One hundred men will test today but only three win the Green Beret.
 

Edwin Tingstrom, Green Beret... NOT!!

Our Friends at thisainthell.us send us Edwin Tingstrom, fake Airborne, fake Purple Heart, fake Green Beret

Ed claims that he was a combat infantryman in Vietnam. As you can see from his uniform, he’s wearing a Combat Infantryman Badge, parachutist wings and a Purple Heart. In the news articles included, he also claims to have been Special Forces.

His records prove otherwise.

His records show that he was indeed in Vietnam April 1966 – March 1967. yet he wasn’t an infantryman or even in an infantry unit, he was a clerk in a Psyop Company.

In the Simi Valley Acorn Newspaper article "Keeping History Alive", See article here Simi Valley Acorn Article, under the paragraph Small-town boy to Green Beret, it says

Tingstrom grew up in the small Napa Valley town of Healdsburg. After graduating from high school, he had two choices: Work in the vineyards or enlist.

He signed up for the Army in April 1965, joining the 5th Special Forces Group, or the Green Berets. At the end of that year, at the age of 18, he was shipped off to Vietnam.

“It was a scary time,” he said. “When you take a small-town person and put them into something as large as war, it’s both terrifying and exhilarating. But the biggest emphasis is on terrifying.”

During his 18-month tour, the soldier had several close calls, including a serious case of malaria. Once, a mortar round exploded just 35 feet from him, leaving the infantryman with shrapnel wounds, a concussion and the loss of hearing in his right ear. More devastating, though, was losing two high school buddies from back home.

Tingstrom returned from Vietnam in May 1967 but was deployed six months later to Germany to serve on a special task force charged with drug enforcement.

In June 1974, he left the Army, partly because he’d had enough and partly because of psychological issues that have plagued him since Vietnam. The hostile reception veterans received when they came home, plus the memories of war, made transitioning back to civilian life challenging.

“The most difficult part was understanding the change in the people . . . and then trying to put behind the ghosts of Vietnam,” he said. “Because war is an assault upon the senses, and while it may be organized murder and mayhem, there are scars that are left upon the individuals who must participate and execute that war.”

Although those ghosts still visit him today, he said he would do it all again, and believes most of his comrades feel the same because, like those MOH winners, “We believed in what we were doing.”

He also never attended jump school, nor was he awarded a Purple Heart. He had a break in service and reenlisted to be an MP in Germany.

He never served in the 5th SFG(A) as the article states.

In the Los Angeles Daily News Article "American Homecomings, see article here Los Angeles Daily News Article: Valley veterans honor their fallen brethren on Memorial Day" it says:

Ed Tingstrom, 65, served in the Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War. 

Every Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and also during funerals for members of the military, he and other volunteers comprise a color guard and march with the American flag. 

The names of two of Tingstrom’s friends are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., and he thinks about them every day and hopes others will honor their service and sacrifice.

Again Ed never served in Special Forces

From his records, we see no assignments to any Special Forces unit. We don’t see Airborne or Purple heart either.

We see him as a:

Clerk Typist

Power Generator Sp,

Electrician,

Reg Clerk,

Military Police.

Edwin Tingstrom, you’ll now be added to Guardians of The Green Beret Hall of Fakes Frauds and Phonies.

Zero?

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Author: The Guardian
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We are former and current Green Berets who find and investigate those who falsely claim to be a Green Beret. We will never out someone unless we are 100% certain via FOIA and Bragg.

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Recent comments

Clyde1994:

This news is pretty sad for me because I knew the guy. The 1998 overwrite should read that he was the commander of C Troop, 1-18 Cav. I don't recall him wearing any tabs or badges. I am glad that a 19th Group (Guard) guy brought this to your attention. To me this casts a shadow of suspicion with anybody in the Guard. He left the Guard prior to GWOT. I think that the Guard did our share in GWOT with multiple mobilizations and deployments. I was mobilized twice, including a year in Afghanistan as an Infantryman. Now I'll wonder if people will think I'm a liar if I say anything about my service. Thanks Eddie...

Scott Berndt:

Talk about a disgrace to the uniform! I can't believe he got away with the fraud all those years. If you go to his website at

https://www.rudigresham.com, it still makes it sound like he has an Army SF background without stating he was one. He even has awards issued by several SF organizations. Sounds like the GotGB still have some hunting to do.

U.S. Naval Aircrewman (90-95):

Wow. Absolutely mind blowing & disgraceful. They should make a documentary about how this turd BS'd his way through the years in order to be in a position to be standing next to Presidents, politicians & celebritys. I get pissed when I think of all the others like him but that have never gotten exposed or caught. Great job catching this s--t turd.

U.S. Naval Aircrewman (90-95):

You can tell just by looking at him that he is a shit bird.

Royal Mons:

If these phonies want to play dress up they should join a re-enactment society and not lie about their fantasies and live off the sacrifice of others.

SOF VETTE:

FRANCO K WEBB is a LYING POSER. He and I were BEST FRIENDS during the time he CLAIMS 7th GP 18D (MY MOS and MY Duty assignment - ODA 755/754, O&I, SWC G Co SFAS, 1st Bn S3).

He was NEVER ASSOCIATED WITH, ASSIGNED TO, in SUPPORT OF, or attended ANY TRAINING that would qualify his claim of being an 18D.

He was a CAR STEREO SALESMAN and INSTALLER on Yadkin Road the ENTIRE TIME I KNEW HIM. We were in Westarea Fire Department TOGETHER and he lived in a trailer on Haretown road.

It APPEARS that he has taken some of MY SF TRAINING, HISTORY and BACKGROUND, claimed it as his own, and further EMBELLISHED those stories for his own video game centered bravado.

FRANCO K WEBB IS A GREEN BERET FRAUD

SuperUser Account:

He probably never will. The 7th Grp picture he pretends is his is an ODA from the mid-'80s. We've identified all men in the picture. It also looks like he added a Ranger Tab to his website. He's never before claimed Ranger so this is strange.

He and Mike Mika (President of SFA Ch 34) threatened to sue the SFA National if they didn't rescind the letter they sent us, give Rudi a formal apology, and re-instate him as a member in good standing. Of course SFA National refused and nothing came of his idle threat.

Mike Mika has twice, along with Rudi Gresham the fake Green Beret claimed that Rudi spent 12 years in the S.C. National Guard and that's where he attained the rank of LTC. Neither time were they able to produce records that baked up that statement.

SGT P - Rakkasan:

I just looked at his personal website, and it still has a picture autographed by General Yarborough, and a statement that says he served as Yarborough’s Aide. When will this clown give it up? I took screen shots.

Rick Upton:

Why is he working for the VA?

RobertEddy:

First of all, thank you folks for what you do, what you’ve done, and what you’re willing to do.

Secondly, it is my hope that Mr Prouix owns up to his lies. I have been watching this story and it disgusts me that there are people who would assume to receive the accolades deserved, but never sought, by better, braver, stronger men.

Mr Prouix needs to be exposed. Well done.

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