Native American activist Nathan Phillips faces questions about reports that he’s a veteran of the Vietnam war.

According to multiple news accounts, the activist is 64 years old, which means he would have been 18 years old in 1973, the last year any U.S. combat units were stationed in Vietnam.

Mr. Phillips also claims to be a Marine veteran, although the last Marine combat units left Vietnam in 1971.

A careful reading of Mr. Phillips‘ own descriptions does not make clear if he ever set foot in Vietnam. Instead, he has used much more careful language claiming he is a “Vietnam times veteran,” an ambiguous phrasing that led many media accounts to conclude he was a combat veteran.

Mr. Phillips could not be reached for comment Monday.

Nick Sandmann, who was in Washington, D.C. over the weekend as part of the March for Life, is the student caught on video wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat and facing Mr. Phillips.

The encounter was virally framed as Nick “confronting” Mr. Phillips, although video from multiple sources and angles shows it was Mr. Phillips who initiated the contact and bewildered Nick.

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