Fake Navy Cross winner uncovered

[kentmitchell]

Got this from a friend:

Subject: RE: Dallas R. Ricker, NAVY CROSS
Date: Tue 02/10/04 12:11 PM

Marines --

As seen in the story below, this is a successful conclusion of tracking down and prosecuting a fraudulent medal wearer. Sadly, this is not an unusual event. We dealt with another similar one last Christmas. That one went straight to prison, much to our satisfaction. It is much less prevalent in the Marine Corps because of several reasons; --we keep excellent records that can be researched by any former Marine or the public, --Marines are vigilant and mindful of these fraudulent attempts and report it, --Marines are constantly alert for those who would pretend to have earned what other deserving Marines have legitimately earned at an often dear price, --honor and loyalty are very real values to Marines; they naturally detest those who would cheapen these values and standards that all Marines live by.

Several divisions here at HQMC have been involved in assisting the FBI to bring 1stSgt. Ricker to justice. It is not an easy process and always requires dogged perseverance in exposing the fraud. It would be nearly impossible without the assistance of our great FBI, many of whom have the same values and ethos as we do, and feel just as passionately as we do on this issue. In this case agent Scott Keeler, a Marine Corps veteran at the Birmingham field office finally confronted the fraud and brought him to bay. Interestingly, the 1st Sgt. lied over and over despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary (lying to a federal agent is a federal offense). The fraud kept digging his grave with his tongue until he could go no further and his lawyer took over. Apparently he perpetrated his fraud at MB 8th & I where he had access to his SRB, typed a new DD214, the citation, and purchased all of the rest. He had no record of the Navy Cross while on active duty. He also appears to have fraudulent Navy Comm's.

There is a strong lesson here. This dishonored fraud would not have been exposed had good Marines not come to the fore with the information. We all agree that it is a rare and an unpleasant task, but must be done. These people think that they carry the image of the Marine Corps to the public in a positive way, and that no one is hurt by their despicable actions. They could not be further from the truth. Indeed they shame us all. Every Marine knows some deserving Marine who could have, and perhaps should have, qualified for the same award this fraud has stolen. He seeks the glory and the admiration that he could not achieve correctly. In a word he is a thief, a fraud and would abandon his position rather than stay with his mates in a firefight. He deserves our collective dishonor and certainly does not deserve the title "Marine".

John W. Ripley
Col. J.W. Ripley USMC (ret.)
Director
History & Museums Division
United States Marine Corps


The Story
By TOM FARMER
Boston Globe

The chairman of a non-profit organization that honored two of the Marine Corps' highest-ranking generals last summer is mulling a guilty plea for falesly wearing the nation's second-highest decoration for combat valor after former Marines from Boston and a group of Medal of Honor recipients exposed him as a fraud. Dallas Ricker, a retired Marine 1st Sgt. from Birmingham, Al., has admitted that he was never awarded the Navy Cross for heroism in Vietnam as he claimed through his chairmanship and on the website of the Marine Honors Society, sources said.
The organization held a tribute last August in Washington for Gen. Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. James L. Jones, the Supreme Allied Commander for Europe.
``This is an absolute disgrace. I cannot even believe that this man was a U.S. Marine,'' said retired Marine M/Sgt. Richard Pittman, a Medal of Honor recipient for heroism in Vietnam. ``He is a total embarrassment for every Marine who has ever worn the uniform. He has shamed us. That's something that Marines just don't do.''
Pittman, of California, was among 28 MOH recipients who accepted Ricker's invitation to attend the 10-day Washington event free of charge. But once in Washington, they found out Ricker had mislead them, according to James Roy III of Georgetown. Roy was among a group of former Boston Marines who handled logistical issues for the MOH recipients.
After questions about Ricker surfaced, Pittman, Roy and retired Boston police Officer Daniel F. Sullivan Jr. found indications that Ricker was fraudulently wearing a Navy Cross.
Sullivan was awarded the Navy Cross in Vietnam for covering a live hand grenade and then tossing it out of a fighting hole containing three other Marines.
Falsely wearing or selling military decorations is a federal offense that carries a prison term of up to a year and fines. The suspicion against Ricker was passed to FBI Special Agent Thomas A. Cottone Jr. who works with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society in exposing fake recipients.
Following an investigation headed by Special Agent Brian Hayes in Alabama, Ricker reportedly confessed to fraudulently wearing the medal after first denying it, sources said.
FBI agents had also photographed Ricker wearing the decoration at the Marine Corps Ball in Washington last November that was attended by Marine Commandant Gen. Michael W. Hagee.
``He signed an affidavit saying he had the medal then sent his lawyer to the U.S. attorney's office two days later to recant,'' said Sullivan. ``We wear these medals in honor of all the people who paid the ultimate sacrifice or served without being recognized with medals. I have no idea why this guy would do something like that.''

[MillRatUSMC]

1stSgt. Ricker has DISHONOR himself and brought shame to the Corps
I can't believe that any man who has worn the Emblem of our beloved Corps could do such a thing...it's madness!
To think that he alter his DD214 to show that he was a recipent of the Navy Cross is pure madness.
Wonder, who was he trying to impress?
Mad as hades in Northwest Indiana...

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo

[VMGRMech]

On top of which there is no tangable reason top lie adout this ****. No pay no benifits nothing. A person that does this must really have a low opinion of himself if sticking a piece of cloth on your uniform is worth disgracing any good you mave have really done.

[namgrunt]

I want to see how much time this clown gets for his crime. He should serve his time in a special cell at Portsmouth. His cell would have a notice on the bulkhead next to the hatch, which reads:

The prisoner within is an IMPOSTOR, who faked receipt of the Navy Cross in Vietnam.
Under no circumstance is anyone to converse with this prisoner!
Any mandatory communication must be carried out in writing, and only for medical purposes.
He has demeaned and humiliated ALL Marines with his deed.
He deserves his fate.
Failure to adhere with these orders is punishable under article 134 of the UCMJ.

Isolate the t**d, and forget him. Let the mice and lice keep him company. They are on the same level. I hate wannabe fakers.

Semper Fi!
namgrunt