Stolen Valor: Master Sergeant Ryan Connors

[forrest747]

     Luke Yaxley and the rest of this TankNet forum were instrumental in “outing” Master Sergeant Ryan Connors.  I thought I had posted it here before but could not find it so here is the whole, sordid story.  Several TankNet forum members make an appearance.   I think it is a good story.

     Ryan Connors was a 58-year who hung out in the Weapons/History section of the Vietcong game forum.  He declared that he was a Vietnam vet, former Master Sergeant (retired), now living in Da Nang, Vietnam.  He  worked as a military adviser for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).  His stories brought home the gritty details of the Vietnam conflict; he would patiently answer questions about the war.  But Connors was a fraud. 

Fraud?
     0311tothebone was one of the first to call out Connors for being a fraud.  On 21 Jul 2003, in the thread “I wanna know two things. (From Paintball and Connors),” 0311tothebone got right to the point.  “Connors, I want you to tell me what an AK-47 sounds like and what an M-16A1 sounds like. I also want to know where you were in Viet Nam. I want you to tell me when you were there, and I want you to tell me what it smelled like in a hooch. I also want you to tell me, since you live in Da Nang, what First Med looked like.”  After a few days, Connors responded correctly to these questions.  Score one for Connors.

     Lt. Super was the next to attack Connors and fail, in the thread “plastic soldiers/fake vets.”  “After some digging and research I think we have one of these scumbags in our midst. The lies have gone on for too long and the person in question should fade away and at best come back with a new ID and just enjoy the game. …Connors, you listening mate?”  Score two for Connors. 

     Havoc125 voiced his opinion of Connors: “I did however check every source available to me to verify Connors' claim. Based on the dates of service and unit information provided, I could find no match…. Bottom line, I’m not suggesting that Connors is or is not legitimate, only that I can find no proof to support his claims.”

     The next big thread to attack Connors was “Anyone Googled Clark Air Force Base.”  Lt. Super led the charge, countering Connors’ assertion that Clark Air Force Base was now in use by the US military to train AFP soldiers.  The forum thread got long and nasty.  Connors wrote: “The US is currently using Clark as one of their many US bases around the Philippines. They wouldn’t display that on the Internet of course.”  Lt. Super countered: “They wouldn’t post that on the Internet of course, but YOU just did. CLARK was closed down in 1992. FACT.”   TommyTrouble made a good point: “If I am not mistaken I think Clark AFB is under several feet of solidified lava from the last volcanic eruption some years ago.  Both places are under lava, Subic and Clark.” 

     No one on the Vietcong forum had the requisite knowledge to prove that Connors was a fake.  And no one wanted to show disrespect to Connors if he was the real deal.  Lt. Super, KamisoriX, Ham and anyone else who attacked Connors in this thread were put on the defensive by forum regulars who had enough.  JLApyro, Dallas, Brewski, and even FlipFlop wanted to see Connors left alone.  To stop the attacks on Connors, the forum moderator Rob banned Lt. Super, Robert West and KamisoriX around this time.  Connors could now say whatever he wanted.  Score three for Connors.

     Months passed and forrest747 wrote The Vietcong History, which included Connors’ gripping war stories because Connors was a Prominent Community Member.  The Vietcong History was also especially well-received over at the Officer’s Club Community Forums.  There, Connors had his own special forum section to tell his war stories.  But now Connors had caught the eye of real military vets.  The real vets did not like what they saw.  For them, Connors was an abomination.  For Connors — it was the beginning of the end.

TankNet Finds Discrepancies
     TankNet Military Forums is a group discussion forum provided for, and dedicated to—a dynamic, established world-wide online community of armor and military enthusiasts.  Even better, more than fifty percent of the TankNet members are military, either currently serving or ex-military.  On 9 Feb 2004, Luke Yaxley began a TankNet thread called “Outing forum military fakes.”  Luke Yaxley:  “Howdy, been on another forum and there’s a guy who claims to have served in Vietnam, with a deployment of about four years. His language is pretty much what you’d expect from a teenage wannabe, and he likes to bignote his war exploits to the other teenagers there.  So what is the TankNet guide for outing him?  I think I heard someone (Rocky Davis?) say you could do it in three to five questions, so what do I ask?”  Luke Yaxley's post led to Connors’ downfall. 

     To say that Connors upset the military enthusiasts at TankNet would be a bit of an understatement.  Scott Cunningham’s response was typical, “Connors is a definite fake….  He is a poser.  Out him.”  Stevely said, “out him now with extreme prejudice and put an end to the shabby spectacle.”  
     The TankNet forum members were only too happy to tell “Yak”  many ways to trap Connors in a lie.  Yak initiated his plan by asking Connors about a fake relative who had served in the same outfit.  Connors managed to avoid responding to Yak’s query.  While Yaxley was putting his plan together, the TankNet regulars pored over Connors’ posts.  Connors’ stories did not hold up under close scrutiny.  Here is a summary of the inconsistencies found by TankNet members.  

• Connors signed his posts: Master Sergeant Connors (ret.)   Rocky Davis noted that a true military man would have signed: John Q. Conners, MSG, USA (Ret.)  Oops.
• Connors originally said his unit was  B Company 1st Battalion 5th US Cavalry.  Later, his signature said his unit was Bravo Co. 1st Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division.  DKTanker wrote, “…no such thing as B Co 1st Battalion, 1st Cav Div.”  Oops.
• Connors said he enlisted on Aug 16, 1963.  Then he wrote “I wasn’t drafted, I volunteered in 1965.”  Oops.
• Matt Urbanski:  “Connors claimed to have enlisted on Aug 16, 1963.  He also said he was 19 during his “first tour,” presumably in 1967.  Did Connors enlist when he was 15 years old.”  Oops.
• Connors enlisted on Aug 16, 1963; he said he arrived in Vietnam in 1967 as a Private.  Old Tanker notes, “99% made PFC in the 8/9 month time frame. During the 14-18th month time frame 95% made E-4 Specialist 4th class.”  Richard Lindquist says, “After eight months service (four months time-in-grade), a Private (E-2) was promoted to Private First Class (E-3).... (this) was pretty much automatic ....A guy with fourteen months in service who was not an E-4 in the ‘63-’70 time frame was a pretty substandard or troublesome soldier.”  Oops.
• Connors said that he served only three tours of duty.  He listed his service dates as Feb 12, 1967 to  June 3, 1971.  With a tour of duty lasting a nominal 13 months, those dates suggest four tours of duty – and no one served four tours of duty.  Oops.
• In one post, Connors said he made Master Sergeant in 1969.  In another post, he said “…only when I arrived back home did they make me Master Sergeant.”  His signature block says that he served in Vietnam until 1971.  Oops.
• Connors said, “I got promoted to Corporal and was awarded the CIB after Tet. after that, its all hazy. I got promoted to Master Sergeant in 1969.”   Rocky Davis response: “What a laugh! The guy went from E-4 Corporal to E-8 Master Sergeant in one calendar year.”  Gunguy said, “Anyone who went through what he claims (rapid fire combat promotions) would remember exactly what was going on. This is a huge jump that I say is bunk unless he can whip out a DD-214.... he needs to come up with a DD-214 or face the music.”  Oops.
• Rocky Davis observed, “Assuming the good MSG retired after 20 years of service, one would have to wonder why he didn’t make it to Command Sergeant Major in that amount of time—especially with his combat record.”  Oops.
• Charlie Thompson noted, “Amongst other things he claims to be based at a US facility in the Phillipines that had been largely covered by a volcanic eruption and at the time of his posting was being used as a business park after being vacated some 15 years earlier.”  Oops.
• Col. Sanders observed, “I also recall that “Connors” claimed to own a shotgun while living in Vietnam (now). I was under the impression, and also saw it discussed in the other thread, that owning guns in Vietnam is not legal, and is a serious crime.”  Oops.
• Connors wrote, “...Malathion was an insectiside used because THE AMERICANS complained about mosquitos a lot.”  SMA noted, “Does it not seem odd that a U.S. soldier would refer to his own comrades as the Americans?”
• On Aug 22, Connors wrote:  “only 4 of the original guys from my platoon survived the war.  and where are they now? one has to spend life in prison, one’s a biker somewhere in Philadelphia, one of them is a hunter in Africa, and one is running around in the jungles of Vietnam. still trying to forget those moments of pain and sorrow.”  Less than a month later, on Sept. 16, he wrote “only 3 soldiers from my original platoon survived to the end.  One of them, our machine gunner, is a Hells Angel around the US, he’s really nuts.  The other one, our platoon medic, is in a maximum security prison somewhere in Florida, he has the death sentence. That’s what war does to ya.”  Now was it three or four?  Oops.

     True, Connors’ stories could be the “embellished” stories of a real vet.  These could be explained by an old man’s memory lapses.  I contacted Connors’ about the discrepancy as to how many of his original platoon survived to the end.  Here is Connors’ clever reply:  “You see, the fourth guy died. He died in a hunting accident a few days after I had said that post on Aug 22. It turned out, he got into a firefight with some South African guerillas while on a hunting trip and he got zapped.  In my opinion, an elephant gun is no match for several AK47s.  I just didn’t want to mention him as it would spark my memory every time I glance over that post.”

Shocking News:  Connors Killed in Action
     Matters came to a head on 9 Feb 2004 with the following post by one Jake Henry Barton, on the Officers Club forum:  “I am very sorry to inform all of you that Ryan Connors has been listed as MIA as of February 7, 2004.  The helicopter he was riding in was forced down over the Laotian jungle due to severe mechanical failure. Search and rescue teams had searched the crash spot for days and have declared no survivors.  As his best friend and fellow soldier, I just had to take it upon myself to send this message to this forum where he had mentioned that he had found some very good friends.  And in closing, I salute Master Sergeant Ryan Connors for the remarkable service he has conducted for his country, the United States of America, through out his extensive military career.”

     Later, Jake Henry Barton shared more details, "I’m not exactly at the liberty to tell any of you this but I feel that you all must know the truth.  Connors’ Huey was shot down by intense 20mm cannon fire from the jungle floor.  The helicopter had several large 20mm shell holes throughout the body and rotors.  I had heard one of the search and rescue men say that two bodies were found a few hundred meters from the downed helicopter. I have reason to believe that one of the two is Ryan Connors. He was found with several 7.62mm bullet wounds and shrapnel wounds. He was also still clutching one of the M60 machine guns which he had pried off from the door-gun mount. The other body was one of the door gunners who had also survived the crash, he had several bullets in his chest and one more pistol bullet on his forehead.  Surrounding the two bodies were roughly 30-45 dead enemy guerillas who we figure to be Laotian.”

     Many in the Officers Club considered Connors a friend.  His death was quite a shock.  Harken, the Officers Club administrator had this response, “My God,” followed soon after by “Please tell me this is some kind of sick joke.”  Locke had a similar reaction, “…please let this be a joke…. ”  They pressed Jake Barton for more information; they wanted to send cards to Connors’ family.  Locke made a post over on the Gathering forums (thread title “IMPORTANT – REPORT OF CONNORS MIA –“) to let everyone know what was going on; Locke was careful to say that this could be a cruel prank but he wanted to share what he knew.
     Reaction over at the Gathering forums was similar.  Rok said, “Really sorry to hear that.”  Dallas said, “Conners, I salute you wherever you are.”  ProudViet~Trung said, “Wow I’m speechless. If Connors is really gone, rest in peace.,,,  If this is a true story, it will be on the local (maybe national) papers for sure. I will ask around for news on papers. I don’t want to jump to conclusion about faking. If it’s faking, it’s very sick!”
     This was Big News and no one really knew anything.  N2DEEP summed up what most people thought, “If you are 60 yrs of age and still in the Military, what are you doing flying over the Laotian Jungle? Plus being shot down? Do we still have a war going on in the area of the world?  I never paid attention to his stories or posts, but this information does seem a bit odd.  If he has passed, either way, may God have mercy on his soul.”

Let’s Find the Truth!
     Everyone wanted more information.  The forums’ Internet Detectives swung into action.  Connors dead?  We’ll see about that.  

     Several Laotian news agencies were asked about news of a helicopter crash.  LaosNews.net responded:  “We have no record of a recent downing of a helicopter in Laos. We have also checked other sources, and there appears no be information of such an event. We would conclude, in all likelihood, a helicopter did not come down.  The most recent story on a helicopter in Laos coming down is almost a month old, and refers to a downing decades ago. "

     Anyone who posts on a forum has their IP recorded.  Harken at the Officer’s Club forums focused on the IP of Jake Henry Barton.  Who was this person?  Jake Barton’s IP was traced to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.  This was suspicious, especially since Jake Barton claimed to have heard one of the search and rescue men talking.  Jake Barton should have been near Laos, right?
     Harken next wanted to trace Connors’ IP only to discover that Connors and Jake Barton HAD THE SAME IP address!!  In fact, all of Connors posts on the Officers’ Club forum were from Canada, and Connors had said he lived in Da Nang, Vietnam.  
    
     Harken, the Officer’s Club forum moderator, posted an image that showed the same IP address for both Connors and Jake Henry Barton.  Harken wrote: “All posts by Connors, in the old forum and in our new forum has been made under this IP — which makes us wonder why he claimed to live in Da Nang Vietnam when his IP is registered in Victoria, British Columbia. Once again we held our breath hoping Connors would show to clear this up for us.”

Connors Returns

     Just when everyone had about decided that Connors was a fraud for posting from Canada and whose helicopter death was faked, the story took yet another turn.  Connors returned!   Below is the last post written by Connors, a man who has no understanding of Internet addressing schemes. 

      "I leave for about one week and all this has happened?  Several days ago, my computer got hacked and most of my files got downloaded from my computer onto another computer, the hacker’s computer obviously.  I think he’s the one who changed my original IP to what ever Canadian IP he had in order to hack me. I’m not sure how he did it, but that’s just a guess.  My computer is a piece of junk now, most of the important files are gone and all I have left is the basic Microsoft Word, etc. And my Internet connection.   I’m going to have to leave this forum. I didn’t want to leave the forums known as a fake, that’s why I posted this message.  I wasn’t killed in Laos or whatever bullshit is spreading around.  Plus I’ve been looking at their reasons.

• From the Vietcong forums:  “I have always wanted to stay young as I was when I enlisted in the US Army in 16th of August, 1963. “
• From the Hidden & Dangerous forums:  “These three pictures are the only pieces of evidence I have found, and I wasn’t drafted, I volunteered in 65’.“

      "In the first paragraph, I was simply saying that I had joined the army that time and hadn’t completed any training yet.  In the second paragraph, I was simply referring to combat duty.  I volunteered to go to Vietnam by transferring into the 1st Cav as it was one of the first units to go into ‘Nam.

     "Anyway, I bid you all farewell. I’m going because I don’t want to lie anymore.  I can’t tell you this straight but imagine this, “You’re working for the government and you’re supposed to do your duty in total secrecy. You have to deny all knowledge of your work when questioned or captured by any means possible.”  I hope this answers your question of “Who is
Connors?”   Good luck to all my good friends on this forum.

p.s p.s
If you really don’t believe it’s me. Check my IP right now.  It should say the Canadian IP because I’m using the computer which was hacked.
p.s
It is totally up to you if you want to spread this message to the forum. And don’t worry about me, If I die in a helicopter crash or get shot. You would never ever hear about it anywhere. I wasn’t picked for this line of work if I would let myself get killed easily. You forgot one very important thing mate. I’m Ryan Connors.  (I gotta stop watching Pirates of the Carribean.)"

Last Word From Figmo

    Figmo (Vietcong forum moderator):  “Some people will be convinced one way, while others are convinced another. Make your own judgement on the Connors situation, I understand he was a long time member here and it sucks to have to deal with a situation like this.  This thread will be locked while I try to find out the truth. Banning or what-not of Connors seems to be a non-issue now that he has decided to leave this forum. However I would like to pass on some information although I’m not sure how important it will be in making your own conclusions, but here it is:  The IP Connors has been posted on at these forums has always been same as the other forum (ed. Officer’s Club) involved.  I can’t see this as being possible as it would require an IP to be changed long ago when Connors first joined this forum. That’s over 900 posts from a Victoria IP.  PM me if you have anything to follow up. Time to move on."

 

 

Edited April 22, 2024 by forrest747
spelling correction

[LT Ducky]

Somewhat strange post.

Guy (yes, I am assuming gender) joined 20 years ago, this is his second post.

The incident did happen.

And where is Luke Yaxley?

[Ivanhoe]

2 hours ago, LT Ducky said:

And where is Luke Yaxley?

He goes by Jason Bourne now.

[Ol Paint]

A couple of names in there I haven't seen in a while.  Is Scott Cunningham still around?

Then there was Odin... 

Doug

[Murph]

Serious walting matilda?

[sunday]

I vaguely recall the "kewl" way to write "cool" came from one interaction with MSG Conners with some eager teenager on some tactical shotgun or another.

[Soren Ras]

I very much liked the hilariously over-the-top Rambo-esque death scene, though I fail to see how anyone over the age of say, eight, could take that seriously for even a millisecond.  Also nice to see some of the old names mentioned again.

--

Soren

[Stuart Galbraith]

Many thanks for the poster for bringing this up, but screw you for making me feel old.