On 2010-11-09, Wes wrote:
Don Foreman wrote:

I don't know in terms of documents or corroborating witnesses, but I
suspect that he was. I am not going to elaborate on why I suspect
that. Feel free to believe as you might.

Calling a man a liar is a serious thing. I've run into a number of
people and their stories where I really wanted to call bull**** but
the counter side is if I am wrong, I've just ruined my credibility.
Those were not situations related to military service to frame my
comments properly.

I also suspect, that if you considered Gunner a fraud, you would bore in with your
considerable analytical skills and tear his stories a part.

So lets get back to metalworking, something Gunner also knows a bit about.



What we have is a very unusual story. Gunner says that he was enlisted
into the military under a false name, underage, has no records of his
service, no discharge papers, does not want to see those who served
with him, and does not say under what name he served.

Is it possible that he really did serve? It is possible. Would I
believe this sort of thing automatically, just because I heard it
here? Of course no. The fact that I cannot believe it only says
something about me, and is not, as such, disparaging about Gunner.

I, of course, have no proof that he did not serve (such as public
records from 1970 showing him as being somewhere else, getting many
speeding tickets over many months or something of the sort), and so I
cannot be sure either way.

I have no idea what makes Don Foreman believe Gunner, but it hopefully
is something very convincing.

Again, I am not saying that I somehow know that Gunner made his
military story up, because I do not know. All I am saying is that it
would need some corroboration, because it is so unusual.

I am not a veteran and I do not have a personal stake in this story,
such as some Navy seals who look out for fake Navy seals with zeal,
etc. I would not really think less of Gunner if it turned out that he
made the story up. Even if it turns out that he is unable to prove his
service, it would be cool with me.

i