MITCHELL L. WERBELL DEMONSTRATED SILENCED HAND GUNS AT THE PENTAGON.
Originator: CIA
From: WITHHELD
To: CHIEF TSD/LSS
Document date: 09/07/1967
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

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7 September 1967

MEMORANDUM FOR :

Chief, TSD/LSS

SUBJECT

:

Mitchell L. Wer Bell

1. On the morning of 10 August 1967 several Department

of Defense, ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency)

personnel and myself were assembled in a Pentagon office to

witness a demonstration of some silenced handguns.

2. A Mr. Mitchell L. WerBell entered the room

carrying a small black handbag. WerBell is a short, stocky,

flashy individual who sports a large handlebar mustache and

experiences no difficulty in letting people know he is around.

3. After introductions WerBell whipped two 22 cal.

handguns equipped with silencers from his bag and fired a

clip of live rounds from each gun into a telephone book he had

tossed on the floor.

Both guns, one using 22 cal shorts the

other 22 long rifle cartridges, were well quieted. Although

WerBell passed the unloaded weapons around for inspection

he wouldn't permit anyone to disassemble the silencers stating

that the system was proprietary and he didn't want the tech-

nique for quieting disclosed before he had it patented. He

spared no words in extoling the superiority of his technique

stating that it was far better than anything CIA has, e. go he

said the screen rubber-washer system that CIA used on the

22 cal. Hi Standard was much inferior to his.

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4. Upon inquiry by me as to his affiliation with CIA he hedged

by answering that he had been with OSS and of course involved with

the Dominican Republic fracas. He had photos of himself he said

were taken in the Dominican Republic during the disturbance

picturing him with a Dominican General and also with some

American Army personnel. He stated that there are a large

number of weapons stored in the Dominican Republic. He really

stated nothing specific but played mostly on the listeners'

imagination.

5. WerBell's visit to the Pentagon to demonstrate his wares

was prompted by the fact that he had obtained information that the

Army had a requirement for a silencer for the M-16 rifle. WerBell

was looking for a contract and any helf he could get.

6. He also demonstrated his silencers to some JCS military

personnel in the afternoon.

7.

I declined WerBell's luncheon invitation and borrowed

his bag and guns during the period he was at lunch and ran a

firing check and inspection of his equipment.

8. During a general discussion in the afternoon I informed

WerBell that the Navy had no existing requirement for silenced

handguns or the M-16 rifle. I advised him to contact Rock Island

Army Arsenal as they had initiated the requirement for the silenced

M- 16.

9. I can best describe WerBell as a "PEST"'. He has no

reservations about imposing himself on anyone in order to achieve

his end, e. go, he phoned my home at 10:00 P.M. on Friday,

Il August asking me to accompany him on Saturday morning to

see General Greene, Commandant of the Marine Corps with whom

he stated he had an appointment. I declined in a somewhat less

than gracious manner.

•I didn't believe he really had an appointment

but hoped he could use me to see the Marine General because I know

the General. He had obtained this information from a Marine

Colonel. I later verified the fact that he didn't see the General.

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10. The following week WerBell made numerous unsuccessful

attempts to contact me. He again phoned my home late one evening •

I wasn't home and he left a message to call him at his office the

next day. I called his office in Atlanta, Georgia, the next day but

didn't contact him. Ileft a message for the secretary to pass to

him that I preferred to have no more calls made by WerBell to

my home and also that I could do nothing for him. WerBell called

back and apologized. He informed me that he had contacted Rock

Island Arsenal regarding the M-16 silencer. He stated he would

keep me informed which I said wasn't at all necessary.

11.

I have not heard from him since.

12.

I used my Navy cover and was just another military

officer at his demonstrations.

03

Et Captain Lee Blocker

TSD/ MPS

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