GANGSTER WARFARE FROM THE SKIES – November 12th of 1926 saw the very first aerial bombing on United States soil. It was not a foreign power or terrorist group behind the attack, however.
The bombing was part of a gang war between two rival groups of bootleggers in Williamson County, located in southern Illinois. On one side was the Shelton Gang, led by Bernie, Carl and Earl Shelton. On the other was the Birger Gang, led by Charlie Birger.
The two gangs were fighting it out for control of the bootleg whiskey racket in the area. Being so far away from Chicago and vicinity, the Shelton-Birger War was not well known to the rest of the United States.
By some accounts, the falling out between the formerly allied gangs resulted over protection payments being made to them by suppliers of bootleg whiskey. When both gangs claimed some of the same bootleggers owed the protection money to them the rift occurred and the bullets flew.
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