olemisscub

I think you're splitting hairs. Why would you expect Cossey to precisely remember the harness colors of the shitty old military pack he threw Hayden's canopy into? He no doubt packed hundreds of chutes between May 21st and Nov 24th. The descriptions are pretty damn close when you consider that one of the descriptions is based solely on a six month old memory. Also, when you say Hayden "denied" the initial description, it sounds like you're saying he rejected the validity of the description itself, which he did not. I know what you mean but others may not, which is why I’m clarifying that point. But let's say that initial description was provided by Halstad or someone else at the airport. Regardless of whomever made that initial description, they knew enough about parachutes to provide a better description of a parachute than I'd be able to. The description of the Museum chute provided by this individual is pretty accurate. So aside from the canopy size being wrong, why are you assuming that the description of Cooper's chute by that same individual is incorrect?

Yet Cossey consistently describes both backpacks as being military chutes, both in the early FBI files and also in the media in 1971, contrary to his 2003 claim about one of them being a sport rig. Additionally, why is the description attributed to Hayden on 11/24 or 11/25 pretty consistent with Cossey's very first description if they are describing two different chutes? Sounds very much like they are describing the same parachute. Yes, I realize Cossey says sage green and Hayden(?) says olive drab. Those colors are similar enough. But they both say it's a green colored military pack with a foam cushion and with a 28 foot white canopy. And it should be remembered that white canopies were actually somewhat rare for surplus canopies at the time, especially for main canopies. Most surplus parachute canopies four colored brown-green types or had orange and white every other panel. I believe they are describing the same chute, regardless of Cossey's bullshit from 30 years later. The question is where does the 28-foot come from?

He doesn't ever provide a detailed description of the museum chute in the files. Would be nice to know what's behind this redaction. Whomever is doing the redactions really went overboard. There's no possible way that what is behind that redaction fits into one of the redaction exceptions. Obviously this is Hayden asking about getting his chute back.

Couldn't have been. His first description in the files is from 11-26-71. Chutes weren't sent back to Seattle until 12-6-71.

This doesn’t explain why Hayden/Halstad (whomever) also thought they were 28 and 26 footers. Their comments predate Cossey being contacted.

What it seems like is Cooper probably didn't shove the card all the way into the pocket, so the Sgt. just pulled it out not realizing there was another card inside the pocket because duh, parachutes don't have TWO packing cards, so why would he look to check the pocket more thoroughly? Then by the time it gets to evidence the agent just goes about his business and writes "these cards are contained in the back of the chute pocket" not realizing that two cards is abnormal. That's one thing Detlor was firm about during our conversation. Essentially: "for this parachute business and the drop zone and all these other assorted technical things, we had to rely on others to provide us with insight. So it wasn't our fault if we looked in the wrong place."

Just now realized that the 1960 card was pulled from the pocket of the museum chute. Good lord, this parachute business is really something else. The whole business from late December of the 1960 being an "integral part of the chute" made me think that the 1960 card was just shoved in the folds of the museum chute. Guess not.

yes, I was reading my spreadsheet wrong.

Anyone have an idea as to who this suspect was? Sub File 1059. Something to do with Lake Tahoe. I asked Larry and he can't recall. 1062 is LD, 1061 is Kenny, 1060 is Arthur Derham, and 1058 is Lyle Franklin. It's not Barb because she was apparently so insignificant that they never created a Sub File for her. That may be unfair to Barb though because Gossett never received a sub file either. Anyways, the only suspect with a connection to Lake Tahoe is Jack Farmer and he already has a Sub File (No. 986).

So why do both Hayden and Cossey say that the tan was 26 and green was 28? That’s what confuses me about all this. Also, if you’re saying the packing card is wrong for the museum chute then you’re saying we can’t trust that Cooper jumped with a 24 foot either. Either both packing cards are wrong or both are right. I don’t see one being wrong and one being right.

Fred Catalano had some amazing hair in high school

Oh, my bad. Guess we're all talking in circles here.

That is TAN. You said that chute IS an NB6. Fly says it is NOT and I'm inclined to agree with him. The museum chute more closely resembles the WWII chute than an NB6.

Good heavens, we're playing word games here. I said "some type of olive drab shade" i.e. GREEN. Call it what you will: greenish, sage green, mucus colored, moss, shamrock, seafoam, lime, jade, chartreuse, emerald, baby shit, whatever. The entire point which you have dodged is that I've never seen an NB6 or NB8 type parachute back that was not on the green color wheel; I've never seen any the color of the chute in the museum. If you can show me an example I'd like that.

Thanks for explaining what they are. Why can’t I find an NB-6 container that isn’t OD and doesn’t have a circular seam?

Not trying to be argumentative, but just trying to understand. Every pic I've come across for NB-6's they have a circular looking seam at the bottom. The museum chute and the chute Fly posted have the identical straight seams. Also, I've never come across an NB-6 online that was a color other than some sort of olive drab type of shade.

I've not found a source confirming that Hayden actually bought anything at a surplus store. Do you have the source for that? Hayden told Bruce he couldn't remember if he got them directly from Cossey or took them to Cossey to pack. Vault files don't help either. Hayden told whomever he spoke with in 1971 that Cossey had "assembled" them. In Cossey's first statement he says Hayden came to him needing two parachutes so he packed two parachutes which were furnished to Hayden.

So maybe it was. What's the likelihood that Cossey had TWO of those crummy old packs?

So I just looked through my Cossey files and can't find anywhere where Cossey called the museum chute an NB6. Seems like we've been calling it that based on what was written in this evidence report. Cossey only stated that COOPER's chute was an NB6.

Good stuff. I've been attempting to purchase an NB6 and none of them have looked like the museum chute. Guess this is why.

And the likelihood of any of it being Cooper's DNA is probably low. That tie was picked up by agents in Reno, taken to a Penney's, sent to the Crime Lab, sent back to Vegas, then sent again to Crime Lab in 72, sent back to Vegas, then sent to LA in 74, then sent back to Vegas, then sent to Seattle in the 90's, then sent to Crime Lab in 2001, sent back to Seattle, etc. It has seen some miles and numerous hands since NORJAK.

The “discussion” I’m referring to is what I’ve read from YOU.

I've read discussion about there being 9 loci among the DNA. It's my understanding that this doesn't tell us how many donors there were. 9 loci could all come from the same person, right? But we know that there are multiple partial profiles among the DNA. Might three be the answer to how many? This is from 2010 when Marla's cousin (LD's daughter) gave a sample for testing.

Want to share this with everyone. I purchased an original printing of this photo and scanned it. So this is probably the clearest version of this we're going to get unless the negative is obtained. You can even see Al Lee (presumably) standing by the Dodge Dart.

Vortexy name on that chute.