Defying expectations, Flaherty fought his way into the ranks, earning a commission and leading men in the jungles of Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division, where his valor in combat earned him a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts. “But he always picked his battles, and he never allied himself with any government or system that he felt was against the interests of the United States… and he f—king hated Communism… He told me the oldest profession in the world — and the true prostitutes — were mercenaries.” As Yuzuk spoke with Richard Flaherty about his past, it was hard to tell if the “Giant Killer” was the victim he claimed to be or if years of grueling military experience and untreated mental health issues had degraded his mind.
Author: Austin Harvey
Published at: 2026-01-06 00:00:00
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