Posted on 02/06/2020 7:35:06 AM PST by w1n1
First thought that comes to mind is Wyatt Earp. We’re talking lawmen from the mid 1930’s to later in the 20th century. You’ll see a common core that they all share in their survival stories – that is to be very decisive and not hesitate when it was time to pull the trigger. Maybe, this was a function of the eras during which some of these officers worked, partly the assignments they had, and partly it was just that their own natures made them particularly proactive.
What stands out is that these lawmen did not use the conventional best practice way of shooting that we’re accustomed to. Such as sight alignment, grips, smooth trigger pull, sight picture, Isoceles/Weaver stances, etc… Though, these lawmen have their way of shooting or what was taught back in those days…
These lawmen were no slouch when things heated up, they fought the bad guys with grit and determination. Their high level of discerning a deadly situation and making a quick decision to act on it to save lives help in providing a safer community. Without further adieu here are some of the 20th century lawmen that you may never have heard of:
Delf A. Bryce also known as "Jelly Bryce",br/> Jelly Bryce was an Oklahoma City policeman and an FBI agent, active from 1928 to 1958. He was significant for being an exceptional marksman and a fast draw. He survived 19 gunfights, some during the "gangster era." Bryce was considered a master of point shooting.
At the age of 22, on his second day with Oklahoma City police he confronted a thief trying to hot-wire a car. He identified himself as a police officer, after which the suspect drew a pistol; Bryce then drew his and shot and killed the criminal.
On another occasion during his first year, while patrolling in a police car, he confronted two thieves attempting to break into furniture store premises. After Bryce demanded their surrender they both fired pistols; Bryce then drew and fired twice, killing both men.
Jelly Bryce shooting skills were freakingly amazing and accurate. Though, he possessed natural shooting talent, he also trained relentlessly both with live fire and dry firing in front of a mirror. What sets him apart from someone in a gunfight is that Bryce can quickly assess the situation and beat his perpetrator to the punch (shoot) first while on the move.
Frank Pape Chicago PD
Pape “sent 300 men to prison, five to the electric chair and engaged in more than a dozen gun battles, surviving without a scratch while sending nine suspects to their graves.” Pape had never fired his gun in the line of duty until his partner, Morris Friedman, was gunned down. After that, he “carved for himself a reputation for fearlessness if not ruthlessness, sometimes going after criminals with a Thompson submachine gun.
Due to the nature of Frank Pape’s nature of hazardous assignment, he was known to carry multiple pistols. Before high capacity magazine was the norm, Frank Pape needed to be armed with multiple pistols while on these raids. So Frank custom tailored his pants and coat pockets to carry extra pistols. Frank Pape was known to be armed with .38 caliber revolvers, 44 Magnum and even a Thompson machine gun when taking down robbers.
Ralph Friedman
NYPD's Most Decorative Detective of the 70'-80's.
He was assigned to the 41st Precinct in the Bronx, known as Ft Apache. It was one of the highest crime rate areas in the country. During his career he made over 2,000 arrests. Ralph Friedman was involved in 15 shootouts in the course of which he was forced to shoot eight perpetrators, killing four.
The following is an excerpt from Ralph Friedman book "Street Warrior":
"The gunman tried to get by me, but I grabbed his shoulder and we struggled, grunting and swearing, although our voices sounded muffled given the effect the gunshots had on my hearing. Everything was happening very quickly, yet it felt like slow motion. I was fighting for my life, nearly deaf from the gunshots, and wondering if I'd been hit. The shooter was about my height, medium build. A river of adrenaline was pumping through me, and I knew if I didn’t put him down, I was gonna die.
I heard the approaching cavalry — the job now a rapid response 'shots fired,' allowing for flashing lights and sirens all the way — or thought I did. The troops were coming, and I hoped they'd arrive in time. As we fought, I pressed my gun against the gunman's chest, hoping I still had ammo, and fired. I heard the welcome sound of a boom, no empty chamber click. The gunman went down like a dropped anchor. I found later he’d been hit a few times, but my last round got him in the heart. The three of us had fired a total of 18 rounds in what couldn't have been more than a 10-second gun battle inside what seems like a medium-sized closet." Read the rest of gunfighting lawmen.
Nice!
Informative article.
Thanks!
Have you read ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’? Along the same subject as this. It was a topic I hadn’t studied before, other than watching ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ or some of the gangster TV movies in the 70s.
Those lawmen had guts.
Dont forget John Cirillo (spelling), former Chicago PD. He was a master ambusher of robbers and stacked a pretty damn high body count of bad guys.
Disregard no 6. JIM Cirillo of NYPD, not CPD mentioned at bottom of article.
The correct term is 'Without further ado.
bkmk
These genuine heroes have since been replaced by thugs who kill innocent people, raid homes without warrants, shoot helpless unarmed suspects, and who shoot dogs almost as a pastime.
It’s stories about heroes like these who underline the decline of police in our modern age.
“Jelly!”
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