Dec 67

[splummer]

This is the first I heard of engineer AIT. He told us he was an RTO for a whole year. As far as being airborn qualified he wasn't on this site but that was a few months back and by now he sure could be.
I never flew in those mini C-130's. I always took the full size model.
Steve

[ussfa344]

Originally Posted by splummer

This is the first I heard of engineer AIT. He told us he was an RTO for a whole year. As far as being airborn qualified he wasn't on this site but that was a few months back and by now he sure could be.
I never flew in those mini C-130's. I always took the full size model.
Steve

Steve,

The following quote is from wannabee Ron's PDF file that he sent out to "prove" is bona fides.

"I reported to Fort Lenardwood Missouri for AIT (Advanced Individual Training. The training I signed up for.
We would drive bull dozers, front end loaders, Graders, scrapers, and cranes, then we would take apart a big engine and put it back together. We did this for another 8 weeks.
The day of our graduation we were treated to a party of sort and then went to bed. At around 2-3pm in the morning our Sgt came in and woke us up. We had 10 minits to be outside with everything we owned. No letters or phone calls home. Just get on that truck.
We boarded a C-130 (airplane) at around 2:30 in the morning headed for the Dominican Republic. I had just been assigned to the 82 Airborne, While enroute to Dominican Republic Some guy told us that Won Bosh, a rebel leader had just taken over the town of Santo Domingo, We were going to retake the airport and link up with a Marine unit that were landing on 'Red Beach' as we speak. At that point he commenced to hand out M-14s

and ammo. ????"

I haven't read through enough to find anything about an RTO or commo man. But clearly the guy is full of it. Also, just so you know, Juan Bosch was never a factor again after the initial US push, April through August of 1965: a time when I hero Ron was still in high school. Bosch ran a lackluster presidential campaign for the July 1, 1966 elections, in which he was soundly defeated. But that certainly would not necessitate the sending of a slick-sleve engineer, or possibly truck driver, down to the Dominican Republic to help out and inmaginary force of invading Marines. Yes the Marines were down in Dom. Rep. doing what Marines did best, but that was nearly a year before Ron finished AIT, probably a freshly minted PVT E-2.

As for him being Airborne, he claims to have gone through Pathfinder school. Now I haven't checked that out yet, but I doubt that a non-airborne support type in the 82nd would have landed a slot for that program. Just my opinion: maybe Paco and some of the other Airborne troops here can answer that. Also, his PDF file shows a guy with glider patch, wings and such, and the writing below the photo "implies" that it "may" be him. A typical wannabee ploy: plausable deniability.

Robert

[Randy C.]

At that point he commenced to hand out M-14sand ammo. ????"

I can say this for sure. I was in the 82nd for Dom Rep and we were issued M 16's months before we went down there. There were no M 14's in the 82nd in May of 65 for the Dom Rep.

[ussfa344]

Guys,
I just read six PDF files from wannabee Ron. Disgusting!
I wasn’t in the Army very long, and only held three MOSs: 82C2P (Artillery Surveying), 12B4S (SF Combat Engineer) and 11F4S (SF Operations and Intelligence). Accordingly my knowledge is limited. I am sure that each of you with your different backgrounds and experiences would find your own holes in Ron's stories. But based on my limited background and in addition to his "war stories” BS, I found the following by reading what he wrote: fficeffice" />>>
1. Dropped out of high school in September of 1965, just prior to his 18^th birthday. Probably true, note his grammar, spelling and faulty command of history.
2. Enlisted in Chicago on November 5, 1969, a Friday.
3. Took a train to Fort Knox, KY. He would have arrived there that weekend.
4. The week of 7 through 12 November would have been doing medical and dental exams, shots, initial clothing issue and such. The 11^th was Veterans Day or Armistice Day as it used to be called.
5. Basic Training would have then started on November 15^th at the earliest.
6. Claims eight weeks of Basic training. The earliest he could have completed Basic would have been January 7, 1966. Keep in mind during those eight weeks of Basic were Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Years Day. All were legal holidays so more likely Basic would have been extended through Friday, January 14, 1966.>>
7. Two weeks leave after Basic, so the earliest that he could have started AIT was January 31, 1966.>>
8. Eight weeks “Heavy equipment operation and maintenance” AIT, so the earliest he could have graduated AIT was March 25, 1966.
9. Awakened by his sergeant on the morning of March 26, 1965 to go help out some attacking Marines, landing at “Red Beach” in the Dominican Republic. Except the US major involvement in the Dominican Republic took started on April 28, 1965.
10. Claimed that “Won Bosh” (real spelling was Juan Bosch) had taken over Santo Domingo. Juan Bosch served as President of the Dominican Republic from February 27, 1963 until his ouster from office via a coup on September 23, 1963. COL Francisco Caamaño overthrew that government on April 24, 1965. The US sent forces there on April 28, 1965 to restore order, or whatever your politics may tell you what the reason was for our presence. An interim government was formed and Presidential elections were then scheduled for July 1, 1966; an election for which Bosch only halfhearted campaigned because he feared for his safety. He was not involved in rebel activities at the time Ron claims to have been involved. After August 31, 1966 the Brazilian peace keepers took over and there was an appropriate reduction of US presence and forces in the country.>>
11. If Ron wet to the Dominican Republic because Bosch had taken over Santo Domingo, he did so during that seven month period in 1963. Maybe Ron went as a Boy Scout. I don’t believe that they had time machines back then, other than in science fiction stories or cartoons.
12. Ron’s story implies that he went on to see action in the Dominican Republic for the next six to eight months, telling war stories and such.
13. One of Ron’s stories is, “while on guard duty a guy came from a tree line and pointed a gun at me. I fired and he went down. The Sgt and about 20 guys came and went to wear the guy was. I was relived from guard duty. I never seen the guy, but they tell me he was dead.”
14. From his own story he could not have been there prior to March26, 1966, long after hostilities had been greatly reduced there. Maybe Randy C., or others on this forum who were there at that time, can enlighten us on that point.
15. Ron claimed to be there for six to eight months, which would have had him there after the majority of all troops were returned to the US.
16. Ron wrote, and pardon the spelling, it is a cut and paste from his document: “I came back to the States on the Navy ship USS Hermitage, Were we drove from North Carolina in a convoy to Fort Benning. I was at Benning for a short period when I met Col. Hampton Rollin, (The Guy that sent the map of VN to my mother) . Col. Rollin got me into Pathfinder school (I had the patch on the dress uniform that I had on when I came home (Blue patch that said “fallow Me”) .”>>
17. The above garbage is not even worthy of a comment. It is accompanied by the US Army Infantry Center and School patch, along with a US Army Pathfinder badge. Why would someone returning from the Dominican Republic have on the Infantry School patch? And why can’t he spell “Follow Me” when it is written on the patch?
18. After a minimum of six months in Dom. Rep. and a boat ride home it would now be at least October of 1966. Two months after the bulk of US troops had returned to the states.
19. Completion of Pathfinder School would have been by the end of October or later, depending on how long he was in Dom. Rep. It could have been as late as the end of the year according to his story.
20. A week later he had orders for Viet Nam, preceded by a 30 day leave. That would have had him in Viet Nam by December of 1965 or February 1967 at the latest. That is unless he is lying.>>
21. Assigned to 1st Battalion 35th infantry, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.>>
22. Ron wrote: “I stepped out of the 727 at Cam Rhan Bay VN and was greeted with that warm wet air of a tropical climate.”>>
23. Boeing 727s were short distance commercial airliners at the time and the stretch version was not even introduced until six months to a year after Ron was to have gone to Viet Nam. I do not believe that the aircraft was even certified by the FAA for trans-pacific flights -- ever. It is a three engine aircraft and at that time planes had to have four engines to be certified for those flights. I guess he could have taken a milk run, hopping from island to island.>>
24. Suddenly Ron claims to have an infantry MOS, but does not adequately explain how he went from engineer to infantry.>>
25. Ron has a picture purported to be of him taken at Cam Ranh Bay on June 19, 1967. He is wearing infantry braid over his right shoulder (sorry, I can’t remember what that is called) and some other chord over his left shoulder. He also has a glider patch on his garrison cap and parachute badge. Never in his story did he mention Jump School. He appears to be an SP4.>>
26. Became an RTO two weeks after he got to his unit.>>
27. Ron wrote:” ps. VN was not actually my first time shooting my gun in anger, (Dominican Republic) But that wasn't the same. We kinda all stood and fired at a building sort of, that a "rebel" was hold up in?”>>
28. Woops, what about the guy he claimed to kill while on guard duty in Dom. Rep.? A simple wannabee oversight, but real deal guys don’t forget such things.>>
29. He has an entry for February 20, 1968. Suddenly he learns how to spell and form a proper sentence. Cut and paste no doubt as Superscout pointed out in one of the posts in this thread.>>
30. March of 1968: he forgets how spell again. Hmmm…>>
31. May of 1968, eleven months into his tour of duty he gets R & R. I guess the war needed him too much to allow and earlier R & R.>>
32. June 18, 1968 he caught a 727 headed for the states. Hmmm, at least the stretch model was out by then. They just weren’t making trans-Pacific flights because it only ever had three engines.>>
> >
> >
Maybe some of my assumptions are wrong. And certainly a more thorough examination will find more discrepancies. Either way, this guy makes me sick.>>
> >
Robert

[splummer]

If they sent any engineers with the 82nd AB to The DM wouldn't they have come from the 5th support Brigade at FT Bragg? The 4th Div in 67 to 68 was in the central highlands and I think the farthest north was Chu Lie. {I was kind of in the Danang to Dong Ha area, convoys.} I wouldn't have ever suspected him except he talked about being in Hue during Tet68, Phu Bie, RT-9 and etc. Places I had been too and knew the 4th ID wasn't. I was right, now it sounds like is suddenly airborn.

[Randy C.]

For what it is worth my references show the 1/35th Inf arriving in Vietnam 17 Jan 66. Also at the time I thought all replacements arrived through Camp Alpha in Saigon. The 82nd began deployment to the DOM Rep in May 65. I was in the 2/505th and back at Fort Bragg by that summer. I know some units stayed in the Dom Rep longer. Having been bumped off a couple of levies for the 1st Cav, I re-enlisted for Vietnam that summer, I was naive and thought I would miss the Vietnam War. That was around Aug 65 and that I'm sure of. As for Engineers I'm sure at the time the 82nd had its own organic Eng Bn. I sort of remember it was the 307th Eng Bn. Maybe they did not have heavy equipment. As for Pathfinder School for him, well highly highly unlikely unless he was an Inf NCO or assigned to a Pathfinder Det in the 82nd. Damn that was 44 years ago.

[ussfa344]

Originally Posted by splummer

If they sent any engineers with the 82nd AB to The DM wouldn't they have come from the 5th support Brigade at FT Bragg? The 4th Div in 67 to 68 was in the central highlands and I think the farthest north was Chu Lie. {I was kind of in the Danang to Dong Ha area, convoys.} I wouldn't have ever suspected him except he talked about being in Hue during Tet68, Phu Bie, RT-9 and etc. Places I had been too and knew the 4th ID wasn't. I was right, now it sounds like is suddenly airborn.

Guys,

That is the downfall of all wannabees. Eventually they try to wolf their stories to guys that were in the AO or in the same unit. Ron had all sorts of "war stories" throughout the documents that I read from him, but as I was not in the Dominican Republic, I Corps, II Corps, the 82nd ABN, the 25th IINF or the 4th INF, all I could see were the inconsistencies to his story. I leave it up to you been there, done that guys to point out the rest of his BS.

I am glad Ron is not longer on this site. I am sure that David would eventually have to suspend me for repeatedly calling el toro pooh-pooh on Ron's stories.

Robert

[ussfa344]

Guys,

First off, I am sorry that I do not know how to upload pictures, but I am attempting it with this message. If the photo doesn’t show up, send me a PM and I will send you a copy of the photo B/C.

The accompanying photo is of Ron supposedly at Cam Ranh Bay Viet Nam on June 19, 1967. I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of the photo other than he sent it as proof that he is not a wannabee. Fine!

Those of you that were Airborne, or even knew folks that were Airborne, as well as those of you that were Infantry, will notice the traditional accoutrements: jump wings with backing, glider patch, Infantry braid and Infantry backing to his brass. I can’t see it well enough to be certain, but he does appear to be wearing the Pathfinder Badge. I don't know what that other rope he is wearing is all about, but I have seen others with it over the years so I would appreciate it if one of you guys would enlighten me to its proper nomenclature.

The problem is that nowhere in his story does he mention attending the Basic Airborne Course (Jump School) or infantry AIT.

Robert

[Randy C.]

I can't make the picture come up larger. When I was a PVT in the 82nd, in addition to the Inf blue cord, if Inf, the whole Div wore a Belgium Fourtigre (sp) on the other shoulder. It was a WW2 award given to the whole Div. It was a redish color and it had a bullet type tip hanging from it. When I went back as a 1SG in the late 70's I don't really remember it. It could be what he is wearing.

[5thgrpguy]

Here is what I posted on the HC, plus Roberts anaolgy..The airborne photo has the guy wearing the French Fourtiger I believe..Ron P



39M,Wow, those were some amazing stories, but I have to tell you, I do understand why people think you are a wannabe. For now, I am not saying you were not in the Army nor am I saying you weren't in Nam, But come on,You think peolpe are going to buy that the 82nd Abn Div, would require the services of rookie leg engineer that graduated from AIT the night before and needed to be whisked away in the darkness to help the marines? Now, what is wrong with that picture? The 82nd went to the DR in April 65..you weren't even in the Army, the part about shooting the guys and all that stuff you wrote about the takeover, etc. happened long before you were in the Army and at the time you joined you couldn't have finished basic and AIT with holidays and leave much before March 66 , so then you say you spend 6-8 months in DR, which is it..6 or 8? Now.if it was 8 that would be two/three months after everyone went home. In the conventional Army, no one went anywhere with out orders(except maybe vietnam). I spent time in both conventional (11B)and special operations units(11F)... You see where I am going with this.Your timelines don't mesh and the part about being at Benning and Pathfinder School..pure fiction. Why would you be weaing a school patch when you were in the 82nd when you returned from DR? to whom in the 82nd were you assigned?, I notice you conviently left that out. As I recall you had to be Airborne to attend pathfinder school in the 60's(schools were tough to get, but some leg pvt gets a slot, wait, was that you with the Airborne stuff in that photo??) don't think so...Anyway, I could go on and on and pick your "tour" in Nam apart, but you, as all posers do, will deny you've been caught with your pants down.I am going to attach another post which I presume you will not read, but perhaps someone else will and realize that you are not who you say you are, but someone who has the need to feel important and embelish their service and to that end I say..SHAME ON YOU..Now that being said, I know your going to jump up and down and call me all kinds of MF's, but you left the door open and you brought it up... Most vets I know when challenged will do more than spout some thing someone wrote on a website(can you say 214?, orders?, etc.etc)..As I said in the beginning, maybe you are a Nam vet, if that is true, you might want to back up and PRINT THE REAL STORY...Have a great weekend...Here is the other Post..