Who was the toughest, most deadly underboss?

During the 1950s-1960s era, each of the following men served, at one time or another during that time frame, as the underboss of their respective NYC Family.

The question is, of the five notorious mafiosi listed below, in your opinion, which one was the toughest and had the most deadly reputation in New York’s underworld?

A) Anthony “Tony Bender” Strollo (Genovese Family)

B) Aniello “Neil” Dellacroce (Gambino Family)

C) Carmine “Lilo” Galante (Bonanno Family)

D) John “Sonny” Franzese (Colombo Family)

E) Stefano “Steve” LaSalle (Lucchese Family)

Franzese was in jail far too often, I’d say Dellacroce since Galante was jailed then taken out by his own men. Seems to me Dellacroce was respected and feared way too much to even consider taking him out in my opinion. But, u less you’re only asking about NY Joey Lombardo would be in the discussion as well.

Dellacroce and Galante, and even though they are not on the list, Phil Alderisio and Jack Cerone.

Ok. fair enough guys. Those are two logical opinions and choices, IMO.
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But of all the members on this entire forum, you mean to tell me that since I posted this question up here this morning, only TD and majicrat had a thought about this and cared to voice their opinion? Thats almost incredulous to me. Lol

Because I posted the same exact question, at the same time this morning on the MFC community page and over 600 viewers have offered their opinions about this already.

Frederico Randacci is another pick.

Dellacroce or Galante for me. Both extremely dangerous and feared

I agree with a few guys here - Dellacroce and Galante. i think Neil had longevity as UB over Galante so I will go with him.

But both were feared.

Neil was more respected across the 5 boroughs.

Wasn't it not until 1967 or so that Galante’s went away for 12 years or so? If that's the case, he had the 1950s and most of the 60s to carry on unmolested.

Never mind, it was 1962 that he was sentenced to 20 years but he only served 12, if Wikipedia is right.

Thats basically correct. Lilo served 12 years of his sentence and was paroled around 1974 or so. Then he began his climb...until he got whacked out.

I’m going with Carmine Galante…..

Lilo. Not listed but Aiuppa would be my #1 or #2.

For me the deadliest and feared,even if isn't on the list, is Anthony Casso, so feared and evil that the alias in fbi files was Lucifer and the feds even after made a deal with him preferred to change idea and re-send him in jail.

Just got done reading 4 the 3rd time that book by Phillip Carlo & although I know the book is filled w/ BULLSHIT what it does leave me w/ is a fear of Gaspipe...he was a truly DANGEROUS MAN..

Anthony Casso is the definition of a true gangster to the core. Cross him once you are a dead man walking. No second chances, and no buying your way out of it. He's rolling over in his grave looking at how the mob is today.

In fairness, he ratted in pretty horrific fashion...

We are talking about the 1950s-1960s era, no?

Tony Bender was involved in a lot of hits from an very early age.

"Anthony Casso is the definition of a true gangster to the core?" What? You're kidding me right RushStreet? Lol. To me, Anthony Casso is the epitome of a true RAT to the core! What gangster to the core? What you should have said is that he was a homicidal, narcissistic degenerate to the core! Who, I might add, would kill a guy in a heartbeat if he even dreamt that that guy was talking (which Casso actually did on more than one occasion. Kill innocent guys for nothing after having a dream the night before that the guy was no good, or was gonna be no good down the road.) What man in his right mind does that? (I'll answer my own question - NO ONE!)

He was completely heartless. Robbed everybody and anybody and destroyed many many families (of so-called friends and foes alike without a care.) And as soon as he got nailed...what did he do?

He immediately became an informant....in seconds I might add! (if not sooner.)

Casso had absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. And with 36 murders under his belt, I'd consider him to be more of a serial killer, than a goodfella. He was a raving lunatic!

And, he was a piece of shit!

What’s your source that Galante and Franzese were underboss? I’m aware Michael claims Sonny was UB, but I’m pretty sure this is actually a myth. Same with Galante, Bonanno says Johnny Morales was his “second” meaning UB

In October 1957, Bonanno and Galante went to Palermo a month before Apalachin at the time Galante was a consigliere.

Raab, Selwyn. The Five Families: The Rise, Decline & Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empire. New York: St. Martins Press, 2005. Page 112

Are there FBI files or informants that report this? Raab’s book was good, but he made a ton of mistakes.

Lol.... I'll say Tommy Luchesse under Gagliano....

Galante... because it literally took the Commision to hit him. Dellacroce was probably the most respected, but I don't know about his wealth. Was he said to be really wealthy?

Gerry Anguilo? The Boston guy? He had money right?

Does Fat Tony count? Under Chin?

To put it in proper context.... the family’s ACTUAL underboss, Marangelo, right? He himself deferred to Galante...

This means nothing. The underboss was John Morales, it doesn’t matter who had more power, that’s debatable, there is a structure to LCN and we can’t just put guys in random places based on their power.

A question I always had, was how was Dellacroce beat to a pulp by the Gallo faction in LUNA restaurant in 1961 on Mulberry St, how come there was no retribution . anything ?? from what I read, he was beaten (hospitalized) at least some response.

Maspablo, all I will say in regards to that is, "do yourself a favor, and don't believe everything you read."

FWIW, this is what the NY times had to say, “Joseph Gallo sought out Dellacroce and, finding him in the Little Italy section, punched him in the eye. But Gambino did not order any punishment for Gallo for striking his underboss be cause Dellacroce had breached Mafia tradition in siding with Profaci.”

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ButtonGuys now provides our thoughts about the question above as well as our viewpoints...(I also give the reasoning behind why we chose who we did.)
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In my opinion, although each was dangerous and could be deadly in his own way, it depends upon what type of "toughness" we're discussing, what category of "toughness."

For instance, not all of them were necessarily physically tough guys. As far as that category goes, there is no doubt that Sonny Franzese was both physically fit, extremely tough with his hands and a good street fighter. So I'd have to rank him #1 in that particular category, without a doubt. I suspect that back in his youth Dellacroce was as well, and possible Galante also.

As far as "mental" toughness goes, again I'd probably go with a Franzese, Dellacroce and Galante, who, to me at least, all seem "mentally" tough. I pick Franzese and Galante because, Sonny did close to 40 years in stir, and Galante did 20 or more in stir over several bids. Thats no cakewalk fellas. Especially doing 40! Thats more than the others served all combined together. I add Dellacroce to this mix because although he didn't do heavy time, he just seems to have been a very focused and strong-willed individual.

As far as deadly goes. Well, all of them were. But as far as having been actual "shooters" themselves? Guys who picked up a gun, knife, or garrotte, and used it? Over and over as was ordered of them by their Family bosses? Once again, Galante, Dellacroce, and Franzese take that one too! Strollo probably pulled a few triggers back in his day. La Salle, as well, for that matter. But neither of them had the reputations of being deadly "stone killers" and assassins the same way that Galante, Franzese, and Dellacroce did. Thats a well established fact!

No doubt Strollo, and probably La Salle, ordered plenty of hits. But as far as them, personally, getting their hands dirty? Neither is in the same category as Galante, Franzese, or Dellacroce.

So there ya have it fellas. ButtonGuy opinion on the subject at hand.

Again, what’s your source for Franzese or Galante being underboss

It's hard to know. The names that stand out are Sonny, Galante and Neil. All three men killed an enormous amount of people and displayed toughness that most people would never even dream of competing with. I don't believe there's ever been a man born who hasn't felt fear at least once in his lifetime, but some people are very good at keeping it at bay. Did Sonny Black feel fear when he went to that meeting? I'm sure he felt something. No man wants to be shot like a dog, but he handled it like a man.

Very well said Giacalone. And I happen to agree with you wholeheartedly, across the board. Bravo!

Galante was the toughest and deadliest of those named.

Galante was Underboss before he was hiding and had serious legal problems. Joe Bonanno made John Burns his underboss. Bonanno never said Galante was his underboss, cause he was trying to distance himself from drug and paint himself in a better light. He was swimming in drug money and if he said Carmine was his underboss, then a lot of people would have been able to connect the dots.

There are numerous informants and wiretaps that show John Franzese was underboss before going to prison in the 1960s. Pietro Misuraca a San Jose member said his brother Big John served as Underboss when Joe Colombo became boss, but was replaced with Sonny Franzese as Colombo was trying to stabilize the family, as John Misuraca was extremely hostile to the Gallo faction. Before that, the Shriek served as underboss to Joe Magliocco.

Dont know much about the Bonannos but I have the same feeling after reading and also hearing some of Bonannos statements about Galante. Old man Bonanno was a real snake and a liar, especially when it came down regarding his alleged "Sicilian honor".

What you said in this post Giacomo is basically correct. And I agree with you. Carmine Galante WAS Bonanno's "official" underboss for years. He replaced Frank Garofalo who retired to Sicily. After Galante was jailed for narcotics, John Morale (among several others) became underboss for a time during the 1960s. Especially after the trouble started for Bonanno with his family's insurrection and the borgata was split, Joe counted on Morale to serve as his eyes and ears during that tumultuous time.

*And, as you already stated (and this is important,) in his autobiography Bonanno was trying to distance himself from heroin trafficking the best he could, so he was NOT about to admit that Galante, one of the top drug traffickers in the world, was so close to him, let alone his Family underboss (his #2.) It was important for Bonanno to maintain his image in the book as a highly-scrupled "Man of Honor" who would never stoop so low as to deal narcotics. Thats why Galante is hardly even mentioned in the book. If I remember correctly, I think Joe devotes no more than one or two sentences to Galante, in a book that has hundreds of pages. This is despite that fact that Galante was one of the most important of his Family's members for about 40+ years at that point. Giacomo, THIS was a very good point that you brought out. So bravo!

And yes, not withstanding what anybody else reported to the contrary, Sonny Franzese was, indeed, installed as the "official" underboss to Joe Colombo. He served in that position for some years until he was forced to step down for the good of the Family because of all his legal troubles by the late 1960s. John Misuraca was an older man by that time, and a weak sister by comparison, and could not fulfill the duties required of him for that position. Most importantly, at the time that Colombo was installed as the new boss of the Family, he wanted a complete sweep of the upper hierarchy to "retire" or knockdown the old caporegimes and install younger and more aggressive men such as himself so as to bring more vibrancy and life to the borgata. A "changing of the guard as it were."

Joe became the youngest boss in the country and wanted younger men who would help him move the borgata in a new direction for expansion and power. Franzese was that guy! He became the underboss shortly after Joe became boss. With Franzese in that position, several things were accomplished. Franzese was young and EXTREMELY aggressive. He was highly respected and highly feared throughout the Profaci/Colombo Family (and for that matter, by all the other Families as well.) He also had Joe's back. Nobody was gonna make a move against Colombo with Franzese at his side. Not to mention the fact that Sonny and his personal men were greatly expanding and making inroads throughout the Queens-Long Island region on behalf of the Family and bringing in tons of cash to the borgata, while Joe maintained their Brooklyn/Staten Island and city nucleus. The Colombo-Franzese combo became the "Ying-Yang" of the Colombo mob.

All the Field Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation knew it. So did the NYCPD Intelligence Bureau and Nassau and Suffolk County Racket Squads, The Federal Strike Force based in Brooklyn, and other law enforcement agencies who kept track of such things.

Everybody, who was anybody, within the NY/NJ underworld (made guys and top associates) knew it (and, by extension, all the other hierarchies throughout the country.) Subsequently, the more well plugged-in rats knew it. And eventually, all the daily newspapers got wind of it from their so-called "sources" and reported it hundreds and hundreds of times over the years as well.

Greg scarpa id’d Charles Mineo as UB throughout the 1960’s.

As for Galante, do we have FBI files claiming Galante was underboss?

I also managed to find this. Dont know how much credible is the info but at least 5 informants said the following...

Correct TD.... ;-)

Good finds, do you have a link to the doc? Did these informants furnish good info?

Tnx bud

Here’s some files that disagree that Galante was UB:

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...42&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...=2&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...53&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...82&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss


https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...72&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...53&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss

I also have a picture of Sam Decavalcante reporting “Johnny Burns” was underboss, but I’m on my phone and it’s not letting me post pictures from my camera role.
Files that say he was:

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...30&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...14&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc...17&search=Bonanno_family%20underboss (Says Galante is either capodecina or underboss)

I certainly missed files on both sides of the debate, but this is just a small list of some of them.

No problem TD....Like the man said, I do what I can. Lol

It would be hard to argue against the fact that Angelo Lapietra was acting underboss of the Outfit back in the 1970's and 80's working for Aiuppa. He definitely would have to be mentioned in this conversation that is for sure.

I completely agree with you on that point. But thats provided we were gonna consider all guys, across all cities, in the United States, you know what I mean RS?

But this particular opinion piece, which is all it really is, specifically focuses on the five guys I listed in the original post I started this thread with. Otherwise, we could have considered untold dozens and dozens of other guys through the years. But then where would it end? Lol.

Thats why I limited it. But, for sure, Angelo La Pietra will definitely figure into a future piece I'm sure we'll do at some point.

But, thank you for your input RushStreet. I appreciate you participating in the conversation.

Thank you for the kind words , I appreciate that very much! Also I can't wait for the day that you release a piece on Angelo. Excited is an understatement!

LOL. Enough said. With that, I promise you that I will definitely keep him in mind for you, ok?

Yes that would be wonderful. I am sure that even I will come to find out some new information that I did not even know when you release a piece on him! You take lots of time and effort into releasing very interesting facts and information on whoever you choose to feature! For that I am very grateful to be a member of Button Guys!

Thank you very much for that nice compliment RushStreet. Believe me when I tell ya, that it means a whole lot to both Lisa and myself that people like you enjoy our work. Because, as you just said, we try and take our time with the stories and bios that we do, to make sure we research and include as much pertinent data about the subject at hand as possible. After all, we take pride in our work. But even more importantly, people have enough faith in us to pony up the annual subscription fee to become "button guys."

Because of that, we also feel a deep sense of obligation to continually bring our fans the very best in mob content, week after week, that you will find anywhere.

So, when ya think about it, I really need to thank you twice. Once for your compliment, and a second time for becoming a card carrying "button guy." Lol

See ya around the BG social club.

I’ll commit to Galante

Who could argue with that choice? lol. Lilo is definitely a frontrunner in this thread.

Galante in my opinion was more powerful than Neil Dellacroce…. Lilo had more connections then Neil…

I don’t know if he (Galante) ever rose to underboss….. I don’t believe it…

Here’s the DeCavalcante wiretap I was talking about where they refer to Morales as underboss

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htmldocId=95010#relPageId=3&search=Johnny_burns%20(morales)

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htmldocId=94998#relPageId=4&search=Johnny_burns%20(morales)

This is the greatest evidence against Galante being underboss imo and this coupled with Joe Bonanno’s info himself it’s clear Morales was. Galante was a powerful captain.

Well, for sure, Galante's connections were international in scope; Calabria, Sicily, Corsica, Marseilles, Paris, Montreal, etc., etc.