davparlr
Senior Master Sergeant
A very interesting story came my way when I was contacted in regards to our 45 year reunion from high school. The person who contacted me was an old friend and, on typical inquiry into past experiences, she told me this incredible happening in her life.
She was a stewardess for Eastern Airlines in the early 70s. One day, in Houston, Texas, while closing up for departure from the gate on flight 496, four armed men came aboard and hijacked the plane, wanting to go to Cuba. These men had robbed a bank in Arlington, Virginia, killed one bank employee and a policeman and injured another man. Then traveled around and ended up in Houston. At the Eastern gate in Houston, they had killed the gate attendant when he had tried to stop them from getting on, and then, on the airplane shot through the door at a maintenance man. They flew to New Orleans where they refueled and then on to Cuba. At Cuba, the Hijackers took my friend and, fearing someone would shoot them when they opened the door, told her open the door and step out, where she would have fallen to the ground. She told me she could not remember what she said but does remember thinking that she had just bought some new hose and that was really going to mess them up. The pilots told her later that she said, "You're crazy if you think I am going to do that." The hijackers departed and the plane left back to the U.S. Attached is a must read transcript of Flt 496 communications, New Orleans tower, Houston Center, and various other communications. The event records the approach to New Orleans, the refueling and departure. Even though this is a transcript, the tension and urgency is very apparent. Remember, my friend was one of the stewardesses that were threatened. She said she did not know of these exchanges, if she had she would have been petrified. Transcript will continue on next two post.
A later news story is at this site. Father, Son Give Up in '72 Killings
She was a stewardess for Eastern Airlines in the early 70s. One day, in Houston, Texas, while closing up for departure from the gate on flight 496, four armed men came aboard and hijacked the plane, wanting to go to Cuba. These men had robbed a bank in Arlington, Virginia, killed one bank employee and a policeman and injured another man. Then traveled around and ended up in Houston. At the Eastern gate in Houston, they had killed the gate attendant when he had tried to stop them from getting on, and then, on the airplane shot through the door at a maintenance man. They flew to New Orleans where they refueled and then on to Cuba. At Cuba, the Hijackers took my friend and, fearing someone would shoot them when they opened the door, told her open the door and step out, where she would have fallen to the ground. She told me she could not remember what she said but does remember thinking that she had just bought some new hose and that was really going to mess them up. The pilots told her later that she said, "You're crazy if you think I am going to do that." The hijackers departed and the plane left back to the U.S. Attached is a must read transcript of Flt 496 communications, New Orleans tower, Houston Center, and various other communications. The event records the approach to New Orleans, the refueling and departure. Even though this is a transcript, the tension and urgency is very apparent. Remember, my friend was one of the stewardesses that were threatened. She said she did not know of these exchanges, if she had she would have been petrified. Transcript will continue on next two post.
A later news story is at this site. Father, Son Give Up in '72 Killings
