Maine is known for a lot of things including lobster, blueberries, a very special Zumba teacher and an “Ebola nurse.” But, did you know that Vacationland played a role in the longest hijacking ever recorded in the US? This story involves alcohol, an Italian heartthrob and a tiny Maine airport that didn’t know what it was in for! Here is, what just might be, the strangest thing to ever happen in Maine!
Our story involves an Italian man living in the US who served as a Marine in Vietnam, a hijacked plane and…the Bangor Airport.
Remko Tanis / Flickr
Raffaele Minichiello, immigrated to the US as a teenager and served 13 months with the Marines in Vietnam, earning a Purple Heart.
Ercole96 - Opera propria / Wikimedia Commons
Stationed at Camp Pendleton upon his return, he accused his unit’s paymaster of withholding $200 from his paycheck.
Ken Lund / Flickr
Believing himself to be the victim of a horrendous affront, he stole $200 worth of items from the camp’s store - mainly radios and watches - in retaliation.
manhhai / Flickr
On the day he was to be tried, he fled to LA and bought himself a one way ticket on TWA Flight 85 to San Francisco.
Britta Gustafson / Flickr
While on board, he took shots of Canadian Club, loaded a gun in the bathroom and officially hijacked the plane to go back to Italy where he felt his countrymen would understand his victimhood and take his side.
edgerrel / Flickr
The plane stopped to refuel in Denver and again in New York, where the FBI tried to stop him.
Bangor International Airport / Facebook
But! This is where Maine enters the story! He fled the FBI at JFK Airport and went straight to Bangor Maine!
Boston Public Library / Flickr
The little airport was his last refueling stop in the US before another in Ireland just before arriving in Italy.
Bangor International Airport / Facebook
He landed in Roame, then hid in a small town in Italy before being captured, though the country didn’t extradite him back to the US. Instead they tried him on small charges and he spent just 18 months in prison.
Jonathan Rieke / Flickr
Raffaele Minichiello ultimately became a local Italian heartthrob!
Patrick Peccatte / Flickr
The hijacking has gone down in history as the longest in history. And, to think, our own Bangor played a role!
Bangor International Airport / Facebook
Raffaele Minichiello still lives in Italy today. And, our hijacking heatthrob runs a little YouTube channel that you can see by clicking here.
Remko Tanis / Flickr
Ercole96 - Opera propria / Wikimedia Commons
Ken Lund / Flickr
manhhai / Flickr
Britta Gustafson / Flickr
edgerrel / Flickr
Bangor International Airport / Facebook
Boston Public Library / Flickr
Jonathan Rieke / Flickr
Patrick Peccatte / Flickr
Love these wacky stories of strange Maine? Then you might love 10 of the weirdest and strangest things to ever happen here!
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