Vietnam Veteran Puts Uniform Back on to Protest in Ohio

The story about the decorated veteran standing outside GOP Convention
RNC Profiles
Posted by Cleveland 19 Digital Team
July 19th 2016

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO)

Vietnam War veteran Lou Pumphrey can’t shake the death of a fallen comrade nearly 50 years ago. (Source: WOIO)

The pins on his uniform, which he wears in full despite the 80-degree heat, catch the eyes of delegates and media as he stands in the crowd with an American flag mounted on his shoulder -- a white peace sign replaces the stars against the blue.

Pumphrey showed up outside of Quicken Loans Arena hoping to attract attention -- and he has.

The Cleveland native is critical of both major party candidates, but bore the weight of the nation’s flag to highlight what he says is Donald Trump’s contradictory perspective on war. The Republican candidate deferred deployment to Vietnam on four occasions before a medical disqualification, a luxury for veterans like Pumphrey who resent the candidate’s eagerness to lead the country into war despite his personal attempts to avoid it.

“The guy is such a fraud,” Pumphrey said. “I’m afraid of Donald Trump becoming president.”
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