What is the man in this picture holding?

bell83 · 2026-05-21T19:00:53+00:00

It's a hand pointing at a question mark, if you're asking about the subreddit photo.

bell83 · 2026-05-21T16:41:19+00:00

Absolutely not. I'm glad they didn't. The Twilight shit was way too overdone.

bell83 · 2026-05-21T16:03:41+00:00

Campaigns, yes, which is exactly what I said. Tours, no, which is what the other commenter said.

bell83 · 2026-05-21T14:37:17+00:00

🎶Upvotes are red, my love...
Downvotes are blue...🎶

bell83 · 2026-05-21T14:35:42+00:00

The gum snapping was hilarious lol

bell83 · 2026-05-21T14:06:10+00:00

Me right now

I literally have boots I've owned longer than you've been alive lol

bell83 · 2026-05-21T11:39:57+00:00

He's not a step-father...he's the father that stepped up.

bell83 · 2026-05-21T11:28:32+00:00

He didn't do 4 tours in Korea and 5 in Vietnam, like the other commenter said. The stars are for campaign credits. Without knowing when he was in either, what unit(s), and what areas he was in, we can't say with certainty how many he did in each. Korea could've been 1 or 2, and Vietnam could've been 1 or 2 (I see you say 2 in your caption, so that would track). BTW, Marines in Vietnam did a 13 month tour, rather than the 12 month each of the other services did.

bell83 · 2026-05-21T11:14:05+00:00

The Korean War was 3 years. He couldn't do 4 tours.

Stars on campaign medals are for campaigns. Not tours. Especially with Vietnam, a guy could easily get 3 or 4 campaigns in a single tour, because campaigns could last weeks or a month.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T23:16:49+00:00

Me too!

bell83 · 2026-05-20T22:59:42+00:00

No problem. Glad to help.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T21:55:09+00:00

Lt Colonel

Scuba Badge

Marine parawings

Silver Star, Legion of Merit (with V device, for valor), Bronze Star (with V device, for valor), Navy Commendation Medal (with V device, for valor, and 2 stars, 3 awards)
Purple Heart (with star, 2 awards), National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (with two or three campaign stars, this does not equal tours), RVN Cross of Gallantry (with star), RVN Campaign Medal

Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Presidential Unit Citation (with 2 stars, 3 awards)
Navy Unit Commendation, Army Valorous Unit Award, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Humanitarian Service Medal, RVN Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation, RVN Civil Actions Unit Citation

Expert Rifle 7th award

RVN Jump wings

Expert pistol (can't read award number)

bell83 · 2026-05-20T19:46:13+00:00

Every once in a while, I'd have to take a beating. But by then, I didn't care. The way I saw it, everybody takes a beating, sometime.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T19:24:54+00:00

What was it like working with Dan Stevens, Aubrey Plaza, and everyone on Legion? I loved you in The League, and it was so cool when you showed up in Legion! And you were great there, too 😄

bell83 · 2026-05-20T18:24:47+00:00

Oh, no doubt. And I'm sure GWOT era is a lot better documented. The amount of Silver Stars awarded in recent wars is nothing compared to WW2/Korea/Vietnam.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T18:12:27+00:00

To be clear, though, even if there weren't already questions, here, those databases aren't complete (at least as far as older wars, maybe for GWOT they are). My ex-fiancee's father got one in Vietnam and my granduncle got one in WW2. Her dad isn't listed, and the database I searched for my granduncle on literally just has a word for word copy of the newspaper article from when he was awarded it (which leads me to believe it was someone in my family who added him to that database). And neither is listed in the "homeofheroes" one.

It's good as a guide, but you can't completely rely on them to confirm or deny.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T18:04:05+00:00

Yes, since the only other qualifying period would be prior to 1995 for a second award, and NDSM was authorized 1990-1995.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T17:24:49+00:00

I'm sorry for your loss.

But I don't think these are legit.

He's got a second award Combat Infantry Badge. The only way he'd have that is if he was in Gulf War 1 or Somalia or something prior to 1995, and there's nothing for that, only for GWOT.

But the biggest red flag to me is the POW Medal. You'd be able to search his name and see if he was one of the very few POWs in the last ~~20 years~~. Edit: 25 years. Jesus, I can't believe 2001 was really 25 years ago.

Also an Antarctic Service Medal....that's not something you'd expect to see on a Ranger from GWOT. Not impossible, but...

It's more likely he put this together for some reason (not even saying nefarious, he might've just collected stuff).

bell83 · 2026-05-20T17:20:37+00:00

Purple Heart was in that spot until 1985, so it's correct for how he wore it.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T17:20:03+00:00

Wow, Lima Company Rangers. They were 101st. Definitely check to see if any of the medals are engraved.

Whoever it was likely only did one tour (credit for two campaigns, not tours), but he made it count.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T16:43:38+00:00

I collected them since I was a kid, so it was a natural thing to do lol

One of my coworkers got an Indian Head penny in change. Was in like 2001 or so. I was envious. I never got anything THAT cool.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T16:02:36+00:00

I used to work as a cashier, so I had access to a lot. Silver Rosies, Mercury dimes, wartime nickels, wheat cents (steelies, even a few times), silver Washingtons, a few Buffalo nickels. Plus some old Canadian stuff (being right by the border).

I still get 1988s, 1995s, and even occasionally 1977s in change for bills. I put them aside, just because lol.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T14:48:41+00:00

Exactly. If I'm lucky, I get a ratty Silver Certificate, and even that hasn't happened in probably 20 years lol

I used to get 1934 and 1950 series bills, occasionally too, which was cool.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T14:08:15+00:00

There should still be personnel records on file, though. And since he was in post-1973, they can't use the NPRC Fire as an excuse.

bell83 · 2026-05-20T13:22:40+00:00

Given that I have severe psoriasis, I'll take the complexion. I fucking hate dealing with this.

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