June 15, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Silencer Central.

Only 64 Americans can claim the same honor as Michael Fitzmaurice.

The Hartford resident is among the few dozen living Medal of Honor recipients.

“One thing I didn’t realize is that while everyone in the military salutes the president, according to military tradition, a president salutes the Medal of Honor recipients,” said Brandon Maddox, founder and CEO of Silencer Central.

So when Fitzmaurice expressed an interest in visiting the headquarters of Silencer Central recently, it was a quick and easy “yes.”

“I’d seen their ads in magazines all over the country, and I’ve got a buddy whose sister works there, so they lined it up, and it was very interesting,” Fitzmaurice said. “They showed me a lot of stuff I knew nothing about.”

While he enjoys an occasional hunting trip – he recently watched a friend shoot hogs in Texas with a suppressor, and “it was great; it really cut the noise down” – he mostly target shoots now.

“I just do it for fun, shooting cans or playing games,” he said. “I ordered a .22-caliber suppressor just so I can play a little bit and practice target shooting. I have a buddy who shoots coyotes, and he’s got one, and it really does help.”

When Fitzmaurice visited Silencer Central’s Sioux Falls headquarters, he received deserved star treatment. The team helped him select a suppressor, and Maddox was able to visit with him.

“I’d never met Brandon, and he was just down to earth and an everyday person like I like,” Fitzmaurice said. “It’s amazing to hear his story starting as a pharmacist and then building a company you see all over the country that’s right in our hometown.”

But, even more importantly, the visit helped Maddox and the Silencer Central team learn Fitzmaurice’s own story.

Days after turning 21 in 1971, he was serving in the 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, and was part of a firefight in Khe Sanh, Vietnam. After picking up two grenades with his bare hands and throwing them back toward the enemy, he smothered the blast of a third enemy-thrown explosive charge by lying on top of it with his flak vest and body to protect other nearby soldiers.

Though he was seriously wounded and partially blinded, he continued to fight. When his rifle was damaged by a subsequent blast, he fought a Viet Cong sapper with his bare hands and acquired the combatant’s rifle, continuing to fight and refusing medical evacuation.

Two years later, when he was working in a meat plant in Huron, the White House called and told him he had been awarded the Medal of Honor.

“He’s very unassuming, and I could tell he didn’t want to take credit for it,” Maddox said. “But it was such an honor to meet him. It made me want to learn more about him.”

A book Fitzmaurice left with Silencer details his service and that of fellow Medal of Honor winners.

“It’s just such a part of history,” Maddox said. “We’re so glad to have connected with him.”

Fitzmaurice joined the South Dakota Army and Air National Guard and worked as a plumber for the Department of Veterans Affairs until he retired in 2011. He still travels nationally related to the Medal of Honor.

The military community in general has strong ties with Silencer Central, Maddox said.

“Because people in the military have been trained with firearms, they recognize their use for hunting and self-defense and have embraced them as tools of the trade,” he said. “We work with many active-duty members and veterans who agree that if you can get rid of recoil and make a firearm quieter, they want it. Those are the two displeasures of a shooting hobby, so they understand right away.”

Silencer Central also makes the process of procuring a silencer simple, Fitzmaurice said.

“I wouldn’t have bought one otherwise,” he said. “They helped me with the paperwork and made it easy.”

While many customers discover silencers and make purchases online or at events, walk-in business like Fitzmaurice did is always an option too.

“A lot of people will bring barrels in here to get them threaded,” Maddox said. “We see about a dozen people come through our lobby and display area every day. It’s definitely a great option if you prefer to work with us face to face and want to see and touch the product while deciding what to purchase. We’re happy to be that destination.”

Find Silencer Central at its new Sioux Falls headquarters, 4904 N. Fourth Ave. Or to get started online, click here.