Fake VN Pilot

VTBIGGUY

Got a bit of a sticky situation here fellows.

The local President of the VFW was a 20 year old helicopter crew chief RVN with a total time in service of 20 months but claims to have been a CH 47 pilot in RVN and has described his heroic experiences saving his ship and his crew in local publications. I have suspended my VFW membership and notified both the National level VFW and the local publication of his false claims. Neither have responded. Can anyone think of how this unjust claim could be handled? Having been an Army pilot for more than 20 years, now retired, the whole matter gripes my butt.

Thanks,

VTBIGGUY

dheffley

If you have the proof, go to those same "local publications" and present it to them asking them to investigate and post a retraction.

Be sure you have the proof before you do it. Most VFW's verify ones service.

VTBIGGUY

Thank you for the reply.

I do have the proof actually, the twice elected President of the local VFW is a veteran and was assigned in country as a helicopter mechanic. That is not debatable.

He states in the interview,however, that he moved up to the position of CH 47 pilot as there was a shortage of Pilots in RVN (untrue) which is about as possible as one preforming brain surgery having known a Physician who preformed the procedure. His position is preposterous as flight school alone, plus transition time into the CH 47 would have taken longer than his total time in service.

He further describes incidents in which his great flying skills saved his crew and the complete loss of his ship.

There have always been more Navy Seals then have graduated and now it appears that there are more Pilots as well.

Thanks for your input.

As a matter of record, neither the Publication or the VFW have responded to my complaint.

VTBIGGUY

MIKE WISKEY

I flew with a spec.5 huey repairman when there. Was 'hitching' a ride from long bin to siagon (great em club) when this huey picks up across the field and lands by us, pilot asks were we're going and says no problem. picks up goes across the fence and drops down 'on deck' all the way to siagon (20/30 miles). we hop out and say 'great flight SIR, he says I'm not a pilot I just fix these things. I'm not suppose to go off base[;)].

VTBIGGUY

Thanks for the reply. It would be my opinion that you caught a maint test flight which was often flown single pilot, often out of uniform, but nevertheless by a rated pilot...

Early on my stateside unit had CH 34's, huge old radial engine helicopters with an inside ladder the pilots used to climb up into the cockpit. It was great fun for the whole crew to switch flight jackets so it appeared to unsuspecting passengers that the ship was being flown by the crew chief and gunner. For additional realism we sometimes had a bag of empty beer cans that were thrown down the stairs a few at a time into the passenger compartment. The crew chief and gunner would keep us posted on everyones reaction, most especially when we overcontrolled a little just to add interest.

I have checked my photo album in this computer and found a picture of me in my out of uniform T shirt while the rest of the crew was properly dressed. If I could figure out how to send it to you I could get even for the pic of you with the biggest gun I ever saw in my life. What in the world is that thing?

If you have time to tutor me on the finer points of the xmission of Pics on this site I will forward it.

Thanks again for your reply, I'm still stewing over my original complaint but I have always heard there were more Navy Seals then ever graduated and I suppose it may that way with Pilots as well.

Clear Right!

kraschenbirn

I did two tours as a Huey crewchief with 11th Avn Gp, 1st Cav Div (10/66 - 11/68) and never ran across an enlisted type with flight authorization. Some of our TIs ("Technical Inspectors"...don't remember the MOS) were on "run-up" orders that allowed them to start engines and perform static tests but all pilots were officers...either commissioned or warrant.

So far as someone "transitioning" directly from crewchief to pilot...ain't no way!! After my second tour, I was offered a shot at flight training but would've been required to spend roughly a year at Ft. Rucker completing the primary and advanced programs for single-engine rotary wing then another three months or so to add a multi-engine rating. (And, at that time, I'd logged over a 1600 hours crew time in Hueys and already held a civilian pilot's license for single-engine fixed-wing!!)

Like a lot of crewchiefs, I got my fair share of "stick time" flying left seat with my regular aircraft commander on maintenance test hops or ferry flights but would've, undoubtedly, caught a summary court for attempting to fly solo...except in the most extreme of situations. I do, however, recall one case where a 1st Cav crewchief was decorated for cranking up and taxiing his Huey out of danger when a refueling point caught fire...but he didn't actually take off; just hovered it away then shut it down as soon as he was in the clear.

Bill

VTBIGGUY

The plot thickens... The Crew chief, who claims to have been appointed the rating of Pilot in his unit in RVN ca 1972, also claims to have been awarded a Bronze Star for flying a Chinook out of a shoot down where both pilots were killed. (I was a dual rated Aviator but did not transition into CH-47s and I don't think I could have flown one of those things out of an emergency like that) Quick research seems to indicate that that award is specifically not appropriate to flight crews. He also wears a CIB on his uniform for official functions. Most would immediately recognize that flight crews would not have been awarded that honor either. He did try to explain away his claim of doing two tours in RVN with a total in service time of 21 monthis by stating that he thought a tour in RVN was 6 months and he was there a year, therefore he did two tours.

I need to stop worrying about this as I suppose there all all kinds of fakes and wannabes around.

Thanks for listening.

Jim

Smoky14

I visited my local VFW to see if I wanted to join. Too many wanna be's for me.
Sounds like you have a similiar sit.[xx(]
Smoky

Henry0Reilly

You've missed a step in the VFW chain of command.

Try contacting:

Department of Vermont VFW
58 South Main Street
Randolph, VT 05060

btw are you sure the guy is the president? Here in Indiana the person in charge is referred to as "Commander"

VTBIGGUY

Thanks for the heads' up. You are correct, the Faker was the Commander, not the President. I now find that he has been replaced but I do not know for what reason, it could have been as simple as his term of office had expired.

Also thanks for the address re: chain of command. I did speak with the Commander, State of Vermont who indicated she spoke with the fellow who indicated to her that he had MOST of his records which would substantiate his claims. He also indicated that the newspaper publisher embellished the article causing him great embarrassment, a claim heartily denied by the publisher. I suggested to the State of Vermont Commander that she request that he forward copies of his records to her to verify his story. She indicated his claim of serving two tours was based on his belief that a tour consisted of six months and as he had been in country for one year he concluded that he had served two tours. The guy is pathological.

Quite frankly, I believe the VFW hopes the whole matter will go away so I am unsure as to how much help I can receive from that quarter.

Thanks for your time,

Jim

bobski

if its not on his dd214, it can be forged documentation.
time to call for a squadron reunion and get some eye witnesses to prove or disprove.

VTBIGGUY

Thanks for the reply...I now have some folks working on confirming the DD 214 information, which without any doubt will show that his copy of the 214 with the inappropriate decorations, et al, if a forgery. I estimate that we are still a few weeks away from that point as key people are away from their desks for some R and R so for the time being am in a holding pattern.

I appreciate your input and your time,

Thank you,

Jim

gogojoe

Go to the following web site. They deal with these "pilots, SEALs, etc. al the time. They may even be able to help you get to the bottom of the thing once and for all. Hope it helps,
Joe
http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies36.htm

Da-Tank

Get your proof and then call the guy out in frount of everybody durring the next meeting. If your right the fight will be on but I think this dude will be out numbered. Goodluck.

VTBIGGUY

Great news...Some outstanding people at pownetwork.org (P.O.W. Network), Chuck and Mary Schantag (Chuck is a Marine Vet) took the ball and ran with it. They soon disproved the Fake Vietnam Pilot's story by providing his service records, what a score! As it turned out the guy was not a Pilot, he did not serve two tours in RVN, and he was not awarded the Bronze Star Medal, among other things. I am preparing a package to forward to the Commander of the VFW, State of Vermont and will copy the faker. That should be interesting. Do yourself a favor and check out pownetwork.org, you will not believe the fakers these people and others have uncovered. You may also read the complete story on the faker I discovered, scroll down to BEAUSCHENE, DENNIS and read the story. All's well that ends well. As soon as more information regarding the fakers' response is available I will post it. Thanks very much for listening. A crisp salute and firm handshake to all, most especially Chuck and Mary.

Jim
Pilot, 64-65 RVN

gogojoe

I knew this would work!
I'm just trying to make my bones as a new guy here.

VTBIGGUY

My apologies to GOGOJO who first suggested the POW network to me. I knew as soon as I sent the last post that I had dropped the ball on people high on the list of persons to thank for their help. Crisp salute and firm handshake to GOGOJO...looked up your BIO...Fly safe.

Jim

gogojoe

Thanks Jim.
Before I moved down here (17 years ago), I was also a Vermonter.
Lived in Milton, just north of Burlington. I just got out of the active duty Navy back then and looked for a cool place to live. I guess it was too friggin' cold.
Joe

Old Gunny

VFW and service "wannabees"- Our Post had a case where an Desert Storm 3rd. Air Cav Sgt. claimed he was awarded the CMH- talk about having big brass cojones- that's even easily to verify as a falsehood then the claim of being awarded the Purple Heart. Too many Gomer Pyles have watched the Tom Hanks movie "Forrest Gump" and believed that was Vietnam- best moviecame line from my tour USMC 13 months. NCO 2112 MOS (plus basic grunt 0311)comes from "Full Metal Jacket" where some 1st. Louie tells the snuffies "It's a giant poop sandwich and we all gotta take a bite"> I blame Hollywood for some of the wannabee crap, some fake sense of being a bar-room hero I guess, all wars are full of dust, mud, blood, and your friends in body bags- but don't see that- wannabees are like whale poop..