Sterling Hall/Math Research Center Bombing Finding Aid
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STERLING HALL/MATH RESEARCH CENTER BOMBING FINDING AID Introduction to the Finding Aid: The bombing of Sterling Hall on the morning of August 24, 1970 was one of the pivotal events of the protest movements of the 1960s and 70s, as well as in the history of the University of Wisconsin’s Madison campus. Each year, researchers come to the University of Wisconsin- Madison Archives in an attempt to understand what happened on that day or the repercussions that were felt in following years. As a result, this research guide has been compiled with the aim of aiding those inquiring into the bombing. What follows constitutes a sketch of the materials to be found in the holdings of the Archives that relate to the bombing of Sterling Hall on August 24, 1970 and its aftermath. The finding aid is in no way exhaustive—nearly ever campus unit was affected and thus the bombing is discussed in many more accessions than are mentioned here. But we have endeavored to encapsulate the most pertinent parts of the archival material here. Table of Contents: Introduction to the Finding Aid ....................................................................................................... 1 Short narrative about the Sterling Hall Bombing ............................................................................ 2 Timeline of Key Dates related to the Bombing and Investigation .................................................. 3 Key People involved with Sterling Hall and Math Research Center ............................................... 4 UW Archival Resources: Math Research Center subject file .......................................................................................... 5 Oral History Program Interviews ........................................................................................... 6 Photos of Sterling Hall and the bombing ............................................................................. 10 Other UWARM accessions related to Sterling Hall ............................................................. 11 Non-UWARM Resources for studying Sterling Hall: UW Digital Collections (UWDCC) ..................................................................................... 13 Other Resources ................................................................................................................... 14 Appendices: Appendix A: Detailed list of news clippings in MRC subject file ....................................... 15 Appendix B: Listing of digital photos and negatives ........................................................... 31 Sterling Hall Bombing Finding Aid UW Archives THE STERLING HALL BOMBING Early on the morning of August 24, 1970, at around 3:40 am, a van rolled into the alley between the Chemistry building and Sterling Hall, which at the time housed the Physics department and the Math Research Center, a cooperative venture between the United States Army and the University of Wisconsin. Four young men had packed the van with almost a ton of a highly explosive mixture of nitrate-rich fertilizer and fuel oil, the first time such a mixture had been used on such a large scale as a car-bomb. Two of the men, Leo Burt and David Fine, were from the East Coast and attended the University of Wisconsin; the other two, Karl and Dwight Armstrong, were Madison natives and close friends of Burt and Fine. The blast that ripped apart Sterling Hall just moments later represented the largest act of domestic terrorism the country would see until the mid-1990s. One physics researcher, Robert Fassnacht, was killed in the blast; five other people were also in the building but all survived. The Armstrongs, Fine and Burt were quickly identified as suspects—having been stopped shortly by police as they fled the scene—and later dubbed themselves the “New Years’ Gang” after another failed bombing attempt earlier in the year. All fled the country within days of the bombing. Police again spotted them on September 3—two were seen in upstate New York and two in Toronto, Canada—but the trail quickly thereafter went cold as they hid out, first in Canada and then elsewhere. In Madison, the University sorted through the rubble and mourned the loss of Robert Fassnacht. The Math Research Center, often called Army Math and widely criticized for its purported complicity with the US government in Vietnam, was identified as the target of the attack by the bombers. But occupying the upper floors of Sterling Hall, it sustained far less damage than did the Physics department. Numbers of physics researchers and graduate students professed that, apart from losing a colleague, decades of research had been destroyed. The estimated cost to repair Sterling Hall and the surrounding buildings—Pharmacy, Old Chemistry, the Medical School, etc.—would be in the millions of dollars. The doors of the University opened for the fall semester of 1970 just a few days later, but the aftershock of the bombing continued to be felt. Antiwar protests in the following years took on a more somber tone, and questions still remain about whether Sterling Hall crippled the New Left. Administrators faced growing criticism about the violent nature of protest between October 1967 (Dow Riot) and the bombing, and there was fear that critical university officials might be targeted. A year and a half later, in February 1972, Karleton Armstrong was discovered hiding out near Toronto, Canada under the assumed name “David Weller.” After protracted extradition hearings and a high-profile return to Madison, he pled guilty to arson and second-degree murder and was sentence to 23 years prison. The courtroom drama of his mitigation hearings were seen by many as the public trial of the Vietnam War and the protest movement. It sparked a new series of student protests bearing the slogan “Free Karl” and attracted national attention. David Fine was arrested in 1976 and Dwight Armstrong in 1977, but both received much reduced sentences. The final suspect, Leo Burt, has never been found and has been an FBI priority off and on since 1970. 2 Sterling Hall Bombing Finding Aid UW Archives TIMELINE OF KEY DATES RELATED TO THE BOMBING AND INVESTIGATION: April, 1959 UW’s Math Research Center (MRC), funded by UW and US Army, dedicated August 7, 1964 Congress approves Gulf of Tonkin Resolution; campus protests intensify March 25, 1966 During Int’l Days of Protest, students picket Badger Ordnance in Baraboo WI October 18, 1967 Violence breaks out during protests against Dow Chemical at UW’s Commerce Building; police-student confrontation became known as the “Dow Riot.” April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King assassinated; classes cancelled April 5 and April 9 in mourning for King and to quell protests surrounding race relations on campus. May 3, 1969 First Mifflin St Block Party—disputes over its legality lead to clashes w/ police October 14, 1969 Protest of MRC seminar leads to arrest of 2 students Dec 28, 1969 Army ROTC building is firebombed January 1, 1970 Attempted aerial bombing of Badger Ordnance in Baraboo WI by “New Year’s Gang” January 3, 1970 Red Gym (Army ROTC) is firebombed in a second ROTC-related attack January 4, 1970 UW Primate Lab bombed; building mistaken for Selective Service building April 30, 1970 President Nixon announces Cambodian invasion, again intensifying protests May 4, 1970 Kent State protest to Cambodia & clash w/police results in 4 student deaths. Protests on Madison campus include firebombings, rioting, etc. August 20, 1970 1967 Ford Econoline van (used in the bombing) stolen from UW parking lot. August 24, 1970 Sterling Hall bombed in an attempt to destroy MRC R. Fassnacht killed; five others in building survived The Armstrongs, Burt, and Fine escape Madison August 26, 1970 FBI officials take charge of the investigation of bombing from local police August 27, 1970 “New Year’s Gang” claims credit for bombing August 28, 1970 $100,000 reward offered by UW for information leading to the suspects’ capture August 29, 1970 President’s Commission on Campus Unrest sent to investigate Sterling Hall Sept 3, 1970 K. Armstrong, D. Armstrong, Burt and Fine charged with the bombing At around 6am, the Armstrongs are stopped by police in Little Falls NY, but released; the same day Burt and Fine are seen in Peterborough, Ontario Sept 16, 1970 Insurance estimates for damage from bombing between $2.5 and $5 million February 13, 1971 Rebuilt Sterling Hall (estimated between $1.5 and $3 million) rededicated February 17, 1972 Karleton Armstrong captured by Canadian mounted police June 6, 1972 K. Armstrong extradition hearing begins January 10, 1973 K. Armstrong extradition hearings end; order to be returned to US for trial March 8, 1973 K. Armstrong returned to the US for trial Sept 28, 1973 K. Armstrong pleads guilty to murder and arson October 15, 1973 K. Armstrong mitigation hearing begins November 1, 1973 K. Armstrong sentenced by Sachtjen to 23 years for arson and 2nd degree murder April 18, 1974 K. Armstrong sentenced by Doyle to 10 years for the federal charges of bombing January 8, 1976 David Fine arrested in San Francisco June 8, 1976 Fine pleads guilty to criminal destruction of property and 3rd degree murder; sentenced to 7 years April 9, 1977 Dwight Armstrong arrested in Toronto Canada May 6, 1977 D. Armstrong pleads “no contest” to second degree murder June 9, 1977 D. Armstrong sentenced by Sachtjen to 7 years prison 3 Sterling Hall Bombing Finding Aid UW Archives KEY PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH STERLING HALL Robert Atwell Vice Chancellor of UW-Madison; vocal critic of UW following bombing