[kfields]

When I was a kid, we would occasionally drive into Chicago from the little farm town I lived in and would go to the museums or catch a baseball game.
I remember the one time we went to see a White Sox game. My old man being who he was, would always park some blocks from the park in order to get free parking. Of course that was always a seedy part of town. For a young kid, the walk to the park was almost as entertaining as the game as we would always see sights and strange people we never saw growing up in a small town.
On this particular walk from the car to the park, I noticed several Chicago cops directing traffic at a congested corner. Two of them were beefy guys with their issue revolver in the holster on their gun belt. What was interesting is both had hammerless style semi autos shoved into their gunbelt in front by the belt buckle at a cocky angle, no holster. That seemed so cool to me which is probably why I still remember it.
Was that a case of it just being a different time and place and two cops in a bad part of town felt they needed the extra firepower just in case they got into a gunfight or were these considered "throw-away" guns, or maybe both ? Would carrying a second firearm have been approved by the Chicago Police Department?
Just curious.
Kim

 

[MtnSpur]

I'd never seen anything like that back then and I was a frequent traveler to Chicago due to my dad living in the John Hancock building and his office being at the junction of State and Rush. Worked downtown on many a construction job back then for the old man and we always had CPD around. Most were heavy set old veterans directing traffic (maybe they were being punished). When I was released from my military obligation in late '73 I got a job as a bartender on Division St. across from Butch McGuires and Shennanigans bars. Our door man was a Chicago cop on suspension for police brutality, later released from the force. Now THAT was a freaky gig but I trusted that guy with my life. We had plenty of police presence and none of the guys ever had any weapon other than their service weapon visible.

 

[Oyeboten]

What an unusual sight! ( Two Uniform Cops doing front IWB 'Mexican Carry' with Automatics, in addition to their Duty Rig).

I have no idea what to make of that, other than, I am sure, it was a departure from Policy and or was likely against the rules to do.

 

[Chaffee]

Perhaps they had just dis-armed a couple of suspicious looking dudes?

 

[kfields]

Perhaps they had just dis-armed a couple of suspicious looking dudes?

The cops were definitely tough looking guys and were about the age of my dad who is a WWII veteran.
Even though it was 40 + years ago and I was about 15 at the time, I still vividly remember the image as it was pretty cool to see!
Kim

 

[broknaxl]

I live on the far south side of Chicago. Back in those days,it probably wasn't Dept approved, but was not uncommon. Most of the older Chicago Cops I know carried several different types of weapons. Especially in the "Bad" neighborhoods. Back in those times things weren't so politically correct. Some were also throw aways if the need arose. My Uncle was a Special Agent for the IC RailRoad (gumshoe) - During the riots in the mid to late 60s he carried a Colt .45acp along with his usual .38 spl. revolver. (a S&W K-38 if I remember right) - He also had a cut down 16ga shotgun that he carried on the front seat of his squad in a newspaper. It was short enough that he could swing it up and out his side window if needed. ( I have that jewel under my desk as I type) - We actually found him some 16ga #4 buckshot for it.

 

[kfields]

broknaxl, Yes it was a different time. Thanks for the confirming story!

Kim

 

[thetinker]

The CPD needs to go retro (back to old school) and clean-up the "BAD" neighborhoods to keep the body count down ! But superintendent Garry McCarthy is more interested in disarming honest law-abiding citizens!

 

[Chicago]

The CPD needs to go retro (back to old school) and clean-up the "BAD" neighborhoods to keep the body count down ! But superintendent Garry McCarthy is more interested in disarming honest law-abiding citizens!

Amen to that.

 

[DPris]

My recollections of passing through Chicago in '76 are a bunch of bald guys wearing sheets trying to sell me a book during a layover at O'Hare from one military base to another.
Denis

 

[kfields]

Denis,
I think they were called Moonies!
I had forgotten all about that! I also was traveling back and forth during that time when I was in the Army from'75 - '78 and remember they had a heavy presence in public places in the '70's. I wonder what happened to them? Do young Moonies grow up to be old Moonies?
Kim

 

[LimaCharlie]

I remember spending a lifetime in Chicago (Great Lakes Naval Training Center) during February of 1969. When I left California, it was 70 degrees. When I landed at O'Hare, it was below zero and snowing sideways. The dress blue Navy uniform and Pea Coat did not keep me warm. It was four very long weeks of training.

 

[Chaffee]

Denis,
I think they were called Moonies!

Ok, what are/were "Moonies"? The only things I know about Chicago, I learned from 'The Blues Brothers'......

 

[chaosrob]

I think the moonies own kahr, don't they?

 

[DPris]

Naw, they were Krishnas.
Had a small bait & switch thing going. Only reason I listened at all was because I was bored sitting around.
Sales schpiel, buy our book. Book initially offered was a hardback. At the time I was mildly curious (not interested in joining), thought what the heck. When I started to dig for cash they said "You know, if you don't mind, you'd be doing us a real favor if you could accept this paperback version instead, for the same price, so we can keep showing the hardback book to people."
No thanks, goodbye.


The Krishnas were active in their missionary/recruiting in the 70s, don't see 'em anymore nowdays.


The Moonies are members of the Sun Yung Moon church, different group entirely.
They do own Khar.

My highschool buddy joined the Navy as soon as he graduated in 1970.

Hated Great Lakes, got there in the Winter, too.
He found the peacoat totally inadequate in any real cold weather.
Denis

 

[LimaCharlie]

The Moonies own Khar, Auto-Ordnance (Thompson), and Magnum Research (Desert Eagle).

 

[MtnSpur]

The Krishnas were infamous for having the cutest girl approach the military guys at the airport and then the "baldies" would step in if she couldn't close the deal. We (us guys being deployed via commercial airliners) were their prime targets. Eventually the airports started to crack down on their operation and eventually banned them for not having permits to sell, IIRC. The haven for the military was the USO and we'd make a beeline to their area to avoid the protesters and "baldies". This was at a time when being in uniform and serving your country was met with some pretty rabid anti war types that harassed, spit and yelled obscenities at us. The irony was most were our age, just of a different mindset.

 

[DPris]

The group that I met had no cute girls.
Mighta bought that paperback if they had.

Couple years later when I was out & starting civilian policing in my hometown ran into a couple. No girl.
They were depending on the kindness of strangers for food & lodging, had nowhere to sleep that night. I offered them a free overnighter in jail (no charge, in either sense) just to get 'em through another 24 hours, but they politely declined.
Denis