CLEVELAND -- America is the "home of the brave." But not all who claim to be our nation's heroes are.

In our NewsChannel5 investigation we introduce you to three local veterans and unravel their real war stories.

Timothy "Doc" Anderson is a veteran and an active member of the Parma post of the Disabled American Veterans.

Anderson's been pictured with some impressive medals, including one given only to members of the Elite Team of Navy SEALs.

"I operated with SEAL Team 2," Anderson said.

At his home on the west side, Anderson told Chief Investigator Duane Pohlman all about his Navy SEAL experience.

But according to the POW Network -- a group dedicated to hunting down false claims -- Anderson's story simply isn't true.

"That is absolutely false. He is not a Navy SEAL," Mary Schantag of the POW Network said.

Anderson's own military file contains no reference to the SEALs or any training to become one.

Steve Robinson, a former SEAL who literally wrote the book on imposters, wrote to Pohlman stating Timothy Ray Anderson was never a Navy SEAL.

When Pohlman went back to confront him, Anderson admitted to the truth.

"Were you a Navy Seal?" Pohlman asked.

"No," Anderson answered.

"Do you remember what I asked you the last time?" Pohlman asked.

"Yes," Anderson answered.

"Do you remember what you told me?" Pohlman asked

Anderson said, "I said yes."

Gary Smolka admitted to the truth right away.

"Were you a POW?" Pohlman asked

Smolka said "No."

According to the POW Network, Smolka claimed several times he was shot down in Vietnam and held was a prisoner of war.

Smolka says he only said that once.

"It wasn't a claim. I was in a bar and I was trying to pick up a girl," Smolka said.

And then, there's Ed Teagardener from Mansfield.

"The only question is whether you were a POW," Pohlman said.

"Well, let me ask you," Teagardener stated, "What does it matter?"

Teagardener was the featured speaker at a political luncheon talking not only about being a POW for seven months, but how he heroically led an escape of seven soldiers from the jungles of Vietnam.

"I didn't want to do the talk when I was asked to do it out of the fact that I couldn't prove things that I said," Teagardener said.

Teagardener's own military record contains no mention of ever being held as a POW or missing in action.

In the entire Vietnam war only two dozen POWs are documented as having escaped.

When Pohlman confronted Teagardener with the facts, he said his records were altered.

Teagardener said, "There were a lot of my records that were blanked out."

He claimed they were lost in a fire.

"Just a few of my records survived," Teagardener said.

That fire he referred to was at the St. Louis Personnel Records Center.

It destroyed only Army and Air Force records of those who were discharged on or before 1964, years before Teagardener even served.

In the end, Teagardener stopped talking.

"Until I talk with my counselor on Friday, I'm not going to mention anything else about it," Teagardener told Pohlman.

NewsChannel5 brought this investigation to one of the nation's most honored, though reluctant, heroes.

"I have the medals mostly for being in the wrong place at the right time," retired Gen. Ed Mechenbier said.

For Mechenbier, one wrong place was Vietnam. He was shot down and held captive in the infamous Hanoi Hilton for more than six years.

To those who make false claims of captivity or heroism, the general gave a clear order.

"Expose them. Embarrass them. And if there's a price to pay, extract it," Mechenbier said.

Mechenbier also added that if the veteran is suffering from a mental condition, we need to show some compassion and treat the condition.

There is an irony here, too. None of the veterans needs to claim anything. Putting on the uniform is enough.