Tom Hennessy: 'Hero' was snared in ribbons of deception

David L.C. David, who carved out a bogus reputation as a hero, hoping to be "somebody." David L.C. David, who for years deceived the Long Beach community into thinking he was a Vietnam war hero, has died in Arizona.

[Slight Correction]

Just a slight though significant correction: Silver stars are not "won." They are awarded.

[Jack from Lakewood]

At this time of year, when we should be honoring American military women and men, it is incredibly sad to think there are people like Mr. David who chose to dishonor the good of others. One can only have pity for such a person. I remember years ago when Stand Down was a great community program to help homeless and unemployed vets.

[simple really]

This story really disturbs me. In one respect Mr. Hennesey seems to be showing pity for Mr. David. Ok, so he volunteered at "Stand Down". So what? He lied and even though he was trying to fill a void in his life for some reason or another, I find it distasteful that Mr. David should dishonor those who actually served our military and gave their lives and sacrificed so much! Then, I feel distain and anger! I had a brother who served and died in Vietnam. He was awarded (as another commentor so aptly mentioned!) The Silver Star for galantry in action. I never knew the prestige of this medal until about 7 or so years ago. I am so very proud of my brother, who by the way would have celebrated his 65th birthday on Monday! He served his country proudly and courageously. And each and everyday I am so very grateful to the men and women who fight for freedom "in country" as well as here at home on our streets! Thank you to all the REAL HEROS who serve our country.

[Robert J G Jackson Sr]

I'm one of the veterans who would disagree with Mr. Nelson about the harm done by people posing as military heros. It is always done for personal gain, whether that amounts to societal recognition as in David's case, or advancement or some kind of preference in a career. It is a matter of deception practiced upon the public by individuals with an agenda. After all, this man was giving speeches, falsities and lies, to schoolchildren. Someone was about to write a piece about his valor. I consider that to be harm done to the public. Then there is the matter of the harm done to anyone who is actually a recipient of the medals which David falsely claimed to have received. It is rightfully illegal to do so, and should be prosecuted every time some phoney is exposed.

[a questioning soldier]

This is more prevelant than you might think. There is a man in my department who appears to be attempting to buy street credentials by wearing a dramatic hat with the Marine Corps emblem, despite the fact that he is a Navy reservist. Never making a verbal claim but assuming people will assume he is a warrior instead of a marsh-mellow.

[Babycakes]

I am surprised this would even be a topic for consideration given that the column runs bi-monthly. Dedicate an entire column to a true war hero, not the re-hashing of an old story of a deceased man who lived a lie and moved to Arizona ten years ago.

[mike]

He's at peace. Let it go.

[HowThisWorks]

Who cares who says they have what medals here and there? We know who the CMOH awardees were. Further we know who counts. We know who the real heroes were: John Basilone, Richard Bong, Gregory Boyington, Billy Mitchell, Chester Nimitz, George S. Patton, Merritt A. Edson, James Harold Doolittle
Marc A. Mitscher, James P. S. Devereux, and more.
Don't worry about the locals who say this or that. We have the history books and KNOW who the heroes are....

[Hennesy Veteran]

It seems that the only veterans liberals like are the liars. Hennesy's bias is consistent.

[Sgt Anonymous]

Hennesy Veteran wrote:

It seems that the only veterans liberals like are the liars. Hennesy's bias is consistent.

I have to agree with this assessment. Hennessy is a daisy-gathering liberal, there's no help for him, and I'll just tell you, when I was in the special sniper unit of the Army, laying in a North Vietnamese ditch for 3 days and nights to deliver a "head-slapper" to a VC captain who had been determined as one of the author's of the Tet Offensive.

Three days! Wearing an technical cammy made of burlap and ditch weeds, only to realize I had mistakenly sat on a VC landmine, which meant when I moved, my legs would be blown off. Took two more days to make my decision of whether to give away my position or not, which would have compromised not only my life, had I survived the land mine, but also been an embarrassment to Dr. Kissenger at the Paris Peace accords, and I tell you, as much as Hennessy's a wimp, I never thought some clown would be making all the stuff up that I actually went through myself.

To you nosy ones, yes I moved, yes I had my legs blown off, and yes, thanks to my sniper's training, I sewed them back on the best I could, and crawled to a waiting Huey at a prescribed time, and no, I didn't get to shoot the VC captain in the head, as planned, but this was literally the day before Nixon ordered the secret fire bombings in that particular area, and let me tell you, nothing could have survived that, so I don't think I'm going out on a limb saying my target was fried alive, and if he had a choice, I bet he would have begged me to shoot him in the head!

Thanks to the great care and attention at the VA, I regained most of the use of my legs, and though I can't play basketball like I used to, and I won't be winning Wimbledon anytime soon, I can still lay a good foot on my son's backside when he needs it. I don't begrudge the poofy daisy-gatherer's like Hennessy, laying farts in the Veteran's Day hot tub. We've dealt with much worse than the likes of him. To us, he's just a little noise that eventually floats away.

God bless America, and God bless our Veterans. If it wasn't for us, you'd all be celebrating Oktoberfest at gunpoint.

[BerdooWatch]

HE DIED WITH DECEPTION, GUILT AND SHAME, THAT IN ITSELF IS PROSECUTION.

[Not in any war]

So you're either a warrior or a marshmallow? Is there no middle ground, like a human being...or a man?

[Margaret]

I'm glad Tom Hennessy told us what happened to David David. I remember meeting David at an event where he told people he was an honored veteran, and then later learning he was a total fraud. After David left Long Beach, I wondered what happened to him, and if he had moved on to another locale to continue his pretense. So it was a surprise to learn that David David had passed away. One can only hope that he was truly sorry for all the wrong he had done, and the deceit he had perpetrated. Thank goodness Mr. Hennessy told this story, because people should be aware that there are dishonest people out there pretending to be war heroes.

[PT Reader]

Perhaps, Margaret, but I, for one, would prefer the Press Telegram hire actual journalists and tell us what is really going on in our city, rather than this kind of blather.

Investigative journalism on City Hall, anyone? Anyone? Or should we be asking someone at the LA Times to do it for us?

[Robert]

I have a problem with everyone jumping the gun, first David did serve in vietnam, anybody that served in the US Military is a brother in arms, we don't know the hidden mental factors in this case. So what if he said this or that, the fact is he was a US Veteran and was there for this country. All veterans are heros and David was in harms way. it Doesn't make any different if he was a cook or gunners mate what ever he did was support. we need to stop putting labels on our veterans. One for all and all for one.
I am a veteran and served this country, This should be all that matters. Period...

[Jim Wade]

David L.C. David continued his lies to his death as depicted in this photo of him wearing a Navy Chief Petty Officers hat. David David retired as a 1st Class storekeeper (E6 Supply).
He had a phony story among others that he won the Bronze Star and Purple Heart during the Viet Cong Bombing of the Metropole Hotel in Saigon Dec. 4th, 1965 telling me that he fired his rife at the V.C. as they tried to roll into the lobby before blowing their taxi cab loaded with 500 # of plastique. Navy records show that no Purple Heart was awarded to him and no Bronze Star either.
I was across the street that morning in the Ky Son Annex. The only rounds fired were the V.C. with an AK 47 followed by the American M.P. who fired four rounds from his shotgun before the plastique exploded. This was a horrible scene as my Unit the SEABEES of Headquarters Support Activity Saigon did the recovery operation that day.
David David retired as a 1st Class storekeeper (E6 Supply). I broke this story to Tom Hennessy who took it to it's conclusion.
Burn in hell david you God cursed lying no good for nothing phony!
Jim Wade SEABEES Vietnam 1965-66, 1968-69

[hmmm]

Jim Wade wrote:

David L.C. David continued his lies to his death as depicted in this photo of him wearing a Navy Chief Petty Officers hat. David David retired as a 1st Class storekeeper (E6 Supply).
He had a phony story among others that he won the Bronze Star and Purple Heart during the Viet Cong Bombing of the Metropole Hotel in Saigon Dec. 4th, 1965 telling me that he fired his rife at the V.C. as they tried to roll into the lobby before blowing their taxi cab loaded with 500 # of plastique. Navy records show that no Purple Heart was awarded to him and no Bronze Star either.
I was across the street that morning in the Ky Son Annex. The only rounds fired were the V.C. with an AK 47 followed by the American M.P. who fired four rounds from his shotgun before the plastique exploded. This was a horrible scene as my Unit the SEABEES of Headquarters Support Activity Saigon did the recovery operation that day.
David David retired as a 1st Class storekeeper (E6 Supply). I broke this story to Tom Hennessy who took it to it's conclusion.
Burn in hell david you God cursed lying no good for nothing phony!
Jim Wade SEABEES Vietnam 1965-66, 1968-69

Dude, if you're calling on God to facilitate David's eternal place in hell, just because he looked up to people like you, so much so that he lied to try to be a part of it, and be considered your peer, I think you should reconsider.
If he used his lies to bilk people, that would be another thing, but it doesn't look like he wanted anything but to be someone better than he felt he was.
I wouldn't be mad at the guy any more than I'd be mad at a dog licking my shoe. While I'd rather he didn't, that's just what dogs, and people with esteem issues like this man, tend to do. Far from dissing the armed services, I think the man was dissing himself.
In any case, you're still here, he's dead. I'd consider cutting the guy some slack, just this once.

[Jack]

Many people lie to get ahead. Just look around. They pretend so well to be honest and they are very good at it! Basically it is an illness. Their are many victims to their lack of ethics but they get ahead, get good jobs and are promoted all the time.

[CHS]

At first, I was annoyed that the PT would devote an entire column to a guy who was essentially a loser.

I then figured out that this column could stand as a warning about these military impostors and other charlatans.

[LBJJ]

Never trust a guy with two first names - especially if it's the same name...