BACKGROUND
John Edward DeSomer comes to us from Syracuse, Indiana. DeSomer died in November 2019 and was 72 years old when he passed away.
DeSomer’s obituary was carried in at least nine (9) newspapers, including:
- Northwest News (Huntertown, IN) – November 12, 2019
- Butler Bulletin, The (IN) – November 12, 2019
- News Sun, The (Kendallville, IN) – November 12, 2019
- Star, The (Auburn, IN) – November 12, 2019
- Albion New Era (IN) – November 12, 2019
- Churubusco News (IN) – November 12, 2019
- Garrett Clipper, The (IN) – November 12, 2019
- Advance Leader, The (Ligonier, IN) – November 12, 2019
- Herald Republican, The (Angola, IN) – November 12, 2019
The following was carried by KPCNews on November 12, 2019.
There were also online news sources that carried his obituary such as:
https://timesuniononline.com/Content/Obituaries/Obituaries/Article/John-Edward-DeSomer/75/337/123179
http://www.inkfreenews.com/2019/11/11/john-edward-desomer/
It was the same obituary as far as the words, but the point is that it got a lot of distribution.
A few people thought some of the claims were over the top. DeSomer was not listed in official databases as being a P.O.W.
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ACTIONS CONDUCTED BY MILITARY PHONIES
After checking archives, lists and databases we found that there is NO record of “John Edward DeSomer” being a P.O.W.
John Edward DeSomer’s military records were ordered through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
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FOIA RESULTS
NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER (NPRC)
OTHER RESEARCH
Other items were discovered in order to establish a correct timeline.
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DISCUSSION and SUMMARY
LENGTH OF SERVICE
The military records that the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) provided do not show military service beyond five (5) years and not twenty (20) as claimed in the obituary. He could have been in the Reserves or National Guard, but NPRC would still hold those records.
RANK
The fact that his final rank is listed as a 1LT would be normal for five years.
ASSIGNMENTS
There are no assignments beyond Vietnam, which is noteworthy in an of itself. There was no indication of service in Cambodia, Malaysia, Israel, Nicaragua, Columbia, Venezuela, Syria, and Afghanistan. The statement about him willing to share these duty assignments seems to point to DeSomer being the origin of these claims.
MEDALS
There was one (1) Bronze Star, but not eight (8). There were no Purple Hearts listed in his military records, let along four (4). There was no P.O.W. medal listed and he was not on any official list for being a P.O.W.
STOLEN VALOR
If the claims by John DeSomer were used to leverage work, military or civilian promotions, or anything else of value, he may have been in violation of Stolen Valor laws. State laws may also apply.
Those publications that carried his obituary will no doubt be referenced for decades to come. Maybe someday in the future an ambitious high school student will come across his name and push to get him national recognition as a P.O.W. This is why the record needs corrected.
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PHOTOS
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SOCIAL MEDIA
[none]
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