The G-Men Of The '30s

(Note: Do a "site search" to find all references. Please be aware that documenting these men of the '30s is a massive project and as of Summer, 2008 continuous additions are slowly being made. I may have information available on Agents, but not yet added so if you don't see the name here, send an email inquiry to me.)

No doubt the 30's portray a "romantic" time in our history and the FBI; snap brim or straw hats, Thompson machine guns blazing, riding on running boards and more. But others will remind you that there was nothing "romantic" about the Depression Era. And in the vigil against crime, some lost their lives. "Living out of suitcase" was common for many which is why a large portion of young Agents were not married according to Doris Lockerman, Melvin Purvis' secretary whom I spoke to. The average Special Agent was making $2,000 a year.

Regardless, the FBI was hiring Special Agents from all areas of the country and backgrounds. If you go back to the navigation area and read the 1934 NY Times article, it presents an interesting breakdown of the backgrounds of many of the Agents of the time.

Due to the rise in violence associated with the job, coupled with the need for men who knew how to handle a gun, many writers interpret the hiring of some as "hired guns." As noted by writer & historian Ron Morgan,

"The director (J. E. Hoover) made the decision to recruit a hand picked squad of hired gunmen or professional “shootists” to go after the big name criminals. Hoover began his search for these new agents in Oklahoma and Texas . He quickly hired Oklahoma City Detectives Clarence Hurt and Jerry Campbell along with two Texas Rangers, James “Doc” White and Gus “Buster” Jones. All four men were crack shots and each had in the past been involved in numerous gun duels in the line of duty. At Hoover ’s request, Oklahoma City Chief of Police Watt gave detectives Hurt and Campbell a one-year leave of absence to as he put it, “go hunting” for the FBI. They were soon joined by Texas born lawman and noted “gunfighter”, Charlie Winstead. Within a few months, the Bureau, at Hurt’s insistence also recruited “Jelly” Bryce into their ranks." After a few weeks of formal training, the men were assigned to senior agent Melvin Purvis to work out of the Chicago office."

Many who came from Southwest Law Enforcement and other locations were legendary figures who became part of the team. Whether they were "hired guns" per se, well, I'll leave that for your own imaginations.

Many thanks to former FBI Agent, and Retired Hennepin County Sheriff, Don Omodt for his contributions on these men. In many instances we may only be able to capture a name on a photo we find since finding personal data about these men is becoming more difficult as time goes by.

FBI Special Agent, Almon P. Barber (1934-1944) (See Section On Brady Gang)

 

FBI Special Agent, W. Carter Baum (1930-1934 - Killed In The Line Of Duty)  

 

FBI Special Agent, Thomas "Frank" Baughman (1919-1949)

"Frank" Baughman entered on duty with the Department of Justice in October, 1919.  At the age of 22 he was assigned to the General Intelligence Division and worked closely with J. Edgar Hoover whom he knew in law school.  Baughman was a graduate of the George Washington University in Washington, DC and enlisted in the Army in 1917.  He was discharged after World War I as a captain to accept his position with the Intelligence Division.

 
Baughman remained a close personal friend of J. Edgar Hoover and Hoover was Baughman's best man at his wedding.  After Hoover became director he appointed Baughman a supervisor and rated him in a number three position in the Bureau.  When Clyde Tolson became assistant Director, Baughman was assigned to Tolson as an assistant which was a short-lived arrangement.  He was subsequently appointed in the mid-19 30s as a firearms instructor at the FBI Academy and remained there until 1949 when he retired.  Baughman died in Florida in 1971.  Baughman regularly appears in many 1930s firearms photographs at Quantico and is sometimes described in photos as a "US Marine instructor" which obviously is in error.  In many photos, he wears what many would describe as a "Trooper's hat." 

 

FBI Special Agent R. D. Brown (1930 - 1939)

Ralph D. Brown served as a Special Agent from 1930 until 1939 and was a past president of the Agent's Society. He was born at Swanton, Vermont on a farm on February 25, 1904. He served in the U. S. Army Air Corps as a flying cadet in the 20's.

During his nine years of service, Brown figured prominently in some of the major cases of the time and is well known for his appearance at the Dillinger shootout in Chicago. Brown drove Purvis to the Biograph that night, and positioned himself in the vehicle, parking just feet away from the fatal shooting. Brown, along with others, was assigned to the "Dillinger Squad." Brown also participated in other major cases such as the Barker-Karpis gang case and the Hamm, Bremmer, Stoll, Weyerhauser and Ross Kidnappings. When he resigned in 1939, Brown was already the SAC of the Denver Field Office.

Subsequent to his service, Brown was an executive with J. C. Penny Stores and later was vice president in charge of public relations of Safeway Stores. In his retirement years he resided in Palo Alto, California and died on March 7, 1973 at the age of 69. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife, Christine, and two sons, James and Peter.

FBI Special Agent, Delf A. "Jelly" Bryce (1934-1958)

"Jelly" Bryce, also mentioned in our intro here, served as a Speical Agent with the FBI from 1934 until 1958. No doubt he was one of the legendary marksmen of the FBI's '30s era, having come from the Oklahoma City Police Department. Legend has it that Bryce arrived at the FBI with 6-8 "notches" already in his gun.

By all accounts, Bryce was not formally educated upon arrival at the FBI in the company of Clarence Hurt and others. Bryce did think "the sun rose and set on J. Edgar Hoover" and even imitated the late Director's dress style of snap brimmed hats and double breasted suits. Although it's not clear where he was at the time, some have Bryce participating in the Dillinger shootout in Chicago. There's no evidence he was there. Bryce did participate in other high profile cases however.
In 1941, Bryce was appointed as a Special Agent In Charge and served in this capacity in El Paso, San Antonio, Albuquerque and finally Oklahoma City from where he retired in 1958. Upon retirement, Bryce ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Oklahoma as an independent. He then returned to his birthplace, Mountainview, Oklahoma where he ran a ranch.

Former SA Weldon Gentry (1941-61) who was assigned to the Oklahoma City FBI Office when Bryce was SAC there said, "all the time he was Agent in Charge we didn't have an unsolved bank robbery in the State." Former Oklahoma City Police Chief, L. Hilbert said at one time that Bryce "had personal knowledge about everything going on in the U. S. in the way of law violations. He had a knack of knowing how to figure out who would pull what and that's what made him a good law officer. No doubt about it, he was the best." Bryce's speed and accuracy with firearms, his ready wit, and flair for showmanship made him much in demand for firearms demonstrations. There is no doubt he just may have been the fastest lawman in the country at the time.

The abilities of Bryce's shooting is further exemplified in a book written by Ron Owens. Bryce died in May, 1974 while attending a re-union of of Oklahoma X-Agents at the age of 67. At that time he was survived by 2 sons, William of Dallas, Tx. and John Fel Bryce of Mountain View.

 

FBI Special Agent William L. Buchanan - (1934 - 1946)  See Also his son's note in the section containing relatives comments  

 

FBI Special Agent, Raymond J. Caffrey ( ?-1933 - Killed In The Line Of Duty)

 

FBI Special Agent, G. Christopher Callan (1934-1960) See Section On Brady Gang

FBI Special Agent, Charles G. (Jerry) Campbell (1934-1965)

Campbell, a native of Oklahoma, was previously with the Oklahoma City Police Department and entered the FBI due to his shooting abilities when the FBI needed expert marksmen to train Agents in the use of firearms. The FBI had just obtained Congressional authority to carry weapons. Campbell was hired along with marksmen, Clarence Hurt and “Jelly” Bryce from the same Department.

Campbell was best remembered for his role in the Dillinger investigation and being part of Chicago FBI’s “flying squad” consisting of Agents who best knew all the various gangsters. Campbell was at the Biograph Theater with others the night Dillinger was killed and also participated in the gun battle at Ocala, Fla. With Ma Barker and her son. As a police officer, he had pursued Bonnie and Clyde. In October, 1932, Campbell encountered bandit Elbert Oglesby in Oklahoma and during the confrontation, Campbell shot and killed Oglesby who was wanted for bank robbery and murder.

Campbell was known as a down to earth, low key investigator, although he specialized in dangerous crimes and assignments requiring the use of force.

In 1946, Campbell opened the FBI’s Palo Alto Office and resided there.

A 1952 San Francisco Chronicle story described a trick-shooting exhibition that Campbell and others gave to FBI personnel in San Francisco. The Agents fired machine guns, rifles, pistols and shotguns backward, between their legs, and behind their backs, according to the story.

Campbell retired in 1965 at Palo Alto and his good friend and neighbor, SA George Hartley took his place. After retiring in 1965, he continued to work for a local firearms company and lent his experience to the range masters of many local police departments. During retirement enjoyed hunting, fishing and collecting firearms. SA Hartley would later become Campbell’s executor of his will, and dispersed all of Campbell’s guns.

“Jerry” Campbell died of congestive heart failure on January 1, 1991 at the age of 84. At the time he was survived by his wife, Betty and one sister. The Campbell’s never had any children.

 

FBI Special Agent, Earl J. Connelly (1920 - 1954) 

 

FBI Special Agent, Rufus C. Coulter (1928-1945) See Section On Brady Gang And The Navigation Area For Name

 

Inspector Samuel P. Cowley (1929 - 1934 - Killed In The Line Of Duty)

 
Today in Barrington , Ill. a bronze plaque, mounted on a red granite rock, carries the following: “You cannot choose your battlefield. The gods do that for you, but you can plant a standard where a standard never flew.” A flagpole flys the Stars and Stripes; it all sits in the shade of locust tree.

The plaque sits at the location where Inspector Sam Cowley and Herman Hollis died in the shootout with “Baby Face” Nelson, also killed. Present with Nelson was John Paul Chase who would later be convicted of the murder of Cowley; he was never tried for the Hollis killing and died in California in the early 70’s after being paroled.

Historically, Cowley remained out of the limelight of the Dillinger shootout, the Bremer and Lindberg kidnappings, the Kansas City Massacre, and many more of the notorious incidents of the day. Even though he was the appointed Inspector in Charge of it all. With Dillinger, we only hear of Purvis. But in the years to come, Mr. Hoover made if very clear (and even at the time) that it was Cowley who ran the major investigations of the times.

Cowley was born in Idaho in 1899 and was the fifth son to Latter Day Saints parents. He came into a family of 9 sons and 6 daughters, and ironically was the product of a “plural marriage.” Something the Bureau “overlooked” at the time of his hiring. Cowley’s father served as a missionary for the Church, and traveled later as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.

“Sam Cowley was baptized into The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on his eighth birthday. At the age of 12, he was duly ordained a deacon and later a teacher at age 15. He fulfilled his priesthood duties, becoming a counselor in the presidencies of both quorums.”

“At age 17, he was ordained as an elder, and left for Hawaii to serve a Church mission. Mastering the language, he baptized converts, blessed children, and administered to the sick and afflicted.”

An honor grad in 1923, he made his way through George Washington U in Washington, D. C. and passed the bar exam in 1928, receiving his LLB degree in the spring of 1929. In April, 1929 he was appointed as a Special Agent; In 1932 he was appointed as Inspector with Mr. Hoover describing Cowley as “the sort of man who never could be found in the limelight, and his excellence was his intelligent persistence and his thoroughness at doing what ought to be done. I never had to check a job done by Cowley.”

Within 5 years of joining the FBI, Inspector Samuel Cowley met his god in the presence of one of the most vicious killers in American gangster history. “A valiant soldier in the Royal Army of God who remained true to his high standards through his final hours,” as described by author Richard Emery. He left behind a wife and two sons. (sources include: “Sam Cowley” by Richard Emery)

 

FBI Special Agent, Vernon E. Criss (1930-1942) See Section On Brady Gang

 

FBI Special Agent, Kelly D. Dederick (1927-1951)

Dederick was a World War I veteran and was born in Jonesboro, Tenn. Assigned to the Dallas, Tx. FBI Office in the early '30s, Dederick was present at the shootout with gangster, Wilbur Underhill and participated in the search for "Machine Gun" Kelly and his wife. It is believed he was the case Agent assigned to the Bonnie and Clyde investigation in the Dallas, Tx. area. He was photographed in 1933 in the company of Agents Paul Hanson, Ralph Colvin, and Oklahoma Detectives, "Jelly" Bryce and Clarence Hurt. (This photo is available in the "photos" navigation area here)

Dederick attended the 1945 "Major Case" training seminar at the FBI Academy and was photographed with his class. This photo was published in the "Grapevine" magazine in a December, 1969 issue.

After leaving the FBI in 1951, Dederick became a prosecutor in Yakima, Washington and died there in 1970 at the age of 71. Dederick's momentos recently sold in 2007 on Ebay through his estate.

FBI Special Agent, Walter J. Devereux (1930-1942) See Section On Brady Gang

 

FBI Special Agent, James S. Egan (1922 - ?) 

 

FBI  Special Agent, Carlton J. Endres

Appears to have been assigned to the Tucson, Az. area during January, 1934 and was in that area during the arrest there of John Dillinger et al at Tucson, AZ.  SA Endres submitted his report on the Tucson arrest of Dillinger and others and was involved in their attempted interrogation.  He reported his results to SAC Dunn of Los Angeles, who in turn, reported them to FBI Headquarters.  

 

FBI Special Agent, Murry C. Falkner (1925-1928 & 1934-1965)

 

FBI Special Agent, Francis X. Fay ( 1922 - 1935) 

 

FBI Special Agent, Percy E. Foxworth ( 1932 - 1943 - Killed In The Line Of Duty)

 

FBI Special Agent, George H. Franklin (1932-1956)

SA Franklin served in the Oklahoma Field Office, among others, and was a participant in the shootout at Shawnee, Oklahoma at the residence of gangster, Wilber Underhill.  

 

FBI Special Agent, R. G. Gillespie

 

FBI Special Agent, W. R. Glavin ( 1931 - ?)   

 

FBI Special Agent, Michael F. Glynn (1930 - 1935)

SA Glynn served in the FBI from 1930 to 1935. Glynn was a native of County Galway, Ireland and graduated from National University in Dublin. He emigrated to the US afterward, worked at the Illinois Central Railroad, and obtained a law degree during evenings at Loyola University Law School in Illinois. He entered the FBI afterward and served in Omaha, New York, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Chicago.

SA Glynn was one of the Agents in the alleyway (with others) the night Dillinger exited the theater. He's best found in the AP press photo at the scene, dressed in a light colored suit, straw boater, and two toned shoes.

In the early years, he was one of 12 who helped found the Society Of Former FBI Agents (1937) devoting many hours of thought and labor to the organization. The high standards which he set for others were never as demanding as those he imposed upon himself.

Mike Glynn left the FBI late in 1935 to join the team of Thomas E. Dewey, then beginning his racket busting campaign in New York County. When Dewey took office, he appointed Glynn as his assistant chief prosecutor. While associated with the Dewey's office in the prosecution of crime in New York, Mike worked all the major cases brought to trial by those prosecutors.

In 1947 Glynn was elected vice president and operating director of the Stores Mutual Protective Association in New York City where he remained until ill health forced him to retire in 1966. Mr. Glynn died on January 25, 1970 and at the time, was survived by his wife, the former Angela Gutilla, and by two brothers and two sisters who reside in Ireland.

 

FBI Special Agent, Myron E. Gurnea (1934 - 1942) See Section On Brady Gang

 

FBI Special Agent, Paul W. Hansen (Spelling also seen as "Hanson")

Present at the Wilbur Underhill shootout in Oklahoma in 1933 and was photographed with others. See the photo section of the navigation area. In the Society's magazine of 1954, Hansen's name is spelled with the "e" which comes from Bureau records. Other publications have shown the name with an "o."

During the '30s, Hansen had a hand in capturing some of the Southwest's desperadoes while stationed in Oklahoma City. As of January, 1954, Hansen was retired and was the director of Security at the Reynolds Metals Company. In 1947, Hansen and others formed the Louisville, Ky chapter of the retired Agents Society.

 

FBI Special Agent, Herman "Ed" Hollis  (           Killed In The Line Of Duty)

 

FBI Special Agent, Guy Hottel  

 

FBI Special Agent Clarence O. Hurt (1934-1955)

Clarence O. Hurt, as many know, was one of the true legendary FBI Agents of the times.  Hurt served from 1934 to 1955 and along with Delf A. "Jelly" Bryce and Jerry Campbell, came into the FBI from the Oklahoma City Police Department. 

You can view photos of Hurt and others at our picture gallery.  Much is written about him in the books of author, Ron Morgan, and Bryan Burrough.

Hurt, along with many other legends, was part of the famous Chicago "Flying Squad" in the FBI of which members participated in most of the notorious shootouts and arrests of the 30's.  Hurt, along with SA Charles Winstead and SA Herman Hollis, was partially credited with the killing of Dillinger, and according to reports, Dillinger died in his arms at the scene.   He was present at the arrest of Alvin Karpis among many other ventures such as "Pretty Boy" Floyd, "Machine Gun" Kelly, Bonnie and Clyde and Matt Kimes.  

After retiring from the FBI in 1955, Mr. Hurt entered the ranching business and in 1958 was elected to the first of two terms as Sheriff of Pittsburgh County, OK.  

After a bout with cancer, Mr. Hurt died on November 4, 1975 at the McAlester General Hospital East at the age of 78.  He was buried in the nearby Oak Hill Cemetery.  As of 2006, Hurt's son, Jack O. Hurt, was still alive and living in Oklahoma.  Hurt was survived at death by his wife, May, his son (above), a daughter, Mrs. Pat South of McAlester and three grandchildren.   

Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Hurt was among numerous police officers and FBI Agents who were involved in a dramatic shootout in 1933 with outlaw, Wilbur Underhill at Shawnee, OK.  Underhill was part of the "Tri State Terror Gang" written about today by author Ron Morgan.  A photo of Hurt and those involved is at the picture gallery on this site.   

FBI Special Agent, Joseph S. Johnson (1929-1950) See Section On Brady Gang

 

FBI Special Agent, Gus (Buster) T. Jones (1916-1944)

 

FBI Special Agent, John Keith

FBI Special Agent Joseph Lackey (1927 - 1940)

 

FBI Special Agent, R. G. LaFrance

FBI Special Agent, Alan Lockerman

FBI Special Agent, Kenneth Logan (1935-1960) See Section On Brady Gang

 

FBI Special Agent, Thomas McDade

 

FBI Special Agent, Albert D. Mehegan (1922 - 1975)

 

FBI Special Agent James J. Metcalfe

Information on Special Agent Metcalfe can be found in the upper navigation area under the title "We Were The G-Men."

 

FBI Special Agent, Rosser "Rusty" Nalls (1929-1956)

SA Rosser "Rusty" Nalls was born in WDC and joined the Bureau in 1929. He retired in 1956 and died in 1983 at the age of 82.

Both Nalls and SA Rufus C. Coulter (who later played a role in the Brady shootout) were in St. Paul, Minn. on March 31, 1934 assisting in the Dillinger case.

On that day, in checking out a lead from an apartment manager, Nalls and Coulter attempted to resolve the identity of 2 suspicious men, and one woman, reported by the manager.

The resulting shootout is a classic case of how everything seemingly routine can "go to hell" at a moment's notice and how, especially Coulter, both nearly lost their lives running into Dillinger, Homer Van Meter and Evelyn Frechette under aliases.

 

FBI Special Agent, J. C. Newman

 

FBI Special Agent, I. E. (Bill) Nitschke (1935-1945) See Section On Brady Gang

FBI Special Agent/Supervisor In Chicago, Virgil Peterson

 

FBI Special Agent In Charge, Melvin Purvis

FBI Special Agent, Arthur S. (Tony) Reeder 1935-1958) See Section On Brady Gang

FBI Special Agent, Earl Richmond

 

FBI Special Agent, William "Bill" Rorer

FBI Special Agent, William "Bill" Ryan (1932-1958)

William C. Ryan (Bill) was a native of Baltimore, Md. and joined the FBI as a clerical employee in 1923. He graduated from National University Law School in 1928 and was appointed a Special Agent in 1932. He served first office in Birmingham, and later 2 years in Chicago. After Field Service, he spent 12 years as a supervisor at FBIHQ, Washington, D. C.

"Bill" served as a Special Agent from 1932 to 1958 and was highly involved in the gangster incidents of the time. As you'll note from the Dillinger related material elsewhere, SA Ryan was present outside the Biograph that night.

Ryan was also with SA Tom McDade in November, 1934 when they were involved in spotting "Baby Face" Nelson on a Barrington highway and ended up in a moving gunfight with Nelson and John Chase. Nelson and Chase disabled Ryan and McDade's car with shots to the radiator and subsequently traveled about a mile down the road and ran into Agents Herman Hollis and Sam Cowley. Hollis, Cowley and Nelson were killed in that gun battle. SA Ryan was wounded during the altercation with Nelson and Chase.

In April, 1934, Ryan was present at the shootout at the Little Bohemia Lodge in Wisconsin were SA Carter Baum was killed by Baby Face Nelson and members of the Dillinger gang escaped the FBI net.

Ryan's son as of 1967, William C. Jr., was an FBI Agent in Los Angeles and Ryan's brother, Thomas, was a Special Agent in Baltimore. Another brother, James Ryan of Silver Spring, MD. was also an FBI Agent.

William "Bill" Ryan died at his home in Silver Spring, MD. on January 25, 1967 and at that time was survived by his wife, Lee in addition to two daughters, a second son and numerous grand children.

 

FBI Special Agent, Edwin C. Shanahan ( 1920-1925 - Killed In The Line Of Duty) 

Shanahan was the first Bureau agent to be killed in the line of duty which occurred in October, 1925 when fugitive car thief, Martin James Durkin shot him in the chest.  

Shanahan was born in Chicago, Ill. in 1898 and served in the Army during World War I.  He entered the Bureau Of Investigation as an Agent in February, 1920 and worked in Chicago.   His son, Dennis, became an Agent of the FBI in 1948 and retired in 1976. (The FBI, A Comprehensive Reference Guide) 

 

FBI Special Agent, Daniel P. Sullivan (1932 - 1942)

A native of Washington, D. C., Sullivan was a graduate of Georgetown University and upon joining the FBI in 1932, served in San Francisco, New York, El Paso and Chicago. Ten days prior to graduating Georgetown University Law School, Sullivan joined the FBI. That same year he married Mary Ellen Sullivan and subsequently raised seven daughters and six sons.

Known as "Sully" to his friends, in late 1933, Sullivan was transferred to Chicago, and was part of the Chicago based "Dillinger Squad." On the night of July 22, 1934 he was present at the Dillinger shootout in 1934 at the Biograph Theater. During that investigation, Sullivan rode with Dillinger's body, along with other Agents, to the morgue and was the Agent responsible for inventory of Dillinger's body. His reports on the matter are readily seen in the FBI's Dillinger file and a sketch submitted by SAC Melvin Purvis and Inspector Sam Cowley of who was present that night places Sullivan at the side exit next to the theater with other Agents. He later participated in the de-briefing of Anna Sage, the famous "Lady In Red."

As part of the Chicago FBI's "Flying Squad," Sullivan traveled to the swamps of Ocala, Florida with the likes of Agents Jerry Campbell, Charles Winstead and others to capture Ma Barker and her son. During the attempted arrest, a serious gun battle ensued between Agents and the Barkers leading to the death of Ma Barker and her son, Freddie.

While in the Chicago Field Office, Sullivan also participated in the Hamm Kidnapping Investigation, the pursuit of "Baby Face" Nelson and tracking down "Pretty Boy" Floyd.

Upon leaving the FBI in 1942, Sullivan went into the private security business in Miami, Fla. and in 1948, was named Director of the Greater Miami Crime Commission. As a recognized authority on major organized crime figures he began a campaign to wipe out hoodlums, dishonest public officials, and other criminals. Beginning in 1949, nearly every radio station in Miami gave him 15 minutes of air time for 122 straight Saturday night broadcasts of a show called, "The Sinister Blot," in which he identified organized crime members living in the community.

Sullivan presented evidence in Washington about organized crime activities to the U. S. Senate which brought about hearings in Miami by Senator Estes Kefauver. His information helped bring about Federal grand jury indictments against 13 major gambling figures. Sullivan also opened his files to the Senate Rackets Committee of which Robert Kennedy was counsel.

Sullivan retired from the Miami Crime Commission in 1978 and died in July, 1982. Some of Sullivan's exploits during his days in Chicago can be found in the book, "Public Enemies" by Bryan Burrough.  A photo of SA Sullivan is found in our Photo Section showing him standing over Dillinger's body at the morgue. 

 

FBI Special Agent, Raymond C.  Suran (1930-1955)

Raymond Cade Suran was a Special Agent of the FBI between 1930 through 1955. ( An early photo of Suran can be found among the Dillinger Squad collage in the photo section.)

Suran was born in Marshall, Oklahoma, March 8, 1905. He attended Enid High School and Phillips University both in Enid, Oklahoma. Suran received a law degree from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and was admitted to the DC bar.

Entering the FBI in 1930, Suran was the first Agent to retire from the FBI, San Diego Division in 1955 after 25 years of service. During the 30s, Suran worked on many of the famous early criminal investigations, including the Dillinger investigation, the Hamm and Bremmer kidnappings, and the Barker/Karpis gang. He was one of the agents on duty outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago, July 22, 1934 when Dillinger was killed in a gun battle. Suran’s name is found on extensive documents reporting the results of the Dillinger investigation in the official file.

In 1976, Suran was interviewed in the San Diego Union, and in that article Suran stated “I worked from 1930 to 1938 without ever getting a complete day off.” In the early 1930s, Ray recalls, the FBI budget was so tight his special squad of 30 men assigned to track down gangsters in the mid west didn’t have any automobiles and they had to use vehicles abandoned by the men they were chasing.

Suran served as SAC in Cincinnati, San Antonio, El Paso, Little Rock, and opened the FBI office in Seattle, Washington. Other offices of assignment included Kansas City, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco, and finally San Diego. While assigned to FBI headquarters he was an antitrust supervisor and assistant chief of the identification division. On many occasions, Suran was sent to numerous locations throughout the United States on special assignments during his early career.

Suran’s final years in the FBI were served in the San Diego division where he was transferred because of a heart condition. He resided for many years in and La Jolla, California and subsequent to retirement, work for approximately 10 years as a stockbroker.

By 1988, Suran and his wife, Janet, were residents of a retirement community in Chula Vista, California where Ray Suran died on July 9, 1988. At the time of his death in 1988, Suran was survived by his wife, Janet; two daughters identified as Jeanne Willcut of New Mexico and Cathy Heaton of Chula Vista, California; six grandchildren; and eight great grandchildren.

 

FBI Special Agent, William Alexander Temple

 

FBI Special Agent, Walter R. Walsh (1934-1942 and 1946-1947) See Section On Brady Gang

 

FBI Special Agent, Charles Winstead

 

FBI Special Agent, Val Zimmer

FBI Special Agent ...........(more additions)