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!

[A Navy Vet]

Yeah, I saw on another thread, congrats. You already took the oath so I figured you were in. Get your uniforms yet?

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Get your uniforms yet?"

I'll pick them up Monday, had to have the ID card to get them 1st. LOL
But actually I am glad to see security in place, especially in this day and age.

[JoeSchem]

My mistake.

[wideawake]

Hey, try this interesting link.

[KSCITYBOY]

I was gonna say I took a bullet in the a$$ from osama just before I kicked his butt and p*ssed in his turbin. Okay what was plan b for impressing the chicks?

[maica]

Little Trinity Larez was delivered a bit early into the world, so her father could hold her prior to shipping out to Afghanistan, on an assignment he knew little about.

Just another little Quibble from a maternal and infant health nurse: Delivering a baby 'early' can be hazardous. It is usually done (by any doctor who cares about his malpractice insurance premium) in this age of litigation only when NOT delivering the baby is more hazardous. I do not believe this part of his story is true either.

[Ditto]

He is probably angling to be a history professor in Boston.

LOL. History Prof. at some Ivy League deploma mill... Used Car sales in Texas.... ya, that works. They both deal in fiction and fantasy.

[VOA]

This is an absolutely stellar example of how FR uses the fair use provision under copyright
laws to expose lies and inconsistencies in the reporting of news.

AMEN!
Fake military types...take note. It ain't worth the trouble to try to profit from
a manufactured image.

There ought to be some sort of law such as deportation/striping of citizenship
for impersonation of a member of the military.
(I suspect this would be the case in the world of "Starship Troopers"!)

[Ditto]

Or is there yet another liar in academe?

A guy named Ellis, big time lefty history prof and award winning author who told all his students he was a hero in Vietnam even thouge he was never there. He got outed eariler this year.

[HighWheeler]

I followed the Brett Shipp links and go to a story on Oct 18, 2001:

--------------------

10/18/2001

Marine Witnesses Birth Before Shipping Out
As American soldiers begin to turn up the heat on terrorism
overseas, many do so with mixed feelings. They are
confident they will win, but they also long for the
loved ones they leave behind.

--------------

This story was pulled. He obviously was duped back on October 18, and never bothered to investigate any further. When the guy returned he just lapped up whatever this guy lied about.

WFAA-TV News 8 Investigative Unit Journalist Brett Shipp believed hook, line, and sinker that this obvious imposter was a marine. Interestingly, on his webpage, he also says he is "...covering the presidential election recount story....". Well the only people I've seen covering this recount story are liberals. If true, then his habit of believing tall tales from liars, without a spec of suspicion, is just part of this guy's DNA.

[HighWheeler]

bump!

[TankerKC]

Good catch.

[HighWheeler]

Brett has a GOLDEN opportunity to corner this goof. I hope he doesn't blow it. Personally, given he fell for the first two stories, I don't hold out any hope.

There are so many ways to get retribution here.

One is that Brett could ask for a follow up interview tonight, live on TV at 10pm, and ask for some details, get this guy hot under the collar, then pull the drapes back, revealing some real marines to listen to his story. This fraud's reaction would be priceless.

[HighWheeler]

here is the Oct 18 report:

------------------------

As American soldiers begin to turn up the heat on terrorism overseas, many do so with mixed feelings. They’re confident they will win, but they also long for the loved ones they leave behind.

Thomas Larez is a valuable employee at Bankston Chrysler in Frisco.

Watch Brett Shipp's report

But his country values him even more.

So, Marine Sergeant Thomas Larez is being called up for active duty in just a matter of hours.

"I want to go, trust me, that's what I train for," Larez said.

But he is torn by something he can't see: his unborn child that's due any day.

"I just thought oh my, he's not going to be here for the child's birth and I really want him to be there at least for his child's birth," said Larez's wife, Pauline. "If he had to go the day after that's fine, but I'd want him to be there."

So, just hours before Thomas is to report for duty, Pauline's doctors begin to induce labor.

Then, a few hours later, the moment and the blessing they both feared would not arrive on time did: six pounds-one ounce Trinity Larez.

The happy, healthy baby was already melting her daddy's heart.

"Nothing can prepare for this," Larez said. "All the stuff I've seen and done, jumping out of helicopters and planes, doesn't prepare you for anything like this. I was trying to be tough and stuff, but it didn't work too much."

Now, the tough Marine sergeant, who just hours before boasted about being ready serve his country, is ready to surrender to the new love in his life.

"I guess (there are) new reasons to make sure I come back," Larez said. "That's what I'm looking forward to: hurrying up and coming back."

And for his wife, Trinity's birth brings a bittersweet joy that can only be remedied by this soldier's return.

"I know that she and I will miss him very, very much....just let him know that we love him," said Pauline Larez.

Sergeant Larez said goodbye to his family around 8 p.m. Thursday.

He will report for duty in Louisiana around midnight.

[LADY J]

Interesting story! Congratulations on uncovering the deception.

Has anyone ever tracked down the story about Jessie Ventura being a Navy Seal?? Just wondering if he really was.

[HighWheeler]

Thomas Larez also claims to OWN the dealership that he works at.

BTW, His posts are all over that PT Cruiser thread. Check the e-mail link.

[ao98]

According to cyberseals, Yes.

http://cyberseals.org/jesse.htm

[LADY J]

Thanks for your reply. Appreciate it.

[ao98]

I have very little respect for Jesse as a politician, but I do respect his service to this country.

[MediaMole]

Great job! Seeing this guy caught made my day!

May he get a visit from some real vets of the 15th MEU (SOC) someday.