June 23, 1972
Martin McNally hijacked a plane at Lambert Airport in St. Louis, demanding $500,000 as a ransom for the plane and crew. He got it and the plane took off. The 28-year-old from Detroit eventually donned a parachute and made his first-ever—and only-ever—jump from a plane. He miraculously survived, but his loot slipped away. McNally ended up in prison.
This post was based on a collection of Ross Malone’s Missouri historical happenings. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also written children’s historical fiction. Visit his website, and buy his books in the Missouri Life store.
Image from National Archives at Kansas City (Record Group 21, Records of the District Courts of the United States, U.S. District Court for the Eastern (St. Louis) Division of the Eastern District of Missouri, Criminal Case Files, 1864-1987. Case 72CR167, U.S.A. v. Martin Joseph McNally and Walter John Petlikowsky. National Archives Identifier 582694.)
Related Posts
June 9, 1913
On this date in Missouri history, a huge fire burned the northeast corner of the Square in Springfield.
June 23, 1966
On this date , H.W. Allen patented his new invention, the compound hunting bow.
June 23, 1902
This is the birthday of "The Coach," Don Faurot, the namesake of Mizzou's Faurot field.