Dominic DeGrado

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20071030_Booby-traps__scorpion_bites__heroism___more.html

Posted on Tue, Oct. 30, 2007

Booby-traps, scorpion bites, heroism & more

Veterans recall their experiences - both good and bad - from their days in Vietnam

Recently, the Daily News asked its readers to submit their own stories of wartime. The contest was in conjunction with the Ken Burns film "The War," about World War II, which aired in Philadelphia on WHYY TV12.

We received several letters in that contest about Vietnam experiences. Here are a few of those personal accounts.

My name is Dominic DeGrado, I served in Vietnam with Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Calvary Regiment.

.......Myself and the other two men were taken POW to a camp with our hands tied behind our backs and blindfolded. We were placed in a bamboo hooch.

But a girl was there who had sold us soda from her scooter sometime before. She remembered one of the men, and lo and behold after two days being asked a lot of questions, on the second night she let us out - and to never see her again.....

This will be something that will stay with me for the rest of my life, and to all POWs and MIAs, now I know what it is like to be in captivity, even for only two days.....

- Dominic DeGrado

Don't see his name on the official USG list of POWs or MIAs, some held for less time than he claims.

Dear Mr. Donahue...Please pass this note on to: Letters to the Editor. My

telephone is: 719-488-0962 and my mailing address is: 19010 White Fawn

Drive, Monument, Colorado 80132 if any of your reporters or editors wish to

discuss this issue. There is a nation-wide epidemic of wannabes who want

to be POWs. They, and Mr. DeGrado, will be found listed at:

http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies.htm

Your reporters can check the accuracy of my information by calling the

Department of Defense directly. Mr. Larry Greer, PAO for DPMO is info

copied on this message. He is awaiting your call at: 703-699-1169, during

normal Washington, DC working hours.

Thanks, Mike McGrath

-------------------

Dear Editor:

In your City and Local section, 30 October 2007, a fraudulent story is being

perpetuated by Mr. Dominic DeGrado who claims that he and others were

captured during the Vietnam War. No man by the name of DeGrado was

ever held with us, the authentic 661 surviving POWs of the Vietnam War,

nor is he known by Department of Defense in this regard. DoD has no

record of three men being captured and released. The official DoD list of

all 3,797 MIAs (to include the POWs) is on their web site at:

http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/pmsea/files.htm Mr. DeGrado is not listed. He is

a wannabe. Ask him for the names of the other two men he says were

released. He will feign memory loss.

Captain John M. McGrath, USN (Ret)

5 years 8 months POW in NVN

Monument, Colorado