Garrett Brock Trapnell
Encyclopedia
Garrett Brock Trapnell was a con man
, bank robber, and aircraft hijacker
of the 1960s and early 1970s. Trapnell initiated a string of bank robberies across the United States and Canada that netted him in excess of $1,000,000 over time. His clever manipulation of the criminal defense system allowed him to repeatedly avoid jail time by utilizing some form of the insanity plea.
On January 28, 1972, Trapnell hijacked TWA Flight #2 on a flight from Los Angeles to New York while over Chicago. Trapnell demanded $306,800 in cash (to recoup the loss of a recent court case), the release of Angela Davis
(as well as that of a friend of his who was also imprisoned), and clemency from President Richard Nixon. The FBI was able to retake the aircraft during a crew switch at Kennedy Airport; Trapnell was shot and wounded, no one else was hurt. Trapnell's skyjacking came after a string of similar domestic incidents (especially Cuba-bound hijackings) and was directly responsible for an overhaul of security procedures by the FAA that remained in place until the September 11 attacks.
His subsequent incarceration in a maximum security penitentiary
was marked by continued scheming and criminal endeavour.
Trapnell was a nephew of World War II
hero and Bataan Death March
survivor, LTG Thomas Trapnell
and a cousin of naval aviation pioneer VADM Frederick M. Trapnell
. He died in prison after contracting emphysema
.
based charter helicopter and forced the pilot to land in the yard at USP Marion. While landing the aircraft the pilot, Allen Barklage, who was a Vietnam veteran, struggled with Oswald and managed to wrestle the gun away from her. Barklage then shot and killed Oswald, thwarting the escape. In addition to Trapnell, another inmate involved in the escape was Martin J. McNally, who had hijacked a St. Louis-Tulsa American Airlines Flight on June 23, 1972 and demanded $502,500 before jumping out of a Boeing 727 over Peru, Indiana
. Barklage died in a helicopter crash in 1998, and McNally was paroled on January 27, 2010
On December 21, 1978 Robin Oswald, the 17-year-old child of Barbara Ann Oswald, hijacked TWA Flight 541
and demanded that Trapnell be freed or she would detonate dynamite that was strapped to her body. Robin Oswald was remembered by the hostages aboard the flight as a "beautiful girl" with a serious demeanor, who never exhibited any signs of nervousness.
FBI negotiators were able to free the prisoners and induce her to surrender with no injuries or deaths. The bomb that was strapped to her chest later emerged to be a set of railroad flares wired to what appeared to be a doorbell. Robin Oswald was charged as a juvenile with charges not being announced as is the law in Illinois.
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
, bank robber, and aircraft hijacker
Aircraft hijacking
Aircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
of the 1960s and early 1970s. Trapnell initiated a string of bank robberies across the United States and Canada that netted him in excess of $1,000,000 over time. His clever manipulation of the criminal defense system allowed him to repeatedly avoid jail time by utilizing some form of the insanity plea.
On January 28, 1972, Trapnell hijacked TWA Flight #2 on a flight from Los Angeles to New York while over Chicago. Trapnell demanded $306,800 in cash (to recoup the loss of a recent court case), the release of Angela Davis
Angela Davis
Angela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. Davis was most politically active during the late 1960s through the 1970s and was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party...
(as well as that of a friend of his who was also imprisoned), and clemency from President Richard Nixon. The FBI was able to retake the aircraft during a crew switch at Kennedy Airport; Trapnell was shot and wounded, no one else was hurt. Trapnell's skyjacking came after a string of similar domestic incidents (especially Cuba-bound hijackings) and was directly responsible for an overhaul of security procedures by the FAA that remained in place until the September 11 attacks.
His subsequent incarceration in a maximum security penitentiary
United States Penitentiary, Marion
The United States Penitentiary is a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility located in Southern Precinct, unincorporated Williamson County, Illinois. The facility is located south of Marion, from St. Louis, and from Chicago. It was built in 1963 to replace the Alcatraz prison in San Francisco, which...
was marked by continued scheming and criminal endeavour.
Trapnell was a nephew of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
hero and Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
survivor, LTG Thomas Trapnell
Thomas J. H. Trapnell
Thomas John Hall "Trap" Trapnell was a United States Armygeneral. Trapnell survived the Bataan Death March and the sinking of two transportation ships during...
and a cousin of naval aviation pioneer VADM Frederick M. Trapnell
Frederick M. Trapnell
Frederick Mackay "Fred" Trapnell was a United States Navy admiral and aviation pioneer. Trapnell was the first Navy pilot to fly a jet aircraft, was considered the best, most experienced naval test aviator of his generation, co-founded the branch's first test pilot school, and played a pivotal...
. He died in prison after contracting emphysema
Emphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
.
Attempted breakouts
On May 24, 1978 his friend, 43-year-old Barbara Ann Oswald, hijacked a St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
based charter helicopter and forced the pilot to land in the yard at USP Marion. While landing the aircraft the pilot, Allen Barklage, who was a Vietnam veteran, struggled with Oswald and managed to wrestle the gun away from her. Barklage then shot and killed Oswald, thwarting the escape. In addition to Trapnell, another inmate involved in the escape was Martin J. McNally, who had hijacked a St. Louis-Tulsa American Airlines Flight on June 23, 1972 and demanded $502,500 before jumping out of a Boeing 727 over Peru, Indiana
Peru, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,994 people, 5,410 households, and 3,397 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,815.5 people per square mile . There were 5,943 housing units at an average density of 1,287.7 per square mile...
. Barklage died in a helicopter crash in 1998, and McNally was paroled on January 27, 2010
On December 21, 1978 Robin Oswald, the 17-year-old child of Barbara Ann Oswald, hijacked TWA Flight 541
TWA Flight 541
TWA Flight 541 was a domestic passenger flight hijacked in the United States by Robin Oswald in an attempt to free Garrett Brock Trapnell, who was a prisoner at the United States Penitentiary, Marion...
and demanded that Trapnell be freed or she would detonate dynamite that was strapped to her body. Robin Oswald was remembered by the hostages aboard the flight as a "beautiful girl" with a serious demeanor, who never exhibited any signs of nervousness.
FBI negotiators were able to free the prisoners and induce her to surrender with no injuries or deaths. The bomb that was strapped to her chest later emerged to be a set of railroad flares wired to what appeared to be a doorbell. Robin Oswald was charged as a juvenile with charges not being announced as is the law in Illinois.