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Who is this man who is Cresco's mayor?
What is the true military and employment history of Ed Fontes?
These questions and many others have been raised in recent months by people who claim they know the truth of Cresco's mayor.
In numerous public appearances and in interviews with this newspaper and other newspapers in Waterloo, Decorah and elsewhere, Ed Fontes has elaborated on a stellar career in the U.S. Army. This, he claimed, included a stint with Army intelligence, mostly in Vietnam.
Fontes has stated that because of his work in Vietnam, he received a "battle field commission" that promoted him from Major to Colonel. He has also made claims to have been a confidant of a number of Presidents, including Johnson and Carter.
After Vietnam, he claims to have worked in California for the aerospace industry. Of late, he was quoted in another newspaper as saying he was a graphic artist for an aerospace company.
All of these claims, and many others, are now being questioned.
Official military records, (form DD214) reveal he was in the U.S. Army, but served two years of active duty and three years, three months and 10 days in the reserves. His military record, which is on filed at the Howard County recorder's office, shows he attained the rank of sergeant (E-5). The awards listed are a good conduct medal and qualifying Expert with the carbine. He is listed as a light weapons infantryman. Under schooling or courses it says, "none."
The form also lists his date of active duty in the Army as Feb. 21, 1957 and his transfer to the XV Army Corps (reserve) in San Francisco on Feb. 20, 1959 following active duty. The DD214, signed by Anna Sauer, Chief Warrant Officer (W-2), assistant adjutant, said there was no sea duty nor overseas duty during his service.
His final date of reserve obligation ended on Nov. 9, 1961, years before the build up in Vietnam.
When asked about his military service, Mayor Fontes did not deny that he was an enlisted man and reached the rank of sergeant during the late 1950s. However, he said he could not comment after he left active duty.
"On the morning of Feb. 20, 1959, I was released from active duty," said Mayor Fontes. "That afternoon, I was commissioned as an officer. The rest of my record is classified."
When asked to comment further about any of his military service, Fontes reiterated by saying, "I cannot talk about anything above that date. I will say I made full Colonel in 14 years."
In correspondence from Laurence N. Johnson, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force and is a Vietnam veteran now living in Maine, he said he knows Fontes and worked with him at the Aerospace Corp. in California.
"When he started using Colonel, USA (Ret.) on return labels, we were amused. But the expanded stories in your paper of an intelligence officer, darling of two Presidents who got a battlefield (spot) promotion from Major to Colonel is impossible to believe," stated Lt. Col. Johnson.
Since moving to Cresco, Fontes uses Col. (retired) as identification on his personal items.
Connie Larson, a Cresco native and now a private investigator in another state, recently notified the Times Plain Dealer that a status check into Fontes' history failed to find any information of his involvement in the Vietnam War, promotion to Colonel or that he had anything to do with the Democratic Party in California, another claim by Cresco's mayor.
"His military record does not indicate anything about Vietnam nor any promotion to the rank of Colonel," she said.
"My information from the Democratic Party of California is that they have never heard of him," added Ms. Larson.
At city council meetings, Fontes has visibly had a difficult time reading the agenda and other written material, frequently asking council members to read ordinances and other communications. He has claimed that his reading difficulties were the result of a war injury, something Lt. Col. Johnson said Fontes claimed when they both worked in California.
As to his job with Aerospace Corp., Lt. Col. Johnson said: "He was a low paid runner for the art services department of the Aerospace Corp."
Lt. Col. Johnson concluded by saying, "As much as I like Ed, I cannot let this go. He is an elected official. If I am wrong, I will apologize to Ed, his family and the townsfolk who elected him Mayor."
In information he circulated in his bid to be Cresco's mayor, Fontes used claims of being a Vietnam veteran, his promotion to a high ranking officer and involvement in the California Democratic Party as part of his campaign. It is believed most people in Cresco took him at his word.
Fontes first ran to be Cresco's mayor in the 1999 race, losing to incumbent Mayor Arletta Rose. He successfully ran in November 2001, defeating Mayor Rose. He has been in office nearly 18 months of the two-year term.
DD214 forms, which contain a veteran's military record, are required to be recorded in many counties in order for the veteran to receive an exemption on real estate taxes and for other possible veteran's benefits. However, public access to the DD214 forms will be greatly limited by law beginning July 1, 2003 because of potential inappropriate use.