Background and claims

 Thomas D. Beaumont served in the Vietnam War and was in country during the Tet Offensive which started on Jan 31, 1968 and halted on Feb. 24, 1968.

 The Tet Offensive was one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War, launched on January 30, 1968, by forces of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese People’s Army of Vietnam against the forces of the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam, the United States Armed Forces, and their allies. It was a campaign of surprise attacks against military and civilian command and control centers throughout South Vietnam.The name of the offensive comes from the Tết holiday, the Vietnamese New Year, when the first major attacks took place.

Mr Thomas Beaumont claims that he earned quadruple  (4)  Bronze Star Medals and a Purple Heart during his deployment to Vietnam. 

In the photo’s and social media posts below, Mr Thomas Beaumont  claims that he was the most decorated Veteran from Vietnam and the Tet Offensive of 1968 having earned 4 Bronze Star Medals, One Purple Heart, and  one Vietnamese medal for individual bravery.

Military Records

Mr. Thomas D Bearmont was in Vietnam during the TET offensive. However, He was not medivac to a hospital in Japan until six months after the TET offense ended on Feb.24, 1968.

 Summary and conclusion

   With the evidence on file with Mr Thomas Beaumont, He was respectfully approached on social media. Which he totally ignored and blocked to person asking him. We were hoping that he was misunderstanding what the four bronze stars on his Vietnam Service Medal stood for. Service star (campaign star): for participation in or support of operations in the seventeen designated campaigns of the Vietnam Conflict, a bronze 3/16 inch star is authorized for wear on the Vietnam Service Medal suspension and service ribbon for each of the campaigns from 15 March 1962 to 28 January 1973; a bronze star is also authorized for Operation Frequent Wind, 29-30 April 1975, for USN, USMC, and USAF personnel. A silver 3/16 inch star is authorized in lieu of five bronze stars.

Since Mr Thomas Beaumont wished to ignore our request to vett himself, We can only assume the he does know what the Bronze stars on his Vietnam Service medal mean. But wishes to deceive the general public. Plus the fact that no Purple Heart was awarded to him, even though he was transferred to a hospital stateside eight months after he deployed to Vietnam. This would  indicate that he was either injured or became sick instead of being wounded by hostile enemy fire.

With this evidence, We can confirm that Mr Thomas Beaumont does not have four Bronze Star Medals or a Purple Heart from the Vietnam War. The fact that he claims to be the most decorated Veteran from the TET offensive is totally False.

UPDATE: To provide at least a fair ground for Beaumont’s claims, below is the actual Purple Heart hearing from his second attempt to have one awarded to him.

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


	IN THE CASE OF:	  


	BOARD DATE:	  3 May 2007
	DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20060012006 


	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.

x
x

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military records.

	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including advisory opinion, if any).


THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:

1.  The applicant requests reconsideration of his earlier request for award of the Purple Heart.

2.  The applicant states that he was injured in Vietnam.  Two specialists, who were assigned to the 661st Ordnance, witnessed his accident.  He went on sick call but he had a previously scheduled appointment.  He showed the doctor the bruises to his left hip.  The doctor explained to him that hip problems were similar to bruised ribs and there was not much a person could do but wait for them to heal.  He states that over time the cartilage between his bones just wore down.  The problems with his back, right foot, and right hip were the result of his injury to his left hip.  His limp forced him to walk differently and his right hip and right foot suffered.  In 1973, he went to Sheboygan Orthopedics in Sheboygan, Wisconsin for his hip problem.  At that time, he explained his injury in Vietnam in which he was thrown 10 to 15 feet.  He had total reconstruction of his right foot in 1990.  He states he has suffered during his lifetime due to his service to his country and he deserves the Purple Heart and any minimal benefits for the short time he has left.

3.  The applicant provides no additional documents in support of his application.

CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:

1.  Incorporated herein by reference are military records which were summarized in the previous consideration of the applicant's case by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) in Docket Number AR20050015826 on 20 July 2006.

2.  The applicant has provided new issues that will be considered by the Board.

3.  The applicant was inducted into the Army on 19 January 1967.  He completed basic combat training and advanced individual training and was awarded military occupational specialty 76A1O (Supply Clerk).  The applicant was assigned to Vietnam on 14 December 1967 with the 661st Ordnance Company.

4.  There are no orders in the applicant's personnel records which show he was awarded the Purple Heart.  His DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) does not list any wounds as a result of hostile action in item 40 (Wounds).  His name is not included on the Vietnam Casualty Roster.

5.  Item 38 (Record of Assignments) on the applicant's DA Form 20 (Enlisted Qualification Record) shows he was a patient at the 106th General Hospital in Japan on 11 October 1968 and was transferred to the Medical Holding Detachment, Irwin Army Hospital at Fort Riley, Kansas on 15 October 1968.

6.  There are no medical documents which indicate he was wounded or injured as a result of hostile action in Vietnam.  

7.  The applicant was honorably released from active duty on 25 October 1968.  His DD Form 214 (Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge) does not show the Purple Heart as an authorized award. 

8.  The applicant’s personnel records contain a document from a civilian physician in Sheboygan, Wisconsin which indicates he was examined on 1 April 1973 for discomfort to his left hip.  The document indicated the applicant injured his left hip in Vietnam but the x-rays were inconclusive at that time.  

9.  Army Regulation 600-8-22 (Military Awards) provides, in pertinent part, that the Purple Heart is awarded for a wound sustained as a result of hostile action.  Substantiating evidence must be provided to verify that the wound was the result of hostile action, the wound must have required treatment, and the medical treatment must have been made a matter of official record.  Paragraph 2-8b(2) states that for the purpose of considering an award of the Purple Heart, a “wound” is defined as an injury to any part of the body from an outside force, element, or agent sustained while in action in the face of the armed enemy or as a result of a hostile act of such enemy.  The regulation states that the key issue that commanders must take into consideration is the degree to which the enemy caused the injury.  The fact that the proposed recipient was participating in direct or indirect combat operations is a necessary prerequisite, but is not sole justification for award.  This regulation also provides that there is no statute of limitations on requests for award of the Purple Heart.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

1.  There are no orders which authorize award of the Purple Heart to the applicant.  There are no medical documents which indicate he was wounded as a result of hostile action and his name is not listed on the Vietnam Casualty Roster.

2.  The applicant states that he injured his left hip in Vietnam.  By regulation, in order to award the Purple Heart it is necessary to establish that a Soldier was wounded in action, that the wound required treatment by a medical officer, and the treatment record must have been made a matter of official record.  Although the applicant’s Enlisted Qualification Record shows he was transferred to the 106th General Hospital in Japan, there are no medical documents available which verify he was injured as a result of hostile action.  Therefore, he has not met the requirements for award of the Purple Heart.

BOARD VOTE:

________  ________  ________  GRANT FULL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF 

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

x______ x______ x______  DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice.  Therefore, the Board determined that the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis to amend the decision of the ABCMR set forth in Docket Number AR20050015826, dated 20 July 2006.



x________
          CHAIRPERSON




INDEX

CASE ID
AR20060012006
SUFFIX

RECON
20060720
DATE BOARDED
20070503
TYPE OF DISCHARGE
(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)
DATE OF DISCHARGE
YYYYMMDD
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY
AR . . . . .  
DISCHARGE REASON

BOARD DECISION
DENY
REVIEW AUTHORITY
Mr. Schwartz
ISSUES         1.
107.0015
2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

 This is the link to the above hearing, if the posted document is to difficult to read:

http://boards.law.af.mil/ARMY/BCMR/CY2006/20060012006.txt

Social Networking accounts;

FaceBook ; https://www.facebook.com/tdbeaumont18

This Ain’t Hell Blog ;

http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=69786