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This has been a hot topic since the ‘90s. Yet no one could ever prove that the soft spoken Fred Rogers who won our hearts via the “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” show has had military background. There are actually two sides of the rumors: one being that Mr. Rogers was a marine sniper that had over 40 kills in Korea and has a reputation of having kills at a distance of 1,500 meters in Vietnam; the other being a navy seal who has survived numerous special operations. Some even say that his tattoos on the arms forced him to wear long sleeves on TV. So is Mr Rogers Navy Seal?

Sadly, his death in 2003 only sparked the resurgence of these unconfirmed reports. The truth is, Fred devoted his whole life to educating and bettering the lives of every kid through his show. After finishing a degree in Music at the Rollins College in Florida, he took on a broadcasting career that spans 10 decades. He never stopped serving his fellow men through his chosen career, even when he took a Bachelor’s degree in Divinity (which led to him being an ordained minister in 1962).

He never had a secret life as a well-trained military marksman. Unless they have a clear proof that he was indeed what they claimed him to be, Fred should be remembered not as the rumoured “Mr Rogers Navy Seal” but as the charismatic man who changed the viewing habits of children—and even some adults—during his broadcasting career.