Another Hero- Not!

**Shooterman** · 24th May 2010 07:25 AM

Calumet Park mayor accused of embellishing his military record - chicagotribune.com

In his campaign literature, Calumet Park Mayor Joseph DuPar touted his decorated service in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

"As a Sergeant in the military, I received the Medal of Honor with (4) Bronze Stars for my Leadership," his campaign flier states.

That claim has sparked a rancorous political fight and allegations in court papers that the south suburban mayor has invented or embellished his military record to make himself look like a hero.

Abe Wilson, who lost in last spring's election, states in response to a defamation lawsuit filed by DuPar that the mayor violated the Stolen Valor Act, a federal law signed in 2006 that made it illegal to lie about military honors. Those convicted face up to a year in jail or a fine of as much as $100,000.

DuPar's military records, which the Tribune obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration, do not list the Medal of Honor, the military's highest decoration.

My question is what rock do these people crawl from under?

**NiteGuy** · 24th May 2010 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by Shooterman

Calumet Park mayor accused of embellishing his military record - chicagotribune.com

In his campaign literature, Calumet Park Mayor Joseph DuPar touted his decorated service in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

"As a Sergeant in the military, I received the Medal of Honor with (4) Bronze Stars for my Leadership," his campaign flier states.

That claim has sparked a rancorous political fight and allegations in court papers that the south suburban mayor has invented or embellished his military record to make himself look like a hero.

Abe Wilson, who lost in last spring's election, states in response to a defamation lawsuit filed by DuPar that the mayor violated the Stolen Valor Act, a federal law signed in 2006 that made it illegal to lie about military honors. Those convicted face up to a year in jail or a fine of as much as $100,000.

DuPar's military records, which the Tribune obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration, do not list the Medal of Honor, the military's highest decoration.

My question is what rock do these people crawl from under?

Beats the hell out of me, Shooter. But each and every one of them ought to be charged under the Stolen Valor Act, and given the max. I did my time in the Air Force, all here in the States, and after Viet Nam. I'm still proud to say that I served. It's more than enough for me, and it ought to be enough for anyone else, without all the ruffles and flourishes. Unless of course, they really did earn them.

**Shooterman** · 24th May 2010 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by NiteGuy

Beats the hell out of me, Shooter. But each and every one of them ought to be charged under the Stolen Valor Act, and given the max. I did my time in the Air Force, all here in the States, and after Viet Nam. I'm still proud to say that I served. It's more than enough for me, and it ought to be enough for anyone else, without all the ruffles and flourishes. Unless of course, they really did earn them.

Agreed. I was one of the lucky ones. I was a tad young for the Korean Conflict and was getting out about the time 'Nam was really heating up. My Field First Sargent during basic training at Fort Carson was a Medal of Honor awardee that had seen service in WWII and then awarded the CMOH while serving in Korea. No doubt he earned his. He was probably the finest NCO I ever knew. He's buried at Fort Knox. I later went to Korea and met some fine soldiers that had fought there. There was no brag, no bull shit, just good guys serving their country.

**Leo** · 24th May 2010 08:58 AM

I don't understand any of it - not the Stolen Valour Act, nor people claiming military service and honours for political purposes. I come from a military family whose service to the Crown predates the Battle of Waterloo, and my dad was a very senior, and much decorated, officer in an elite Guards regiment. He had earned a DSO and Bar, the MC, and a Knighthood. But had he run for public office, none of the details of his military service would have carried any weight. If he had come across someone who had invented a past military career, his reaction would have been to laugh, and say "Silly bugger!"

I mean no disrespect to anyone serving his country, but we do not adulate our military. We reward them with honours if they discharge their duties in an outstanding and self-sacrificing manner, but we do not hold them in high regard for simply wearing the uniform, nor do we regard them as 'heroes' for simply serving in an overseas conflict. So, I am at a loss to understand (a) why someone would manufacture an illustrious record in the military, and (b) why anyone would give a toss that they do. Like you must have a pretty low self-esteem to make up that sort of thing, and surely the ridicule of your peers would be a high enough price to pay.

**Dittohead not!** · 24th May 2010 10:33 AM

Any sleazy politician who has to lie in order to get elected should be exposed and then un elected post haste, regardless of whether the lie is about military service, having fathered a child, or any other substantial issue. How can we trust the untrustworthy?

We really don't need any special laws for special lies, just an electorate who doesn't tolerate dishonesty and will elect someone else in their place.

**Charles Stover** · 24th May 2010 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Shooterman

My question is what rock do these people crawl from under?

One where the voter base gives a crap about the military history of those elected, as opposed to their political policies.
Only in America...

**pragmatic** · 24th May 2010 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Shooterman

Calumet Park mayor accused of embellishing his military record - chicagotribune.com

In his campaign literature, Calumet Park Mayor Joseph DuPar touted his decorated service in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

"As a Sergeant in the military, I received the Medal of Honor with (4) Bronze Stars for my Leadership," his campaign flier states.

That claim has sparked a rancorous political fight and allegations in court papers that the south suburban mayor has invented or embellished his military record to make himself look like a hero.

Abe Wilson, who lost in last spring's election, states in response to a defamation lawsuit filed by DuPar that the mayor violated the Stolen Valor Act, a federal law signed in 2006 that made it illegal to lie about military honors. Those convicted face up to a year in jail or a fine of as much as $100,000.

DuPar's military records, which the Tribune obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration, do not list the Medal of Honor, the military's highest decoration.

My question is what rock do these people crawl from under?

,

Read the story this morning in the Trib. Hope you folks aren't missing the best part.....Mayor DuPar has filed a defamation of character LAWSUIT against the guy who brought this to light. This guy has some chutzpa....

"DuPar's military records and his discharge paper also say he received a Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Service Stars — not Bronze Star medals, which soldiers receive for acts of bravery.

Other decorations the mayor received include the National Defense Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, records show.

Doug Sterner, a Vietnam veteran and a Stolen Valor investigator, said the awards on DuPar's discharge paper are participation medals, not medals of valor.

Bronze Service Stars are awarded to soldiers who participate in the military, and they can receive a star for each campaign, meaning a battle or length of time they're in combat, said Mary Schantag, who investigates fraudulent claims of military honors.

The spat between DuPar and Wilson began more than a year ago after Wilson, 64, a retired Marine, cast doubt on DuPar's claims of valor in his own campaign flier and in a letter to a local paper, where he questioned whether DuPar was a "war hero."

Four months after the April 2009election, in which DuPar received 63 percent of the vote, the mayor filed his defamation lawsuit against Wilson. He is seeking $50,000 in damages for suffering emotional distress, embarrassment and the loss of his reputation in Calumet Park, court records show.

"Have him prove it," DuPar told the Tribune of Wilson's allegations.

In court records, DuPar said Wilson's campaign flier was false because DuPar "did in fact earn four Bronze Stars Medals."