Gasper Cammarata (Bonanno)

Gasper 'Skin' Cammarata was a member of the Bonanno Family.

Born December 4, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York to Anthony (Subway Laborer; 36y) and Mary DiMara. Father from Partanna comune of Trapani, Sicily. Grew up in long-time Bonanno strongholds of Williamsburg and Bushwick.

By 1968 resided at 302 Knickerbocker Ave in Bushwick.

By 1970s associated with Bonanno Soldier Philip 'Phil Lucky' Giaccone. Around late summer - September 1977 Giaccone was promoted to Captain. Described in the book Born to the Mob as one of Giaccone's close associates and bodyguards through the late 1970s up to the time of the latter's murder in 1981. Following Giaccone's death Cammarata aligned with the faction under Captain Joseph Massino.

Around July 1978 Cammarata participated in the assault of an unspecified shop steward employed with Giaccone's Pinto Trucking Company.

By 1980 believed resided at 14 Ohio St in Lindenhurst, Long Island.

By 1982 he listed an address at 1414 Willoughby Ave back in Bushwick.

The Bonanno Family's books were closed from approximately 1979 to mid-to-late 1984, not long after which Cammarata is believed to have become a formally inducted member.

Around 1986 he was placed in the crew of Salvatore Vitale, a newly promoted captain who had himself only been inducted after the books re-opened in 1984. Other members of Vitale's crew included Salvatore Ferrugia, James Galante, Russell Mauro and former Giaccone crew members Henry Bono and Thomas DiFiore.

On August 19, 1987 the FBI's New York Office submitted a report on various Colombo Members:
"

From review of files, it appears that Gasper Cammarata is a Colombo Family Soldier who had close ties to certain Bonanno members, most notably Philip Giaccone (now deceased). Philip Giaccone was one of three Bonanno Capos murdered in May of 1981 in an apparent intra-Family dispute.

Cammarata possibly owns or is employed by Pinto Trucking, 126 10th Avenue, Brooklyn. He worked as a dispatcher and was involved in a beating of a Pinto Shop Steward in July 1978 according to source information.

"

Cammarata and other Bonanno members at MVP Trucking in Maspeth, Queens (Nov. 1987)

Following Vitale's promotion to Family Underboss in 1993, Cammarata is believed to have been transferred into the crew headed by newly promoted Vincent Asaro. It's also possible that Cammarata was put under Anthony 'Tony Green' Urso. Like Cammarata, Asaro and Urso were both former Vitale crew members. Urso was chosen by Family Boss Joseph Massino to replace the demoted Louis Restivo.

Little is available on Cammarata's criminal activities. He was frequently observed visiting the Bonanno Family's social club at 69-64 Grand Ave in Maspeth, and in 1995 was spotted attending the wake for Bonanno Soldier Henry 'Chubby' Bono held in Bayside, Queens.

Gasper Cammarata died July 16, 1999. Two days later his wake was held in New York. Attendees included:

- Salvatore Vitale (Bonanno Underboss)

- Jerome Asaro (Bonanno Acting Captain)

- Patrick DeFilippo (Bonanno Captain)

- Frank Lino (Bonanno Captain)

- Anthony Urso (Bonanno Captain)

- Nicholas Accardi (Bonanno Soldier)

- Sandro Aiosa (Bonanno Soldier)

- Giuseppe Bonanno (Bonanno Soldier)

- John Cerasani (Bonanno Soldier)

- Peter Cosoleto (Bonanno Soldier)

- Louis DeCicco (Bonanno Soldier)

- Thomas DiFiore (Bonanno Soldier)

- John Faraci (Bonanno Soldier)

- Joseph Grimaldi (Bonanno Soldier)

- Vito Grimaldi (Bonanno Soldier)

- Robert Lino Jr. (Bonanno Soldier)

- Michael Mancuso (Bonanno Soldier)

- Daniel Mongelli (Bonanno Soldier)

- Anthony Rabito (Bonanno Soldier)

- Richard Riccardi (Bonanno Soldier)

- Pietro Rosa (Bonanno Soldier)

More Bonanno Family posts can be found in the Index.