RONALD L CRUMLEY

A review of the official Department of Defense database on U.S. POWs and MIAs shows that no one by the name of Ronald Crumley was ever held as a POW during the Vietnam War. The database is available for public review at www.dtic.mil/dpmo, > Vietnam War, > POW/MIA List.

Dear Mr. Mestas.....

Thank you for your well written article on Ronald Crumbley. This letter is to confirm that no man named Ronald Crumbley was ever with any one of us,

the real 661 surviving POWs of the Vietnam War, nor is he known by the Department of Defense in this regard.

The official Department of Defense listing of all 3,797 MIAs (to include all POWs), is available to the public at the following address:

http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/pmsea/files.htm

You can also call the DPMO Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Larry Greer during normal Washington, DC working hours to confirm this information. ....Mr. Greer is info-copied on this e-mail.

An internet search finds Mr. Crumbley listed at the following address:

http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies1006.htm

If Mr. Crumbley can substantiate his claims, then I would be glad to help him present his evidence, including documentation and personal eye witnesses,

to the Department of Defense. However, I think this is probably an impossibility. Not a single one of the more than 2,000 phony POW claimants has proven the Defense Department records to be in error.

We already know Mr. Crumbley is lying about being a pilot, flying combat missions, his rank, etc. In my experience, when a man is lying about these

sorts of things, you can be sure that there are a lot more lies yet to uncover.

When a man is missing from his unit following an armed conflict incident, there are set in motion a whole host of events...all of which are part of

permanent records. First, there would be an After Action Report, a Missing Man report, morning muster reports, service record and medical record

entries, pay record entries, military orders changing him from his past position to an administrative holding unit, notification of next-of-kin at his

home of record, Western Union notification to the family from the Service Secretary or his Chief of Staff, newpaper articles, an assignment of a

Casualty Assistant Calls Officer (CACO) to assist the family, awards and decorations, sometimes even a note on his DD-214 discharge papers. He

would have been listed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) over 25 years, followed by the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office

(DPMO) for the last 15 or so years. He would have been awarded the POW Medal, he would be attending the Naval Operational Medical Institute with

the rest of us (the 661 surviviors) as well as the 21 Gulf War POWs, for medical follow-up exams and treatment (I have attended each year for the

last 35 years). There are no secret missions, lost records, "Saint Louis Fire," etc. that he can fall back on for an excuse. He is a wannabe who is

trapped by his lies. He is scrambling to buy time. Don't let him off your hook.

In short, this guy is lying to you and to all whom will listen to his tall tale. It is not up to you to disprove his claims (which you can easily do by examining

his service record). Rather, it is up to him to "prove" his preposterous claims through factual documentation and eye-witness testimony, none of

which will be forthcoming. You'll get a lot of smoke and delaying promises, but he will never produce. He most likely hopes you lose interest and that

this will all blow over and be forgotten.

It will soon be forgotten by me. He is just a blow hard wannabe who is not worth remembering. However, I do hope you do some follow-up

investigating and reporting on this matter. If I can assist, do not hesitate to call. I live in CO.... You are welcome to use any part of this e-mail for Letters to the Editor, or for quotes in follow-up articles yet to be written by you.

Sincerely,

Captain John M McGrath, USN (Ret)

POW in North Vietnam for 5 years 8 months

NAM-POWs Historian

www.nampows.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RONALD L CRUMLEY	MR CRUMLEY
22 October 2009 article published in the Pueblo Chieftain http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/local/doc4adfe62f07c1e474213421.txt CBI asked to investigate man's death Ronald Crumley had been accused of lying about his military record. By ANTHONY A. MESTAS THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN SUGAR CITY - The Crowley County veterans affairs officer who military historians say lied about being a prisoner of war died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound last week, the Crowley County Sheriff's Department announced Wednesday. According to the sheriff's department, Ronald Crumley shot himself Oct. 13 in his vehicle during a standoff with police. Crumley's age was not released..... Crumley allegedly claimed to have been captured in I Corps and was held as a prisoner of war in South Vietnam for three years before escaping. anthonym@chieftain.com
Claims to be "commissioned" as a Warrant Officer, flew 500 combat missions in less than a year and then he requested to 'go back' to enlisted rank......E-8.... Claims POW for 3-years
07/2009 - fired VFW state position and suspended his VFW membership for 5 years.
CRUMLEY RONALD L, SERVED IN THE MARINES AND UMCR 1960-1976. DISCHARGED A STAFF SGT. NO HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF POW CAPTIVITY. 6062 Aircraft Safety Equipment Mechanic
Veteran’s POW, service claims challenged *A Crowley County official contends he can prove he was a POW.* By ANTHONY A. MESTAS THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN ORDWAY - The Crowley County veterans affairs officer is disputing claims by military historians that he lied about being a prisoner of war. In a telephone interview Wednesday, Ronald Crumley said he is a former POW and that he will prove it at a meeting next week. "All of the allegations will be answered by two people. One is a four-star Marine general and the other is a former assistant U.S. attorney general," Crumley said. anthonym@chieftain.com
07/24/2009 A review of the official Department of Defense database on U.S. POWs and MIAs shows that no one by the name of Ronald Crumley was ever held as a POW during the Vietnam War. The database is available for public review at www.dtic.mil/dpmo, > Vietnam War, > POW/MIA List. LARRY GREER Director of Public Affairs Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office ------------------------ Dear Mr. Mestas..... Thank you for your well written article on Ronald Crumbley. This letter is to confirm that no man named Ronald Crumbley was ever with any one of us, the real 661 surviving POWs of the Vietnam War, nor is he known by the Department of Defense in this regard. The official Department of Defense listing of all 3,797 MIAs (to include all POWs), is available to the public at the following address: http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/pmsea/files.htm You can also call the DPMO Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Larry Greer during normal Washington, DC working hours to confirm this information. ....Mr. Greer is info-copied on this e-mail. An internet search finds Mr. Crumbley listed at the following address: http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies1006.htm If Mr. Crumbley can substantiate his claims, then I would be glad to help him present his evidence, including documentation and personal eye witnesses, to the Department of Defense. However, I think this is probably an impossibility. Not a single one of the more than 2,000 phony POW claimants has proven the Defense Department records to be in error. We already know Mr. Crumbley is lying about being a pilot, flying combat missions, his rank, etc. In my experience, when a man is lying about these sorts of things, you can be sure that there are a lot more lies yet to uncover. When a man is missing from his unit following an armed conflict incident, there are set in motion a whole host of events...all of which are part of permanent records. First, there would be an After Action Report, a Missing Man report, morning muster reports, service record and medical record entries, pay record entries, military orders changing him from his past position to an administrative holding unit, notification of next-of-kin at his home of record, Western Union notification to the family from the Service Secretary or his Chief of Staff, newpaper articles, an assignment of a Casualty Assistant Calls Officer (CACO) to assist the family, awards and decorations, sometimes even a note on his DD-214 discharge papers. He would have been listed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) over 25 years, followed by the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) for the last 15 or so years. He would have been awarded the POW Medal, he would be attending the Naval Operational Medical Institute with the rest of us (the 661 surviviors) as well as the 21 Gulf War POWs, for medical follow-up exams and treatment (I have attended each year for the last 35 years). There are no secret missions, lost records, "Saint Louis Fire," etc. that he can fall back on for an excuse. He is a wannabe who is trapped by his lies. He is scrambling to buy time. Don't let him off your hook. In short, this guy is lying to you and to all whom will listen to his tall tale. It is not up to you to disprove his claims (which you can easily do by examining his service record). Rather, it is up to him to "prove" his preposterous claims through factual documentation and eye-witness testimony, none of which will be forthcoming. You'll get a lot of smoke and delaying promises, but he will never produce. He most likely hopes you lose interest and that this will all blow over and be forgotten. It will soon be forgotten by me. He is just a blow hard wannabe who is not worth remembering. However, I do hope you do some follow-up investigating and reporting on this matter. If I can assist, do not hesitate to call. I live in CO.... You are welcome to use any part of this e-mail for Letters to the Editor, or for quotes in follow-up articles yet to be written by you. Sincerely, Captain John M McGrath, USN (Ret) POW in North Vietnam for 5 years 8 months NAM-POWs Historian www.nampows.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.denverpost.com/technology/ci_12916126 denver and the west Crowley vet's POW claims raised red flag By Nancy Lofholm The Denver Post Posted: 07/26/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT A Vietnam veteran responsible for assisting other vets with their benefits in Crowley County has been stripped of his state VFW office and is under investigation for allegedly falsely claiming he had been a prisoner of war. Ronald Crumley, who denies lying about his record, is employed as the county's veterans service officer. He has been receiving 100 percent disability payments based on the three years he says he was held as a prisoner of war. Crumley was a Marine. And he did earn a Purple Heart. But the POW claims he made in May at a week-long Veterans Service Officer conference "raised red flags," said Joe Potter, a veteran and a member of Gov. Bill Ritter's Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs. ..... Nancy Lofholm: 970-256-1957 or nlofholm@denverpost.com

RONALD L CRUMLEY

22 October 2009 article published in the Pueblo Chieftain

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/local/doc4adfe62f07c1e474213421.txt

CBI asked to investigate man's death

Ronald Crumley had been accused of lying about his military record.

Veteran’s POW, service claims challenged A Crowley County official contends he can prove he was a POW.

Crowley vet's POW claims raised red flag

Veteran’s POW, service claims challenged

A Crowley County official contends he can prove he was a POW.