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WW2 Artifacts Missing from the US National Archives


Simon Lerenfort
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  • 3 weeks later...

There is a special place in hell for people like this... it is common for people working at archives and historical societies to take those positions for the sole purpose of stealing.

 

The bigger problem is that the governments rarely charge these scumbags ... they let them resign often without returning the items. I spoke to a leading museum curator and he read off the top of his head a list of over a dozen museum curators who robbed the vaults they were hired to protect.

 

I think there needs to be an accountability site specifically for this issue and as the government to provide information on all those forced to resign to make sure they don't continue their evil ways elsewhere.

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I think there needs to be an accountability site specifically for this issue and as the government to provide information on all those forced to resign to make sure they don't continue their evil ways elsewhere.

 

One of them got his share of attention on this forum: talk about bad PR:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/15227-user-suspension-devildan1900/

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If you notice not all of the thieves on the website stole military items... some stole other rare recordings dating back to the 1930s.

 

One of them is an oddball because he was sent into the National Archives to destroy NEW documents as a coverup. His name was Sandy Berger and he succeeded in stealing and destroying many documents.. didn't spend a single day in jail amazingly.

 

So again... I still say we should create a website of these military only thieves for reference purposes AND INCLUDE THE CURATORS WHO STOLE AND WERE NOT CHARGED.

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If you notice not all of the thieves on the website stole military items... some stole other rare recordings dating back to the 1930s.

 

One of them is an oddball because he was sent into the National Archives to destroy NEW documents as a coverup. His name was Sandy Berger and he succeeded in stealing and destroying many documents.. didn't spend a single day in jail amazingly.

 

So again... I still say we should create a website of these military only thieves for reference purposes AND INCLUDE THE CURATORS WHO STOLE AND WERE NOT CHARGED.

 

Good idea, but the problem would be people throwing lawyers around for slander and such. If they weren't convicted, you open a kangaroo court up of people who "might have done something". Having worked at a museum, I can tell you they are not immune to the normal workplace drama and then some. I mean there was a recent issue on this forum where they banned a very long-time collector/author who was proven to be doctoring up uniforms and selling them as original.....and then he started sending threatening legal letters to anyone he could think of after he was outed. The list wouldn't be worth the hassle for most. Better to let the knowledge run in circles. I was active duty for 11 years and got involved with 4-5 different groups of collectors in different parts of the USA, you would be very surprised at how fast something bad spreads in the hobby.

 

I was surprised that the former Lt Rumsby, now SGT Rumsby, who stole the tags to return to the families was not listed on the NARA page. I assume he made a plea deal to return the items and face no charges. He was a commissioned officer and d--- well should have known better. Sorry that NARA has your relative's tags in a file, but if they started de-assessing items to "rightfully claiming family members" ...where does it end? I'm related to George Washington and I demand those papers be returned....because they're worth $10,000 on ebay; much like a major league version of the "family comes calling" thread on here.

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Good idea, but the problem would be people throwing lawyers around for slander and such. If they weren't convicted, you open a kangaroo court up of people who "might have done something". Having worked at a museum, I can tell you they are not immune to the normal workplace drama and then some. I mean there was a recent issue on this forum where they banned a very long-time collector/author who was proven to be doctoring up uniforms and selling them as original.....and then he started sending threatening legal letters to anyone he could think of after he was outed. The list wouldn't be worth the hassle for most. Better to let the knowledge run in circles. I was active duty for 11 years and got involved with 4-5 different groups of collectors in different parts of the USA, you would be very surprised at how fast something bad spreads in the hobby.

 

I was surprised that the former Lt Rumsby, now SGT Rumsby, who stole the tags to return to the families was not listed on the NARA page. I assume he made a plea deal to return the items and face no charges. He was a commissioned officer and d--- well should have known better. Sorry that NARA has your relative's tags in a file, but if they started de-assessing items to "rightfully claiming family members" ...where does it end? I'm related to George Washington and I demand those papers be returned....because they're worth $10,000 on ebay; much like a major league version of the "family comes calling" thread on here.

 

That's true ... but at the same time... they have to be flagged. Perhaps through a FOIA request we can obtain documents showing the curator misconduct ... publish those papers along with their name and photo ... and let the readers decide... make no formal claim ourselves.

 

It is infuriating that thieves and saboteurs are getting away with this... it has to stop. Because they just go to new archives and repeat their crimes ... they have to be exposed... I think this website is the solution.

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