I've heard when someone retires like Frank Costello or goes through circumstances like John Stanfa and they are listed as a 'Soldier' but has a Boss ever stepped down to being a Capo?

Costello was forced to retired because learned that Genovese soon or later would kill him; Stanfa was the official boss and stepped down only because get life and NY give the role to Skinny Joey.
As I know Frank Morelli was the first boss of the Providence crime family from 1917 to 1932 when he stepped down becoming underboss to Buccola.
Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello in 1922 stepped down becoming underboss to Masseria.
But was in the pre - commission era. In the other cases or the boss was killed or force to retire (if lucky).

underboss john montana of buffalo stepped down, or may have been forced down to soldier after apalachin raid 1957.

The only one for sure is Gaspare Messina of Boston. Another possibility is Paul Siacca of the Bonannos, as there was a lot of shifts in the early to mid 1970s for that family. Most of the bosses either retired when they stepped down or became Underbosses or Consiglieris to their crime families.

Montana continues to be the underboss until 1964 when died at 71.
After the Apalachin meeting Joe Barbara sr for the humiliation don't stepped down only because died first of heart attack.

angelo aquisto was underboss after montana until aquisto commited suicide in 1959, then fred randaccio became underboss.

There are pictures of Frank out with other members after retiring.

There are pictures of Frank out with other members after retiring.

Most of them are of his brother Ed, Ioele, and other Calabrians. There is one of Frank and Miranda meeting.

I've read that even Carlo Gambino came for advice to Costello, after his 'retirement', every once in a while..

Yeah it is said after Thomas Lucchese died, and the Commission was not getting anywhere with Bonanno, that Gambino met a few times with Costello.
Frank Costello still had loyalty from some of the crews in the Genovese family, and still held with respect by other members throughout the country.

I think Carmine Persico once credited Costello with convincing him to abandon the Gallo crew and back the official boss of the family.

**WRONG THREAD IGNORE**