Patrick Murphy (pilot) facts for kids

Patrick Murphy was an Irish pilot who accidentally dropped bombs on a town in Arizona, USA. This happened during a conflict in Mexico. We don't know much about his personal life.

The Accidental Bombing of Naco

Murphy owned an airplane around 1929. At that time, there was a conflict in Mexico called the Cristero War. This war was between the Mexican government, led by Emilio Portes Gil, and rebels who supported the Catholic Church.

Murphy decided to help the rebels. He wanted to use his plane to bomb a town called Naco, Sonora in Mexico, which was controlled by the government. Between March 31 and April 6, he tried many times to hit his target.

However, he made a big mistake! He accidentally bombed Naco, Arizona, a town on the US side of the border that had the same name. His bombs damaged some buildings and even a car in the US town.

Eventually, soldiers from the United States found Murphy. They took away his airplane. Murphy managed to escape to the rebel area in Mexico. But he later came back to the United States and was put in jail for a short time.

Why Was Patrick Murphy Remembered?

Patrick Murphy became famous for an unusual reason. He was the first person working for another country to ever bomb the mainland United States.

A singer named Dolan Ellis even wrote a song about Murphy. It's on his album called "Tall Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes."