Decorated WWII veteran detained, searched at airport

DeltaFlot · 02-27-2002, 04:15 PM

Decorated WWII veteran detained, searched at airport
February 27, 2002 Posted: 12:37 PM EST (1737 GMT)

Editor's Note: CNN Access is a regular feature on CNN.com providing interviews with newsmakers from around the world.

PHOENIX, Arizona (CNN) -- Retired Gen. Joe Foss, 86, one of the most highly decorated U.S. war veterans, recently was detained at a security checkpoint at the Phoenix, Arizona, airport because he was carrying an item with sharp edges.

The sharp object turned out to be the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he had received in 1943 from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. CNN's Jack Cafferty spoke Tuesday with Foss about his airport experience and career.

CAFFERTY: General, Franklin Roosevelt, the president of the United States, awarded you the Congressional Medal of Honor, and your picture was on the cover of Life magazine on June 7, 1943. For what did you receive the medal and what can you tell us about the day you were given the medal by the president?

FOSS: Well, actually, I was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for action over Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. ... See, I was the top ace during that time.

CAFFERTY: You shot down 26 enemy aircraft, is that right, general?

FOSS: That is correct.

CAFFERTY: That is amazing.

FOSS: We were the decoys over the enemy fleet a number of times flying over them at 12,000 feet and having everyone shoot at you. They try to get you, and then you dive -- take a vertical dive on the warship -- in the middle of the thing -- to draw fire so the torpedo planes could get in.

CAFFERTY: Unbelievable.

FOSS: I was on my way -- after a National Rifle Association board of directors meeting -- to go up to West Point and speak to the sophomore class there.

CAFFERTY: And you were going to take the medal and show the cadets up at West Point. You got to the airport, what happened?

FOSS: Well, you see, when I got to the airport, I planned on just going through as I normally have in the past. But they had this mass of checkers back there that seemed to hone in on me.

I had on a Western hat, which I normally wear, and this tie, which is known as a bolo tie, and a belt buckle that says, "Dakota Gun Collectors," on it and Western boots.

CAFFERTY: They eventually wound up taking the Congressional Medal of Honor away from you, didn't they, at the airport?

FOSS: Well, the whole deal was the medal and this little thing that was with it, which has a little fingernail file on it, and it has the Congressional Medal Society insignia on this thing -- I've carried it for years -- and that set off the thing when I threw my jacket in there.

They said, "Take everything out of your jacket," and I thought I had. I'm just not used to carrying a medal in my pocket here. So I threw the whole thing in a basket, and when that set that off, they said, "We thought you emptied the jacket."

And now it came back. And that started the fracas, and they said, "Off with your boots. Off with your belt. Off with your tie. Off with your hat."

CAFFERTY: Were they nice to you at this time? I mean, were they polite?

FOSS: No, they were very nasty. It was a nasty group of individuals that I couldn't seem to make understand. And I was trying to show them this medal, that it had all the inscription on the back there. About me receiving it from the president of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and so forth.

But no one seemed to know what was going on. And then I said, "What happens to the stuff you take from me?" And they said, "Oh, it's destroyed." And I said, "Well, you aren't taking that medal, that's for sure. Or this other thing." And so then the next number on the program, I had some keys and stuff that I -- and an imitation bullet thing -- it never was a bullet -- but it looked like a bullet that President Charlton Heston of the NRA gave me. And they took that.

I said, "What happens to all of that?"

"It's destroyed."

So then I said, "Can I keep any of it?"

And they said, "No, unless you go over there, write that desk right there and mail it back to yourself."

"Well OK." What happens, I step over there, and they say, "Off with your boots. Off with your belt. Off with your hat."

I said, "You just checked me."

And, of course, then in the meantime, my jacket gets lost in the back, and we horse around. And all of this operation took about 45 minutes or so.

Finally, I get out of here, and I get to the gate. And as the passengers pile on, I had a first-class pass to get on -- not pass, we paid for the ticket -- and they take me out of line, and the lady says, "Off with your boots. Off with your belt. Off with your tie."

CAFFERTY: This is the third time?

FOSS: That's the third time. And by that time, I was fairly warm.

CAFFERTY: I bet you were at that, general.

FOSS: And, of course, the questions that they asked and all -- it was so nonsensical, the whole thing. There's no way you could catch a terrorist. In fact, you'd be -- while you were looking at some clown like me, the terrorist would go by.

CAFFERTY: Now you talked to the officials at America West, the airline that was involved in this.

FOSS: They've been very nice.

CAFFERTY: There's been a visit arranged. Tell us about the visit that's upcoming here.

FOSS: Well the airline, America West, has been very nice. The vice president called me, and I personally talked to him. And the public relations director talked to me. And I'm going to have them out to the house to meet my wife and the rest of the tribe and let them know that we are not terrorists. We're just ordinary citizens trying to get on an airline to go someplace and back home.

CAFFERTY: General, let me thank you so much for a very entertaining and interesting, if unfortunate, story.

Let me also thank you for what you and your buddies did all those many years ago. Because I've got a hunch, without the likes of you back there during World War II, the likes of me wouldn't be sitting here right now talking to the likes of you.

Sentinel Chicken · 02-27-2002, 05:21 PM

You know, instead of threads titled "Why the Stupid Shouldn't Fly" we should start a series of threads called "Why the Stupid Shouldn't Handle Airport Security".

You can go to 6 different US airports and there are 6 different standards of security being practiced at the checkpoints. It's an absolute cluster-f*ck and I just love seeing my federal tax dollars being spent this way. This is worse than the proverbial $500 Pentagon hammer.

Spectre · 02-27-2002, 05:41 PM

I wad detained for 4 hours In San Diegoand questioned because I was hand carring a bag full of Gemini / Star Jets on my way back to Abilene... because the wings could be used as a weapon.... something I had never thought about

I was calm and cool for the first 3 hours...but after that....some of the accusations and stupid questions they asked just ...
I can laugh about it now...and I can see where they are comming from....a 777 wing can put a hurt'n on someone.... but the people they choose to conduct the questioning...just plain stupid!!

they let me go...with planes and all

DeltaFlot · 02-27-2002, 06:52 PM

What kills me about this situation is that when he told these yahoo's what the medal was, the security guys should have asked one of them reservist about it. At that point I think the Military guys would have gotten him an armed escort to his seat. To earn a Medal of honor, is the highest and hardest thing to do. Most people die in the action that earns that medal, so a living recipient should be treated with absolute respect.

02-27-2002, 04:15 PM	#1
DeltaFlot The Patriot Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Laurel, MD Age: 36 Posts: 3,228	Decorated WWII veteran detained, searched at airport Decorated WWII veteran detained, searched at airport February 27, 2002 Posted: 12:37 PM EST (1737 GMT) Editor's Note: CNN Access is a regular feature on CNN.com providing interviews with newsmakers from around the world. PHOENIX, Arizona (CNN) -- Retired Gen. Joe Foss, 86, one of the most highly decorated U.S. war veterans, recently was detained at a security checkpoint at the Phoenix, Arizona, airport because he was carrying an item with sharp edges. The sharp object turned out to be the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he had received in 1943 from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. CNN's Jack Cafferty spoke Tuesday with Foss about his airport experience and career. CAFFERTY: General, Franklin Roosevelt, the president of the United States, awarded you the Congressional Medal of Honor, and your picture was on the cover of Life magazine on June 7, 1943. For what did you receive the medal and what can you tell us about the day you were given the medal by the president? FOSS: Well, actually, I was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for action over Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. ... See, I was the top ace during that time. CAFFERTY: You shot down 26 enemy aircraft, is that right, general? FOSS: That is correct. CAFFERTY: That is amazing. FOSS: We were the decoys over the enemy fleet a number of times flying over them at 12,000 feet and having everyone shoot at you. They try to get you, and then you dive -- take a vertical dive on the warship -- in the middle of the thing -- to draw fire so the torpedo planes could get in. CAFFERTY: Unbelievable. FOSS: I was on my way -- after a National Rifle Association board of directors meeting -- to go up to West Point and speak to the sophomore class there. CAFFERTY: And you were going to take the medal and show the cadets up at West Point. You got to the airport, what happened? FOSS: Well, you see, when I got to the airport, I planned on just going through as I normally have in the past. But they had this mass of checkers back there that seemed to hone in on me. I had on a Western hat, which I normally wear, and this tie, which is known as a bolo tie, and a belt buckle that says, "Dakota Gun Collectors," on it and Western boots. CAFFERTY: They eventually wound up taking the Congressional Medal of Honor away from you, didn't they, at the airport? FOSS: Well, the whole deal was the medal and this little thing that was with it, which has a little fingernail file on it, and it has the Congressional Medal Society insignia on this thing -- I've carried it for years -- and that set off the thing when I threw my jacket in there. They said, "Take everything out of your jacket," and I thought I had. I'm just not used to carrying a medal in my pocket here. So I threw the whole thing in a basket, and when that set that off, they said, "We thought you emptied the jacket." And now it came back. And that started the fracas, and they said, "Off with your boots. Off with your belt. Off with your tie. Off with your hat." CAFFERTY: Were they nice to you at this time? I mean, were they polite? FOSS: No, they were very nasty. It was a nasty group of individuals that I couldn't seem to make understand. And I was trying to show them this medal, that it had all the inscription on the back there. About me receiving it from the president of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and so forth. But no one seemed to know what was going on. And then I said, "What happens to the stuff you take from me?" And they said, "Oh, it's destroyed." And I said, "Well, you aren't taking that medal, that's for sure. Or this other thing." And so then the next number on the program, I had some keys and stuff that I -- and an imitation bullet thing -- it never was a bullet -- but it looked like a bullet that President Charlton Heston of the NRA gave me. And they took that. I said, "What happens to all of that?" "It's destroyed." So then I said, "Can I keep any of it?" And they said, "No, unless you go over there, write that desk right there and mail it back to yourself." "Well OK." What happens, I step over there, and they say, "Off with your boots. Off with your belt. Off with your hat." I said, "You just checked me." And, of course, then in the meantime, my jacket gets lost in the back, and we horse around. And all of this operation took about 45 minutes or so. Finally, I get out of here, and I get to the gate. And as the passengers pile on, I had a first-class pass to get on -- not pass, we paid for the ticket -- and they take me out of line, and the lady says, "Off with your boots. Off with your belt. Off with your tie." CAFFERTY: This is the third time? FOSS: That's the third time. And by that time, I was fairly warm. CAFFERTY: I bet you were at that, general. FOSS: And, of course, the questions that they asked and all -- it was so nonsensical, the whole thing. There's no way you could catch a terrorist. In fact, you'd be -- while you were looking at some clown like me, the terrorist would go by. CAFFERTY: Now you talked to the officials at America West, the airline that was involved in this. FOSS: They've been very nice. CAFFERTY: There's been a visit arranged. Tell us about the visit that's upcoming here. FOSS: Well the airline, America West, has been very nice. The vice president called me, and I personally talked to him. And the public relations director talked to me. And I'm going to have them out to the house to meet my wife and the rest of the tribe and let them know that we are not terrorists. We're just ordinary citizens trying to get on an airline to go someplace and back home. CAFFERTY: General, let me thank you so much for a very entertaining and interesting, if unfortunate, story. Let me also thank you for what you and your buddies did all those many years ago. Because I've got a hunch, without the likes of you back there during World War II, the likes of me wouldn't be sitting here right now talking to the likes of you. __________________ Febuary 15, 1898 December 7, 1941 June 8, 1967 September 11, 2001 Never Forget, Never Forgive If you kick the Tiger in the arse, you better be able to deal with the Tiger's teeth.

02-27-2002, 05:21 PM	#2
Sentinel Chicken Go-Getters Go Ozark Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: DFW/THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS Posts: 4,167	You know, instead of threads titled "Why the Stupid Shouldn't Fly" we should start a series of threads called "Why the Stupid Shouldn't Handle Airport Security". You can go to 6 different US airports and there are 6 different standards of security being practiced at the checkpoints. It's an absolute cluster-fck and I just love* seeing my federal tax dollars being spent this way. This is worse than the proverbial $500 Pentagon hammer. __________________ *Piss on noise abatement!*

02-27-2002, 05:41 PM	#3
Spectre Insane Collector Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryville, TN Age: 35 Posts: 1,421	I wad detained for 4 hours In San Diegoand questioned because I was hand carring a bag full of Gemini / Star Jets on my way back to Abilene... because the wings could be used as a weapon.... something I had never thought about I was calm and cool for the first 3 hours...but after that....some of the accusations and stupid questions they asked just ... I can laugh about it now...and I can see where they are comming from....a 777 wing can put a hurt'n on someone.... but the people they choose to conduct the questioning...just plain stupid!! they let me go...with planes and all __________________ My collection is for sale...please look "You've never lived until you've almost died. For those who fight for it, life has a special meaning the protected will never know."

02-27-2002, 06:52 PM	#4
DeltaFlot The Patriot Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Laurel, MD Age: 36 Posts: 3,228	What kills me about this situation is that when he told these yahoo's what the medal was, the security guys should have asked one of them reservist about it. At that point I think the Military guys would have gotten him an armed escort to his seat. To earn a Medal of honor, is the highest and hardest thing to do. Most people die in the action that earns that medal, so a living recipient should be treated with absolute respect. __________________ Febuary 15, 1898 December 7, 1941 June 8, 1967 September 11, 2001 Never Forget, Never Forgive If you kick the Tiger in the arse, you better be able to deal with the Tiger's teeth.

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