WHAT DO YOU THINK?

[DonMooresWarTales]

 

It could easily be a typo. I have seen WWII USMM records which listed an incorrect birthdate. Mistakes happen.

 

We have a video transcript - DVD - of Mr. Arens' interview. Notes are typed directly from the DVD. I haven't heard the DVD but it would not surprise me that Don misheard or mis-typed. Don has a profound hearing loss from radiation on his throat a number of years ago. Without his hearing aids he's stone deaf, and there are times he still doesn't hear well with the aids. It also wouldn't surprise me if Mr. Arens didn't say the right date.

 

This journey with War Tales is a huge education for me. Don's been a reporter for over 55 years. He knows how things are and how they should be. He typically has the documents to back up what's been said. Sometimes we miss one. Seems like we missed a lot on this one.

 

At the time of that interview, Mr. Arens' wife lay dying in their bedroom, complications from Alzheimers. That does not happen quickly.

 

You can see in that picture of Mr. Arens taken at the time of the interview how gaunt he was.

He was her primary caregiver - someone was coming in to bathe her - it was probably Hospice. Don, at that time, early on, would hand-deliver a copy of the DVD and newspaper article. That interview turned around pretty fast, within a few days. Mrs. Arens died the day Don went back to give Mr. Arens the paper and DVD.

 

Fast forward to a couple years later, the picture with the medals that all of you took issue with, where he's outside talking with Don.

Compare the John Arens when his wife was ill with the one with Don. Remarkable difference.

 

And guess what. You wouldn't believe it but Mr. Arens remarried within a year or so later. Very happily. They both are. The new Mrs. Arens is his biggest fan.

[DonMooresWarTales]

Don has yet to receive a phone call from whomever offered to correct Mr. Arens' commendations/ribbons/medals.

 

Don Moore - 941-426-2120

 

He's a fairly early riser - 8 a.m. EST isn't too early nor is 9 p.m. EST too late. He's scheduled to interview a veteran tomorrow from 10 a.m. until about 11:30.

 

However, sometimes he forgets to turn his phone back on. He may not realize it's still off until he gets back to his home and sees my note on his computer to turn it back on.

 

And if you don't wish to talk to Don, and go directly to Mr. Arens, if you are savvy at all about searching for someone, I'm sure you can find him. His middle initial is W.

[cutiger83]

Don has yet to receive a phone call from whomever offered to correct Mr. Arens' commendations/ribbons/medals.

 

 

Any takers? Nope, didn't think so

 

The bashing is over. No one is going to bother to call.

[Dave]

 

 

Any takers? Nope, didn't think so

 

The bashing is over. No one is going to bother to call.

 

We've proved conclusively what he did and didn't do. And, to add to that, we validated his service with the Rangers in Korea. My hat's off to him. I'm still willing to pay for new ribbons for the vet, but personally don't have time to run this down as I am currently dealing with 217 other veteran's families at the moment. Why don't you call him? I'd think it would be an honor to finally wrap this up for the veteran.

[cutiger83]

 

We've proved conclusively what he did and didn't do. And, to add to that, we validated his service with the Rangers in Korea. My hat's off to him. I'm still willing to pay for new ribbons for the vet, but personally don't have time to run this down as I am currently dealing with 217 other veteran's families at the moment. Why don't you call him? I'd think it would be an honor to finally wrap this up for the veteran.

 

None of you ever “proved conclusively” what this man did and did not do. None of you have ever seen all of this man’s records so to say you “proved conclusively” is a false statement.

 

I was never on the “bashing bandwagon” in this thread. I never offered to pay for a ribbon rack. Why doesn’t one of the many who jumped on the “bashing bandwagon” call and speak to the man? If any of you really cared as much as you led others to believe, you would find the time to call.

 

...Kat

[cutiger83]

So people will do a drive by public discussion/bashing of this man’s career but when it comes down to actually calling and speaking to the man or to the author of the article, people are just too busy or not interested. Hmmmm

 

I find it pretty interesting that this exact same man was mentioned 20 months ago. There were 369 views of the thread and not ONE response was made to the thread. The only posts in that thread are from the original author. What made no one post a response in Ricardo’s thread but made people jump on the “bashing bandwagon” in this thread? Is it because this thread began with the title “hero or fraud” and the other thread just mentions the vets name? Were people’s thoughts already led down the fraud path in this thread so the bashing began on day one?

 

Here is the other thread started on June 11, 2012 by Ricardo

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/145951-john-arens/?hl=arens

[firefighter]

I just got off the phone with Don.We talked for a little over 20 minutes.It was nice talking to him.I told him my intention on starting this thread was to find out about this man's military history.I told him the story and uniforms seemed really odd.He assured me that everything that was written is try and that he records his interviews and gets all necessary paperwork.He was a nice gentleman and if you get a chance call him.

[cutiger83]

I just got off the phone with Don.We talked for a little over 20 minutes. He assured me that everything that was written is true and that he records his interviews and gets all necessary paperwork.He was a nice gentleman and if you get a chance call him.

 

 

Thank you for calling him.

 

...Kat

[firefighter]

 

 

Thank you for calling him.

 

...Kat

 

 

 

Kat. Not a problem.It was a pleasure to talk to him.I really didn't mean for the thread to be a free for all on bashing.

When it comes down to it sounds like he did everything that he said he did and thats amazing.

 

Kat.I do sincerely apologize for my comment early in the thread.I get a little defensive and I am sorry for that.

[doinworkinvans]

Man glad this is settled!!!!

 

 

[cutiger83]

Kat.I do sincerely apologize for my comment early in the thread.I get a little defensive and I am sorry for that.

 

 

Apology accepted. We all have areas of our lives that we are very passionate about. Sometimes our heart controls our heads.

 

...Kat

[firefighter]

I say time to move on and maybe lock this thread?

[DonMooresWarTales]

Mary writing here - Please don't lock it just yet. I'd like to give you a final update when Mr. Arens receives his ribbons. Maybe we can provide some pictures for your forums.

We've gotten bashed by other groups and I've directed those commenters to this thread.

 

I'm glad - so very glad it's been mostly resolved.

 

One of these days, when there's nothing left to do with War Tales and I have time (I own a business that keeps me going almost 7 days a week and I give 20 - 30 or more hours a week on Don's stories) I'll post segments of the DVD interviews on YouTube. That would include editing non-necessary chatter.

 

Some of the DVD interviews are beginning to show up on the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. There's no rhyme or reason why the ones we've sent for the past 4 years aren't already up.

 

I've found only one veteran's DVD so far: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.78796/ and that is Stephen Leopold, his story of being a Vietnam POW for 5 years is told in two parts: http://donmooreswartales.com/?s=leopold

 

Maybe there are others with DVDs, but we aren't informed by the Library of Congress when they're posted.

[Liam]

Hi, I stumbled upon this post and found it amazing. If I may make a few comments coming form a civilian.

 

Capt. Arens in all of the pictures was wearing a Merchant Marine uniform. There has been no specific regulations for the wearing of that uniform since WWII. Even then the regulations were not very firmly established. So issues of "military" correctness, other than claiming badges of valor, should not apply to him anymore than to the deck staff of a cruise liner.

 

During WWII the merchant mariners were engaged in dangerous duty assisting the war effort many years before the U.S. military was involved in the war. The ships used to transport supplies to Great Britain were called Liberty ships. Manned by merchant mariners they traveled across the Atlantic supporting our allies years before the U.S. military had any involvement in the war effort. The merchant service lost a higher percentage of men and ships during the war than any other service.

 

Even with all of the ribbons and medals he is entitled to Capt. Arens still wouldn't have the "list to port" that some of the current joint chiefs have and that's not counting the four of five WWII, possibly Vietnam and Dessert Storm merchant marine medals that he may be entitled to as well.

 

If someone can finally get the right ribbon list (remember though the rack precedence may doesn't necessarily need to follow the "military rules as Capt Arens is in a "civilian" merchant marine uniform) I will be glad to order an accurate ribbon rack for him. Merchant mariners still don't get the credit that they deserve. Would/could anyone deny that Capt. Richard Philips of the Maersk Alabama was anything but a hero? Capt. Arens worked for the Military Sealift Command at pay levels that I am sure are less than the commercial merchant marine. That service and the privately owned or leased ships carried over 75% of the equipment and materials used to support the troops in the Middle East.

 

Capt. Arens is one of the quiet heros of America that should be celebrated as an example to future generations.

[DonMooresWarTales]

Liam -

Are you the one who offered a correct rack for Mr. Arens on DonMooresWarTales FaceBook fan page?

 

Mr. Arens is quite easy to find if you use 411.com or zabasearch.com

 

Thank you. Thank you for your kind words and offer.

Hi, I stumbled upon this post and found it amazing. If I may make a few comments coming form a civilian.

 

Capt. Arens in all of the pictures was wearing a Merchant Marine uniform. There has been no specific regulations for the wearing of that uniform since WWII. Even then the regulations were not very firmly established. So issues of "military" correctness, other than claiming badges of valor, should not apply to him anymore than to the deck staff of a cruise liner.

 

During WWII the merchant mariners were engaged in dangerous duty assisting the war effort many years before the U.S. military was involved in the war. The ships used to transport supplies to Great Britain were called Liberty ships. Manned by merchant mariners they traveled across the Atlantic supporting our allies years before the U.S. military had any involvement in the war effort. The merchant service lost a higher percentage of men and ships during the war than any other service.

 

Even with all of the ribbons and medals he is entitled to Capt. Arens still wouldn't have the "list to port" that some of the current joint chiefs have and that's not counting the four of five WWII, possibly Vietnam and Dessert Storm merchant marine medals that he may be entitled to as well.

 

If someone can finally get the right ribbon list (remember though the rack precedence may doesn't necessarily need to follow the "military rules as Capt Arens is in a "civilian" merchant marine uniform) I will be glad to order an accurate ribbon rack for him. Merchant mariners still don't get the credit that they deserve. Would/could anyone deny that Capt. Richard Philips of the Maersk Alabama was anything but a hero? Capt. Arens worked for the Military Sealift Command at pay levels that I am sure are less than the commercial merchant marine. That service and the privately owned or leased ships carried over 75% of the equipment and materials used to support the troops in the Middle East.

 

Capt. Arens is one of the quiet heros of America that should be celebrated as an example to future generations.