Corrupted Valor Broken Trust

Corrupted Valor Broken Trust
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
March 25 2014

There are so many things that happen right under our noses and we never see it. We never seem to question when someone reports something because we all want to assume the news is truthful. After all, if we cannot trust what you read, then what can we trust?

Eustace Horne was a local legend. It was said many times he was “one of the highest decorated veterans in Florida.” I assumed what I heard was true because the people telling me about Horne were all veterans.

Within a couple of hours searching news reports, it was clear no one checked the claims made by Horne over the years.

The first report I found was reported November 13, 2013. News 13 did a feature on Horne called Everyday Hero. In the article, he became Retired Major Eustace Horne.

It was reported he served three tours of duty in Vietnam. He was awarded the Silver Star, three Bronze Stars with Valor, Purple Hearts and more. “But while the museum is a place filled with stories, his is not one the former Green Beret wished to share.” When asked to talk about his service "It's something that's personal for me, and I don't want to talk about it. It's just between me and my God," said Horne.

The next report I found was from MyFOX Orlando reported on May 27, 2013.

"It's a day we have to recognize -- all the men and women who lost their lives, not just in Vietnam, but in every war," said Eustace Horne, who once served as a captain in the U.S. Army.

On November 8, 2012 the Seminole Chronicle reported Horne had done “multiple tours of duty in Vietnam as a Green Beret.”

In a year, Horne went from Green Beret, to Captain, to Retired Major.

The truth is Horne was a Staff Sgt and did a tour in Vietnam where shrapnel wounded him and he earned a Bronze Star for valor.

Valerie Boey of My FOX Orlando used "she" instead of "he" in her report.

They plan to meet with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority later this week. Right now, Horne isn't sure how much it will cost to relocate, but she said all the money would come from private donations. She said it is important to the museum's mission, to give young people the truth about war.

The truth about the war? Didn’t anyone think to check the validity of the claims?

At the time he was “Horne, a Vietnam veteran who left the United States after returning from Vietnam because he felt ashamed.” He didn’t leave the United States for Germany because he was ashamed. He served in Germany according to his service records.

There is another issue regarding visitors to the museum.  Seminole Chronicle in November of 2012, "Horne estimated that 3,000 people visited the museum last year, and the number keeps growing." to 15,000 when interviewed by My Fox Orlando in May of 2013 to 16,000 when interviewed by Bay News 9 in November of 2013.

Didn’t anyone think to check the validity of those claims?

In 1989 Horne was interviewed as President of Vietnam Veterans of Central Florida by Mike Oliver of the Orlando Sentinel. Horne said the group was trying to raise $6.5 million to build a “research center” and they were looking for land and seriously considering 40 acres near the East-West Expressway.

"I wanted something permanent," Horne said. "We want to do something that will last forever. We want a place where serious academic research can be done into the total effects of the war."

"All we want is the truth to be known, because through truth there's knowledge and through knowledge there's no way that another Vietnam will happen again."

Oliver interviewed Horne again in a follow-up article announcing that an anonymous donor had given the $2 million and Horne said “if everything goes as planned we can break ground in one year.” Horne wouldn’t say where the property was but it should only take 8 months.

The Vietnam Veterans of Central Florida received the money from a private individual who wishes to remain anonymous, said Horne, who is spearheading the project.

In 1985 there was a street party and $6,000 was raised for Vietnam Veterans of Central Florida center. It was not until 1996 Orange County granted a 25-year lease for the property on Tanner Road to be used for the museum because it was “surplus” property. “In all, the veterans invested $80,000 in materials to remodel the building.”

My FOX Orlando report that “Vietnam Veterans hope to relocate the museum” when Horne claimed to have been a “Captain” and trying to move the museum to the B-52 Park in Orlando near Orlando International Airport in 2013.

There is no building there. There is the B-52, a park, an observation deck directly across from the B-52 and nothing else.

It was dedicated on April 17, 1985. The list of donors appears on this stone.

On February 4, 2014 there was a celebration for Vietnamese New Year and in an interview by Caitlin Couillard for Central Florida Future this came out.

"Another booth at the festival hoped to spread the word of the relocation and expansion of the National Vietnam War Museum, which is located on Tanner Road as of now.

Christine Doan, president and founder of Joint Ventures, said she is trying to spread the word about the new museum that should be breaking ground this year.

She said this museum is going to be much larger with interactive activities and simulations for younger children to enjoy. She also hopes people understand that the museum is about recognizing both Vietnamese veterans and American veterans who fought in the war."

A day after, John W. Martin was recorded by Florida Division of Corporations as President Vietnam and All Veterans of Central Florida.

2014 is the first year that both organizations had a different President. From 1999 until 2013 the same person held the office of President for The Cpl. Larry E. Smedley National War Museum and Vietnam and All Veterans of Central Florida organizations simultaneously.

As more and more information was discovered, it seemed this story would never end. The Green Berets were contacted along with other investigators. Soon it was discovered that Eustace Horne Jr. had not been a Major, or a Captain or a Green Beret. He was not awarded the Silver Star. He was not awarded three Bronze Stars for Valor. He did earn one. He had not been awarded Purple Hearts. He did have one.

That is the most troubling thing of all is that according to the documents, Horne had nothing to be ashamed of. So why wasn’t his real service good enough? What did he hope to gain by all of this?

When we read about Stolen Valor cases, it is hard to figure out why they do it as much as it is hard to understand why they were able to pull it off. It isn’t as if Horne was staying in the shadows and just whispering into ears about his “accomplishments.” He was telling reporters what he wanted them to hear and they just repeated the claims without checking.

No one checked on what they were being told until a little over a month ago. The fabrication had gone on for years and people believed him including school-aged children touring the museum.

You can see all the documents and links investigators found here.