Racine, Wisconsin gets cold in November, and November 20, 1933 was no exception. But, it was soon to heat up with the excitement caused by the arrival the Dillinger Gang. John Dillinger, noted bank robber and public enemy, had cased Racine’s American Bank and Trust Company as his next target.

At approximately 2:30 p.m., the robbers entered the bank. Barney Cowan, a customer attempting to make a deposit, was manhandled and had a pistol stuck in his ribs. Harold Graham, the head teller, was counting a stack of bills. He had just put his “next window please” sign in place, when he heard someone yell, “Stick ‘em up!” Graham, his back to the widow, ignored the order, thinking someone was joking. When he heard the command again, he replied with a curt, “Next window, please.” Without a word, gang member Charles Makley shot him. The bullet entered Graham’s right arm and lodged in his hip. Although he was seriously injured, he was able to press the alarm button.

At police headquarters, Officer Chester Boyard heard the alarm, grabbed two men and headed for the bank. Boyard was the first to enter the bank, and was immediately taken prisoner by gang member Russell Clark. Sergeant Wilbur Hansen was next through the door, armed with Colt Thompson serial #3363. But, with the Thompson pointed at the floor, he was taken by surprise. Charles Makley fired and a bullet grazed Sergeant Hansen’s right hand. He dropped the Thompson, which was recovered by Makley. The third officer, who was still outside the bank, ran for help.

The bank alarm and the police presence soon drew a crowd of onlookers, there by blocking the exit from the bank. Dillinger, scooping up the loot ($27,700), realized there was a large crowd out front, and he ordered his men to grab hostages. As the gang and hostages moved through the crowd, two detectives came around a corner twenty yards away. Makley turned and fired a burst from his newly acquired “Tommy Gun,” chasing the detectives into Wylie’s Hat Shop to seek cover.

Three hostages were taken by the gang: bank president Grover Weyland, teller Ursula Patzke and police officer Chester Boyard. At the getaway car, the hostages were forced to stand on the car’s running boards, with Officer Boyard on one side, Weyland and Patzke on the other. Hotrodding through town and running two red lights, Dillinger soon realized he couldn’t get away with people on the running boards. He slowed momentarily and forced Boyard off, while pulling the other two hostages inside the car. Ursula Patzke later recalled that she was forced to sit on a pile of guns and money. When she complained that she was cold, Harry Pierpont, another gang member, gave her his coat.

Dillinger and the gang continued along the back roads of Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Approximately thirty-five miles from Racine, the hostages were tied to a tree with a shoelace and left otherwise unharmed. The gang turned around and headed for Chicago, taking Thompson submachine gun #3363 with them.

The Dillinger gang worked their way south through the fall and early winter of 1933, ultimately spending Christmas in Florida. Early January, 1934 found them back in the midwest in East Chicago, Indiana, where they robbed the First National Bank. As he had done in Racine two months before, Dillinger took hostages and used them as a human shield. Outside the bank awaited a heavily armed force of seven East Chicago police. Officer Hobarts Wilgus was one of the hostages, having been captured early in the robbery while on routine patrol in front of the bank. As Dillinger and the hostages moved down the street, he locked eyes with one of the police detectives at a range of twenty-five feet. Just a few feet away from the getaway car, Dillinger, thinking he had made it, relaxed for just a second, and Detective Patrick O’Malley shouted, “Wilgus!”

Wilgus turned, giving O’Malley a clear shot at Dillinger. O’Malley fired his pistol four times, hitting Dillinger once in his bullet-proof vest. Dillinger, shocked, lost his temper, shoved Officer Wilgus aside and shouted, “I’ll get that son of a bitch.” He raised his Thompson and fired a burst directly into Detective O’Malley. The officer, a father of three, died with eight bulletholes in his chest.

Dillinger, making his escape, again headed south through St. Louis, ending up in Tucson, Arizona. The Dillinger Gang, relaxing and enjoying the western hospitality, was taken by surprise and arrested by the Tucson police. Among the items captured were two Thompsons; one of them, #3363, was the one taken in the Racine robbery. Dillinger, now in the Pima County Jail, and awaiting extradition toIndiana, had some time on his hands, and the Tucson police allowed him to carve his name in the detachable buttstock of his Tommy Gun #3363.

During the time the gun was in the possession of the Dillinger Gang, they committed several robberies; but there is no proof that the gun was used by the robbers. However, the fact that gun #3363 was in the gang’s possession at the time of their arrest in Tucson leads one to assume it was carried, if not fired, in some of these escapades.

Racine Police Chief Grover C. Lutter traveled to Tucson and arrived at the Pima County Jail. He had requested the return of Thompson #3363, a weapon originally belonging to the Racine Police Department. Chief Lutter returned with the gun in 1934, shortly after Dillinger had been extradited to Indiana. #3363 has been in the Racine Police Arms Room since then. While doing historical research on the Dillinger Gun, Sgt. David M. Beranis, of the Racine Police Academy, sent a request to the Pima County Jail in 1971 to confirm information about the return of #3363. A reply from Sgt. Jack Wollard, of the Pima County Sheriff’s Records Department, dated September 27, 1971, confirms the return of #3363 to Chief Lutter. It is interesting to note that Sgt. Wollard had to contact his mother to confirm this information,as she was there in 1934 when Chief Lutter of Racine picked up the gun.

Like most Thompsons bought by police, #3363 spent most of its duty time locked in the police arms room. It was bought as “preventive medicine,” just in case a group of “motorized bandits” of the time should come to town. An invoice dated September 10, 1932, shows the original purchase of a 1928 AC Model Thompson submachine gun with accessories as listed below. Chief Grover C. Lutter of the Racine Police Department was the customer and ordered the following items:

• 1 – 1928 AC Thompson submachine gun $225
• 2 – 20-round magazines $6
• 1 – 18-round shot cartridge magazine $3
• 1 – 50-round drum magazine $21
• 2 – bullet-proof vests $160
• 1 – extra fore grip $2.75

The gun and accessories were bought from Federal Laboratories, Inc. of Pittsburgh, PA., a major police equipment sales company. During the Depression era, $225 was a lot of money. Today, collectors pay as much as $35,000 for an original Coltmade Thompson in good condition. It’s clear that “Tommy Guns” have never been cheap.

Occasionally used for training and demonstration, #3363 was rarely pressed into active service. The May 14, 1972 issue of the Racine Journal Times reported that the venerable Colt Thompson submachine gun #3363 was to be retired from active duty.

An article in the November 8, 1995 issue of the Racine Journal Times reported that a photo opportunity was arranged to raise money for a display about the “Dillinger Thompson” and the 1933 bank robbery. For the sum of $25, you could pose with Thompson #3363 and receive an 8×10 color print. Only four people showed up.

Today, the “Dillinger Thompson” is carefully preserved, cleaned, oiled and cared for by Officer Joseph Villalobos, senior training officer, Racine Police Department.

Our sincere thanks to Racine Police Chief Kurt Wahlen and Officer Joe Villalobos for their kind hospitality and assistance in examining and photographing this historic weapon.

Gun Specifications

Make: Colt Patent Firearms Mfg. Co.
Model: 1928 US Navy
Caliber: .45 ACP
Weight: 9 lbs. 13 ounces
Barrel Length: 12-1/2 inches with compensator
O.A. Length: 33 inches
Sights: Lyman Adjustable
Magazines: 20-round box; 50-round drum
Cyclic rate of fire: 600 rpm
Date of manufacture: Sometime between July 29 and August 27, 1921
Distinguishing marks: Signature carved by John Dillinger on left side of buttstock

Note; while the “L” sight and smooth barrel began to appear on mid-range serial number Savage 1928’s they appeared on lower numbered Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport guns. The reason is that the Savage factory began manufacturing the guns approximately eighteen months before Auto-Ordnance. Thus, a low numbered Auto-Ordnance 1928 model was manufactured at the same time period a mid-range number Savage gun.

The Cutts compensator was retained on all military A-O 1928A1 models throughout production. Most of the Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport Thompsons were fitted with the late (4th) style compensator that has the Thompson bullet logo on the left side, and the Auto-Ordnance name roll marked across the top of the leading edge. All M1928A1 model Thompsons made at the Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport plant were originally fitted with the horizontal style foregrips.

The Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport plant was under the jurisdiction of the Springfield Ordnance District in 1941. Thompson Guns were inspected and proofed by on site Springfield ordnance inspectors. The initials of the chief executive officer of the respective Ordnance Districts, who were designated as Army Inspectors of Ordnance or AIOs, were stamped on the guns indicating that they accepted the weapons on behalf of the United States Government. Springfield District Chief executive officers during WWII Thompson production were; Waldemar Broberg and Lt. Colonel Guy H. Drewery. Subordinate ordnance officers managed the inspection process, and all of the guns were actually inspected and stamped by personnel working under their respective chief inspectors. The purpose of the government inspection was to insure that the material being manufactured was the type, quality and quantity specified in the government agreement with the provider. Great emphasis was placed on government contractors to perform their own quality inspections at their factories to avoid having material rejected by the government inspectors. This was done to avoid delays in badly needed materials and to avoid the expense of rejected goods. The quality fit and finish of the Auto-Ordnance produced guns was identical to those of Savage manufacture. Interchangeability of parts was 100% as per Ordnance Department directives.

Model of M1928A1 parts manufactured by Auto-Ordnance’s factories or subcontractors and marked AOC were; Receivers, trigger frames, Blish locks, bolts, actuators, barrels, grip mounts, butt plates, sears, sear levers, trip levers, disconnectors, safety levers and pivot plates.

Although the Remington Arms Company was subcontracted to manufacture many Thompson parts for Auto-Ordnance, in January of 1942, Auto-Ordnance acquired the machinery from Remington and moved it into their Bridgeport plant and began manufacturing the parts themselves. These parts included the actuator, bolt, extractor, ejector and disconnector.

An interesting variation of the Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport produced M1928A1 Thompson that has been observed, are those Thompsons that have had the U.S. designation ground off and the A1 mark overstamped to read AC. Many of the guns documented had been refurbished, and fitted with the smooth barrels and the “L” style fixed rear sight. Many, but certainly not all, of these guns so altered were in the 150,000 to 152,000 serial number range. A letter X was added as a suffix on the serial numbers of many of these guns. A few other examples of these “1928AC” Thompsons documented were fitted with the finned barrel and Lyman adjustable rear sight. A small number of these Thompsons had their original military horizontal foregrip replaced with the early style vertical foregrip. It is believed that these were guns that had been purchased from the government by the Auto-Ordnance Corporation and refurbished in order to be sold to law enforcement agencies after they were surplused. The Numrich Arms Corporation also removed U.S. markings from 1928 and 1928A1 model Thompsons they sold in the 1950’s.

Interestingly, some of the AO “1928AC” overstamped Thompsons did not have Army Inspector of Ordnance (AIO) acceptance stamps on them, but were stamped with the Ordnance “wheel” acceptance mark. While other examples of these guns had no government inspector or acceptance stamps at all, suggesting that they were never inspected or accepted by the U.S. Government. Perhaps these guns were contract overruns or assembled from parts that remained after the government contracts were filled. However, no documentation could be located that could prove or disprove this theory.

A Treasury Department IRS Form dated June 30, 1944 reveals that two Auto-Ordnance manufacture U.S. 1928A1 Thompsons with an X suffix added to the serial numbers were sold to a Massachusetts police department that year. The U.S. was ground off and the letter C over stamped on the 1 on both of the guns. Please note that the war didn’t end until the 15th of August 1945. All of the 1928 “AC” guns documented were originally manufactured by the Auto-Ordnance Corporation’s Bridgeport factory, and in almost every case had an AO prefixed serial numbered frame, although most of the frame/receiver numbers were mis-matched. The serial numbers located on the frames of these weapons also had the letter X added to them.

Although most of the Bridgeport manufactured Thompsons documented had the very common mismatched receiver and frame numbers, I found it interesting that in almost every case of an Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport mismatched gun, the frames were also of Auto-Ordnance manufacture. Even though the Savage frames are completely interchangeable, few Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport guns were observed with Savage trigger frames. The only two serialized parts on wartime Thompsons were the receiver and the trigger frame. The only reason for this was that when the Thompsons were manufactured the lower frames and receivers were hand fitted to each other to insure a close fit between the two parts. It was purely for cosmetic purposes, and had no bearing on the reliability or functioning of the weapon.

As per standard Ordnance Department procedures when there was more than one contractor manufacturing the same weapon, there were separate blocks of serial numbers assigned to each contractor. This was done so that no two weapons would be produced with the same serial number. However, during the military run there were some numbers duplicated, and a few more that were only one or two numbers different, the only difference being the letter S or AO preceding the serial number. Even though there were serial numbers that were close or duplicated on Savage and Auto-Ordnance guns, the dates that those Thompsons had actually been manufactured were quite different. By the time Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport had produced their very first M1928A1 gun, Savage had shipped well over 200,000 1928 and M1928A1 model Thompsons.

Other major variations of the Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport manufactured gun were the same as the Savage models.

Finned barrel, Lyman adjustable rear sight.
Finned barrel, “L” style rear aperture sight.
Smooth barrel, “L” type rear sight.

The Auto-Ordnance Corporation manufactured several experimental prototypes of the Thompson in an attempt to get more life out of the original design. There were 1928 model variations chambered for the U.S. 30’06 caliber, as well as a few prototypes made chambered for .30 carbine cartridge. The rifle cartridges proved to be too powerful for the Thompson’s Blish lock delayed blow-back system.

On 25 April 1942, the M1928A1 Thompson was reclassified as “Limited Standard”. The M1928A1 weapons were to be replaced in service by the new M1 version of the Thompson and the M3 submachine gun that was under development by the Ordnance Department and the Guide Lamp Division of General Motors. Due to unforeseen problems the M1928A1 model continued to be manufactured until the autumn of 1942.

Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport manufactured their last U.S. M1928A1 model on 15 October 1942. Thereafter they concentrated on producing the M1 and M1A1 model. Government documents show that the Bridgeport factory manufactured a total of 323,900 M1928A1 Thompsons. The grand total of 1928 and M1928A1 Thompson Submachine Guns manufactured during WWII, by both Savage and the Auto-Ordnance facilities was an estimated 1,070,832 from 1940 to the fall of 1942 when the M1928A1 model was superseded by the M1 version.

The official end of the M1928A1 model came at an Ordnance Committee meeting held on 16 March 1944 item 23248; Memorandum for the Standards and Specification Section, Conservation Branch, Production Division, Army Service Forces. It was noted for the record that; “U.S. Army specification 52-3-30 of Gun, Submachine, Thompson, Caliber .45 M1928A1 be canceled in accordance with paragraph 30, AR 850-25”. The request was approved.

This article was condensed from relative information in the book AMERICAN THUNDER: The Military Thompson Submachine Gun, available from Moose Lake Publishing LLC. 207-683-2959

These early Savage Thompsons were very much like the Colt 1928 Navy model, featuring a finned barrel fitted with a Cutts compensator, as well as a finely checkered actuator knob, safety and rocker levers. The early Savage guns also featured a vertical foregrip. As per their contracts with A-O, Savage was not permitted to place their name on the Thompsons that they manufactured. The only way to identify a Savage manufactured 1928 or 1928A1 Thompson is by the S prefix on the serial number. All parts manufactured by Savage were also marked with a letter S. Parts manufactured by Savage’s sister plant, J. Stevens, were marked with a block style letter S. Savage and Stevens manufactured virtually every part for the gun except for various screws and springs. All WWII Savage guns were originally assembled at the factory with Savage (S) or Stevens (S) marked parts.

While the Colt Thompsons were blued, the Savage guns were finished by a process called Du-Lite which was a black oxide type III finish. When this finish was applied to a sandblasted surface it had a flat-black appearance. When applied to other surfaces that have not been sandblasted, it had a low luster blue appearance. The outside surfaces of the trigger frames and receivers were sandblasted on Savage Thompsons prior to the Du-Lite finish being applied, resulting in a flat black color. The inside of these components will appear a dull blue color as will the barrel and all other steel parts and components.

The British Contract Savage Model of 1928

The early 1928 Thompson guns manufactured for the British contracts were marked with a very small British inspector’s stamp placed on the receiver and/or the barrel. The guns were purchased directly from the Auto-Ordnance Corporation. The British contract guns were all fitted with the Lyman adjustable rear sight, and a vertical foregrip. The early one-piece flat-machined ejector was fitted to the early guns as well as the early style (2nd design) Cutts compensator. Thompsons fitted with a vertical foregrip came from the factory with only one sling swivel. This swivel was located on the bottom of the buttstock. British armorer’s often relocated the sling swivel to the top of the stock and added a swivel to the side of the foregrip. There were no U.S. or A1 markings on British contract guns. The British purchased 108,000 Thompsons and a large number of spare parts before the enactment of the U.S. Lend-Lease program. In the first contract the British paid $175.00 for each Thompson they purchased, the price was lowered in subsequent contracts. The very early Savage 1928 models shipped to the British had Auto-Ordnance’s New York, NY address roll marked on the left side of the receiver at the rear.

The Savage Commercial Model of 1928

During Savage’s production of the Thompson, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation sold some of the early 1928 model guns to law enforcement agencies. These Thompsons were exactly the same as the British guns described previously, except there were no British (or U.S.) military proofs or markings. It has been a common belief among many collectors, that the Savage “Commercial” guns were equipped with Colt “nickel” internal parts. A close study of these guns reveals that most of them were actually fitted with blued Savage internals. Most of these guns went to police departments where they saw rather limited use. When encountered, the police guns are generally in much better condition than the weapons that saw military service. Most of the “Commercial” model’s receivers were marked with Auto-Ordnance’s New York address. These guns did not have the cross-bolt added to the stock, as that was strictly a military upgrade.

The Savage Model of US 1928A1 (Early Production)

The letter “U.S.” began to appear on the receivers of 1928 model Thompsons after the Lend-Lease Act was passed in 1941. A provision of the act required that all weapons supplied to the allies through the program be U.S. marked. The Thompsons furnished through Lend-Lease were the same as those issued to U.S. forces.

The first U.S. 1928A1 model Thompsons accepted by the United States Ordnance Department were equipped with a Lyman adjustable rear sight and finned barrel. Virtually all military contract Thompsons destined for U.S. service were equipped with horizontal foregrips, although a few of the earlier “Limited Procurement” weapons were equipped with vertical foregrips. All M1928A1 model Thompsons were fitted with the milled front grip mount. Although a few early military Thompsons had the one-piece machined ejectors, most of the U.S. contract guns were equipped with the new three-piece riveted style. The military wood stocks and foregrips on the weapons were of a slightly lesser quality than had been seen on Colt and early Savage “Commercial” guns. Most of the early manufacture U.S. military contract Thompsons had the checkered actuator, safety and rocker levers. Subsequent production saw the elimination of the checkering on the rocker pivot levers, and eventually the safety lever, but the uncheckered actuators did not appear until later in the production run. The milled sling swivels were fitted on these guns.

A few early Savage military contract Thompsons were fitted with the rare 3rd design muzzle compensator that had the Thompson “Bullet” logo stamped on top of the device, and was not marked with the Auto-Ordnance name. Later manufacture Savage M1928A1 Models used the common “military” (4th design) Cutts compensator that featured the “Bullet” logo on the left side and the Auto-Ordnance name roll marked on the top of the unit.

Virtually all U.S. military contract M1928A1 models will have the Auto-Ordnance Bridgeport, Connecticut address roll marked on the right side of the receiver near the center. The patent numbers were marked on the right side at the rear of the receiver. Also stamped on the receivers of Savage Thompsons was the Army Inspector of Ordnance’s initials, as well as the Ordnance Department “flaming bomb” acceptance stamp. Savage guns also were marked with the initials GEG, of George E. Goll, Auto-Ordnance’s chief inspector.

The U.S. 1928A1 (2nd Variation)

The second variation of the M1928A1 Thompsons was fitted with the rudimentary fixed “L” type sight and finned barrel. The fixed “L” aperture style sight was first installed on the M1928A1s manufactured by Savage during contract number G-14 dated 24 February 1942. The contract was for 400,000 weapons. All subsequent M1928A1s were fitted with the “L” sight. The Ordnance Department felt that the M1928A1 Thompson needed a rugged military style sight with a large aperture for rapid target acquisition. Many of the aforementioned guns generally were equipped with the uncheckered safety and rocker levers, but will often have checkered actuators.

The “L” Sight

At an Ordnance Committee meeting held in December of 1941, it was suggested that a much simpler “L” type of sight replace the complicated Lyman adjustable rear sight on the Thompson. The new sight was better suited for a military application, and would help expedite production of the Thompson. The fixed “L” sight had a .125 inch aperture sighted for a 100-yard range, a second notch was cut into the top of the sight leaf for a 250-yard range. The new “L” aperture style sight was riveted to the receiver in the same manner as the early adjustable model. Lyman also manufactured many of the “L” type sights for Auto-Ordnance and were so marked. The same style of sight was used on early M1 models. The unprotected sight proved to be very easily damaged or bent and would often snag on brush and clothing. A later design provided side ears on the sight for protection of the vertical leaf. The “L” style sight began to appear on the Savage manufactured M1928A1’s at approximately the S-400,000 serial number range.

The U.S. 1928 A1 (Late Production)

The Auto-Ordnance Corporation and Savage had a difficult time keeping up with the ever-increasing demand for the Thompson. To increase production they had to either procure more machine tools and increase the work force, or simplify the parts where possible, for easier manufacture.

There were still a few amenities on the 1928 Thompson that could be eliminated in order to expedite the weapon’s production. After the complex Lyman rear sight, the next elaborate feature of the Thompson to be eliminated for the sake of production was the finned barrel. The U.S. Ordnance Department felt that the open bolt feature of the Thompson design provided enough cooling effect to prevent most premature “cook-off” of cartridges, and felt the barrel’s radial cooling fins were not needed. The smooth barrels began to appear on Savage M1928A1’s at approximately serial number S-500,000.

Late manufacture M1928A1 Thompsons were still equipped with the uncheckered, paddle style safety and rocker levers. The checkering feature was eliminated from the actuators on the late M1928A1 models. Many of the late guns were still fitted with milled style sling swivels.

Although most military 1928 Thompsons encountered today will have a reinforcing cross-bolt in the buttstock, the bolt was added after the gun left the factory. The purpose of the cross-bolt upgrade was to prevent the stocks from cracking. The cross-bolt upgrade campaign began after production of the 1928 model had ended.

The first Thompson M1928A1 models were sold to the U.S. government for “$225.00 minus 10%” which calculates to $202.50 per weapon. An additional $2.50 was added for greasing and packing costs. The price paid by the U.S. Government varied from contract to contract but steadily declined from 1941 until the end of production. The price paid by the U.S. Government for a M1928A1 had been reduced to only $70.00 when the new M1 model was introduced in July of 1942. A spare parts kit for the M1928A1 weapon was priced at $15.43.

The last 2,000 Savage U.S. M1928A1 Thompsons were manufactured in September of 1942. Thereafter Savage only manufactured the M1 and M1A1 models. Savage manufactured an estimated total of 746,932 model 1928 and M1928A1 Thompsons from April 1940, until October of 1942.

This article is condensed from the book The Military Thompson Submachine Gun, available from Moose Lake Publishing LLC. 207-683-2959 http://www.smallarmsreview.com