FBI File – HQ-2-1115 Marcus J. Michles

The family history was that Grandpa Michles was contacted to ship a pair of P-51 Mustangs to Israel. It was a deep secret. It was also in violation of the ‘Export Control Neutrality Act’ and a Federal crime.

According to what mom told me, the planes were in crates and parked overnight in the scrap metal yard. Grandpa had a rail spur and could store rail cars.

During the night, someone set fire to the planes. Grandpa yelled for his crew to “Put out the fire on the planes!” not the boxes. He was caught.

He was not charged, at least not yet, I am still reading the file. Grandpa’s FBI file is attached. There are some things that are in the file that were not apart of the story I was told.

1. There were four planes, not two.
2. They were listed as parts but were in flyable condition.
3. The planes arrived in creates. Seven or so on a flatbed railcar.
4. The FBI knew everything from the very beginning.
   • The people who bought the planes.
   • Where the money came from and how it was distributed.
   • When and where the conspirators met.
   • The serial numbers for the planes and the railcars.
   • The route the railcars took.
   • How they were crossing the Atlantic

So, yep. Grandpa was a terrorist.

One of the planes is in this article.