From: jimcat@printroom.its.rpi.edu (Jim Kasprzak)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Re: LRH's achievements (was Some views on Scientology)
Message-ID: <5+8lffg@rpi.edu>
Date: 21 Jul 91 12:19:04 GMT
References: <17115@life.ai.mit.edu> <ql7lrnc@rpi.edu> <Pqw#Wp_@engin.umich.edu>
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In article <Pqw#Wp_@engin.umich.edu> ldoering@caen.engin.umich.edu (Laurence Doering) writes:
>
>L. Ron seems to have liked the Navy, whether he served in it in WWII or not.
>His birthday photo seems to indicate that he was the "Commodore" of the
>Church of Scientology, and the issue of ISN I have shows, among others,
>Captain David Miscavige and Commander R.A. Norman Starkey.  Both are
>wearing what look like Navy dress uniforms (except they're wearing bow
>ties instead of the Navy black necktie).  The "Captain" has four gold stripes
>on the sleeves of his jacket, and the "Commander" has three stripes.  These
>are the Navy insignia for captain and commander.
>
>Make of it what you will.
 
 L. Ron Hubbard _did_ serve as a Naval officer during the Second World War.
He even commanded a ship or two. He did not, however, see combat (except
for one rather embarrassing bombardment of what was most likely a magnetic
deposit mistaken for a submarine). He earned four routine medals which 
were awarded to almost everyone who served in the Navy during the war.

 After the war, Hubbard claimed a much more distinguished war career than
he'd actually served, including a quite impressive list of medals for 
distinguished service which he supposedly earned, and many "injuries 
sustained under combat conditions" (most of which seem to have been 
claimed for the purpose of getting veterans' disability pay). 
 
 I'm not sure what rank Hubbard reached in the Navy, but I'm pretty sure
it wasn't Commodore. He conferred that rank on himself after the Church
of Scientology purchased two ships and launched the "Sea Org". 
 
 I won't try to go into too many details here because I might mess them
up. My suggestion to anyone who wants to know the facts: read the "official"
Church of Scientology biography, and read a well-researched biography by
someone not connected with Scientology such as Miller's _Bare-Faced Messiah_.
Decide for yourself which is more likely to be true.
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