Why did he not get taken out?

Seemed every family that existed back then wanted him dead!

As an "original" of both the historic Mafia cosca back in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, as well as a founding member of the American Mafia, and its national regulatory body -- "The Commission" -- Bonanno was way too respected a figure for that.

Despite the hatred and envy some Commission members may have personally harbored for Bonanno, the Commission as a whole would never vote for such a hit. And without Commission approval, hitting any member -- but especially a "official" sitting boss of a Family, was simply out of the question.

Exactly and Joseph Bonanno was a life member of BPOE Brooklyn Lodge No. 22 of the Elks; a life member of Knights of Columbus, Hempstead Council; a member of the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knights of Military Order of Malta; and a life member of Concordia di Castellammare del Golfo.

Bonanno and his ally Joe Magliocco (successor to his brother-in-law Joe Profaci) were plotting against two Commission members--Carlo Gambino and Tommy Lucchese--not the entire Commission. The Commission didn't want to start a multi-Families war by whacking Bonanno and Magliocco. The Commission wanted them to step down as Dons. Their purpose was to put in their places Dons who would be loyal to Commission members--Joe Colombo, who was allied with Carlo Gambino, and Gaspar DiGregorio, who was Stefano Magaddino's brother in law. They also aimed to break up the powerful, old-guard Castellemmare del Golfo alliance between the Bonannos and Profacis that had exerted what other Commission members resented as undue influence in the Commission.

Magliocco, terminally ill with heart disease, stepped down and paid a $55k fine. Bonanno refused. The Commission, without firing a shot, decreed he was no longer the Boss, and that DiGregorio was. That move set off a war between Bonanno members loyal to Joe, and those who wanted Gaspar. That war cost plenty of Bonanno Family lives and weakened the Family. Joe took it on the lam and finally did step down--all of this without other Commission members going to war against them. The Bonannos were no longer influential. They didn't regain their Commission seat until Joe Massino, with John Gotti's help, was seated years later.

No-one was killing Joe Bonanno while Joe Profaci was still alive.

Those 2 were a force together on the commission.

Thats very true. But we also have to remember that Profaci died in 62' so by the time of the so-called "Banana War" -- fought between 1966 and 1969 -- Joe Bonanno stood alone.

He was not killed because he went into hiding, and eventually gave up his spot at the top. He even faked his own kidnapping, to evade law enforcement and possibly rivals.

@NYMafia.

They was definitely true. People underestimate the Joe Profaci and Joe Bonanno relationship. It's really underestimated.

Agreed. In fact, very much so.

Until the Gallo uprising Profaci operated as a near shadow figure within New York, yet, he and his clan was extremely powerful and efficient. Bonanno conducted himself in much the same way. They were birds of a feather in that regard. Very simpatico in their thinking and beliefs...and very "traditional" and old-fashioned as leaders. So much so, that they even encouraged their children to intermarry, thereby further solidifying their combined power.

@NYMafia

I find it impressive Joe Profaci and Joe Bonanno served over 30 years in their respective families.

Noe one else in NYC; Lucchese; Genovese; all the other bosses never came close.

And retiring in 1968 dying in 2002 he had a great life the last decades lol.

Once again, you are very correct, Zavattoni.

Not only were Profaci and Bonanno the only two NYC bosses to ever head their families for over 3 decades, but both of them descended from rich Mafia 'bloodlines' back in Sicily.

To the best of my recollection, the only other two NYC bosses who could make that claim were Carlo Gambino, and his cousin, Paul Castellano, who also hailed from rich Mafia bloodlines. And neither one of them were boss for 30+ years.

[Salvatore D'Aquila and Vincenzo Mangano may have also come from old Mafia bloodlines. But maybe not. I never researched their backgrounds to say for sure, one way or the other]

But as far as NYC bosses such as Luciano, Costello, Genovese, Reina, Gagliano, Lucchese, Tramunti, Anastasia, Scalici, D'Aquila, Mangano, etc., etc., None of them ever even came close to running a Family for 30 years. Nor (to my knowledge at least) did any come from a blood Family tracing their lineage to old-fashioned Mafia groups. Most of these guys were "one and done" as far as lineage went.