A pre-dawn truck bombing at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on August 24, 1970, aimed at a military-funded research center, killed physics researcher Robert Fassnacht and injured three others.
1554 sterlingmarker — Credit: Original uploader was Dpbsmith at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
In the early morning of August 24, 1970, a bomb built from nearly 2,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO) exploded outside Sterling Hall on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. The device, loaded into a stolen Ford Econoline van, was detonated at 3:42 a.m. and was intended to destroy the Army Mathematics Research Center (AMRC), a U.S. Army-funded think tank occupying the second through fourth floors of the building's southern wing. The explosion caused massive destruction across Sterling Hall and damaged 26 nearby buildings, with pieces of the van found atop an eight-story building three blocks away. Ironically, the AMRC itself was only lightly damaged. Total damage to university property exceeded $2.1 million (about $16.2 million in 2025 dollars).
The blast killed Robert Fassnacht, a 33-year-old postdoctoral physics researcher who had gone to his basement laboratory that night to finish superconductivity research before a family vacation. He was found by rescuers face down in about a foot of water. Neither Fassnacht nor the physics department was affiliated with the AMRC. Three other people were injured: graduate student David Schuster, who suffered a broken shoulder, fractured ribs, a ruptured eardrum, and lasting hearing loss after being trapped in rubble for three hours; postdoctoral researcher Paul Quin; and university security officer Norbert Sutler, both of whom suffered cuts and bruises from shattered glass.
The bombing was carried out by four men — Karleton "Karl" Armstrong, his younger brother Dwight Armstrong, David Fine, and Leo Burt — who called themselves the "New Year's Gang," referencing an earlier failed attempt to bomb the Badger Army Ammunition Plant from a stolen airplane on New Year's Eve 1969. The group targeted the AMRC as part of broader opposition to the university's research ties to the U.S. military during the Vietnam War; the center had become a focal point for anti-war protests after student newspaper The Daily Cardinal published investigative reporting linking AMRC's work to Department of Defense counterinsurgency requests.
Karl Armstrong was captured in Toronto in February 1972 and sentenced to 23 years, serving seven. Dwight Armstrong was arrested in Toronto in April 1977, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to seven years, serving three; he later returned to Madison and died of lung cancer in June 2010. David Fine was captured in San Rafael, California, in January 1976 and sentenced to seven years in federal prison, serving three; he was later denied admission to the Oregon bar despite passing the bar exam. Leo Burt fled to Canada with Fine after the bombing and, as of May 2023, has never been located or apprehended; he has not been convicted and remains at large. The Army Mathematics Research Center itself was phased out by the Department of Defense at the end of the 1970 fiscal year.
Paul Quin, Robert Fassnacht, David Schuster, Norbert Sutler
Date
1970
Location
Sterling Hall, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Case status
solved
Case timeline
1969-12-31
Karl and Dwight Armstrong, with Karl's girlfriend driving the getaway car, steal a small plane and drop homemade explosives on the Badger Army Ammunition Plant; the explosives fail to detonate.
1970-08-24
A bomb made from nearly 2,000 pounds of ANFO explodes outside Sterling Hall at 3:42 a.m., killing researcher Robert Fassnacht and injuring three others.
1970
The Army Mathematics Research Center is phased out by the Department of Defense at the end of the 1970 fiscal year.
1972-02-16
Karleton Armstrong is captured in Toronto after 18 months in hiding.
1976-01-07
David Fine is captured in San Rafael, California.
1977-04-10
Dwight Armstrong is arrested in Toronto and later pleads guilty to the bombing.
1987
David Fine, after passing the Oregon bar examination, is denied admission to the bar; the Oregon Supreme Court later upholds the denial.
2010-06-20
Dwight Armstrong dies of lung cancer at age 58.
Best coverage
Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
Creator
Our state, our history: The bombing of Sterling Hall
People
Karleton Armstrong
CONVICTED
Convicted for his role in planning and carrying out the bombing; sentenced to 23 years, served seven.
Paul Quin
VICTIM
Postdoctoral physics researcher injured by shattered glass in the bombing.
Robert Fassnacht
VICTIM
33-year-old postdoctoral physics researcher killed in the bombing while working in his basement laboratory.
Leo Burt
CHARGED
Alleged fourth participant in the bombing who fled to Canada and has not been located or apprehended as of May 2023.
David Schuster
VICTIM
Graduate student injured in the bombing; suffered a broken shoulder, fractured ribs, a ruptured eardrum, and lasting hearing loss.
David Fine
CONVICTED
Convicted for his role in the bombing; sentenced to seven years in federal prison, served three.
Dwight Armstrong
CONVICTED
Pleaded guilty to the bombing; sentenced to seven years, served three. Died in 2010.
Norbert Sutler
VICTIM
University security officer injured by shattered glass in the bombing.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Archival records
archival location
1554 sterlingmarker
Credit: Original uploader was Dpbsmith at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
A pre-dawn truck bombing at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on August 24, 1970, aimed at a military-funded research center, killed physics researcher Robert Fassnacht and injured three others.
Where did the bombing happen?
Sterling Hall, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Who was convicted?
Karleton Armstrong (Convicted for his role in planning and carrying out the bombing; sentenced to 23 years, served seven.), David Fine (Convicted for his role in the bombing; sentenced to seven years in federal prison, served three.), and Dwight Armstrong (Pleaded guilty to the bombing; sentenced to seven years, served three. Died in 2010.).
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