Posted on 09/09/2004 8:01:36 PM PDT by Cableguy
The signatures on the CBS documents do not appear to be authentic. Check out the two signatures below, courtesy of Michele Catalano of The Command Post. The one on the left is an actual signature of Lt. Col. Jerry Killian. The one on the right is from one of the CBS documents. It's not even close; in fact, it doesn't even look like the person who signed it made any attempt to copy Killian's signature:
Since I posted this, a number of readers have written to disagree with me--they think the signature on the right is a crude effort at forgery. Dafydd ab Hugh's characteristically thorough and brilliant analysis is too long to include here, and Diana Magrann also argues persuasively that the signature is an attempt at a forgery.
A Bank would call the police on anyone trying to cash a check with that lame forgery
I think the signatures look like they were made by the same person. My bet is the signature is a copy and paste of an authentic Killian signature from another document.
What would be more damning than two signatures which are not identical would be to find another Killian signature absolutely identical to the one in the suspect document. That would be the sig which was used to do the copy and paste.
One COULD be his secretary however.
But I'm sure they are frauds.
Yes, I think the signatures are the same. I'm no expert, but I know the variance of my signature. It varies by my mood.
In my entire Navy career, I cannot recall ever writing my rank without adding "USNR".
If they were trying to forge the signature, they could at least have put forth a little effort and made sure the huge "K" in each signature had the same direction of curvature.
If you're going to forge something, take a little pride in your work, you know what I mean?
The "attempt at forgery" signature is much too curvy compared to the original. Also, why would Lt Col Killian type it that way (Lt Col) in one instance and Lt. Colonel in another?
Cashiers are taught to look at the first letters of the names, most just scribble after that. It's quick and usually effective.
< satire >
Forget the signature, Proportional Font on the bottom one. That didn't come from a typewriter.
Look at post #2. The "L" are looped on the forgeries but not on the original. Even if the signature varies, a person either loops or they don't on documents. That doesn't change. Yep, forgeries big time.
What is also key here is the CBS docs show that after the typed rank - there is NO designation indicating TX ANG - which is standard (OR USAF, etc)
Disagree. There is no way those two signatures are from the same person. I know how my signature has changed in my nearly-50 years; no way it's that different. Just look at the letter "J", as one small example.
The smell of this just gets worse the closer you get to it.
While it may be true that our signatures can to some degree reflect our moods, there are certain identifying traits that do not really change. The slash-dotted "i" for example, or the curve of a "k".
That bottom one looks suspiciously like JFK. ;-)
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