BOMBINGS DADE COUNTY FLORIDA
1-16 to 7-13 1967
[Reference: Dade County Florida OCB file #3A-33-8]
Miami Herald July 14, 1967
Luck Keeps Target Alive
By: JIM SAVAGE
Herald Staff Writer
Greater Miami has been rocked by more than a dozen bombings in six
months, including two this week, and lawmen fear it's just a matter of
time before someone gets killed in the exploding wave of terrorism.
Some of the most sophisticated – and deadly – explosives known to
ordnance experts are in the hands of the bombers, lawmen admit.
Dynamite, nitroglycerin, powerful plastic explosives, white phosphorus
hand grenades and other explosive devices have blasted homes, stores,
and autos in the unprecedented series of bombings.
Several of the blasts have been linked to a violent underworld war for control of illegal gambling operations.
There has been an unrelated series of bombings in the Miami Cuban
community. And officials can't offer any motive for some of the
bombings not linked to the underworld war or Cuban group.
No one has been injured or killed in the blasts. But lawmen
figured the next intended victim may not be as lucky as William
Schantz, who escaped death Thursday only because the bomb under his
auto hood was improperly wired.
"Some of the bombs, no doubt, were planted as warnings, but the bomb
Thursday surely would have killed Schautz if it detonated," Sgt. Robert
Worsham of the Sheriffs bomb squad, said.
When the amateur bombers bungle the job, as they seem prone to do, Tom
Brodie, Worsham and other members of the bomb squad have to risk their
lives to disarm the devices.
There have been several close calls. An unexploded bomb recovered
from the house of bookie, Mickey Zion North Bay Village apartment
needed only a slight jar to detonate since the fuse was activated,
Worsham said.
How do the bombers get the explosives and fuses for the bombs?
Lawmen say that dynamite and certain detonators are relatively easy to buy or steal from construction firms and other sources.
But they admit they can't explain where the military-type plastic explosives and white phosphorus hand grenades are coming from.
Officials at Homestead Air Force Base and other local military
installations have reported no stolen or missing explosives for several
years.
But the powerful new plastic putty C-4 explosives were originally
designed for easy transport, and it would be no difficult task to bring
them into Dade County from any part of the country.
No one ever explained how three Cubans got their hands on three aerial
bombs, three napalm bombs, 15 bombs of plastic-type explosives and
other weapons in January.
The trio was arrested at Tamiami Airport as they prepared to take off
in a twin-engine airplane to allegedly bomb targets in Cuba.
This is the box score for bombings since January:
JULY 13 – William Schantz of North Miami Beach escapes death when bomb
in his auto fails to detonate. (Lawmen believe this was a case of
mistaken identity and bomb was meant for a neighbor.)
JULY 12 – Miami Officer Gerald Saslaw and family escape injury when a
dynamite bomb explodes outside their Southwest area home, (Miami Mayor
Robert High wants the city to post a $1,000 reward in this case.)
JUNE 16 – Alfie Mart's all night newsstand and bookie hangout on Miami
Beach's Alton Rd. is blasted by bomb planted in telephone booth.
JUNE 3 – The unoccupied auto belonging to the wife3 of bookie Mickey Zion of North Bay Village bombed.
JUNE 1 – Enrique Market next to Alfie Mart's newsstand bombed. (Again, believed to be a case of mistaken location.)
JUNE 1 – Gambler Chappie Rand's cleaning store on North Dade strip hit with two white phosphorous grenades.
MAY 30 – Bomb tossed on porch of gambler Mickey Zion's apartment house; it failed to explode.
MAY 26 – Small bomb found behind Torch of Friendship and disarmed.
MAY 23 – Cuban Representation in Exile office on West Flagler bombed.
MAY 14 – Peace Center of Miami office on Flagler blasted.
MAR. 4 – Piranha Boat Co. in Hialeah owned by Cuban bombed.
JAN. 23 – Hamilton Realty office in North Dade blasted a few days after
proprietor evicts two well-known racketeers from his apartment house.
JAN. 16 – Downtown Greyhound Bus terminal evacuated after bomb squad discovers two sticks of dynamite in locker.
Herald 14 July 1967
CI 3-29 (auto bombing - ZION)
CI 3a-34 (SCHANTZ auto)
CI 3-32 (SASLAW house bombing)
CI 3-31 (ALFIES bombing)
CI 3-30 (EPICURE MARKET)
CI 3-28 (RAND bombing)
CI 3a-33 (ZION unexploded bomb)
CI 3-27 (RECE bombing)
CI 3-26 (Miami Peace Center bombing)
CI 3-22 (HAMILTON REALTY bombing)
End of Page
Copyright 1998-2008
Cuban Information Archives. All Rights Reserved.
