Hijacking was extremely important to mob families. Many bosses were deeply engaged in the racket in the sense that they had key men in their borgatas, associates, soldiers, and capos also, who ran hijack crews. But most of the top bosses were never hijackers themselves.
Carlo Gambino, Joe N. Gallo, , Tommy Lucchese, Joe Profaci, Joe Magliocco, and later Joe Colombo, Joe Bonanno, Vito Genovese, Frank Tieri, Sam DeCavalcante, etc., never did that sort of thing....They earned off it.
Even most of the top capos were not hijackers per se. John Ormento, Joe Laratro, Joe Lucchese, Joe Rosato, Paul Castellano, Mike Adamo, Paul Sciacca, etc.., may have run hijack crews. A few may have even gone on hijackings themselves a few times as young guys, but by and large they only earned off it through crew members drawn to that sort of thing.
There are exceptions to every rule, but most went they way I just described.
I would assume all of the guys you mentioned were personally involved in highjackings when they were cutting they’re teeth, they were mobsters not businessman. Most of what they did in there early years isn’t known because they’re wasn’t the fbi breathing down they’re necks and rats weren’t as prevalent. Paul Castellano was arrested for armed robbery at 19 for stealing 60 bucks....
Colombo was a well known Heist and bust out guy...
Joe Palisades was a street guy doing street things...
This isn’t the movies...
Gambino and Profaci probably not because they were privileged gangsters...
Sam the plumber was also privileged becuase of his father but he was doing things as well when he was young and was almost made into Philadelphia because of it..
In prohibition most of the guys that later became top guys cut they’re teeth highjacking liquor trucks...
