January 26 –
Lucky Luciano dies of a heart attack in
Naples, Italy, while meeting with Hollywood producers to discuss a movie based on his life. Possibly, as some theorize, the result of poisoning.
June 6 –
Joe Profaci dies of cancer. The Gallo-Profaci War continues however as brother-in-law
Joseph Magliocco takes over the Profaci crime family following Profaci's death.
June 21 - In a case of mistaken identity,
John Saupp is fatally assaulted by fellow inmate and New York mobster
Joe Valachi at
Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, and dies three days later.[2] Valachi had thought Saupp was New York mobster
Joseph DiPalermo, whom Valachi believed Mob Boss
Vito Genovese had sent to kill him in prison.
October 27 – On a flight from Sicily to the Milan
Linate Airport, the Saulnier jetplane of
Enrico Mattei crashes in the surroundings of the small village of
Bascapè in
Lombardy. Together with Mattei, his pilot Irnerio Bertuzzi and the American Journalist William McHale also died. Mattei was the president of
Italy’s national oil company
Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI). Under his direction ENI negotiated important oil concessions in the Middle East as well as a significant trade agreement with the
Soviet Union. Official inquiries declared that the plane crash was an accident, but some
Mafiaturncoats – among the
Tommaso Buscetta – have suggested that a special agreement had been achieved between the
Cosa Nostra and "some foreigners" for the elimination of Mattei. The
Italian Minister of Defense,
Giulio Andreotti, was responsible for the accident investigation. Evidence was immediately destroyed at the crash site. Flight instruments were put into acid.
January 26 –
Lucky Luciano dies of a heart attack in
Naples, Italy, while meeting with Hollywood producers to discuss a movie based on his life. Possibly, as some theorize, the result of poisoning.
June 6 –
Joe Profaci dies of cancer. The Gallo-Profaci War continues however as brother-in-law
Joseph Magliocco takes over the Profaci crime family following Profaci's death.
June 21 - In a case of mistaken identity,
John Saupp is fatally assaulted by fellow inmate and New York mobster
Joe Valachi at
Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, and dies three days later.[2] Valachi had thought Saupp was New York mobster
Joseph DiPalermo, whom Valachi believed Mob Boss
Vito Genovese had sent to kill him in prison.
October 27 – On a flight from Sicily to the Milan
Linate Airport, the Saulnier jetplane of
Enrico Mattei crashes in the surroundings of the small village of
Bascapè in
Lombardy. Together with Mattei, his pilot Irnerio Bertuzzi and the American Journalist William McHale also died. Mattei was the president of
Italy’s national oil company
Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI). Under his direction ENI negotiated important oil concessions in the Middle East as well as a significant trade agreement with the
Soviet Union. Official inquiries declared that the plane crash was an accident, but some
Mafiaturncoats – among the
Tommaso Buscetta – have suggested that a special agreement had been achieved between the
Cosa Nostra and "some foreigners" for the elimination of Mattei. The
Italian Minister of Defense,
Giulio Andreotti, was responsible for the accident investigation. Evidence was immediately destroyed at the crash site. Flight instruments were put into acid.