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Spohn has maintained his story is true and has fully cooperated with the search. He is a career military man whose records indicate honorable service in the U.S. Army and Air Force from 1965 to 1989.

The Following appeared on page 4 of the Jan 26, 2001 Goldpanner

RECORDS REVIEW--NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT POW/MIA STATUS CLAIM

Commentary by Capt. Don Lewis
345th Support Group executive officer

        The Sept 15 edition of the Goldpanner contained a feature I wrote abut Jim Spohn and his experience as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam war. Shortly after this story appeared, several individuals contacted the 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office and myself to question the validity of Spohn's Claims.

        It was brought to our attention that Spohn's name does not appear on the list of POW/MIAs maintained by the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office in Washington D.C. Only those individuals on this list are officially recognized by the Department of Defense as having been a POW/MIA. http//:www.dtic.mil/dpmo/

        Spohn has maintained his story is true and has authorized acces to any of his records that may contain information to substantiate his POW status.

        After requesting, receiving and reviewing both Spohn's personnel and medical records there was no documentation placing him in Vietnam during the time of his alleged captivity, Dec. 1965-Feb. 1966.

        There is also no entry for him being awarded the Purple Heart, though he was awarded---among other decorations -- the Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

        Spohn is a career military man whose records indicate honorable service in the Army from 1964-1968 and Air Force from 1971-1989.

        Though he has not been able to provide any documentation or evidence to support POW status, he continues to claim his statement is true.

        However, barring any new evidence that would validate his claims, I can no longer recognize him as a prisoner of war.

END OF ARTICLE

[pic] Spohn at Work at Eielson Air Force Base

Air Force Says No Records Found to Confirm a Vietnam POW's Claim

Jan 25, 2001
Ed Offley
Editor in Chief

Four months after an Air Force civilian employee was accused of concocting a false tale of suffering as a prisoner of war in South Vietnam in 1965, officials say a careful review of his military service and medical records shows no evidence that he ever served in the war or was taken captive.

Last Sept. 16, officials at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, honored civilian employee Jim Spohn during the state's first annual POW-MIA Recognition Day. Spohn, then serving with the U.S. Army in South Korea, claimed that he was sent on a special assignment to South Vietnam but taken prisoner by the Viet Cong after an ambush that killed several other soldiers. Spohn is employed as superintendent of information management at the 354th Communications Squadron at Eielson.

But after an internal news account of Spohn's tale was posted on the Air Force news website last September, a number of veterans and POW/MIA groups challenged the provenance of Spohn's story. In particular, the Missouri-based POW Network informed Air Force officials that Spohn's name is not found on the official Pentagon "Personnel Missing in Southeast Asia" (PMSEA) roster, which both the government and POW activists agree is the comprehensive list of all personnel who were taken prisoner during the war....

Associated Press Newswires
Tuesday, January 23, 2001

Critics question record of man who claims to be Vietnam POW

FAIRBANKS (AP) - A veteran honored as a prisoner of war in Vietnam at a ceremony in September continues to claim he was a captive despite an Air Force records search that has failed to support him.

Eielson Air Force Base spokeswoman Maj. Valerie Trefts said neither medical nor military records show that veteran Jim Spohn suffered injuries that indicated he had been held captive. She also said there's no indication he received a Purple Heart, as he claims.

Spohn is superintendent of information management at the 354th Communications Squadron, a civilian job. He was honored Sept. 15 at a ceremony honoring POWs and servicemen missing in action because of his harrowing account as a POW near Cam Ranh. Spohn claims he was one of 26 U.S. servicemen to escape from the Viet Cong in 1966....

Fairbanks New Miner
January 21, 2001

Vet's POW claims can't be confirmed

By BETH IPSEN
Staff Writer

A veteran honored at a September POW/MIA ceremony at Eielson Air Force Base continues to claim he was a captive during the Vietnam War despite an Air Force records search that has failed to support him.

Eielson spokeswoman Maj. Valerie Trefts said neither medical nor military records show that veteran Jim Spohn "suffered any trauma or any physical injury that indicated that he had been held captive" conducive to his claims of mistreatment while a prisoner of war or receiving a Purple Heart.

Spohn, superintendent of information management at the 354th Communications Squadron, was honored Sept. 15 at the first Alaska POW/MIA ceremony. He was introduced as a special guest because of his harrowing account as a POW near Cam Ranh and claims he was one of 26 U.S. servicemen to escape from the Viet Cong in 1966. No one checked his claims prior to the ceremony. ...

© 2000 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Fairbanks Publishing Company, Inc.

After Public Salute, Air Force Employee's POW Tale Questioned

Oct 16, 2000
Ed Offley
Stars and Stripes Washington Bureau Chief

Four weeks ago, the Air Force publicly saluted civilian employee Jim Spohn for his suffering as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and for his heroism as one of just 26 servicemen to escape captivity. News media coverage of the POW-MIA Day ceremony created worldwide publicity for the veteran's tale.

But embarrassed Air Force officials, challenged by a POW-MIA advocacy group that has questioned the accuracy of Spohn's account, have yanked a glowing news article profiling the 55-year-old employee at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and are searching for documentation in the federal archives to verify Spohn's military service.

The controversy over Jim Spohn goes far beyond one veteran's assertion about his wartime experience, says Mary Shantag, co-founder of the non-profit POW Network, based in Skidmore, Mo. Even though the Vietnam War ended 25 years ago, she said, an endless procession of "frauds and phonies" continues to plague the Vietnam veterans community and families of POWs....

(In its October issue, the journalism review Brill's Content has published an in-depth article by investigative reporter Mark Bowden examining the issue of editors and reporters who are conned by fake veterans http://www.brillscontent.com/October2000/lies.html.)

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA NEWS-MINER newsminer.com

Article last updated:
Wednesday, September 27, 2000   8:23 AM MST

Eielson officials question man's POW claim

By BETH IPSEN
Staff Writer

Eielson Air Force Base officials are skeptical about a man's story he was a Vietnam prisoner of war, a claim he continues to defend.

Jim Spohn, a civilian employee at the 354th Communications Squadron, was honored at the first annual Alaska Prisoner of War, Missing in Action Day at the base Sept. 15. Stories about his harrowing experience as a Vietnam prisoner of war appeared in both the New-Miner and Eielson's publication, The Goldpanner.

Since then, many veterans have inundated both the News-Miner and Eielson with e-mails refuting his story because his name doesn't appear on the Department of Defense's list of POWs from the Vietnam War.

"At this point, we can't confirm his story," base spokesperson Maj. Valerie Trefts said. "When we found out he wasn't on the official DOD list we talked with Mr. Spohn and he said his story is true and his records will indicate that his story is true."...

       © 2000 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Fairbanks Publishing Company, Inc.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
NEWSMINER, Fairbanks, AK

Article last updated:
Wednesday, September 27, 2000   8:23 AM MST

Valor uncovered Sept. 18, 2000 To the editor:

Being a Vietnam era veteran with service there, I was particularly interested in Beth Ibsen's coverage of the POW/MIA ceremony at Eielson Air Force Base. However, I am perplexed in that I was unable to find the "former POW," Mr. J.S.'s,
name listed in any of the POW/MIA/escapee rolls. I looked in the Library of Congress, Department of Defense and NAM-POWs Inc. lists and in no place was his name evident. While they all recognized 750 some POW's and 35 some escapees, Mr. J.S.'s name was nowhere to be found--curious.

I do not wish to cast aspersions on the individual's credibility nor disparage his heroic story. Nevertheless, in the spirit of Beth's closing comment, his "story awaits closure." I submit that your good services should be used to accord Mr. J.S. the recognition that he deserves.

Thank you,

B. David Spell
CPO-USN ('62-'72)
Fairbanks

The ORIGINAL Stories