Crime

Feds seize missing medals taken from Springfield Armory in the 1990s

Investigators seized the 24 marksmanship medals dating back to the 1880s and 1890s after a collector called the Armory to ask about similar items.

These marksmanship medals from the late 1800s were unlawfully taken from the Springfield Armory nearly 30 years ago, according to federal officials.

By Morgan Rousseau

July 9, 2022

2 minutes to read

Boston federal agents recovered 24 marksmanship medals from the late 1800s they say were unlawfully taken from the Springfield Armory nearly 30 years ago.

The U. S. Attorney’s Office in Boston announced Friday that FBI special agents seized the historic medals after learning that they were in the possession of a collector. The two-dozen medals, which date back to the 1880s and 1890s, had gone missing in the 1990s.

Investigators say the marksmanship medals were awarded to Milan Bull and Freeman Bull, members of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia in the late 1800s. The daughter and niece of the men donated the medals to the Springfield Armory in 1944. The Armory is a National Historic site managed by the National Park Service. All of the artifacts in its collection belong to the U.S. government.

In October, a collector contacted an Armory curator asking about the medals. Based on what the collector said, the Armory determined that the person possessed several items matching those that had gone missing from the collection.

The FBI seized the medals and the U.S. Attorney filed a civil forfeiture action, which allows third parties to assert claims to property. Those claims must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the government and returned to victims.

#FBI Boston special agents have recovered 24 marksmanship medals from the 1880s and 1890s that were taken from the Springfield Armory, a National Historic site, almost 30 years ago. Learn more: https://t.co/P1cjiXpZlz pic.twitter.com/JsdmTRuu31
— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) July 8, 2022

“These stolen medals that once belonged to world-class marksmen and have been missing for almost 30 years are now one step closer to being returned to their rightful owner,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Their absence represented not just a physical and financial loss, but a loss to every visitor who missed out on viewing these significant artifacts of military history. The FBI is very proud to have recovered them.”

Established in 1777, the Springfield Armory acted as a federal arsenal to supply the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. In 1866, it started collecting and displaying artifacts as a museum. The U.S. army controlled the Armory until 1974 when Congress designated it as a national historic landmark and transferred control to the National Park Service.

“Massachusetts is the birthplace of the American Revolution, a war that gained our nation’s independence. Protecting and preserving artifacts of our Commonwealth’s history is of fundamental importance to this,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “My office is committed to combating the theft and sale of stolen historical property. The recovery of these important artifacts is the result of the excellent collaborative work between my office’s Asset Recovery Unit, the FBI, and the National Park Service.”