I think there's something in Dick Whitman's past before or during the war that was so traumatic he had to change identities to escape from it. I'm guessing he killed someone outside of the war - maybe uncle mac?

I'm guessing that things weren't happy with the fosterparents and he just seized the opportunity.

I thought that the "mom" had died first -- but after he had left home.

The Inflation Calculator

What cost $5000 in 1960 would cost $33405.09 in 2006.

Yeah, I agree with erika that there may be more to it. His level of desperation to keep anyone from knowing about the existence of his brother seems to indicate that there's serious damage that could be done to him now.

eta: Oh, Tom, thanks. I was wondering about that.

So, you think he fragged Draper?

I mean, wouldn't Draper have real family somewhere in the USofA - possibly thinking that he is dead/MIA?

Of course, it would make sense that Draper is the real orphen and he was raised in his real family who were just dirt poor and he is that ashamed of them.

I'm just catching up on this show - have watched the first two and a half eps so far. Poor VK really isn't very good, is he?

Do we have any reason to think there was a real Don Draper?

I wish I hadn't just deleted them all because I've never actually watched the title sequence. Next ep for sure.

The actual purple heart?

That couldn't have been Whitman's, or whatever his original name was? If there was a name on it I couldn't see it that closely.

ETA: I mean, it makes sense that there could have been. But I didn't notice anything that pointed one way or another.