Terry J. Powell

Terry J. Powell (born 1951) falsely claimed to be a recipient of the United States' highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor, and a veteran of the Vietnam and Iraq wars. [ [http://blogs.jsonline.com/proofandhearsay/archive/2007/08/22/Warrant-details-on-medal-of-honor-suspect.aspx More on Medal of Honor suspect - Proof and Hearsay ] ] In June 2007 when confronted by Waukesha County sheriff's detectives he said he was a cook on the destroyer USS "James O'Hara", which was in reality a transport ship decommissioned in 1961 and scrapped in 1968, [ [http://www.wsaw.com/news/headlines/9309321.html Man Charged with Unlawfully Wearing Medal of Honor ] ] and nursed several sailors sickened by food poisoning back to health. He showed the detectives a Medal of Honor certificate he says he received from former President Richard Nixon on July 15, 1972, and signed by Navy Secretary John Chaffee. [ [http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=650451 JS Online: Medal of Honor is fake, say officials ] ] Later Powell claimed he lost the original certificate concerning the medal when his basement was flooded. [ [http://wkow.madison.com/News/index.php?ID=14218 News:: ] ] During a 2007 Memorial Day speech, which was videotaped, Powell said he served three tours in Vietnam and one in Iraq. [ [http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=650451 JS Online: Medal of Honor is fake, say officials ] ] As late as August 2007, Powell was still wearing his Medal of Honor when he attempted to speak at a VFW post only to be rebuffed. Powell has been charged with unlawfully wearing the Medal of Honor, according to documents made public. If convicted, he faces up to a $100,000 fine and a year in prison.

ee also

*Paul H. Lemmen‎
*Jesse Macbeth‎
*Walter K. Carlson‎
*Wes Cooley

Notes

External links

* [http://www.620wtmj.com/podcasts/jeffwagner/9314397.html?video=pop&t=a Video of Powell Claiming to be a Medal of Honor Winner]