"Patented" does not mean working. The patent office does not examine applications to make sure they are functional. Just that they are patentable. The US Patent Office used to require that working models are submitted with the applications, but that requirement was stopped long ago.

If the patent dates from 1930, the it should be in the public domain by now. You are free to go and commercialize it.

If the guy is connected to the American spook agencies, that does not validate his research. It may mean that he is no kook. But it may also mean that the whole thing is just a cover for whatever real research they are doing. Or perhaps it's just a way to get funds for "black ops" that have nothing to do with scientific research at all.