On This Day in Key West History

[Tim Gratz]

Dec 9, 1961, Teamster Pres Jimmy Hoffa was in town inspecting the once grand Casa Marina Hotel the Teamsters had recently acquired. He later leased it to the U.S. military and it was used for military housing. Less than a year later, on November 26, 1962, when JFK was in Key West, his motorcade went by the Casa Marina so he could see where the military was housed. I have not been able to determine whether JFK knew that the military was leasing property from his brother's arch nemesis. Some of course believe that Hoffa was either involved in or ordered the murder of the President and that Hoffa's own murder in 1975 may have related to his involvement in the Kennedy case.

Edited December 9, 2007 by Tim Gratz

[Scott Deitche]

Dec 9, 1961, Teamster Pres Jimmy Hoffa was in town inspecting the once grand Casa Marina Hotel the Teamsters had recently acquired. He later leased it to the U.S. military and it was used for military housing. Less than a year later, on November 26, 1962, when JFK was in Key West, his motorcade went by the Casa Marina so he could see where the military was housed. I have not been able to determine whether JFK knew that the military was leasing property from his brother's arch nemesis. Some of course believe that Hoffa was either involved in or ordered the murder of the President and that Hoffa's own murder in 1975 may have related to his involvement in the Kennedy case.

While Hoffa's involvement in the assasination is certainly discussion-worthy, I think it's safe to say that his death was a direct result of Mafia/Teamsters politics. Hoffa angered Genovese capo Tony Provenzano and Detroit capo Anthony "Tony Jack" Giacalone (along with the leadership of the Detroit Partnership- the name for the Detroit Mafia family, then led by aging Joe Zerilli).

[Terry Mauro]

Dec 9, 1961, Teamster Pres Jimmy Hoffa was in town inspecting the once grand Casa Marina Hotel the Teamsters had recently acquired. He later leased it to the U.S. military and it was used for military housing. Less than a year later, on November 26, 1962, when JFK was in Key West, his motorcade went by the Casa Marina so he could see where the military was housed. I have not been able to determine whether JFK knew that the military was leasing property from his brother's arch nemesis. Some of course believe that Hoffa was either involved in or ordered the murder of the President and that Hoffa's own murder in 1975 may have related to his involvement in the Kennedy case.

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Not meaning to hi-jack this thread, T.G., but do you happen to have any pictures of how Key West looked when I lived there from December 3, 1963 to June of 1964? Boca Chica Naval Air Station, and Stock Island, for example? Everything seemed to be battleship gray in color, except for the palms, the coral reefs, and Hemingway's house, as I remember it.

Thanks.

Your femme Nikita.

[Michael G. Smith]

Dec 9, 1961, Teamster Pres Jimmy Hoffa was in town inspecting the once grand Casa Marina Hotel the Teamsters had recently acquired. He later leased it to the U.S. military and it was used for military housing. Less than a year later, on November 26, 1962, when JFK was in Key West, his motorcade went by the Casa Marina so he could see where the military was housed. I have not been able to determine whether JFK knew that the military was leasing property from his brother's arch nemesis. Some of course believe that Hoffa was either involved in or ordered the murder of the President and that Hoffa's own murder in 1975 may have related to his involvement in the Kennedy case.

While Hoffa's involvement in the assasination is certainly discussion-worthy, I think it's safe to say that his death was a direct result of Mafia/Teamsters politics. Hoffa angered Genovese capo Tony Provenzano and Detroit capo Anthony "Tony Jack" Giacalone (along with the leadership of the Detroit Partnership- the name for the Detroit Mafia family, then led by aging Joe Zerilli).

I agree with you Scott on that. The mob warned Hoffa not to mess with the current arrangements within the Teamsters by running for President again. [legally or illegally] The mob was more than happy with Fitzsimmons as President, as far as loans and money went. They knew if Hoffa got back in, things would change. I beleive Hoffa threatened them with going public with what he knew about "certain things" if he wasnt left alone concerning his running. The mob didnt like that one bit. As far as the Hotel being leased to the military seemed very odd. Why would they be dealing with the Teamsters, and or the mob, with Bobby Kennedy after them as hot and heavy as he was? But I would guess they are going to do what satisfies their situation, regardless of either Kennedy, especially with the relationship they had with JFK.

FWIW -MS

[Michael G. Smith]

Dec 9, 1961, Teamster Pres Jimmy Hoffa was in town inspecting the once grand Casa Marina Hotel the Teamsters had recently acquired. He later leased it to the U.S. military and it was used for military housing. Less than a year later, on November 26, 1962, when JFK was in Key West, his motorcade went by the Casa Marina so he could see where the military was housed. I have not been able to determine whether JFK knew that the military was leasing property from his brother's arch nemesis. Some of course believe that Hoffa was either involved in or ordered the murder of the President and that Hoffa's own murder in 1975 may have related to his involvement in the Kennedy case.

While Hoffa's involvement in the assasination is certainly discussion-worthy, I think it's safe to say that his death was a direct result of Mafia/Teamsters politics. Hoffa angered Genovese capo Tony Provenzano and Detroit capo Anthony "Tony Jack" Giacalone (along with the leadership of the Detroit Partnership- the name for the Detroit Mafia family, then led by aging Joe Zerilli).

I agree with you Scott on that. The mob warned Hoffa not to mess with the current arrangements within the Teamsters by running for President again. [legally or illegally] The mob was more than happy with Fitzsimmons as President, as far as loans and money went. They knew if Hoffa got back in, things would change. I beleive Hoffa threatened them with going public with what he knew about "certain things" if he wasnt left alone concerning his running. The mob didnt like that one bit. As far as the Hotel being leased to the military seemed very odd. Why would they be dealing with the Teamsters, and or the mob, with Bobby Kennedy after them as hot and heavy as he was? But I would guess they are going to do what satisfies their situation, regardless of either Kennedy, especially with the relationship they had with JFK.

FWIW -MS

[Tim Gratz]

What Scott said certainly constitutes the conventional wisdom re the Hoffa death. But the CV can and is sometimes wrong.

If I recall correctly the Hoffa death came within thirty daus of Giancana's death.

And regardless of the dispute over whether ST confessed to Ragano, Ragano does also report delivering an urgent request from JH to STR and CM that it was time to get rid of JFK. And we know that JR had at least one phone call to a Hoffa enforcer shortly before that tragic day. And in "Ultimate Sacrifice" the authors report a witness (located by Pierre Salinger) to a pay-off from a Hoffa associate to none other than JR as I recall oin the first Sunday in November of 1963. One of the authors interviewed this witness. In "Brothers" DT states that Walter Sheridan had received info on either the same or a similar payment very shortly after the assassination.

Perhaps there was more than one reason why someone thought it was time for Jimmy Hoffa to be gone if not forgotten.

Edited December 10, 2007 by Tim Gratz