Mayor's Green Beret fakery leaves A.C. wounded

The Star Ledger ^ | October 03, 2007 | BRIAN DONOHUE AND MARY JO PATTERSON

[rocksblues]

By all accounts, Robert Levy, now the 60-year-old mayor of Atlantic City, was a fine soldier during his two tours of Vietnam.

The former lifeguard came home with two Bronze Stars. He was a native son who, before enlisting, had risen above his own family's prejudice to marry a local African-American woman. After his homecoming, he remained in the military until he became eligible to retire, with 20 years of service.

But at some point, Levy began to embellish his service record in Vietnam by saying he had been a member of the Green Berets, the elite special force of the Army and stirring figures in the popular imagination. During his campaign for mayor in 2005, the trim 6-footer even campaigned as a former Green Beret.

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In the meantime, state Assemblyman Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic), a former Atlantic City mayor and lifeguard as well as a longtime friend of Levy, complained that the mayor's unexplained absence has "paralyzed" the city. Atlantic City officials fought over who was entitled to fill the void, and Council President William Marsh hired a legal adviser. But at City Hall, where workers planted colorful mums in planters, Domenic Capella, the city business administrator and self-described acting mayor, said Atlantic City was functioning just fine.

snip

The government left no doubt that Levy had a distinguished war record. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for valor over two tours in the combat zone. Yet for some reason, Levy told people he'd also been a Green Beret.

snip

Over the years, so many Vietnam veterans have made false claims about having been Green Berets that actual Green Berets have taken to trying to expose people who have told the lie.

[rocksblues]

Notice that no where in the story does is give his party affiliation but gives it for one of his friends.

[AlphaOneAlpha]

New Jersey? Former Dem Mayor of A.C. is his good friend?

Has to be a Democrat.

[Gay State Conservative]

Not surprising.I think that everybody who’s held the title of Mayor of Atlantic City over the past...I think....50 years had wound up being indicted for something.

[madison10]

One of those “phony” military persons of whom Rush spoke.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Apparently, this guy had a fine military record to be proud of. Why he would want embelish it even more is beyond me. Don’t these guys know that once they are in the public spot light, some operations research person will dig up everything they can on them and the truth will come out. Damn shame. I retired from the Army with a record that I am proud of. I never was a Green Beret, because that wasn’t the path I chose. I have a young son however who is a Green Beret Captain now serving with the first SFG. I am proud as hell of his achievments also, but I am equally proud of any young man or woman serving in the military regardless of the branch and career field they are serving in. I also disdain the phony soldiers who never served or served and lied about their record. I equally disdain the people like John Kerrey who came back from Vietnam and lied about his fellow soldiers. The military is the last bastion of “Honor” and those who dishonor it should be condemned.

[rocksblues]

The article goes on about getting increased monetary gain from the VA. I don’t think that was it. He is just another BS’er. He had a military career to be proud of but it wasn’t enough he had to be a Green Beret.

[FryingPan101]

I’m confused as to how Veterans are able to embellish their service records successfully. How is that done without help from the inside? My Dad, a WWII and Korean Conflict veteran, who made 6 combat jumps (Geronimo!) and had his entire leg bullet-ridden; who had the Silver Star, Bronze Stars, four awards of the Purple Heart was denied a significant disability rating. He died a couple years ago having never received a disability rating. He was proud of it too. I can cite hundreds of examples just like his. The VA has always, IMHO, been frugal with its disability ratings. How did this mayor pull it off???

[PeterPrinciple]

The military is the last bastion of “Honor” and those who dishonor it should be condemned.
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repeat LOUD and OFTEN....................

[RetiredArmy]

Roger that. Seems like a lot of people have to make themselves out to be larger than they really were. Evidence submitted: John “I am a Vietnam Purple Heart war hero” Kerry. Just their true record is not good enough. They have to have “charged the machine gun nest, getting wounded five times but blew it up” instead of simply being in battle and getting hit. I was a simple solder. Vietnam vet. Have a Purple Heart. But, I did not accomplish Audie Murphy heights. I was not seeking them. I wanted to survive and do my job. I accomplished that for 20 years of honorable and proud service. Thanks for your service Old Retired Army Guy, from Retired Army!

[Clemenza]

Admiral Boorda committed suicide for less...

[dfwgator]

"I ain't seen nothing since I stepped on that landmine in Vietnam. It was very painful."

"You were in 'Nam? So were we. Where?"

"I was in...Sang Bang...Dang Gong...I was all over the place, a lot of places."

"What unit?"

"I was with the Green Berets,Special Unit Battalions...Commando Airborne Tactics...Specialist Tactics Unit Battalion. Yeah, it was real hush hush. I was Agent Orange, Special Agent Orange, that was me."

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Years ago, while still in uniform, I had the opportunity to represent the Army in some Public Speaking Forums. To lighten things up a little, I use to lead off with a joke that went like this: “Do you know the difference between a fairy tale and a war story”? After a pause, I would respond “A fairy tale starts off with ..Once upon a time..A war story starts of with ..No S—t, there I was”. Both should be listened to with a little skepticism.

[Americanexpat]

As a three tour Vietnam combat vet I am proud of my service and proud to have been a regular infantry leg soldier. I never had the desire to claim to be somethng I wasn´t. There were a lot of people claiming to be special ops who were never in the military and have caused the Viet vets a lot of grief with their lying exaggerated war stories.

[RetiredArmy]

Roger that.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Hey “Leg”. Don’t forget that no war was ever won without the Infantry ...The Queen of Battle.

[Apercu]

Should be Moveon’s poster boy...hilarious scene by Eddie Murphy.

[tlb]

This fellow’s case came up in threads a year ago. He served with South Vietnamese rangers who gave him one of their Green Berets. He exaggerated this and misled people into thinking he was a US qualified Special Forces soldier and is paying the price for that.

But at the same time he was a decorated career soldier who gave good value for the government’s investment. As far as I know of his case he never used this as leverage to slam serving soldiers or undercut their mission. It’s inappropriate to lump him in with the Jesse Macbeth’s or similar frauds who never served at all, much less in the war zone.

[ontap]

I’ve met several vets I would call heroes One Medal of Honor winner. Not one of them ever brought it up on their own. I had been an acquaintance of the Medal of Honor winner for months before some one else told me. I think that says it all!

[weegee]

John Fibber Kerry claimed to have been sent on a mission into Cambodia in 1968 by Richard Nixon over a month before he was sworn into office.

[weegee]

Benedict Arnold was a hero to both sides but he was still a traitor to America.

The later actions do not negate the former but they should not be excused either.

We were told that John Kerry was a war hero. He lied to Congress under oath. He met with Communists in France to “negotiate” the peace in Vietnam without authority from the US Government. He was a traitor and should have been sentenced for his actions.