entered WWI in 1917, Thompson re-enlisted into the Army and was promoted to Brigadier General. By 1916, while employed as Chief Engineer at Remington Arms, he created a gun that could be used to clear enemy trenches, nicknamed the “Trench Broom” and this was the beginning of the Thompson submachine gun. became involved, Thompson saw the need to assist the allies with better artillery, so he retired from the Army to dedicate his time to develop a fully automatic weapon. RELATED STORY: New For 2016 – Auto-Ordnance’s 100th Anniversary Thompson Packageĭuring WWI, before the U.S.

He was later assigned to the Army Ordnance Department in 1890 as a 2 nd Lieutenant and was responsible for arming and dispersing of weapons during the Spanish-American war. It was while he was in the Army that Thompson went to engineering and artillery schools and began researching small arms. Colonel during the civil war and, John, following in his father’s footsteps, also graduated from West Point and served in the Army. His father, a graduate of West Point, served as Lt. Thompson was born in Newport, Kentucky on December 31, 1860. Now, 100 years later, the Thompson semi-automatic rifle, also referred to as the Chicago Typewriter, is commonly known to everyone across the globe. Thompson first began researching a portable hand-held automatic weapon in 1915 little did he know that he would be changing history forever. The following is a press release from Auto Ordnance

Pic of auto ordnance 1927-a1 45acp