60 years ago today, Michigan native flew Air Force bomber under Mackinac Bridge
MLive
(Right) An overall view of a Boeing B-47 Stratojet aircraft in flight on April 7, 1956. It was the world’s first swept-wing bomber. (Left) The Mackinac Bridge. (MLive File Photo) (Courtesy Photo | U.S. Air Force)
MACKINAW CITY, MI — It’s been 60 years since a daring Air Force pilot made headlines after he flew his Boeing B-47 jet underneath the Mackinac Bridge on April 28, 1959. The pilot, Air Force Capt. John S. Lappo, did not have permission to perform the dangerous stunt on a Friday afternoon but the Muskegon native pulled it off.
The illegal move eventually ended up with Lappo being accused of violating Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice at general court-martial in August 1959. At the time, pilots were not allowed to fly the plane less than 500 feet from the ground or water except during takeoff and landing.
Despite having just 155 feet of clearance, Lappo was able to fly under the bridge. A veteran of the Air Force, Lappo flew many dangerous missions during his time as a pilot. However, the move to fly under the bridge would be the last time he ever flew for the Air Force.
Michigan Air Force pilot flew bomber under Mackinac Bridge on this day in 1959
The stunt cost Capt. John S. Lappo his wings.
Although he never flew again for the Air Force, he eventually retired at the rank of Lt. Col in 1972. He died in 2003, but even in his death, the story of his stunt would be shared.
“Mr. Lappo made headlines in August 1959 when he flew a B-47 bomber under the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan,” reads a portion of his obituary published in the Anchorage Daily News on Nov. 22, 2003.