Police Informant Larry David Grathwohl (1948-2013)

Throughout his adult life, Larry Grathwohl fought for his country. He may be responsible for saving

more police officers’ lives than anyone in history  – knowing all along that he too could be killed for 

his efforts.

Larry Grathwohl was born October 13, 1947 in Cincinnati, Ohio,

tracing his ancestry back to the Revolutionary War. He attended

Purcell High School until he quit school at 16 in order to fight in

the Vietnam War.

He served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper in the Hatchet

Force, a unit of the 101st Airborne Division, consisting of 40 or 

fewer men who were sent in to rescue other Special Operators

in trouble and/or challenge the Vietnamese Communist forces

operating in the area. They were among the toughest of the tough. Larry was an utterly fearless,

dedicated patriot. During his 13-month tour, his unit received two Presidential Unit Citations, a

Meritorious Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with

Palm Unit Citation. He also earned a Bronze Star with a V. After his honorable discharge, he

took a job and a wife in Cincinnati, and attended University of Cincinnati.

While Larry Grathwohl was fighting for his country, Bernadine Dorhn, Bill Ayers, Mark Rudd, Jeff 

Jones, and others were committing treason; working with Cuban Intelligence and building the

Weather Underground. This group was responsible for numerous bombings inside, including

the deaths of several Americans, with a focus on law enforcement and the military. Fresh back

from a trip to Cuba where they were given advice and direction, the Weather Underground

began recruiting ‘disillusioned’ discharged soldiers.  

Weather Underground members, Joyce Green and a male known as “Outlaw” approached

Grathwohl on the University of Cincinnati campus and tried to recruit him. He went to visit his

father-in-law, former Cincinnati Patrolman Donald Riestenberg. Riestenberg introduced him to

two detectives who took him to meet Cincinnati Intelligence Section Detective Sergeant Jerry

Berry who, in turn, signed him up as an unpaid, volunteer informant.

Grathwohl attended Weather Underground meetings and events. Almost immediately, he was

invited to a Chicago event. He and law enforcement came to a realization that Green and

Outlaw were just two of a four- to five-person cell in Cincinnati and that there were numerous

 

cells dispersed throughout the United States. He infiltrated the national network and began

reporting to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Grathwohl identified many members of the treasonous and viciously violent organization. They

were responsible for multiple bombings and plans to bomb passenger airplanes and to

assassinate the President, Vice President, Attorney General, and New York Governor 

Rockefeller. Members provoked riots, organized jail breaks, committed arson and conspired

with communist regimes in what they saw as a violent revolution for social justice and peace

that would bring into power a totalitarian communist dictatorship. The group even intended to

murder one-tenth of the U.S. population, labeling them “diehard capitalists,” and to put many

more into “re-education” camps in the Southwest.  

Warrants were signed and arrests were made and many of the terrorists were arrested, tried,

and convicted and Larry Grathwohl ’s cover was blown. Two, the ring leaders, Dorhn and Ayers,

were not convicted due to a technicality.

Grathwohl was not finished, however. With Dorhn and Ayers on the loose, the Weather 

Underground still operating, he did what he could to combat them. He testified before congress

in 1974. He traveled the county speaking to groups about the dangers of these domestic

terrorists. He wrote a book, “Bringing Down America.” He even went to locations where Ayers

and Dorhn were speaking in order to confront them during Q&A in order to provide the

audiences with factual information about the WUO and about Dorhn, Ayers, and their friends.

Most recently, he participated in an ongoing, years-long effort to reopen the murder 

investigation of Police Sergeant Brian V. McDonnell, who died in the 1970 San Francisco Park

Station bombing. This bombing was carried out by the WUO, and according to Grathwohl, Ayers

implicated Dohrn when he complained of certain members’ lack of commitment to the cause,

explaining that Dohrn had to do the bombing herself. The case is still open.

Larry Grathwohl was found dead in his apartment on Thursday, July 18, 2013, at the age of 67,

apparently of natural causes. He is survived by his children, Denise, Lindsay, and Lisa;

grandchildren, Lance, Michel, and Brendan; mother, Mary Rickard; and siblings, Lee (Bonnie),

Mary Jo (Rick), Joey (Peg), Teresa (Ed), and Sean (Trudy); and nieces, nephews, cousins, and

best friend, Sandi.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 24, 2013, from 9 a.m. until services begin at 11 a.m. at

E.C. Nurre Funeral Home, 177 W. Main Street, Amelia. Interment, with military honors, at Mt.

Moriah Cemetery. Memorials to the Wounded Warrior Project.