Mr. Rogers was not a Navy SEAL, or a Scout Marine Sniper. This is a great Urban Legend of the 21st century, but it is no more than a legend.
The Rumors:
While there are rumors that Mr. Rogers, the host of internationally acclaimed TV show for children – Mister Roger’s Neighborhood, served as a Navy SEAL or a Marine Scout Sniper during the Vietnam era with a large number of confirmed kills, we have to state it is false. Mr. Rogers never served in the military. Why?
Another rumor says that Mister Rogers always wore long-sleeved clothes only to conceal the tattoos on his arms he obtained while serving in the military.
The Facts:
Firstly, Mr. Rogers was born in 1928 and thus at the time of the US involvement in the Vietnam conflict was too old to enlist in the US Navy.
Secondly, he had no time to do so. Right after finishing high school, Mr. Rogers went straight into college, and after graduating college directly into TV work.
Conclusion:
From the above mentioned reasons, it is clear that Mr. Rogers could never have served in the military. He was purposely choosing long-sleeve clothes to keep his formality as well as authority not only to children but to their parents as well. Surprisingly, nobody called him Fred and he wanted to keep it that way.
