Another O.T. actor story: Brian Dennehy

[Andouille]

Not exactly one of my favorites. All kinds of stuff all over the web about this gentleman's claim of Viet Nam service, just google for brian dennehy vietnam, but here's one I copied from an article from 2004 about about B.G. Burkett, co-author of Stolen Valor, from the on-line archives of People magazine:

"BRIAN DENNEHY The Claim: Tough-guy actor said that while in combat as a Marine in 'Nam, he suffered shrapnel wounds. The Reality: Served his Marine tour in Okinawa as a member of the athletics department. "

Other articles will tell you he joined The Corps in 1959 and ETS in 1963.

Not precisely in the same league as James Stewart, Ted Williams or Jack Warden.........

Information

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[Griff Murphey]

I was real disappointed to find that there is a good deal of info about Dennehy and this on the internet. Damn, I always liked his work. I have known, personally, three fakes, one of whom I wrote a very fine biography of his alleged military career. If you have a social and the individual's Date of Birth, you can write to the National Military Personnel Records Center. This really wounds you when a friend (alleged, anyway!) lies like that. Another good source is the P.O.W. Network. They are not just for P.O.W.s; they cover all fakes. Some go to reunions, strut around air shows in flight suits, talk to high schools and Kiwanis, etc. in dress blues, ribbons dripping off of them. P.O.W. Network has info on many, many of these fakes.

[comm pogue]

well i can't think of anyone i know, that even had dress blues.our plt honor man but thats about it! we simply could'nt afford them. so unless he was a lifer i just about consider anyone in dress blues claiming to be a Viet Nam vet a BSer. i nailed one at work awhile back with questions about Quang Tri province, if someone wears a 3rd herd patch you better know the roads.the usaul answer is "its been a long time ago" how the hell does one forget places like that? like you cant remember if you went to SD or PI for boot camp Semper Fi Al

[goo]

do these count as 'dress blues' in vietnam?

2nd heart with gen tom miller.
...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/3...g?v=1208010329

[Andouille]

Yes they do Goo, welcome home and thank you for your service.

By the way, after noticing Encyclopaedia Britannica had the wrong story concerning Dennehy's service record in his on-line bio, I shot them a message recommending they look into it. They did, and say they're changing his bio to better reflect what he actually didn't do.

[Mickey]

I used to have an e-nail with several actors military service listed on it. right off the top of my head I can only remember a few. Charles Durnning was captured in the Battle of the bulge and is one of the few that survived the Malmendy massacre and escaped back to our lines. He later testified at the trial. James Arness landed at Normandy and was wounded in the hip. Capt. Kangaroo, Mr Rodgers, and Lee Marvin were all Marines in the Pacific. Eddie Albert was in the navy and drove landing craft , received a Navy cross(?) for valor a Pelliu I believe it was. And of course there was Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable. These are just the ones I remember right off.

Mickey

[davpet]

Eddie Albert was awarded his medals for actions taken during the Tarawa landings in 43'

Dave

[Mizzouboy]

Capt Kangaroo was, technically, a Marine, but he was in the reserves at the end of WW2 and never saw action. There is a 'net legend about him and Lee Marvin, but it is untrue. Lee Marvin was in action and wounded.

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

Well I have a couple of friends that I do not doubt.
One was a "Misty Fac" and the other a marine with the scar to prove it.
Oh by the way, before I retired from the Air Guard, most of our instructor pilots were Misty Facs before joining the Guard. Flying along the Ho Chi Minh trail looking for targets in an F-100 could be "quite exciting"

[RayP.]

Good friend(ex Marine) worked for Mono Group Ltd.,eng. reps for Moyno Pump Co.,told me that back in the early 80's one of the eng. reps. that he worked with for 10yrs. shows up at work w/new car,has Marine,Purple Heart,P.O.W.Europe plates on it,friend figured he's just another "wanna be",never questioned him,said guy was a real quiet type,any way about 2yrs. later he retires and gives my friend a bunch eng. books and Marine Corp. magazines,about a week or so later when thumbing thru the mags he finds a reunion picture/article of about 20 people who during WWll were dropped behind enemy lines to set up resistance groups,do sabotage,espionage and what ever else they could do,caption under pic ID's people as being from all branches of services hand picked due to special skills,and there is his co-worker,Sgt,U.S.Marine Corp.,there was a movie made based on their exploits,"13 Rue Madeline" starring James Cagney,friend made copy of pics and articles,in basement somewhere,if could find it I'd get it scanned and post it,they were a diff. kind of people alright.
RayP.