INFONEWSCASESSITES

 
MONTGOMERY James Alwyn

 

 

 

The US Silver Cross?  There's a lot more wrong with that "citation" as there is a lot more wrong with the fool who wrote it.

This blatant liar, poseur and forger claims to have been a 5th Special Forces Group Captain attached to the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam, or an AATTV Captain attached to the 5th SFG? He's not sure which one he should be posing as.

Was he either?

No, nor was he a US Marine, a US Navy SEAL, a SAS Captain or Major, a Commando, a RAN Reserve Captain or a recipient of the Victoria Cross and lesser awards.

He is an Australian and a major fraud who, amongst other things, liked to make public speeches in the US about Vietnam while dressed in his Special Forces outfit complete with a green beret.

He did go to China, in pursuit of a get-rich-quick scheme, but Beijing in '99 was a long way from the mountains, jungles, rice paddies and swamps of what was South Vietnam during the war.

 

We hold copies of documents that indicate he has been constructing his false history over many years and we have never before run across such an obviously labour intensive project. One other wannabe on our Cases page, Nelson, comes close but Montgomery gets the award for the wannabe who tried the hardest to perpetuate his fraud while also being the most incredibly stupid.

A quote from a former USSF member. "When I knew him in the '90s he said he'd been in the Australian Military but had never served overseas" Montgomery began his posing prior to 1980 but wasn't game enough to try his b/s with this man.

 

The service number that Montgomery uses, 2243096, is a Citizen's Military Forces number that could be carried over into Regular Army service but it does not appear on the official Vietnam Veteran's nominal roll.  We have not been able to ascertain if anyone owns this service number so if anyone has this information please let us know at information@anzmi.net

 

He wrote in a biography (1980) that he worked in media and marketing research from 1962 to 1970 when he formed his own sales promotion company having completed two short tours of Vietnam with the AATTV.  His "Australian Service History" is contradictory and shows 1 Commando Coy 1960-75, seconded to the SAS and AATTV for his three full tours.

 

He forged his own ID cards after purchasing blanks via catalogue.

This card is shown below.  There are no details on the back of this card.

 

 

A Captain with the Royal Australian Naval Reserve above and an Australian SAS Major below.

 

 

 

Note the photos on these fake ID cards. They are two separate photos taken at the same sitting, probably within seconds of each other, look at his shadow.

Again note the same typeface used for his details on both cards. Typed on the same machine?

This same typeface appears on his other clumsy forgeries as well eg. letters from the US Navy and the US Marine Corps Reserve.

 

All these forgeries may have fooled many civilians but to most ex-servicemen, on both sides of the Pacific, his claims are absolutely ludicrous.

He did manage to fool some US Veterans and school officials to the point where he gave keynote speeches at Memorial Day parades and addressed schoolchildren about the Vietnam war on Veteran's Day. 

Memorial Day newspaper clipping below.

 

His basic claims follow, he was a very busy boy on paper. This information was taken from his "Service History", "Resume" and other documents. Some claims have been shortened for ease of reading. 

 

Service, Australian Military and Government:

1 Commando Coy. 1960-75. Seconded to SAS and AATTV during Vietnam tours. Promoted Major, 1974.

SAS Reserve Officer.

ASAS, attached to UKSAS.

Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) Attached to US 5th SFG, Pleiku, Nui Dat.

Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Volunteer Reserve.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)

 

All Military claims denied.

Information gleaned from National Australia Archives, former SAS members, former AATTV members and historical records.

We didn't contact the UKSAS people for confirmation or denial because he wasn't in the ASAS so could not have been detached to UKSAS.

ASIO operative? Was he a spook or wasn't he? We'll leave this up to you.

 

While his "Service History" shows tours to Vietnam in '66-67, '68-69 and '71 with AATTV, his biography written for a club shows that he was in the advertising/marketing business from '62 to at least '70.

 

Service, US Military and Government:

Special Forces, 5th SFG, Vietnam, attached to AATTV.

Delta Force. 

SOG, Phoenix Program operative.

Navy SEAL.

Navy Reserves. Recalled to active duty after retirement.   

Marine Corps Ready Reservist.

CIA operative and advisor.

 

All Military claims denied.

Information gleaned from former US Special Forces, US Army and US Navy personnel using their own records and contacts, also from SF and SOG databases.

Two independent records searches in the USA under the Freedom Of Information Act using the supposed service number has failed to reveal any service records pertaining to Montgomery.

 

On a forged US Navy document he made a monumental blunder by using the US Department of Defense seal on the page instead of the US Navy official seal.

This letter headed "Involuntary Recall of Retired Officers to Active Duty", dated 21 August (no year),

is absolutely ludicrous. "The wording is wrong and it appears to be a patchwork of parts" as stated by a former US Navy friend of ours, another giveaway was his writing of the time of day.

It is unsigned but the name of the originating Officer is Admiral Secrest, Chief of Naval Operations. We have a list of all Chiefs of Naval Operations from 11 May 1915 to the present and Secrest isn't on it. Surprised?

 

We have a copy of a letter purportedly from the US Marine Corps Reserve Support Centre, dated 29 November 1990. This letter instructs him to appear for a medical examination which all members of the Marine Corps Ready Reserve must undergo. Once again, this letter is unsigned.

The typeface used for his name and address is different to the rest of the document but this is not a guarantee that the document is a forgery.

Coincidently, it's the same typeface that appears on his fake Navy document and his fake ID Cards.

We have been advised that while these Navy and Marine documents show a service number, they should show a completely different series of numbers. This fact alone tells us that they are nothing other than poor attempts at forgery.

 

We also have copies of a document written by Montgomery, supposedly in 1990, where the same typeface was used.  This document contains an excerpt from a SOG report on Iran and Montgomery writes that he was asked to provide background on the Iran Government.

In the preamble, Montgomery states that he was with the ASAS attached to the UK22SAS when he was part of the rescue team for the Pahlavi Royal family and they "infiltrated through the easier northern borders, an area he had operated in before"

SOG 1990? No.

 

Furthermore, we have a copy of a document headed "To understand Kurds in '94, Capt. James A. Montgomery RANVR. SOCOM, McDill"

The heading is in his usual typeface and he misspelled his name but the text is in a completely different typeface and unsigned. Plagiarism? Sure looks like it.

 

CIA operative? Well, once again we'll leave this up to your imagination.

 

CIA advisor? As above.

 

Qualifications, Skills, and Courses completed:

Parachutist.

PJI, (Parachute Jump Instructor), HALO, (High Altitude, Low Opening Parachuting) 

SCUBA,  Load following, Snow. We know what SCUBA means but........?

 

Marine. (As in sea, water)

SCUBA, basic submarine, small craft coxswain, inflatable small craft, underwater demolition, UK small scale raider training.

SEAL, Underwater Demolitions Team.

 

Aviation:

International Commercial qualified.

Qualified multi engine, turbine, instruments, seaplane, floatplane, CIA foreign aircraft, aerobatics.

 

Intelligence:

ASIO and CIA trained in Australia, USA, Vietnam, Honduras. Completed courses with Aust and British SAS. Further courses with NATO and in Israel, Jordan, Indonesia.

 

Skills:

Qualified, radio, morse, expert driver (Scotland Yard) 

SAS mountaineering leader (Wales)

 

Languages:

Fluent..German and Pindjari.....Maybe he meant Pitjantjatjara, an Australian indigenous people's language or maybe a Sudanese dialect, we can't be sure.

Knowledgeable. Mandarin, Nung, Russian, Italian, Farsi. Capable of translating Farsi documents to English.

 

Vietnam tours:

 

1966-67. 

1st version. AATTV, short tour. While a civilian advertising/marketing executive.

2nd version. SAS Reserve Officer.

3rd version. SAS liaison officer with 5 RAA at Nui Dat.

We think RAA is a typo. RAA is the Royal Australian Corps of Artillery so we guess he meant RAR, which is Infantry. A SAS liaison officer with an Infantry Battalion? That's a good one.

 

1968-69. 

1st version. AATTV, short tour. Still a civilian ad/marketing exec.

2nd version. SAS Reserve Officer, joined AATTV, 25 May '68. Full tour.

3rd version. Attached AATTV as a member of 5th SF (sic). Commanded 212 and 213 companies of 1st Mike Force Battalion under Maj. Roland Greenwood. Reassigned to Special Forces Operation Delta.  Instructor Special Forces Recondo School.

This reads as if he was in the US Army and attached to the AATTV.  Montgomery never served in the US Military in any capacity. Another of his claims says that he was with the AATTV attached to the 5th SFG.

Information in hand shows that no James A. Montgomery served with the AATTV between 1962-72.

We have been reliably informed that Major Roland Greenwood was a US Army Infantry Officer and not Special Forces qualified. Definitely not 5th SFG. His MOS, 01542. (Infantry)

Montgomery not on list of Recondo School instructors.

 

Attached AATTV as a member of 5th SFG while on an operational visit to a unit under the command of  Ray Simpson in Kontum. 11 May '69.

He was obviously not a participant in the action that saw Ray Simpson awarded the VC, we know who was.

 

Involved with CIA in tri-border area, downed pilot extraction, intelligence.  Awarded US Silver Cross

See information on US Silver Cross below under Awards.

 

CIA involvement? No further comment.

 

1971.  

AATTV, involved in the winding down of all US/Aust operations from Pleiku base. 

History shows that the last Australian reassigned out of Pleiku left before 1971. We know who he was and the exact date he left.

Seconded to Phoenix Program, operated in tri-border area.

 

A former AATTV member commented that Montgomery's claims are "absurd"

 

Awards:

Victoria Cross...Denied.

US Silver Cross... No such award.   

Infantry Combat Award... No such award 

Mentioned in Dispatches...Denied.

RVN Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star...Denied

RVN Cross of Gallantry with Palm...Denied.

 

Ranks.

Major, 1 Commando Regiment. 1960-75

Major, SAS. 1967-72.

Major, GHQ Intelligence. ?

Captain, SAS.

Captain, US Army.

Captain. US Navy SEAL.

Captain, Marine Corps.

Captain, Marine Corps Reserves.

Captain Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve.

Captain, Aust marine search and rescue unit. Commanded airbourne search and rescue squadron.

Commander, founder of Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, Victoria, Australia. and then down to...

Lt. Commander, Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol. Rescue Diving Officer.

"Skipper" The Lady Patricia and Dive Team 1,Sydney. "Dive Team 1", a four berth cruiser was traded for a "two berth" aerobatic Cessna.

 

Memberships.   

American Legion, Tallahassee, Post 13.

Special Forces Association, Chapter 39.  Actually an associate member of Chapter LX.

US Vietnam Veteran's Association, Chapter 36.
 US Vietnam Veteran's Association, Chapter 228, South Jersey . (Newsletter editor producing "Bam Bam" and "The Tu Do Tattler", 1996)

American Legion, Post 332, Somers Point, New Jersey . (Newsletter editor, 1996.)

1 Commando Association, Sydney.

Royal Australian Navy League.

Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol (Life member)

Army and Navy Club, London.

Seaplane Pilots Association.

Tallahassee Power Squadron. (USPS)

Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.

President Advertising Club, Melbourne, Australia.

 

Perhaps some people from these organisations may take the time to contact us.

 

Civilian sporting interests.

Track sprinter, reserve for 1956 Melbourne Olympics, aged 15.

Rower, stroke.

Snow skiing.

Aerobatics pilot.

Car racing, drove for BMC Team. Austin Healeys, Mini Minors. 1960-62.

 

The only factual piece of information we could find is that Montgomery is a member of the US Special Forces Association, an associate membership which shows that he is not Special Forces qualified.

He has a genuine certificate, these are presented to people who donate money to such Associations. Possession of such certificates is not uncommon but this is not a guarantee that the holder served in any Military Forces.

Even though he was under suspicion at VVA Chapter 228 because he couldn't produce evidence of being discharged from the Military, he was liked well enough to be presented with a certificate of appreciation.

Just another wannabe who rose to a senior position within his chosen Ex-Service Organisation. The same thing happens here in Australia, does it not!

 

 

There is an item that retired and serving USSF Soldiers carry with them at all times. These are readily available as fakes but Mr. Montgomery doesn't carry one of these, real or fake. This tells us how little he knows of the real world of the US Special Forces Soldier.

 

If you have the time, go back and read his "citation" again, then go to Weatherall further below this story on our Cases page and read his "citation". Any similarities? Yes there are.

See any similarities in the "citations" dreamed up by this pair of wankers and this excerpt from an article on Ray Simpson VC, DCM?

 

In a battalion-scale operation on 6 May the 232nd Company of the Mobile Strike Force, under Simpson was moving through the jungle of large trees and dense bamboo undergrowth in rain and poor visibility in II Corps area near the junction of the borders of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.  When one of his platoons became heavily engaged with the enemy Simpson led the remainder of his company to its assistance.  As the company moved forward, one of the platoon commanders, Australian Warrant Officer M.W. Gill, was seriously wounded and the assault began to falter.  Simpson, in the face of heavy enemy fire, moved across open ground and carried Gill to safety.  He returned to his company then crawled forward to within ten metres of the enemy.  >From here he lobbed grenades into their positions.  Simpson then ordered his company to withdraw and he and five indigenous soldiers covered the withdrawal.

Next morning, Simpson's company rejoined the battalion in another position where it was resupplied.  Three days later, on 10 May, contact was again made with the enemy, but insufficient air support and the reticence of the indigenous soldiers caused it to be broken off.

At first light the next day artillery pounded the enemy positions and the battalion moved forward again to find the bunkers unoccupied.  The battalion probed ahead with Warrant Officer A.M. Kelly leading the 231st Company.  In the first burst of fire from the next contact, Kelly was wounded and the battalion commander, Captain Green of the American Special Forces, was killed when he went to assist Kelly.  Simpson quickly organized two platoons of soldiers and several advisers and led them to the location of the contact.  Despite the fact that most of his soldiers had fled, Simpson moved forward through withering machine-gun fire in order to cover the initial evacuation of the casualties.  The wounded, including Kelly, were evacuated but Simpson was unable to reach Green's body because of the heave accurate enemy fire.  He then covered the evacuation of the wounded to the helicopter pad by placing himself between them and the enemy.  The action ended indecisively next day when the battalion was evacuated.

This excerpt from the AATTV website with the kind permission of the webmaster. http://www.aattv.iinet.net.au

 

At time of writing, Mr.Montgomery could be found at Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, NSW, Australia.

Here's James. http://www.csu.edu.au/NRN/news/0406_newman.htm 

His personal website is http://hometown.aol.com/ozgrnberet/  and his email address is OzGrnBeret@aol.com

Hmmm, Green Beret twice more, what happened to US Marine? He was a Green Beret? We always thought a green beret was a hat not a person, once again he displays his ignorance.

 

We've almost finished with you Mr. Montgomery, we've exposed you for the lying wannabe you are and we're sure that further information on your posturing as a former Special Forces Soldier and whatever else will be sent to us. Should this information appear, your exposure will be updated in quick time.

There are others who will pursue you due to your phoney civilian resume and for the harm you have caused. We wish them good luck.

 

Because you never dragged on a boot in any branch of any country's Military Forces, you will appear on this page for life. Perennial civilians like you don't rate a letter from us asking for an explanation of your foul deeds, nor do they rate an opportunity to apologise to those who they pretended to be as honourable.

Mongrel dogs like you who even dream of being able to walk in the shadow or boot prints of brave men  deserve no less.   Men like Ray Simpson, VC, DCM, Warrant Officer Gill, Warrant Officer Kelly, Capt. Peter Rothwell, Capt. Peter Shilston and USSF Captain Green amongst others. You weren't there in Kontum with them then, and you're not going to be with them now.

You "dared to win" and "persevered"  from the business end of a typewriter only.

 

For our readers. There are many underlying reasons for our harsh treatment of Mr. Montgomery and while some of these do not fall within our terms of reference and will not be displayed here, they have influenced this exposure.  

 

Our grateful thanks go to our untiring wannabe hunter friends.

Mary and Chuck Schantag of www.pownetwork.org , VeriSEAL  http://VeriSEAL.org  and their Special Forces contacts for their kind and valued assistance with this case and others.

An archival search for Montgomery showed:

RE : Post 1947 Army service dossier request for James Alwyn MONTGOMERY.

The post-WWII Army dossier you have requested is held by the Central Army Records Office (CARO). They have advised the NAA that the particular dossier/s you are seeking could not be identified.   If you are able to provide us with additional information that may assist us in the process of identification, for example, a valid Army service number, rank, unit, next of kin and date of birth, we will undertake another search.

Go to this URL for further information on Montgomery http://www.lovefraud.com/  Note the mention of the Victoria Cross there, then click on the True Love Fraud Stories link on the left and look for the Montgomery story under Case Histories.

5 August 2005

Many thanks to Luke McIlveen of the Daily Telegraph for pursuing Montgomery and his lies.  Perhaps Luke can now do a story on why the government will not prosecute those like Montgomery who steal the honour and service of the Australian Veterans.  We did our bit for the Government and all we ask is they do their bit to prosecute these frauds to the maximum penalty they introduced, but to date have not actioned.

  5 August 2005      Along with the information shown above the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol have concerns with Montgomery.   The following information has been supplied:

James Alwyn Montgomery was a member of the Coastal Patrol in NSW and Victoria.

q      He is NOT a Life Member,

q      He is no longer a member of any description and has not been for well over 15 years.

q       He joined on the 3 April 1972.

q      In 1972 Montgomery advised he was a Corporal in the Australian Army.

q      He did not found the Victorian section of the Coastal Patrol. That was done on the 30 January 1975, principally as an education unit with E.S. Madden as the OC.

q      He did not command the airborne search and rescue squadron, as we never had one. We did have an air wing that comprised individuals that had aircraft and clubs that were affiliated with the Coastal Patrol. Eg Phil Dulhunty, Laurie Gruzman, Acquatic Airways, Air Helicopters, Kempsey, Manning River, Moruya flying clubs. Montgomery did have an aircraft and we did use him on several occasions in SAR work in Victoria.  He did use an airplane when he moved to ,  Beaumaris, Victoria.. He was the coordinator of the couple of aircraft in Victoria, but one would hardly equate that with a squadron. But he was never the commander of the airborne SAR squadron. The aircraft came under the Flag Officer Commanding.