Possible fake Naval aviator.

[Wanabe Jarhead]

I met an individual who is claiming to be a WWII Naval aviator and I was hopefull that someone on this board could help me in verifying his story. Normally, I would accept such things on blind faith, however, this individual told some very tall tales. Please PM me if you have acess to this information so that I can give you his name in secrecy until his claim can be verified or denied.

 

[Lonestar155]

Even if he was not a Naval Aviator I wouldnt call him out on it. Besides anyone at that age may have some sort of disorder by now. Let the ol timer have his glory even if he didnt fly. If it was someone claiming they fly F-18's now and they were BSing then I would call them out.
Sorry I couldnt help though. Hey I see you work at Costco. So did I and I hated it! haha

 

[RHPF]

Even if he was not a Naval Aviator I wouldnt call him out on it. Besides anyone at that age may have some sort of disorder by now. Let the ol timer have his glory even if he didnt fly. If it was someone claiming they fly F-18's now and they were BSing then I would call them out.

Agreed. At that age just let it go.

 

[boobcheese]

Yeah I met an old guy at the commissary yesterday that swore he remembered me "from our time over-seas". I just smiled politely and played along. Now I don't know if it was dimensia or just a lonely old man trying to strike up conversation but there was certainly nothing to be gained by not playing along with the gentleman.

 

[Schnugg]

I met an individual who is claiming to be a WWII Naval aviator and I was hopefull that someone on this board could help me in verifying his story. Normally, I would accept such things on blind faith, however, this individual told some very tall tales. Please PM me if you have acess to this information so that I can give you his name in secrecy until his claim can be verified or denied.

Does he claim to be a general or admiral?

 

[Tex_Hill]

If you know information like his last name & DOB then you can search for his enlistment records here: http://aad.archives.gov/aad/series-list.jsp?cat=WR26

Armed with that, you can contact the NPRC in St. Louis & request a copy of his DD214 since Navy records were not included in those destoyed in the 1973 fire.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_National_Archives_Fire

Age has nothing to do with exposing impostors. Some of these guys make a decent living from telling their stories. Case in point: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3901/is_199809/ai_n8811403

http://www.doorknob52.com/

 

[Wanabe Jarhead]

He claims to be a Commander in the Navy, yet he says he was only in for like 5 1/2 years. He also claims he was retired. He says he was on the U.S.S. Enterprise. He wears around the silver oak leaf and naval aviator wings on a ball cap that says U.S.S. Enterprise everywhere. He claims he turned down the congressional medal of honor because of America's lack of support at the time for the formation of Israel. The guy has a business card he hands out and everything. He claims to lecture at the local air port and lecture to children at the Christian High school. I don't know if I should look into it more, or just let an old man hold his head high.

He said he was having a get together on 10 November. I told him lots of millitary folks would be having a get together that day and he didn't seem to catch the refrence to the Marine Corps ball.

The man claims to be 83. I don't know if he has dementia, is lonely, or what. Sounds like a real long shot that he is the real deal.

By the way, I met him at Costco. Costco does pretty much suck. My boss micro manages the heck out of everything but I digress...

 

[Fly Navy]

That'd be the most elaborate dementia I've heard of...

 

[HAL Pilot]

He claims to be a Commander in the Navy, yet he says he was only in for like 5 1/2 years. He also claims he was retired. He says he was on the U.S.S. Enterprise. He wears around the silver oak leaf and naval aviator wings on a ball cap that says U.S.S. Enterprise everywhere.

This is believable. There were a lot of guys that promoted really quick in WW2. There were pilots that were nugget Ensigns at the start and ended up as CAGs by the time it was all over. Sometimes promotions came because they were good and sometimes promotions came because they were one of the few survivors when a unit was reformed after heavy loses. It is also quite possible he was medically retired after WW2.

He claims he turned down the congressional medal of honor because of America's lack of support at the time for the formation of Israel.

This is probably BS. But at least he isn't falsely claiming he is a winner of the CMOH.

He said he was having a get together on 10 November. I told him lots of military folks would be having a get together that day and he didn't seem to catch the reference to the Marine Corps ball.

He said he was in the Navy, not the Marines. I was Navy. I don't have a clue when the Marine Corps ball is. To me, November 10 is the day before Veteran's Day.

I don't know if I should look into it more, or just let an old man hold his head high.

You need to let this go. What even gives you the right to "look into it more"?

He's an old guy and a WW2 vet. He isn't hurting you or anyone else. It doesn't sound like he is making false claims to benefit himself financially or politically. He's an old guy looking back over half a century ago. He probably did serve in the Navy, he probably was a pilot and he might be embelishing it a little. So what - just thank him for his service and let him enjoy life.

Don't be a prick.

 

[Cobra Commander]

I think HAL said it all.

 

[Lonestar155]

Hal you hit the nail on the head. 83 or not let the guy be. There shouldnt be anything else to say after that post by HAL.

 

[Fly Navy]

This, for some reason, reminds me of an imposter I ran into when I was a deck-hand on a commuter boat service in Boston over one summer in college. Guy, about mid 30's, also working as a deckhand, claimed to be a retired O-4 who served on the battleships and talked about how awesome the power was when all the huge diesel engines driving the ship were powered up... that was a good one.

 

[snake020]

This reminds me of the bums on the street in their late 20s with the "I'm a disabled Vietnam vet please give me money" signs (even though this guy would be the right age and isn't trying to get money)

 

[goosegagnon2]

What even gives you the right to "look into it more"?

Not to be a one-up-er, but what if the guy is lying? and what would the rest of the guys who did serve during his "time" think about it? I wouldn't be too happy..

 

[bunk22]

There's a good book out there called "ACE"......about a Marine pilot (Major Bruce Porter) in WWII who obviously scoress five victories. He scores 3 in Corsairs and a double night vicotry in an F65N Hellcat night fighter. Really good book by the way. Anyway, he joined in 1941 and by 1945, was the Commnanding Officer of his night figher hellcat squadron (VMFN-541 I think). This was at the ripe old age of 24 by the way. So to back up Hal, I think it's possible to have been an O-5 in 5-6 years during the war.