'Silver Star' Vet Driving While Phony

RICHMOND, Va. - John Fielding's license plate says he won a Silver Star for his combat service during the Vietnam War, but the truth is the former Marine never won the prestigious decoration. Now, an organization devoted to exposing phony war heroes has targeted Fielding, turning in his name to the FBI and pushing for criminal prosecution as part of a nationwide campaign to stop what it calls an epidemic of bogus claims of bravery.

"The case is the tip of the iceberg," said Doug Sterner, head of Home Of Heroes, a Colorado-based organization that works to track down those who falsely claim military honors.

"It's not at all uncommon. And the shame of it is, anybody who wears the uniform already has the right to be proud."

Fielding, who won two Purple Hearts during his tour of duty in Vietnam in 1968-69, acknowledged yesterday he did not win a Silver Star - the military's third-highest honor behind the Medal of Honor and the various service branches' crosses - but he said his purchase of Virginia's Silver Star specialty plate was the result of a misunderstanding.

"I regret it," the 67-year-old said. He has removed the tag from his Cadillac.

Fielding said he came to own his tag this way: Several years ago, he received a letter from Marine Corps headquarters alerting him that his combat record was being re-evaluated for a possible upgrade of medals. He interpreted the letter to say he would receive the Silver Star, he said, so he joined an organization called the Silver Star Association and used his membership card to obtain the specialty plate.

"I guess I acted on something a little early," he said. "I regret it. But I had the membership card, and we truly anticipated getting [the Silver Star]."

Fielding said he no longer has the letter from Marine Corps headquarters.

The nation's Stolen Valor law, passed in December 2006 at Sterner's urging, makes it illegal to wear any military decoration or medal not rightfully won.

A recent Chicago Tribune investigation found at least 20 prosecutions under the law nationwide since its inception, but Sterner said his organization has worked on 50 prosecutions in the past year. The maximum penalty is a year in prison.

In Texas recently, a state investigation found that 14 of 67 holders of its Legion of Merit license plates might have been obtained fraudulently. Most of the 14 plates either were returned or canceled by the state.

Pam Goheen, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, said there are 322 Silver Star plate holders in Virginia, and she knows of no instance of anyone obtaining the tag under false pretenses.

Applicants must show paperwork that they received the award, and if DMV workers are at all suspicious about a document, they can demand further paperwork.

Sterner, though, said forged military documents are used routinely by those looking to inflate their war records.

"An investigation into military license plates in Virginia would reflect scores of military license plates that are not properly authorized," he said, adding that in some cases phony war heroes never served in the military.

Sterner said he gladly would help Virginia conduct an investigation into its Silver Star tags.

In the meantime, Fielding said he plans to return his Silver Star tag to the DMV.

He plans to exchange it for the state's Purple Heart tag.