FRAUD alert: Former SI writer apparently lied about his Marine exploits

Actually, that's not nearly the case at all.
Especially authors. Especially authors of Jewish or other orthodox heritage. Generationally stating, many used pseudonyms or variations of surnames after service. It was common practice post WWII and Korea.
It would make such searches -- especially a common surname -- problematic.

(Service-award rolls are separate databases, and can be cross-referenced rather quickly.)

 

Lest, it shall be.

 

Oh, for Pete's sake - si got the obit wrong of a guy who worked there for 27 years? They got the obit wrong?

The man walked thru their doors for 27 years, and a company which employs nothing but writers got his obit wrong.

Okay.

 

Scary thing is, especially in sports feature writing, you see reporters taking their subjects' word for it over and over again in these stories. It's not easy to verify or debunk some claims, so the people get trusted.

Very dangerous.

 

Not saying they got it wrong.

Asking where they got it.

 

Unless you're a "Swift Boat Veteran for Truth."

 

Oh, I don't know. The guy worked there at the same company who wrote the obit, for 27 years. I'm going to guess that SI got it from a blog.

 

There's no comprehensive database for Purple Heart recipients from WWII and Korea. The Marines do maintain what they call a "tape," but as the original story on this thread states, it seems to reach back to 1970 or so.

Again, I'm not saying that Pat Putnam wasn't a liar, just that there a lot of loose ends in this story.

Did he never serve at all?

Did he claim VA benefits, as F_B asked?

Did he spend 50 years telling these stories, or did they begin relatively late in his life?

Every obituary and subsequent article cites the same basic story - where did it come from, and who told it?

 

Retired Associated Press boxing writer Ed Schuyler Jr. was Pat Putnam's best friend and for decades his ringside companion at boxing matches around the world. He said yesterday he was shocked by the news. "There is no question in my mind now that Pat was not a Marine. There is also no doubt in my mind that he was living this [fantasy]. I think he really believed all of this happened. I know I believed it."

 

Fast Eddie

 

So a friend believed Pat before. And now he believes the opposite. Doesn't prove or disprove the original story.

Again, not defending Putnam. I'm just asking that a better case be made before destroying a man's life retroactively.

 

Better case?

The military couldn't verify he ever served, right?