Frank William Dux – Cold Case Getting Warmer
1503/19/2017 by
“I never represented myself in my book or otherwise as a Vietnam War veteran, was in the CIA, or murdered anyone.” – Frank Dux
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ABSTRACT & INTENT
Frank Dux (pronounced “dukes”) may be a name that sounds familiar. He’s a famous martial artist whose life story was the basis for the popular 1988 movie “Bloodsport” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme.
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CONTROVERSY
Long after the release of the movie, questions arose as to inconsistencies surrounding Frank Dux’s stories which include his military claims. Much was written about this controversy in magazine articles, newspaper accounts, online martial arts blogs, Wikipedia, and books which include a book about Stolen Valor.
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WHAT’S NEW?
What’s new with the Dux case and why do another article about Frank Dux?
For one thing, “Bloodsport” recently came back into the news due to President Donald Trump telling The New Yorker magazine that it was one of his favorite movies as part of a candidate profile. Due to many younger people having never seen this movie, it naturally prompted some interest. For non-millennials, Frank Dux may have been an icon in their youth. As such, it may prove difficult to abandon the connection that they have with Dux.
Some people even give the movie credit as seeding the idea for Mixed Martial Arts competition as we know it today. (SOURCE: “From Bloodsport to Blue Chip“)
Another reason for addressing this case now is there are no formal writings about Dux’s military claims in any of the mainstream stolen valor blogs. We felt that it deserved some mention and discussion.
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VALUE ADDED
Since much of this case has been discussed already in some form, our focus will be slightly different. We thought long and hard about how to add value to a discussion that has been quite thorough already. Military Phony will attempt to do this in two important ways.
First, an attempt is made to compile all of the information about Frank Dux’s case and place it in one convenient place. For more in-depth historical discussions on specific matters, we will offer pointers.
Second, we will primarily focus on the military claims and offer Dux’s military records that have not been previously made part of a public discussion.
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BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT
The twists and turns in the story about Frank Dux represent a conundrum for all involved – although many of the military claims cannot be substantiated, it’s a matter of whether Dux truly made those claims. The paradox is proving Dux’s military claims to be false is just as difficult as proving that he actually made the claims to be true. Some believe that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. This means that the frequency of the military claims and Dux’s dismissiveness toward them may suggest a pattern that cannot be ignored.
No matter what you believe, the case of Frank Dux certainly is an anomaly. It has never been put to rest and the controversy could not have existed in today’s modern society of the internet and smartphones. Keep in mind that it was the late 1980s, so this all happened before the internet became mainstream and prior to the existence of smartphones where much can be resolved just shy of the speed of light.
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BACKGROUND
THE RISE OF FRANK DUX
Frank William Dux received significant prominence in the 1980 October and November editions of Black Belt magazine.
In the October 1980 edition, Dux authored an article called “Self-Defense Against Knives.” In this article, he writes “Author Frank Dux gained his expertise in blade fighting in actual military combat”. At the end of the article, he states he “has used–and been decorated for–his blade fighting techniques in actual combat in Southeast Asia.”
What specific decorations exist for blade fighting techniques in actual combat?
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Then, the following month in the November 1980 edition, Black Belt magazine published an article written by editor John Stewart about Frank Dux titled “Kumite: A Learning Experience.” The article’s focus was on an unusual event called the Kumite, a martial arts tournament held in a secret location every five years. The article states that Dux “compiled a distinguished military record during the Vietnam conflict.”
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But things got even better for Frank…
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THE MOVIE
The story about Frank Dux’s participation in the Kumite, and winning the competition, became the foundation for a movie called “Bloodsport“. This movie was released on February 26, 1988.
Using subtitles, “Bloodsport” makes the claim that “This motion picture is based upon true events in the life of FRANK W. DUX.” Here is the screen shot at the end of the movie...
Just after the above credit, Frank Dux’s records appear, displayed as the following:
From 1975 to 1980 Frank W. Dux fought 329 matches.
He retired undefeated as the World Heavy Weight Full Contact Kumite Champion.
Mr. Dux still holds four world records:
Fastest Knockout – 3.2 seconds
Fastest Punch with a Knockout – .12 seconds
Fastest Kick with a Knockout – 72 mph
Most Consecutive Knockouts in a Single Tournament – 56
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MARTIAL ARTS & MILITARY CLAIMS
MARTIAL ARTS RECORDS
His records were underscored with this certificate. The records were also listed in Dux’s flyer from his Ninjitsu school in North Hollywood, along with accomplishments in Southeast Asia due to clandestine operations behind enemy lines.
The movie was extremely successful. However, some people were skeptical…
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MARTIAL ARTS CLAIMS
Most of the martial arts claims go beyond the scope of this article. Resources provided at the end walk through questions raised in regard to the martial arts claims, along with some rebuttals.
This discussion got quite heated on Wikipedia with edits and posts on both sides. There was so much back and forth that Wikipedia shut it down and archived the discussions.
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FRANK DUX’S CLAIMS CHALLENGED
The first to offer a major challenge to Dux’s background, which includes his military background, was The Los Angeles Times on Sunday, May 1, 1988, just over 3 months after the movie came out.
The article can be read online here: http://articles.latimes.com/1988-05-01/local/me-3111_1_american-martial-arts
The article can also be seen in its original layout by clicking on the icon below:
Years later, Soldier of Fortune magazine ran a few articles that mentioned Dux.
The August 1996 edition was a blistering review of Frank Dux’s book “The Secret Man”. The article was called “Full Mental Jacket”, but advertised on the cover as “Unmasking the ‘Secret Man’.” Click on the icon below to read the article.
Then in November of 1998, Soldier of Fortune magazine ran an article about Stolen Valor in which Frank Dux was mentioned again. The article was called “Stolen Valor: Hunting Phony Vets” by Larry Bailey. Click on the icon below to read the article.
Also in 1998, B. G. Burkett and Glenna Whitley wrote a book called “Stolen Valor : How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History” in which Frank Dux was written about on pages 338 (photo) and 411-417, with references on pages 654-655.
On page 411 of “Stolen Valor“, the book speaks about Frank Dux claiming he returned from a secret mission with “bayonet wounds in the stomach and shrapnel in the back.” The authors attribute this quote to a flyer for Frank Dux’s martial arts studio called the Shidoshi Dux Martial Arts Studios.
Although we do not have the flyer referenced in the book, we found the exact same quote in a magazine put out by the Los Angeles Valley College journalism department. See below under the “Wounds” section of this article.
The Martial Arts website named “Bullshido” carried commentary about Frank Dux and his martial arts claims. This organization calls itself “The BS-Free Martial Arts Encyclopedia.” It focused on Dux’s martial arts claims but briefly mentioned the military.
http://www.bullshido.org/Frank_Dux
On 7 March 2017, Frank Dux provided his perspective on the claims against him in a recent article in the Niagara Falls Reporter.
http://niagarafallsreporter.com/dux-backbiters-bruce-lee-bogus-ninjas-fake-news/
All of this is mentioned above to make the overall point that criticisms are combined in regard to Dux’s martial arts claims as well as military claims. Since we want to focus on the military claims, we will attempt to uncouple them from the martial arts claims. This task proves to be challenging since much of the printed material tightly intertwines them both.
Stated another way, we make no attempt to prove or disprove Frank Dux’s martial arts claims, choosing instead to focus on the Dux’s military claims.
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MILITARY CLAIMS
MEDALS AND AWARDS
Frank Dux’s claim of medal awards appeared in several printed materials.
Cold War Counterfeit Spies – Tales of Espionage [BOOK]
SOURCE: Google Books
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SOURCE: Mendel, Bob (May 1981). “Can Ninjitsu Make You the Ultimate Warrior?”
Kick Illustrated: pages 47–49
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On page 338 of the book “Stolen Valor”, there is a photo of Frank Dux wearing a mixture of Army and Marine Corps medals.
In a section of a document that Frank Dux labels a court declaration, he claims that the photo above was of him dressed up in the US Marine Corps uniform on the way to a fraternity costume party while still in college.
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James Hom wrote in his online article “Meet Frank Dux” that he (Hom) was told by David Silverman, Dux Ryu instructor at the University of Southern California, that the party was a college Halloween party.
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CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
As shown above in the book “Cold War Counterfeit Spies – Tales of Espionage“, there is a claim of the Congressional Medal of Honor (US military’s highest award for valor) and the Navy Cross (US military’s second-highest award for valor).
In an UPROXX article, they point out that Frank Dux often claimed to have “won the Medal of Honor.”
SOURCE: http://uproxx.com/movies/bloodsport-jean-claude-van-damme-frank-dux/2/
NOTE: The proper terminology is that someone is ‘awarded’ the Congressional Medal of Honor. It’s not a contest so they do not ‘win’ the medal.
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The book “Cold War Counterfeit Spies – Tales of Espionage” reported that Frank Dux made the claim of being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in secret, but there is no reference to confirm the claims origin. The “secret” claim was also made in the “Stolen Valor” book on page 412.
The LA Times article on Sunday May 1, 1988 mentions it as well…
It’s unclear if the articles referenced each other but it’s plausible. That said, the screenwriter of “Bloodsport”, Sheldon Lettich, claims that Frank Dux showed him the medal at one time only to have Dux later deny that he showed it to him.
SOURCE: http://asianmoviepulse.com/2012/11/q-a-with-sheldon-lettich-by-marco-a-s-freitas-guest-post/
To demonstrate how simple it is for information to proliferate quickly, an UPROXX article quoted Lettich from the same interview in regard to the medal…
SOURCE: http://uproxx.com/movies/bloodsport-jean-claude-van-damme-frank-dux/4/
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On page 415 of the book “Stolen Valor“, the authors claim that the FBI investigated claims of the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.
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WOUNDS
An article by well-known writer Eric Blakeney details bayonet wounds to Frank Dux’s stomach along with shrapnel wounds to his back. Later in the article, it speaks of confirmation by a military doctor at a Congressional hearing on “Operation Sanction.”
SOURCE: Blakeney, Eric “Frank Dux – Fighting Back Again” LAVC Journalism Magazine [81-83] pgs 3-6
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VIETNAM – CURRENT CLAIM
Despite all of Frank’s attempts to control the narrative about his claims and whether he made them or not, he still promotes an article that claims he is a Vietnam veteran. As of 19 Mar 2017, on Frank Dux’s official Facebook page he displays an article by Michelle Klein that states he is “a distinguished Vietnam vet.”
Although small, the text is still readable. It’s the last sentence of the middle column.
The article is from: Klein, Michelle “Frank Dux: The Man Behind the Legend”, in Inside Kung Fu Presents: The Complete Guide to Ninja Training, May 1987: 48-53
The text of that line is as follows:
“They had made this discovery two years previously, with the help of Frank W. Dux, a distinguished Vietnam vet, security expert, kumite champion and koga yamabushi ninjitsu [sic] master.” (pg 50)
The article went further on to say:
“After training with Tanaka for several years Dux was called to serve in Vietnam and came out of the experience with a chestful of medals and a basic distrust of institutions like the military.” (pg 50)
Dux was then quoted as saying:
“My time in the service is something I’d rather not talk about anymore. I could tell you story after story of how the training I received in ninjitsu helped me to survive, and I assure you, it did… for example, knowing something as simple as how to execute a flat fall properly allowed me to avoid a bullet through my chest… but I’d rather not. It’s a part of my life I’d just as soon put behind me,” said Dux gravely. (pg 50)
In spite of all of this controversy about who said what in regard to Vietnam claims, it is puzzling why Dux would prominently display this article on his Facebook page with the author claiming that Dux is a “distinguished Vietnam vet.”
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NON-MILITARY CLAIMS
WORKING IN CIA, NSA and FBI
Although beyond the scope of this article, it is interesting to note that Frank Dux has claimed to work with the National Security Agency (NSA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Frank Dux listed the NSA and FBI on an old resume along with his military experience…
The 059.088 listed for Intelligence Specialist refers to a standard job code for translation of military skills to civilian occupations. An example from an occupation manual…
Point is, 059.088 is not a military code. It is standard civilian job code translation from the US Marine Corps’ 0200 Basic Intelligence MOS.
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As far as the claim of working for the CIA – in 1996 Dux wrote a book called “The Secret Man – An American Warrior’s Uncensored Story.” Here is an article about the book from the “Tucson Citizen.”
The book is advertised on Amazon as “A true-life espionage account chronicles the exploits of a former CIA hitman who performed highly classified missions and who masked his covert operations under his international reputation as a martial arts black belt.“
There’s more about “The Secret Man” in the DISCUSSION section of this article.
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A lot of questions were raised and people challenged him, but Dux fought back.
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EVIDENCE
FRANK DUX’S MILITARY RECORDS
Frank Dux, along with people associated with him on his fan sites, has supplied the following DD-214…
SOURCE: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Discharge2.gif
But how does this information compare with Frank Dux’s official records?
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OFFICIAL MILITARY RECORDS
Frank Dux’s official military records were requested through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Due to incomplete results, several requests were made over a long period.
Let’s see the records from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)…
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FOIA RESULTS – SELECTED
In addition, we noticed that Frank Dux made it to the National Personnel Records Center’s “VIP Listing.” This is the list that the NPRC puts out for prominent people that they have military records on.
SOURCE: http://governmentattic.org/3docs/NPRC_VIP_List_2009.pdf
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FOIA RESULTS – COMPLETE
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DISCUSSION & SUMMARY
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DISCUSSION
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RESERVES vs. ACTIVE DUTY
Frank Dux’s official military records show that he was in the US Marine Corps Reserve. He spent 130 days on active duty, being released on 23 Oct 1975. This brief period of active duty is not uncommon for reservists since they are cut active duty orders to go to boot camp and basic school for their MOS; then given a DD-214 upon discharge to return to their reserve unit – in Frank’s case a Marine Corps reserve artillery unit.
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BASIC JOB SKILLS (MOS)
One thing that appeared odd is that the records show no schooling for wireman, but it is listed as his primary duty. Both the Record of Service page and the Markings page both list ‘Wireman’ as Dux’s primary duty. There is no school listed for wireman so perhaps it was On the Job Training (OJT).
The official records from NPRC mention “Wireman” but the DD-214 Frank Dux presents displays “Basic Intelligence Man”.
Since the NPRC does not routinely give out a member’s DD-214 unless they have died, we confirmed on the phone with them that blocks 16a and 16b match that of the DD-214 that Dux supplies. Also, there is a notation on the Chronological Record Page in FOIA#3 for Intelligence (0200) being his primary duty in 1978.
The point is that it’s puzzling that there’s no record of school attendance for Intel. It also could be an MOS that one can gain on the job without attending a school as we have seen references for that happening.
Regardless, there are not advanced intel schools on Frank Dux’s record, which would be expected for someone advancing through the intelligence field.
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
There is nothing on Dux’s official military records to indicate that he left the continental United States. His combat history page is blank and there are no awards for participation in Vietnam or Southeast Asia. This would undermine claims made by him or attributed to him in various articles, including the article by Michelle Klein currently displayed on the Official Frank Dux Facebook page that claims he is a “distinguished Vietnam vet.”
The “Kick Illustrated” article claims that Frank Dux “was one of the most decorated marines that came out of Southeast Asia”, then later was specific about Vietnam. Yet there are no awards and nothing on the Combat History and Awards page that would support these claims.
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CLASS III
The other thing of note on Frank Dux’s official records is his status of Class III on 08 May 1978. This was a Monday and may have likely occurred just after a drill weekend.
In the book “Stolen Valor” by B. G. Burkett, it states that “in May 1978, Dux fell from a truck in the motor pool while painting the vehicle.” This claim is consistent with the military records but we cannot confirm medical-related issues.
The Class III transfer appears to have made Dux ineligible to perform active duty. He would have been in the inactive reserve until the end of his obligated reserve contract in 1981.
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OPERATION SANCTION
Dux claimed in the Los Angeles Valley College journalism magazine that in 1975 as part of a Marine “special operations group” he fought in Laos in something called “Operation Sanction.” This resulted in him fighting his way back into Thailand, returning “with bayonet wounds in the stomach and shrapnel in the back.”
NOTE: We’d like to point out that Frank Dux displays a certificate on his official website that shows he was promoted to a Lance Corporal in 1976, so he could not have been a Lance Corporal (E-3) in 1975 as the article claims. He would have been an E-1 or E-2 in 1975.
Notice that this was years after the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Operations group (MACV-SOG) had been disbanded. The only Marines that we are aware of that were involved with fighting in Southeast Asia were those guarding the American embassy and other installations in Saigon at the time of the American Evacuation, which was a small contingent.
Then, there were the Marines involved in the Mayaguez incident in 1975.
Out of a total force of over 100 Marines and other servicemen, 18 were killed and 50 were wounded.
We could not find any record of “Operation Sanction” other than references to Frank Dux. Therefore, we cannot confirm or deny its existence.
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THE SECRET MAN
Frank Dux’s book “The Secret Man: An American Warrior’s Uncensored Story” is sold on Amazon as a true-life espionage account of his life. The book contains at least one item that’s simply not true, several inconsistencies, and interesting assertions. The below examples will provide some critical perspective for the SUMMARY section that follows.
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The Beirut Bombing
In Chapter 18 which is titled ‘Grenada’, Frank Dux places himself in Grenada in October 1983 just a few days prior to the US Invasion. On October 23, 1983, just days before ‘Operation Urgent Fury’ kicked off – the US Invasion of Grenada on October 25 – Dux was talking with a KGB spy named Mikhail, who preferred to be called ‘Michael’. On page 179, Michael broke news to Dux by stating that “Two hundred and forty-one U.S. marines killed in their barracks this morning. A truck bombing in Beirut.”
It was not possible for Michael to say that. First of all, it was 220 Marines of the total 241 servicemen that were killed vs. ‘241 marines’. Also should be ‘Marines’ vs. ‘marines.’ This may represent some creative liberty for the book so we’ll give Dux the benefit of the doubt.
What’s not accurate – how could Michael have known how many were killed the same day of the bombing? Even the Pentagon did not have accurate numbers at that time. The next day The New York Times and other newspapers reported that 161 Marines and sailors were killed. Maybe Michael had privileged insider information being a KGB agent?
No, Michael couldn’t have had privileged insider information and here’s why…
Marine Corporal Henry Townsend died at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland on December 2, 1983 from wounds he suffered in the Beirut Marine Barracks bombing on October 23rd. There was actually another Marine that died a few days after him but the announcement of Townsend’s death later in December brought the total death toll to 241. Here’s the article in The New York Times on December 15, 1983 that announces the death toll at 241. In addition, several Marines died days and weeks later of wounds but the October 23rd 1983 date is symbolic.
This may sound minor but how could Michael possibly have known there would be 241 men that died in the bombing? We submit that he did not say that and the book is wrong on this point. However, Dux could have been reconstructing events and conversations from memory or news accounts years later so there’s always room for error. That said, it’s an error in the book nonetheless.
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Did Frank Dux Work for the CIA?
The better question is ‘Did Dux claim that he worked for the CIA?’
On page 3 of his autobiographical book, Dux states:
“I was a bona fide “animal,” as they refer to us at CIA SOD (Special Operations Division).”
There are certainly ongoing implications throughout the book that reinforce the premise that Dux worked for the CIA. In fact, the very cover of the book proclaims that “He was the CIA’s finest covert operative…”
After being challenged on the claim of working for the CIA as well as the CIA coming out and publicly denying that Dux worked for them, Dux states in an interview…
“To say I worked for the CIA is misleading. Let us begin by eliminating any misconceptions due to the misdirection of others. I never held myself out as having worked for the CIA as a card carrying of NOC (non-official cover) agent, especially in light of the Boland and Logan Amendments. The CIA making a public denial of my serving with the CIA is truthful but it is also cunningly deceptive, considering how it is unwarranted.”
Then, according to a History vs. Hollywood interview:
“I never represented myself in my book or otherwise as a Vietnam War veteran, was in the CIA, or murdered anyone,” Dux said.
SOURCE: http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/bloodsport.php
So, to somewhat expect author Frank Dux to make the answer digestible to readers without expecting them to navigate the nuances of CIA employment jargon – did he or did he not work for the CIA? That answer seems elusive.
This distinction is important for the purposes of this article because there is implication put forth that Dux’s military career was in concert with his work with the CIA.
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Was He or Was He Not Sheep Dipped?
On the Official Frank Dux website, various points were made about Frank Dux. One statement addressed the issue of “sheep-dipping” in relation to Dux.
Exhibits and testimony made under penalty of perjury support the martial art legend engaged in the systematic practice referred to as “sheep-dipping” whereby, military personnel are recruited and discharged from active military service in order to perform non-attributable/covert actions who then are repatriated back in uniform, typically, at a promoted rank or are cut lose and whose actions are systematically denied by the government [36] but yet, secretly serve as “independent contractors/volunteers” as is the best known case with the legendary, Flying Tigers [37].
SOURCE: http://officialfrankdux.com/separating-fact-vs-fiction/
(ALSO) SOURCE: http://www.cosozo.com/users/hdux
Dux uses the term ‘sheep dipper’ often in the book “The Secret Man”, mostly in the context of talking about ‘Fish’ who was a rogue CIA operative and sheep dipper that went too far. Use of the term occurs on pages 2, 3, 35, 140 and 154.
Frank Dux implies that Dux himself is not a sheep dipper by stating “Fish flinched, catching my veiled declaration that I had never attended any formal spy school and that I operated outside the usual channels. Sheep dippers drooled over the idea of operative independence.” (pg 154)
Dux refers to himself as a bona fide “animal” and goes on to state that “We’re not members of the ‘overt-covert fraternity,’ like sheep dippers.” (pg 3)
So which is it – was Frank Dux a sheep dipper or wasn’t he? The statements in Dux’s book and the statement on Frank Dux’s official website are inconsistent and contradictory.
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Boot Camp as Cover
This is where things start to get really fascinating. On page 30, Dux writes about the rough treatment he got in Marine Corps boot camp, suggesting he was singled out for being Jewish. He then implies that he was in boot camp to build a background cover. For covert operations, perhaps?
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Military Records
On page 35, Dux addresses some of the same issues we were trying to nail down with regard to his records. However, he seems to float the possibility that the ambiguity was by design.
Frank Dux was on active duty for exactly 130 days, but there is nothing in his records to suggest it was recruiting duty. The records list boot camp and OJT.
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Body Double
On pages 34-35 of “The Secret Man,” Dux claims that he often employed a body double, one of which conducted an interview that was supposedly Dux but actually was not. This suggests that he can’t be held accountable for anything that was said during that interview because it wasn’t him.
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Final Takeaways from “The Secret Man”
So, the two things that one can use to nail down Frank Dux’s narratives are official military records and interviews. If his entire military career was cover and a result of him being sheep dipped (or not), do the records really mean anything? Civilians may look at this differently as opposed to anyone that has served in the military.
Also, can what Frank Dux said ever be attributable to him since he used body doubles?
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SUMMARY
COMBAT AS THEATER
If one were to follow the pattern of Frank Dux’s military claims, they all have a curious pattern to them – most involve coming back to Dux for verification and confirmation. This puts him squarely in control of his own narratives.
He’s a screenwriter. He’s a storyteller. In the craft of storytelling, it’s valuable to have an imagination and exercise it. This has served Dux well.
Similar to a good actor that can cry on demand, their craft must be considered when they are pleading for forgiveness before a judge or their spouse for transgressions.
Consider all of this, but it does not mean that everything should be discounted.
That said, everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt but there is such as thing as using it all up.
We do know that many of Frank Dux’s claims are not supported by his military records.
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BIG HAT, NO CATTLE
Without the supportive documentation in his official military records, Frank Dux fits into a category common to veterans we term “Big Hat, No Cattle.” Maybe there is a plausible explanation but we cannot think of one. Civilians should keep this important fact in mind…
There are secret missions, but no such thing as secret military records.
This is especially true for awards such as the Purple Heart. A documented wound in combat is critical for a veteran to receive later care through the Veterans Adminstration.
Anyone that you find supporting a claim of ‘secret records’ is most likely an enabler and is also benefiting in some way by these statements.
Even if one were to give Frank Dux a pass on the Congressional Medal of Honor claim, there exists detailed evidence of his claims to specific combat wounds and a Purple Heart.
Recall that in the October 1980 edition, where Dux authored an article called “Self-Defense Against Knives,” he writes “Author Frank Dux gained his expertise in blade fighting in actual military combat.” At the end of the article, he states he “has used–and been decorated for–his blade fighting techniques in actual combat in Southeast Asia.”
There are no decorations in his official military records and there is nothing on Frank Dux’s combat history page. In addition, we are unaware of decorations specific to “blade fighting techniques for actual combat in Southeast Asia.” Certainly, a letter of commendation or a general medal could be awarded that encompass that, but Frank Dux has no medals to support such an award.
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SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
The conundrum in the case of Frank Dux comes down to two main schools of thought about his claims:
1) Those that believe Frank Dux’s military career represents a sheep-dipped CIA operation to mask his covert status, that Dux took a photo of himself before attending a Halloween frat party which included non-regulation hair and unearned medals, and also employed a body double that made statements on his behalf but can’t be attributed to him.
or…
2) Those that believe Frank Dux was a fairly typical US Marine Corps Reserve Lance Corporal that served stateside, had an overactive imagination and crafted a story good enough to convince a few writers to put it in print; then, in turn, used it to sway a few key people into making a Hollywood movie about him.
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WILL MORE INTERVIEWS PROVIDE CLARITY?
The 30th anniversary of the movie “Bloodsport” is in 2018. If Hollywood does a 30th anniversary remastered edition with behind the scenes interviews, maybe other aspects of this story may provide clarity. Then again, maybe not.
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PHOTOS and SOCIAL MEDIA
PHOTOS
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SOCIAL MEDIA
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/officialfrankdux/ (public)
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/frank.w.dux.71 (personal)
WEBSITE: http://officialfrankdux.com/
MYSPACE: https://myspace.com/hanshifrankdux/photos
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THE DEBATE – PUNCH & COUNTERPUNCH
As stated earlier, most of the martial arts claims go beyond the scope of this article. Below are some resources that try and walk through questions about the martial arts claims of Frank Dux, with some rebuttals.
http://www.bullshido.org/Frank_Dux
http://articles.latimes.com/1988-05-01/local/me-3111_1_american-martial-arts
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http://fasstduxryu.com/videos/
http://officialfrankdux.com/separating-fact-vs-fiction/
http://niagarafallsreporter.com/dux-backbiters-bruce-lee-bogus-ninjas-fake-news/
https://www.amazon.com/Sit-Down-Frank-Dux-Saddled-ebook/dp/B003UNKZ7M
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DEBATE OVER EDITS ON WIKIPEDIA
This discussion was even carried on Wikipedia. There was so much back and forth that Wikipedia shut it down and archived the discussions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AFrank_Dux%2FArchive_1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AFrank_Dux%2FArchive_2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AFrank_Dux%2FArchive_3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Frank_Dux
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LEGAL ARGUMENTS & READER COMMENTS
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This Ain’t Hell: http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=70958
I served in RVN Mar 68-Mar 69 with Mike 3/1. I was discharged in Nov 69 Convenience of the Government. I had tried to re enlist to go back to Vietnam to avenge the death of my cousin. The career planner told me that wasn’t an option because of the drawdown so I said let me out of here and got out. I re enlisted in April 1975 and my first duty was feeding Vietnamese Refugees at Camp Pendleton. Surreal. My point is the Vietnam war was over in 1975 when this ass wipe enlisted in the Reserves (in those days reserves were not deployed to combat). I later served with 2nd Recon Bn and got to know a Marine Gunny who had served with the Army SOG units around Khe Sahn when it was under siege. My point is I know secret squirrels and this fucker isn’t one. No 18 year old is gonna go to SOG and become the baddest ass in Vietnam.
[…] folks at Military Phonies send us their very hard work on Frank Dux, the fellow whose fake biography was the basis for the […]
The award is the “Medal of Honor,” not “Congressional Medal of Honor.” Plenty of sources in the Wiki article, with everything from Army Regulations to US Code.
I beg to differ: http://www.cmohs.org/ Many States have differing types of License Plates for the honor of those who are awarded the CMOH. Some state “Medal of Honor”, and others “Congressional Medal of Honor”. some state CMOH, and others MOH. 18 U.S. Code § 704 – Military medals or decorations: (c) Enhanced Penalty for Offenses Involving Congressional Medal of Honor.—
(1)In general.—
If a decoration or medal involved in an offense under subsection (a) is a Congressional Medal of Honor, in lieu of the punishment provided in that subsection, the offender shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(2)Congressional medal of honor defined.—In this subsection, the term “Congressional Medal of Honor” means—
(A) a medal of honor awarded under section 3741, 6241, or 8741 of title 10or section 491 of title 14;
(B) a duplicate medal of honor issued under section 3754, 6256, or 8754 of title 10or section 504 of title 14; or
(C) a replacement of a medal of honor provided under section 3747, 6253, or 8747 of title 10or section 501 of title 14.
[…] Frank William Dux – Cold Case Getting Warmer […]
Frank Dux was in a 1983 short film which I do not believe was released called Firefight, it was written by Sheldon Lettich, I wonder if the pictures of him with the .357 magnum and .22 rifle are stills from that film.
Yep. The stills are from Firefight. Last year, after a Bloodsport screening in North Hollywood, myself and a number of others had drinks with Sheldon (he attended the screening to do Q&A). He mentioned Dux had used pictures from Firefight in Secret Man and passed them off as legitimate.
HAHAHAHAHA he’s a Terminal Lance……..
Don Roley has written a blog entry which deals in greater depth with the martial arts aspect related to Frank Dux
http://www.coloradospringsninjutsu.com/Ranting_and_Ravings_2016/Entries/2017/3/21_Frank_Dux-_Debunked_Again.html
Okay……we gotta find ‘Chong Li’ to kick his ass in a rematch. 😉
LMFAO……those pics hahahahah
1. No SF or Marine would hold a handgun like that!!!
2. Does ANYONE tip toe through their local woods with daggers in each hand?
3. He totally looks like a gloryhole commando with that Freddie Mercury stache.
4. And that ‘Ancient’ crossbow LOL, clearly modern with optics.
Dux Devours Dix…….I still wouldnt want to fight him though 😉
Even the supposed martial arts “records” don’t make sense. A “record knockout” (or whatever) of 3.2 seconds surely supersedes “punch with knockout” – even though a 0.12 second feat is claimed. And what about that fastest kick or whatever at 72mph is claimed. They have speed guns at tournaments, now? Who gets to hold those?
329 matches.
He retired undefeated as the World Heavy Weight Full Contact Kumite Champion.
Mr. Dux still holds four world records:
Fastest Knockout – 3.2 seconds
Fastest Punch with a Knockout – .12 seconds
Fastest Kick with a Knockout – 72 mph
Most Consecutive Knockouts in a Single Tournament – 56
. . . . .Out of 329 fights there should be someone somewhere who would man up and admit he fought Dux. The fighters than Dux got the records against could add validity to Dux claims. You would think Frank would remember their names. After all he remembered the records.
Revisiting this after seeing a bit of math on his claim of winning 56 fights (by knockout) in a single tournament. Since these are bracketed ( winner advances loser goes home) it means that that tournament would have to have 2,057,594,037,927,936 fighters competing. since the present population is roughly 7,422,000,000 people that’s impossible In fact the estimated number of people who have ever existed is about 107,000,000,000.
When the whole Sheamus thing was going down, Dux was on there defending his “honor.” He claimed that he and Benny Urdiquez had a secret fight in Hawaii in 1975 to determine who would represent the USA at Kumite. Everyone knows Benny is sick of the Dux debate and bologna surrounding it, but it would be great for someone to interview “The Jet” to hear what he has to say about Dux claims.