MoH faker gets 34 months in prison

[unhappycamper]

Richard David McClanahan
Former soldier never received an award for valor


MoH faker gets 34 months in prison
By Michelle Tan - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Nov 1, 2007 13:25:35 EDT

A former soldier was sentenced on Nov. 1 to almost three years in federal prison for felony bank fraud and one misdemeanor count of falsely claiming that he had earned the Medal of Honor.

Richard David McClanahan was sentenced during a 15-minute hearing in U.S. District Court in Amarillo, Texas, by federal district Judge Mary Lou Robinson.

McClanahan, 29, dressed in a black pinstriped suit and black and blue tie, was sentenced to 24 months for the felony bank fraud and 10 months for the misdemeanor, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in Amarillo and Brooks Barfield, McClanahan’s attorney. The sentences will run consecutively, resulting in a 34-month prison sentence.

He also will be under supervised release for five years after he completes his sentence, Barfield said.

McClanahan, who had been free on bond, was taken into custody immediately after the sentencing, Barfield said. The Bureau of Prisons will determine where McClanahan serves his prison term, he said. Until then, McClanahan will be held at the Randall County Detention Facility in Amarillo.

“I think he had made peace with what had happened,” Barfield said. “He expressed both to me and to the court that he understood what he did was wrong. He apologized in court for disgracing the uniform, disgracing the country. He apologized for any pain that he’s caused. He was truly contrite and he truly accepted his punishment.”


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/army_mcclanahan_sentence_071101w/

[rasputin1952]

1. There are Federal Laws about the MoH, to the point where you

cannot even get a replica nor can a genuine one be sold. Go to any website that sells Military Memorabilia, medals and such, and one can get any medal, ribbon, buttoneer from any country, but you will not see the MoH among them.

I am also impressed that the article stated the "earned" part of the story...while I certainly never received the MoH, I have a "thing" about calling recipients "winners". It is not like it is some kind of contest; time, place and event is what brings about the award.

Just a little trivia here: The MoH was first introduced in the Navy, and for a time was only authorized for Enlisted members of the various services, (the thought was that officers should, because of rank, consider that action above and beyond the call of duty was the norm. Only when the Medal received early prestige and privilege, did the officers start to demand that they too should be eligible to receive the Medal).

For a good read on just what is required and the complete listing of recipients and the citations for actions that reached the level to receive the MoH:


http://www.army.mil/cmh/moh.html

One of these citations stands out, (although they are all worthy), is that of SSG Roy Benevidez. Taking a moment, (actually several moments) to read his citation shows how far he raised the bar. In my opinion, it is one of the most incredible things I have ever read.