Marine returns home to area as a hero (Freepers uncover HOAX!)

FreeRepublic ^ | TankerKC

[TankerKC]

Yesterday, Freeper Holman alerted us to a “fishy” story about a Marine Reservist who was wounded in Afghanistan and had returned to the Dallas area. You can read the original post here. You can also read the original story here, although it is likely to be removed soon.

As you can see from the original link, several Freepers recognized that this story was probably not true and wrote emails to USMC Public Affairs and the reporter.

This morning, I got the following email form the reported at WFAA:

Tank,

Right on dude! Thanks to you and a few others we checked out his story and it was all made up including government documents and fake phone call from the Red Cross informing his wife he had been injured.

Sick, sick, sick. The boy needs help. But in the mean time we will break the story as well as his balls tonight at ten.

Brett

Once again, the power of Freepers is unleashed!

[TankerKC]

I'm amazed that the wife went along with this shyster.

It seems to me that the wife was fooled too. Which begs the question: Where was he while he was away from home. I'm sure that there is MUCH more to be told with this story.

[TwoStep]

**Mega Bump**

[Dakmar]

Great work, it is much appreciated.

[Redbob]

"We've seen another story where an Ivy League professor wrote a bestselling anti-gun book, and it turned out that nearly all his sources were fabricated."

You aren't by any chance referring to Prof. Michael Bellesiles and his almost-totally-fictional work "Arming America," are you?
Because if so, let me point out that his employer, Emory U. respected though it is, is scarcely "Ivy League."

Or is there yet another liar in academe?

[ScreamingFist]

Excellent job. Unfortunately most reporters these days have never been in service, so they wouldn't know BS when they heard it. Makes you wonder what else they get wrong, LOL. By the way, did your email go something like "This is S$&% and this is Shinola, try not to mistake the two."

[Lokibob]

bump

[Thisiswhoweare]

For him to come home, some of his higher ups must have been in on it too. They probably got tired of listening to his whining about being away from his newborn. Like the REAL HEROES are doing everyday! He does disgrace to the USMC! Time to boot him out of the reserves and the money he makes from it. My husband served in the Navy and did our country proud!

[rdb3]

If you got this message from WFAA-TV, I'm betting that "Brett" is Brett Shipp. I know him, personally. He is one standup guy.

[TankerKC]

Right, it was Brett Shipp.

[Petronski]

But in the mean time we will break the story as well as his balls...

Bwa ha ha ha ha

[donozark]

Dallas was also a bad place to pull this off. I believe BG Burkett and Glenna Whitley live their. The authors of STOLEN VALOR...

[A Navy Vet]

WELL DONE!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Stop in and help support our military, their families and Vets!
Come on by and meet some very Patriotic FReepers.
See great graphics and posts and have a few laughs along the way.
New Thread Every Day!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Finally got my ID card!!!
Start radio watch training next week.

[packrat01]

Good deal. Too late now to catch up on your sleep.

Maybe next milennium.

[KingPin]

Has anyone contacted the dealership about this fraud. Maybe an Operation Freep is in order?

[Physicist]

Let me get this straight: the guy paints himself as Sgt. York, and the press puts out a story about it on nothing more than his say-so?

[Chad Fairbanks]

I know... strange, isn't it? I'm gonna call the press right now, cuz just yesterday I was seriously wounded when I stopped a terrorist attack (before it could happen) here in my neighborhood. I musta killed about 30 of the bad guys!

Now I'm back at work and feeling fine, thanks!

Tee hee ;0)

[MinuteGal]

This reporter can go a long way to make amends if he publicly gives credit to a FreeRepublic.com tipster. Otherwise, he's schlemeil.

Leni

[2Jedismom]

Bump