The federal government is returning items believed to have been stolen from the Springfield Armory. The U.S. Attorney's Office says it filed a civil forfeiture action against two-dozen marksmanship medals that were awarded to a couple of members of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia in the 19th century.
“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.”
A collector contacted a curator at the Armory about the medals last October, and the FBI then seized the objects which had been donated about 80 years ago.
(Photo Credit: US Attorney's Office)