Marines, FBI Dispute Claims by Activist

An article about Thousand Oaks resident Dale “Mad Dog” Messmer’s anti-crime efforts with local youth contained several statements by Messmer that cannot be substantiated, according to the U.S. Marine Corps and other government agencies.

Contrary to Messmer’s statements, the Marine Corps says it has no records to confirm that Messmer was in Vietnam, or that he earned three purple hearts, the Silver Star or the Navy Cross. Nor is there any record that he saw combat as an infantryman.

According to Marine records, Messmer served two, 2 1/2-year stints in their service as an administrative clerk. He did see service overseas, “probably in Okinawa,” said Capt. T.V. Johnson, but definitely not in Indochina.

Johnson said discharge papers provided by Messmer were falsified to show his medals and classification and rank.

In response to the Marine Corps’ statements, Messmer said he believes the military is burying his Vietnam experience because he executed missions “that officially did not exist,” and he denied that he had falsified the discharge papers.

Messmer also told The Times as reported in the June 23 article that he was once considered “heavily armed and extremely dangerous at all times” by the FBI. He maintained that position despite FBI officials’ statement that they have no record of such a listing.

He also claimed to be a graduate of Kansas State University where he played football on a scholarship. However, a spokesman for the KSU athletic department said the school has no record of his having played football at all.

Messmer argues that he did play football, but concedes he did not graduate.

Messmer, who also says he is an ex-convict who served time for cocaine charges, is a recent transplant from Arkansas, where he launched a crusade to speak to as many junior and senior high students as he could. He detailed prison life to scare them away from drugs, gangs and crime.

Since arriving in California in January, Messmer has sought to duplicate his program here, landing dates to speak at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center this month and at Newbury Park High School this fall. He is also a regular speaker as part of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Gangbusters Program.

“I spent years of my life trying to be untraceable as possible. It never occurred to me that it would be a problem to me in the future,” he said.