Outrageous Outlaw: How a Teenager's Sneaky Zeppelin Stunt Electrified the World
About this episode
The episode recounts the daring adventure of Clarence Terhune, the first airship stowaway aboard the Graf Zeppelin in 1928.
Dive into the thrilling tale of Clarence Terhune, the daring 19-year-old who became the world's first airship stowaway aboard the legendary Graf Zeppelin in 1928! MF Thomas uncovers the audacious adventure that blended Roaring Twenties optimism with high-altitude recklessness. From humble St. Louis roots, marked by tragedy and a thirst for exploration, Terhune honed his skills hopping freight trains, stowing away on ships to Alaska and Hawaii, and gate-crashing epic boxing matches like Tunney vs. Dempsey. When the massive LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin—776 feet of engineering marvel, commanded by Dr. Hugo Eckener—arrived in Lakehurst, New Jersey, after its stormy maiden transatlantic voyage, Terhune saw his chance. Hitchhiking from New York, he sneaked aboard amid the chaos, hiding in the mail room for a perilous return flight to Germany. Enduring freezing cold, howling storms, and hunger, he was discovered mid-journey and put to work peeling potatoes in the galley. Upon landing in Friedrichshafen, Terhune emerged a folk hero, showered with job offers, marriage proposals, and even an invitation from Zeppelin's daughter. Fined minimally and celebrated worldwide, his story…
More episodes of My Dark Path
- UFO Buried in Arctic Ice: The Spitsbergen UFO Mystery
- Alien Abductees and Dr. Sprinkle, Psychologist to the Stars
- What Crashed into the Norwegian Mountains in 1934? The Story of the Scandinavian Ghost Flyer
- Three Historical UFO Images That Defy Explanation
- The Alien Abduction of Carl Higdon
- UFOs of the 19th Century: Cigar Shaped Craft
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the My Dark Path podcast page.