Following a disagreement with President Truman over using the atomic bomb on Japan, Captain America was deactivated and mentally conditioned to live a civilian life, unaware of his existence to Captain America. Stevens' shield remained in Washington, but was taken from the capital and exchanged hands for many years. Learning of the shield's disappearance, Abraham abandoned his family to go searching for it. Abraham eventually found it in an East Berlin castle, and stole it hoping to track down Captain America and return it to him.