MEET JOHN "Rambo" SMITH FAKE GREEN BERET AND FAKE 90 MIA

We were sent this John "Rambo" Smith article at the beginning of October. No need to explain our concern when you read the article. It's pure lunatic fiction. The text of the article follows:

 For three harrowing months during the height of the Vietnam War, as he struggled to find his way through dense, dangerous jungles of Vietnam, 18-year-old Green Beret John Smith was certain he was going have to give up his life for his country. That he didn’t is why the now 64-year-old Collinsville resident is more than willing to give his time, effort and blood to help the American Red Cross. Smith had been dropped off to man a solitary observation post, but dense fog prevented him not only from doing the job he was supposed to do, but also meant that the helicopter that was to rescue him wasn’t coming. “I was sitting pretty close to the Viet Cong and I knew our guys couldn’t come and get me, so I had to go to them,” said Smith, in a recent interview. “I didn’t know what direction to go since they helicoptered me in. They apparently searched for me but couldn’t find me because I had to keep moving my position. I couldn’t stay in one place too long because I would be detected. “They taught us real good how to escape and evade so I was good at that... I was well-trained, and I was scared the whole time, but I guess fear keeps you alive.” His parents, however, feared the worst, as the Army informed them that their son was missing in action. Smith made his way stealthily through the jungle, trying to figure out where he was. Armed only with his weapon, a crude map he tried to draw as he went along and no way to contact anyone for help, the only thing he could do was keep moving. The observation post where he started was roughly 10 miles from his base. But Smith’s journeys through the jungle would take him in different directions, as he went from village to village, and to Army compounds he knew would be resupplied. “I was out there three months and they had given me up” he said. “I was 60 miles away by the time I finally made it back to the road and got a ride back to base.” His first thought was to call his parents. Not an easy task. During this period in the Vietnam War, there was no regular overseas phone service on base and the military’s phones were off limits. He had to use a two-way radio to call the American Red Cross who got him a ride to Saigon to call his mom and dad, he said. “My mother couldn’t believe it was me,” said Smith, who also served for a time as a sniper for the U.S. Army. “She kept saying ‘I still don’t believe it’s you’ so I had to tell her things about my childhood to convince her it was me. “I just told my wife that’s the loneliest feeling you can have when you have to be out there by yourself, 17,000 miles from home at age 18... but I survived. And, I ate most anything, most things I don’t want to talk about.” While he served out the rest of his 21-year military career at Fort Hood, Texas, and then in South America, he never forgot what the American Red Cross did for him. Smith, who has a place in Collinsville and enjoys fishing with his grandkids, started to pay it forward about 15 years ago.

We immediately reached out to the reporter Rita L. Sherrow,Tulsa World Scene Writer and with a fair amount of dialog, she agreed it needed addressed. We were put into contact with his boss Regina at the Red Cross who in turn put us in contact with one of her higher ups. Brian Jensen, Regional Director,Services to Armed Forces/International Services American Red Cross. Brian and I established phone communication and he tried to reach out to John Smith fake Green Beret. John Smith Fake Green Beret said he was out of town at a family funeral and will be for a week. That was over 3+ weeks ago. Brian gave John Smith Fake Green Beret my contact info. Both phone and email and asked him to reach out. John Smith fake Green Beret has yet to do so. Rita and I have had a fair amount of dialog and she stated she's tried him a number of times. Both phone and email. He did email her once and said he was in an area that had no phone and would make contact when he gets back. CRICKETS………

 🔥Followup🔥 FOLLOW UP: WE REACHED OUT TO THE TULSA WOLRD TO AN EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND SHE WAS PRETTY RUDE TO US, SAYING THEY'LL NOT CORRECT THE STORY UNTIL THEY TALK TO RAMBO. I EXPLAINED THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. WE DID SOME MORE LOOKING INTO HIM AND IT TURNS OUT HE HAS AN EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL RECORD ALSO. USING HIS EMAIL, WE FOUND A LINK TO A FACEBOOK PROFILE OF WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE HIS FORMER WIFE. IN THAT PROFILE WE FOUND PICTURES OF HIM WITH BOTH A BALL CAP PRETENDING TO BE SF AND A BALL CAP FOR THE RED CROSS. THAT EMAIL WAS FOUND IN A RECORD SEARCH OF THE PROPERTY, DOB, AND NAME THAT WE HAD. THAT CONFIRMS BEYOND ALL DOUBT THAT THE TURD WE CLAIMED TO BE A FAKE ONE DAY AFTER RITA SHERROW POSTED THAT FICTION ARTICLE IN THE TULSA WORLD WAS INDEED ONE IN THE SAME.

They decided to do a followup story and the text of that follows:

A Tulsa World story that profiled a Red Cross volunteer in October brought numerous questions and protests from Vietnam veterans and other military groups. John Smith, a Red Cross volunteer who was nominated for an award with the Tulsa Area United Way, identified himself as a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran who served more than 20 years in military service. The veterans group Green Beret Posers Exposed and others immediately challenged Smith’s story. The Tulsa World has tried repeatedly since October to talk to Smith, advising him the story was being challenged and to verify his military record. He claimed health issues and other reasons for not answering repeated requests for another interview. Green Beret Posers Exposed has supplied the Tulsa World with military documents, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, that indicate Smith was never in Special Forces and only served in the military for a limited time (U.S. Army 1970-1972 and U.S. Navy 1974-1975). Additionally, records show Smith receiving medals for serving in Vietnam, although he was never a Green Beret or member of the Special Forces. Through records, the Tulsa World was able to link the military records provided by the veterans group to Smith by his birthdate and middle name and verify that the military records belonged to the Red Cross volunteer. Green Beret Posers Exposed on Facebook, based out of Fayetteville, North Carolina, is one of several organizations that work together to expose anyone who makes false claims about their military service. “We are a bunch of former Green Berets who search out those claiming to be one of us,” said Steve Antson, an administrator for the GBPE, formerly sfposterpatrol. “We expose Green Beret posers. We’ve also verified people that others thought to be posers that turn out to be legitimate.” GBPE works with the websites guardianofvalor.com, thisainthell.us and professionalsoldiers.com to investigate allegedly false claims about military service. The groups routinely request military records through the Freedom of Information Act. GBPE also has access to Special Forces records, Antson said.

Red Cross Volunteer’s story Challenged by Vietnam Veterans, other military groups.