RascalPuff's Blog

As any veteran will affirm, upon separation from service you are issued a form DD-214, which is a condensed one page record of your service history.

My DD-214 excluded almost all of my miitary history, due to the fact that I participated in the 'classified' 1961 invasion at the Bay of Pigs, Cuba (not to be confused with the 'Cuban missile crisis' of '62), where the 'cover story' was - and remains - that 'No Americans participated in that (failed) invasion'.

After much difficulty (and being deprived of many due benefits that I couldn't prove qualification for...) in acquiring the due expeditionary documentation for my part in the event, then-Congressman Leon E. Panetta of the 17th federal district finally - 17 Sept 1985 - obtained documentary acknowledgement of my 1961 'classified' activities at that location.

This affirmation was awarded 25 years after the fact; consisting of confirmation from Congressman Panetta (now the Director of the C.I.A.), and two branches of the Navy Department, including a form DD-215, which corrects the formerly faulted DD-214.

Hopefully, the reader will understand my posting of these long belated documents and awards. Thank you for reading this missive.