Joseph Bonanno's misnomer

I, 4 the 14th time, have just re-read Joe Bonanno's " A Man Of Honor", & I am behooved at the fact that , that self serving old fuck praises himself to the fact of lying thru his teeth about not having anything 2 do w/ narcotics, but not ONCE IN THE WHOLE BOOK DOES HE MENTION THE NAME CARMINE GALANTE.. how stupid does he think people are?? the fuckin,guy was his underboss at 1 point, am i wrong?? what do u guy's think?? we all know the stories of carmine going 2 italy 2 secure a MAJOR deal 2 get heroin into the states in the 50s,let alone the shit he went into canada truly for...what a fuckin'bullshitter this guy was ..& his self serving son "bill'..look @ the facial expressions on the old man's face when questioned by mike wallice on the 60 min. interview back in 83,u can find it just by google j.b......a man of honor my ass..

Distancing himself from involvement in drugs to fit the image. He was kinda ahead of his time lol.

Yes, but 2 mention everyone "all my top men" & names, gaspar,magliocco,etc.. but not once his right arm at 1 time carmine, i would have loved 2 confront him about this,even though mike wallice did ,joe gave a half assed comment..

He did demote Evola and Galante when they were caught, but Evola is mentioned in the book, which shows he was more fond of Natale than Carmine, more evidence you can deal in narcotics, just don't get caught. Hell, even Montreal was known as the drug capital of Canada, and the Bonanno family controlled that city. I wonder if you paid attention to what he had to say on Lucchese.

Yes, i have paid attentione Giacomo..i was just wondering why he deliberetly avoided galante's name.

Like i said Giacomo,i've read the book countless times.

Bonanno, by some cases, was quite an arrogant man with a self-inflated image of himself. He tried to promote his idiot son (much like how Gotti promoted his "Dumbfella" son to underboss in the 1990s) to the position of consigliere, tried to pose himself as a "man of honor" by deliberately ignoring Galante's name despite Galante being his underboss in the 1950s and 1960s (Galante was a very vicious guy and a known drug trafficker, hence it could be the main reason why his name was deliberately in Bonanno's tell-all book and almost zero mention in his interview).

He also tried to have Gambino, Lucchese and Magaddino whacked so he could become boss of all bosses, but hey, the plot failed when Colombo spilled the beans to Gambino & Lucchese. Hence, the book could be a big reason why he was loathed by many mobsters in NYC, even more so than after he and his son were shipped off to Tucson in 1968. It's also possible that he wrote this book to get his revenge on the Commission and give them an "up-yours", which stripped him of his seat when the attempted putsch was exposed in 1963.

Corallo, Tom Mix Santoro, Sal Avellino and Big Joey Massino were disgusted by Bonanno's tell all interview - so much that Massino later changed the name of the Bonanno crime family to "the Massino family."

What was Big Paul Castellano's reaction to the book and interview? If Bonanno had succeeded in his plot, who would he have picked as replacements?

On Bonanno trying to kill Gambino, Lucchese, Maggadino, Giancana, and DeSimone, I don't believe he had a hand in Magliocco plot. That Plot was hatched by Joe Magliocco, John Misuraca, and Harry Fontana to eliminate Gambino and Lucchese who were the Gallo brothers backers. Magliocco brought Bill Bonanno along with him in a meeting with Joe Colombo, to show that the Bonanno family was behind him, when in fact Bill was in the dark about it. Bill and Rose had been fighting most of 62' and Rose stayed at the Magliocco estate most of that time, before Bill Bonanno was allowed on the premises to repair their relationship. Joe Magliocco liked Bill Bonanno, but Joe's wife sure didn't. Instead of Colombo following his order from his boss Magliocco, he decides to have a sex sandwich with Gambino and Lucchese and inform them of Magliocco plot, and Bill Bonanno being with Joe at the time of the meeting. The Commission felt that Magliocco was too stupid to think up this plan by himself, and hounded him for a name, and he gave Joe Bonanno as the supporter.

Joe Massino changed the families name once he became boss, this was do to Joe Bonanno's book and interviews. Joe Massino actually flipped, being the first New York boss (according to the FBI) to do so.

Paul Castellano had to take an hour long dump and couldn't eat anything after reading about ten or twenty minutes into the book he was in disbelief of how much Bonanno painted himself as a saint, and could remember every word by word that was said 50 years ago!

U know what ..u motherfucker.. That IS funny.what a synoposis..seriously, though,that is fuckin' funny my sicilian friend. Paul was scared i read. Among other things he was shittin his pants cause his maid that he was banging was tellin all to agents when she went shopping,they used 2 meet her @the bottom of the subway staircase in astoria ny .

giacomo who??this guys a fuckin mamaluke,..."whats a mook".."this guy cant call me a mook"

Hey that was just a general overview of what happened. It's a lot more interesting when you start pouring over what informants have to say about that time in the Bonanno family, plus what is being discussed by other families about the matter.

Giacomo, shut the fuck up. How would you possibly know what Paul Castellano had to do with his bowels or if it had any relation to Joe Bonannos book. And there is numerous sources and evidence to support Joe Bonannos full involvement in the plot on Lucchese and Gambino. The only one who said they had nothing to do with it, is fucking Bill Bonanno.


And that stuff you said about Bill and his wife, there's no actual source which attests to such a thing. Except for that shitty movie which is half fictional, Honor Thy Father.

If you paid attention to my post that H had quoted, you would see the sarcasm in it, which H has seen and knowns very well where that came from. SinatraClub I am sure the Barbarian is smiling right now enjoying you servicing him behind the key "strokes".

Your claims about Bill Bonanno and his wife, and his fathers involvement in the Lucchese, Gambino plot, wasn't sarcasm. Fuck outta here.

Did Bonanno have a beef with Vito Genovese, especially once Bonanno met with Lucky and set up an international heroin trafficking network with the Sicilian mob? I was wondering since both Bonanno and Genovese were known to have crews within their families who were known drug pushers.

There isn't anything out there, that I know of of any issues between Genovese and Bonanno, other than when they were on opposite sides during the Castellamarese War.

I'm reading Mafia: Last Secrets from Bill Bonanno at the moment..

He talks about all the Commission meetings in history he and his father attended. The 1956 meeting at Joe Barbera's house, the year before the notorious '57 one, was the first Bill himself attended he said.

He explains that there was a big fight between Giancana and Anastasia, because Giancana (at his first Commission meeting allegedly) said: ''When are you gonna kill Frank Scalise?''
Anastasia went beserk according to Bill and needed to be calmed down by his father Joe, the chairman of the meeting..

Bill explains that the remark was about the supposed button-selling racket, but I find it very strange that a guy like Giancana, not from NY and his first Commission meeting would challenge someone like Anastasia like that. But on the other hand, why would Bill lie about such a thing because in this case there's nothing to gain by it..

To make his dad seem more powerful than he was. To make it seem like Joe Bonanno, the respectable, old school Mafia "father", who stuck to the respectable Sicilian traditions of Cosa Nostra, was the only one who could control Anastasia.

Bill Bonanno was always a sycophant/yes man for his father.

" We thank you for your support".

Exactly.

I feel like such a sucker for buying bills last book a few years ago where he shed no new light on anything. Think it was called last testament right before he died which was weird was he still married to profaci daughter till he died. Cause her family or the maggilocos are frigging billionaire's. The kids and grandkids whose father took over after profaci guess his brother in law. They run a company that's does all the alcohol biz in the tri state. The guys were in Vic Orleans crew in the 80tys probably for money purposes. Not for nothing tommy Ryan the boss or acting boss in the 60tys for genovese surported Joe. He didn't have any love for gambino. And he did like Tommy brown thou. Think win brown died Carlo got to tommy Ryan eventually.

Yea,there are FBI files on MaryFerrel I believe of Tommy Ryan, Jerry Catena , Mike Miranda, and Lombardo having various meets discussing the Bananas War and how they didn't trust Carlo and how he and Lucchese basically orchestrated that whole war from the outside. When I say they, I mean Eboli and I think Miranda and Lombardo, I'm not sure. But Eboli felt Catena was bowing down to Carlo and setting him (Eboli) up to be killed, along with the others, so he could be the only legitimate successor to Vito if he came out and named a successor or if he never came home. It was suspected by the others of the Genovese triumvirate, that Catena was basically setting himself into position to be named boss by Carlo, if Vito didnt or wasnt able to do so.

Was he still married to profaci daughter or they get divorced? Was she that old Colombo capos brother sal I wonder. I don't think so the guy who ran Colombo rackets in jersey in the 80 tys was around john stanfa. I think he was a nephew idk thou. Catena was Vito's underboss but eboli was his NYC guy. Tommy Ryan was close to ray patriarca there whole divide new england thing in the 60tys.

Anastasia says that was Joe Profacis son, Salvatore Profaci . But I think you may be right and that it was the son of his brother, Salvatore, Sal Profaci Jr. Don't know if he was still married to Rosalie, when he dieds, but Rosalie, I've seen at least one source which claimed she was Profacis niece. Weird. While most say she's his daughter. They had four kids together, but DeCalvacante boss was recorded on wiretap saying "it's a shame; the girl wanted to commit suicide, because of the way he treated her." Thats also a contradiction of Bill and his claims about how he treated his wife. Giving the impression he was a loving husband who was faithful when in reality,he was a scumbag to her. But I think they were married until the day he died and after...




http://articles.latimes.com/1993-05-20/entertainment/ca-37642_1_bill-bonanno

I think I said I new it was gonna be bad when I bought it years ago. Shout out to pizza boy are you OK? He told me the national in Miami Beach was good it was nice. I wish I could tell you about Vegas my second trip. Anybody on the by think this bonanno pizza in Mandalay bay and Luxor and a couple more places on the strip related to the name origin especially they call the pizza NYC.??

I watched the lifetime movie when I was a little kid and I'm pretty certain before the closing credits, it said she divorced him.

Gambino was a master puppeteer. to eliminate Lucchese and Gambino would be suicide . Bonnano wasn't that crazy .May'be Eboli was right .no retribution after Eboli was killed ?

Galante never turned his back on Joe B and like most have said this book was more then likely a way to get back at people who had. I am of the opinion that it was all part of Carlos master plan to be King of The Volcano. He orchestrated wars in two families he saw as threat because of the Profaci, Bonnano, Maggliaco marriage, got Vito hemmed up and placed a puppet boss there and arranged a marriage to Lukes to ensure his place as Boss was unchallenged. Only thing he ever flashed was his license plate which said CG1. That number one spot and full control was his goal from day one. I have said this before it is also my opinion that the only person he viewed as an equal in both pedigree and intelligence was Bonnano and he made sure most of LCN wouldn't touch him when all was said and done. Bonnano was mafia royalty from Sicily, and unlike Luciano, Costello,Genovese, and Profaci he was wise enough to stay under radar and keep his greed and and soldiers in check for most of his reign. It was Carlo who started discontent among Joe's family as he did with Profacis. Divide and Conquer, CG would have been greatest General this world has ever known. All this is an opinion i have formed of course and we will never know the truth but Galante hate CG for a reason and I believe It was how he orchestrated Joe Bonnano and Vito Genovese downfall who were both mentors of his. Again that is an opinion.

mchang93 I think you hit this very important chapter in mafia history.that was GAMBINO'S greatest feat, convincing the other families that BONNANO was the orchestrator of the murder plot.After APALACHIN ,Genovese and Bonnano were set to roll . or so they thought.

mchang93 I think you hit this very important chapter in mafia history.that was GAMBINO'S greatest feat, convincing the other families that BONNANO was the orchestrator of the murder plot.After APALACHIN ,Genovese and Bonnano were set to roll . or so they thought.

In the Mike Wallace interview from early 80's, his exact words when Mike called him out on this exact issue where something like, "If Carmine Galante deala drugs, he do it withouta my knowledge, Yes"

read in a few books that giancana did call Anastasia down on scalise, my understanding is from what I read, that scalise was bringing heroin through Chicago, scalise did get hit, heard two versions of why, 1--- he was selling membership in lcn,
2- he was selling heroin. I think its a fact that there was a major disagreement.
as far as joe bonnano goes, he was a rat, in one book he laid out the structure of the commission, which gulianni used to convict bosses. and that's a fact.

@ mchang93


You summed up what I have thought for a long time as well. I'm always baffled as to why people ignore that alliance of marriages, and why they consider Bonnano a lightweight...

Yep. No coincidence that Tommy brown and CG arranged a marriage no more then few years after Bonnano and Profaci had. Bonnano was boss unchallenged for 30+ years he was no jack ass as is popular belief. Everyone has to remember we usually only hear one part of story in history and that's 99.9% of the time the winners side of things.

Yep. No coincidence that Tommy brown and CG arranged a marriage no more then few years after Bonnano and Profaci had. Bonnano was boss unchallenged for 30+ years he was no jack ass as is popular belief. Everyone has to remember we usually only hear one part of story in history and that's 99.9% of the time the winners side of things.

Also if Joe B was such an ass clown as most seem to think then why was he consulted before Galante was hit? He was no push over people feared him for years after he lost "power" and I am sure for good reason.

My guess is that since Galante was Bonanno's former underboss and protege, the other bosses (especially Funzi Tieri and Big Paul Castellano) sought Joe Bananas opinion on this matter.

The bosses (Castellano, Persico, Tony Ducks Corallo, Jerry Catena, Santo Trafficante, Funzi Tieri) held a Commission meeting, and all (except for Carmine Persico, who opposed the hit on Galante as he was good friends with him) voted to have Galante killed off. To do this, they got the approval of Rusty Rastelli, and may have asked Joe Bananas about the planned hit on Galante.

They may have sent emissaries (possibly Neil Dellacroce, among others), and Bonanno gave them the nod to have Galante killed off. It's also possible that the emissaries sent a veiled threat to Bonanno to stay in Arizona or face a similar fate like Galante. I'm sure Bonanno got the warning, and did nothing to prevent Galante from getting killed.

http://www.cosanostranews.com/2014/01/funzi-tieri-got-nod-from-bananas.html

Joe Bonanno was definitely a huge power and smart guy in his time. He was named boss at 25 and held that title for 30 years. I know this was during the glory days as far as law enforcement pressure was concerned but that is still an amazing accomplishment.

Having said that, I don't buy the idea that he was consulted about the Carmine Galante hit before it happened and gave his approval. By 1979 Bonanno had no real power. I'm sure there were still some loyalists, but whoever was on his side was no match for one NY family let alone the whole Commission.

Agreed.

John Gotti Jr.'s book and Joe Bonanno's book are the two most self serving books I've ever read.

If he was selling heroin, he wasn't the only boss, or second in command to be doing so. So I find it somewhat unlikely that they'd kill him for that.

It may be the worse mob book ever wrote. Just a steamy dump. It came out after godfather 2 movie rite board? Actualy it didnt come out till like 1980 something. I rember that paul castemalno book where there a wire in his house 82 hes talking about the book like its so bullshit. Wasnt it paul n joe gallo the consig. You know the bosses should have killed him for it cause rudy g said it was evidence after the commssion trial. Crazy. What a bad book any how full of 1 sided history. But j
He lived to 2004 i think crazy.

Joe massino you renamed that family after yourself the balls in ya court. Rewrite history. Fuck even sal vitale but please not a raplh natale book. I seen at barnes n noble didnt even skim it for more than 2 min. Had a starbucks coffee had to run.

one thing stands out to me after reading all these posts, in realation to joe bonanno, i really think he did put out those contracts that columbo burned him on, i don't think magliocco had the cajones to attempt that dangerous plot. still a mystery to me how joe bonanno talked his way out of it, the post about giancana getting in albert anastasia's face at a commission meeting, is told in many books, "five families" "the don" [about giancana] the situation that existed was that scalise was running heroin through chicago, and giancana was furious, i think he did get in anastasia's face, but, it would seem like a dangerous move, and it's said in many articles that there was some selling of memberships, and it's said both anastasia, and scalise were heavily involved, in the book about appalachia, it was discussed. also in the book "havana nocturne" it's mentioned. and as to bonanno not mentioning galente, he must think he can pull the wool over everyone's eyes.... galente was one of the biggest heroin dealers in the U.S. and bonanno set it all up in sicily.

Shitt Ralphie when you're right, you're right... but u gotta add Ralph Natales book into this list too holy shit dude he makes himself seem like Lucky Luciano of the Delaware Valley

But Bonnanos pathetic attempts to dodge being a murdering, drug pushing gangsters and instead come up with that bogus horseshit about being a father to the family, upholding some honor and claiming he didnt know his UB Galante was one of the biggest Heroin imprters ever and the 56 Palermo meeting wasn't about setting up a drug pipeline is insulting to the viewer.. makes me sick... least guys like Anastasia. lucky, even gotti acknowledged what they were .. i can respect that.. but Bonnanos lower than them and deserves no respect and should absolutely be labeled a rat

THE COURT FINDS THE DEFENDENT JOSEPH BONANNO GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS!!

The book was published in 1983, written in the years leading up to that time (late 1970's/early 80's). I'm guessing a lot of what he wrote had to be filtered to of course try to wash his hands of the heroin epidemic he and Galante helped facilitate, but also to probably avoid any type of subpoena or possible charges relating to Galante (pre/post mortem). There was no benefit to him telling his story with Galante as a character, even though it's a huge, gaping hole. I think mentioning such a current player like Galante, the way he was taken out, and the investigation following, Bonanno was probably advised just to leave him out of the story by his legal representatives, just guessing though.

I have to say, even though there are huge lies and omissions in Bonanno's book, I did find the parts about the Castellamarese War and mob politics of the glory days interesting.

Bonnano and his Son have always been a joke..I'm surprised the Family is still around especially with his name..What a waste ..