5 famous personalities who exaggerated their military service: From Ronald Reagan to Tom Harkin
5 people who famously exaggerated their military service records
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Kamala Harris' running mate, has faced scrutiny over his military service record as critics, including his Republican rival JD Vance, have accused him of falsely suggesting he saw combat during his time as an Army reservist. A CNN KFile review also revealed that similar accusations were made in 2006, during Walz’s first run for Congress. However, this is not the first time a notable figure has faced such criticism. Here's a look at five famous personalities who have been accused of embellishing their military service records.
1. Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan came under fire over his military record during his first term in the White House. While the former president did serve in the Army Air Forces, his poor eyesight kept him grounded stateside for his entire military career. In 1983, he was allegedly overheard telling the then-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir that during his service in the US Army film corps, he was present in Germany photographing Nazi concentration camps as they were liberated.
2. Tom Harkin
Longtime US Senator Tom Harkin came under fire several times during his political career for making his service record sound more impressive. He is reported to have claimed he flew F-4s and F-8s during combat air patrols and photo-reconnaissance support missions in the Vietnam War. In reality, his time during the conflict was spent mostly in Japan and the Philippines.
3. Mark Kirk
In 2010, Republican Senator Mark Kirk was criticized for embellishing his military service record as he falsely claimed in his online biography that he was named the Navy's intelligence officer of the year. He made a similar mistake later in 2010 when he claimed he served "in" Iraq when he was stateside during the conflict.
4. Brian Dennehy
Golden Globe winner Brian Dennehy faced backlash several times for falsely claiming he served in the Vietnam War and being wounded in combat. While the 'Rambo: First Blood' actor did serve in the Marines from 1959 to 1963, he never spent time in combat during the Vietnam War, as he admitted in 1998. He apologized for the misstatement, saying, "I lied about serving in Vietnam and I’m sorry."
5. Tom Mix
Tom Mix, one of Hollywood's first Western stars, apparently claimed he rode with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders during the Battle of San Juan Hill in 1898. However, as per Army records, he never fought with the 29th president's legendary troupe and was listed as a deserter. However, it's said the actor did ride alongside the president in his 1905 inaugural parade, which included former Rough Riders.
