The Harvey's Resort Hotel bombing took place on August 26–27, , when three men Harrah's Casino (which was connected to Harvey's Resort via a tunnel) was also damaged by the explosion, which broke many of the casino's windows.
The Harvey's Resort Hotel bombing took place on August 26–27, , when three men Harrah's Casino (which was connected to Harvey's Resort via a tunnel) was also damaged by the explosion, which broke many of the casino's windows.
The effort proved unsuccessful: The device detonated 33 hours after it was planted when agents failed to neutralize the triggering mechanism. However, he unequivocally acquired and honed pilot skills while fighting Soviet forces occupying his native Hungary. After much deliberation, Gross, who had started the casino in as a cabin with a blackjack table and a couple of slot machines, reluctantly consented. Debris was everywhere. Sprung three days later by fellow revolutionaries, he journeyed west across Europe as a Red Cross interpreter. The explosion occurred at about p. Yet, on that day, explosive experts with scant confidence and no illusions asked Harvey Gross permission to attempt to render the device safe, while apprising the owner of the likelihood of failure. Share it in the comments. He divorced his wife in , but she lived in a trailer on Birges Sr. The new boyfriend called the FBI, provided the tip, and agents mobilized and set up a complex surveillance project ending in the arrest John Birges Jr. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.{/INSERTKEYS}{/PARAGRAPH} No Comments. That action inadvertently activated one of the many triggers attached to the bomb, puncturing a crater in the side of the casino as onlookers cheered. Matthew Renda is a Nevada City—based writer. {PARAGRAPH}{INSERTKEYS}About 20 minutes later, a graveyard shift slot manager contacted casino security after noticing the tampered locks and the large device. The bomb squad, holed up in an empty room on the second floor of the deserted casino on the morning of August 27, , more than 24 hours after the bomb was discovered, engaged in some rigorous problem-solving exercises. An investigator examines the Harveys bomb, which contained nearly 1, pounds of dynamite and a variety of triggering mechanisms that made it virtually undefeatable, photo courtesy the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In June , Birges Sr. Meanwhile, the culprits bungled their way onto the road of suspicion, capture and incarceration. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He and his wife had two sons, John Waldo Jr. Cancel reply. At 74, Birges Sr. That winter, he casually informed his sons he planned to build a bomb to extort money from the casino that was becoming the repository of all his earnings. Officials later identified the three men as John Birges Sr. Due to ineptitude likely on Birges Sr. On August 15, , almost a year after planting the bomb, Birges Sr. The FBI interviewed suspects and hundreds of witnesses over the next several weeks. No one was injured and in fact many of the onlookers in proximity cheered loudly, toasting bottles and reveling. Soviet military captured Birges Sr. After authorities evacuated Harveys Casino and the surrounding area, experts attempted to disarm the bomb, but their efforts were unsuccessful and the bomb exploded, photo courtesy the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In October , Birges Sr. Have something to add to this story? When the couple broke up, the woman began dating another man and disclosed that Birges Sr. They were eventually convicted and served time in federal prison. A dramatic case ensued, with local, state and federal law enforcement officials working against the clock to defuse the bomb. They quickly secured work with a California corporation, and Birges Sr. The van registration information led investigators to John Birges Jr. Born in Hungary in , Birges Sr. At about p. Birges Jr. In a memoir, John Birges Jr. John Birges Jr. Released after eight and a half years, he was recaptured in November while fighting Soviet forces in his hometown, Kecskemet. Birges Sr.