Theodore H. Eickhoff 

Theodore Eickhoff was a graduate of Purdue University in June of 1908. Upon graduation he went to work as an Electrical and Mechanical Draftsman in the Office of Chief of Ordnance. He volunteered for a transfer to the Head of Small Arms Ordnance. This would be a fortuitous meeting with General John T. Thompson. During his tenure with the Ordnance Department Mr. Eickhoff participated in the trials of the M1911.45 ACP.

When General Thompson retired from the service before WWI he offered Theodore Eickhoff a job on a new project. General Thompson envisioned that the military would be needing a new service rifle. A rifle which could fire semi-automatically without the need for a soldier to operate a bolt handle. The General offered Theodore Eickhoff the chance to help develop this new rifle.

During the summer of 1916, Mr. Eickhoff worked out of General Thompson's home studying the Blish Pistol (on display in the center case) upon which the new rifles were to be based. Then in 1917, Eickhoff moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to work on perfecting the rifle with the help of Warner-Swasey.   Originally Warner-Swasey was to provide manufacturing facilities. However, due to other production work, this did not happen. So Theodore Eickhoff set up his own design, drafting, and production facilities on Euclid avenue in Cleveland. (The photos on the two outer cases show the drafting and manufacturing facilities at Euclid avenue for Auto-Ordnance.) When Oscar Payne was hired by Theodore Eickhoff, the two became a very productive team. Together they would design the gun that would define the term Sub Machine Gun.