"Hold my beer and watch this"

When you place a bet with someone, you will be willing to do anything to meet the condition, but if it involves crime or stealing an aircraft, it will certainly be the strangest bet.

We daily read about many Strange and odd things but in this blogg, I shall tell you about a person who placed a strange bet and then fulfilled it.

Thomas Edward Fitzpatrick

Fitzpatrick, born in Washington, lied about his age and joined the US Marine Corps at age of 15 during World War II. Before being discharged, He learned to fly a plane.

After World War II, He joined US Army.

He was stationed in Japan.

He was first person from New York to be wounded in Korea during Korean War. According to one report, "he was wounded while driving an ammunition truck to rescue some American soldiers trapped by Communist fire"

He was awarded Purple Heart. Fitzpatrick died of Cancer on 14 September,2009 at age of 79.

Flights 

First Flight

In a bar of New York City 191 Street, Fitzpatrick made a bet with a person that in 15 minutes, he could travel from New Jersey To New York.

He stole a single engine plan from Teterboro School of Aeronautics at Teterboro Airport. He did it on 30 September 1956. He was fined $100 but plan owner refused to take that.

There was an interesting headline about this flight on next day's New York times, called the flight "feat of aeroneutics" and a "fine landing".

Second Flight

 Before 1:00 am On October 4, 1958 Fitzpatrick, again intoxicated, stole another plane from the same airfield and landed on Amsterdam and 187th street in front of a Yeshiva University building after another bar patron disbelieved his first feat. For his second stolen flight, He was sentenced to six months in prison

The judge stated "Had you been properly jolted then, it’s possible this would not have occurred a second time." Fitzpatrick said "it's the lousy drink" that caused him to pull the stunt.

These two stunts made him one of the strange person of world. People say him "hold my beer and watch this"