F.B.I. Shooting Dozen Colt Navy TSMG with Horizontal Foregrip

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

Pictured is the first F.B.I. Administrative School Class at Quantico February/March 1937. The Bureau ordered 20 Colt Navy TSMG AC Model with horizontal foregrips, Enfield swivels, and Kerr NoBuckle slings, in June, 1933 from AOC/Federal Laboratories. Seems they preferred the short section of the sling attached to the horizontal grip instead of the buttstock.

 

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54dc6b0be4b0d364a5ee20e0/54dc6cb3e4b0658f0cbac2ee/54dc6cb3e4b0658f0cbac2f2/1309956633877/33thompsonpurchase.pdf

 

This photo was included in Hill's TUTB but without details on location, date, or identity of any of the Special Agents.

 

 

John L Madala: years active,1930-1946.

"Madala's name is readily seen in the FBI files on the Dillinger investigation and many others. A native of Hungary, he grew up on the South Side of Chicago and attended the University of Illinois. In 1930 he joined the FBI as a clerical employee and became a Special Agent one year later. Madala was one of the Agents present at the Biograph Theater that night, however fired no shots at Dillinger. A year later, he was present at the famous shootout with "Ma" Barker and her son at their Florida hideaway.

Madala was a participant in 1937 in the Bureau's first Administrative Training School at Quantico, VA.

In 1943, Madala became the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Miami FBI Office and left the Bureau in 1946 to begin a new career as Security Director at various Florida racetracks, and tracks in Illinois.

A day prior to his sudden death in Miami in 1983, Madala had taken part in a TV documentary made of the Barker case at the house which had been the scene of the shootout. At the time of his death he was Security Chief at the Calder Race track in Florida and resided in Coral Gables, Florida."

 

L.B. Nichols: years active, 1934-1957

"As assistant director, he was the FBI's No. 3 man under Hoover and associate director Clyde. A. Tolson, and was in charge of the bureau's records and communications. In the late 1960s, he was mentioned often as a possible successor to Hoover, who remained director until his death in May, 1972."

[colt21a]

good info A/F THANKS FOR THAT

[Mike Hammer]

Yes, perhaps the bureau did some good back in the day. Now that they are just a tool of the left wing politicians I would call for their disbandment. Just another corrupt government bureaucracy that’s gone totally out of control.

[colt21a]

It is really the beginning of the end, WE DID ENJOY SOME GOOD TIMES.

[dalbert]

Good post, Arthur. I hope all is well with you and your German Shepherd(s).

 

David

[jojeep]

Heard somewhere years ago, the FBI kept one Thompson SMG at every Field Office for

"Show & Tell" when VIPs or Boy Scouts Troops came to visit.

The rest of the Inventory was thrown in a Furnace, FBI Carry Cases and all to melted down.

Many of those Thompson in the Photo in this post probably were melted down......your Tax Dollars wasted rather than sold at Public Auctions.

[JJX]

Heard somewhere years ago, the FBI kept one Thompson SMG at every Field Office for

"Show & Tell" when VIPs or Boy Scouts Troops came to visit.

The rest of the Inventory was thrown in a Furnace, FBI Carry Cases and all to melted down.

Many of those Thompson in the Photo in this post probably were melted down......your Tax Dollars wasted rather than sold at Public Auctions.

The FBI very well may have melted down some of their Thompsons, but many of the ones in the photo may have been buried at Quantico.

A few years ago I approached a 70 something year old guy at the gym because he was wearing a “knob creek machine gun shoot” souvenir T-shirt. When he stated that he was a retired FBI agent I naturally asked him about Thompson’s and commented what a shame it was that they had been destroyed. He related that as a firearms instructor at Quantico at the time, he took part in the disposal of some. He described burying them somewhere near the Range with a chemical, I don’t remember what, to promote rust. I do not recall if they cut or torched them first. But I distinctly remember him saying he was not allowed to keep so much as a compensator as a souvenir. Gives you an idea of the attitude of the bureaucrats.

[thirtyround]

Historical Question for those in the know....

-When did the FBI destroy their TSMG's and where? The number destroyed, Any photographic evidence, paperwork, operation orders? Anyone ever FOIA info pertaining to such actions at Quantico and other locations capturing serial number information? Would be very interesting to learn. I'm going to go ahead a say it... no doubt some went home with those in prominent positions.

[jojeep]

@ ThirtyRound.

Heard years ago from a Navy Veteran(Enlisted) that he and other Enlisted Men loaded Weapons

(Small Arms) into the Trunk of a High Ranking Naval Officer's Car Trunk because the Ship was being Decommissioned.

Edited August 19, 2022 by jojeep

[Got Uzi]

I was told by a former FBI agent that back in the 1970s (when the Thompson was obsolete) he and the armorer took all but one or two of the arsenal Thompsons to the military base and torch cut them all. They had to have proof each gun as cut up. Back then, they were considered surplus and not thought to be collectible so no one cared as they didnt see them as anything but old unused weapons.

[chipsaunders]

Around 1984, I was in the Columbus, Ohio office. They had a Thompson hanging on the wall in their arms room. I asked their firearms guy about it. He told me they were supposed to turn in it, but never did. They kept it for their "show and tell" to any visitors that came to the office.

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

Historical Question for those in the know....

-When did the FBI destroy their TSMG's and where? The number destroyed, Any photographic evidence, paperwork, operation orders? Anyone ever FOIA info pertaining to such actions at Quantico and other locations capturing serial number information? Would be very interesting to learn. I'm going to go ahead a say it... no doubt some went home with those in prominent positions.

 

 

 

Around 1970 or ’71, FBIHQ ordered the destruction of most Thompson submachine guns in the field. The various field offices could keep a small number for tours and shooting demonstrations, and a few were kept at Quantico for use on the popular FBI tour in Washington, DC. In total there were 749 guns destroyed.

Bill Vanderpool August 8, 2018

 

"Bill Vanderpool is a retired Special Agent with the FBI, former SWAT sniper and member of the Bureau’s Firearms Training Unit. He joined the FBI in 1973. In 1979 he was transferred to the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia as a member of the Firearms Training Unit."

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

Good post, Arthur. I hope all is well with you and your German Shepherd(s).

 

David

Thanks, Dave.

Ikar is self-identifying as a gator....

[Mike Hammer]

 

Good post, Arthur. I hope all is well with you and your German Shepherd(s).

 

David

Thanks, Dave.

Ikar is self-identifying as a gator....

IMG_E4837.JPG

[Ron Mills]

The dad of a boyhood friend of mine was local FBI. Had his Thompson in a zippered compartment in the ceiling of his company car. Now that was cool.

Ikar the gatordog would do well in Florida. When I lived there, one of the first things I learned was: If there is any body of water, there are gators in it.

[firearm]

Around 1984, I was in the Columbus, Ohio office. They had a Thompson hanging on the wall in their arms room. I asked their firearms guy about it. He told me they were supposed to turn in it, but never did. They kept it for their "show and tell" to any visitors that came to the office.

I was in the office of one of the Majors of the Texas Ranger's a few years ago. He had a glass case in his office full of beautiful original 1918 BAR's, M2 Carbines, very old rifles, and some Thompson Guns. He had invited me over to show him how to tear down 1921 Colt SN# 13018. Of course, I asked about the glass case full of weapons and he told me that they were instructed back in the 70's to turn all full auto weapons in to headquarters in Austin. He simply said they ignored the order and left them in the cabinet. Same for a lot of full auto weapons in the hands of the Rangers out in the field.