skyjack71

Georger stated:

Because the first part is still classified and should not be. Do a little investigation: WHAT WAS THE DATE THE MOTHER AND CHILDREN GOT KILLED BY THE BALLOON? Contact The Dalles, OR and Washouga, WA and find out about the STRANGE goings on at Camp Bonneville before the 555's OFFICIALLY went WEST. Why do I even bother. I thought a couple of yrs ago when certain documents were released - the US Government would finally AIR out the Secret Closet. Right NOW I am fed up with Government Secrets - kept for how many yrs? This one is WELL over due for Public acknowledgment. 41 yrs is 3 yrs too late and I am tired of sitting still with them waiting for me to die. Because an ex-con obtained enough knowledge to pull off a SkyJacking in 1971 from a "secret operation" from the 40's and they can't reveal his involvement. Absolutely NO ONE is that stupid and this is the kind of garbage in an election yr the government continuely wants us to swallow. Secrets aren't secret anymore and this one I have known for 2 yrs. It did NOT take a rocket scientist to figure it out after Sluggo's visit, JT's odd behaviour and the way Himmelsbach always kept his answers fine tuned, the strange stories I heard in WA in 2010, which coincided with the things Duane had told me on that trip,...Old people talk and I spent my time going to Senior Centers in the N.W. The reactions of the FBI - HANDS OFF! The DL Cooper thing - the FBI did NOT expect Marla to get out of hand. I thought they would let go with information last yr and NOW with all of the CRAP being thrown out here on the thread (I realize they are still trying to hide the past) - I am tired of waiting! The government is still trying to hide the past - parts of it are just that the past and NO reason for these things to remain secret anymore. So what - a con-man used his government gained knowledge to skyjack a plane - what is worst are the tactics the government has use to silence his widow. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Well, the entire battalion was NOT sent until the early summer, but a group had already been to WA to be trained by Derry in the VERY early spring - snow was still on the ground. If they waited until May - many lives could have been lost to what they feared was CHEMICAL WARFARE. Perhaps you need to talk to your superiors about getting a higher clearance level. So you can TEACH the HISTORY of the 555's Operation Firefly! Use your noggin! Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Georger stated: "What people do question is the relevance of any of this to Jo Weber's fables, and conjectures of fables. There has never been anything regarding the name Duane Weber, that interfaces with any of this in known reality in the known world." Georger: I just LOVE the way you play with WORDS. Like "We" - you mess up on that one sometimes don't you?

Duane was in Id, Wa and Or. I have already placed him at the Dalles - and right now I forget the name of bar. I have NEVER tried to place Duane just in WA. because the things he showed me and told me indicated he was all over the 3 state area. Why he mentioned flying in and out of several airports - I thought maybe it was with family, but was assured by his survivors it was not family. The only time I asked about this was when we were going to NV and Duane mentioned towns over toward the East. Prineville and Redmond. Talked about flying in and out of Redmond. I asked who the guys were he referred to - his answer was just some guys we did business with. I believe I did ask What Business and he was astute at changing the subject. This when I knew it was a part of his life he would tell me about when he was ready. Remember Ed Hurand had slipped up and I kept my promise to this man as I kept every promise I made if it was in my power to do so. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

There was a WAR - Our guys were overseas and weary. Only when our guys started coming home in 1946 - did the man power improve. There were women doing jobs men usually did. There was still a shortage of manpower in the states even in 1948 as it took time to wind down the war efforts. When they did come home there were few jobs as the war effort had provided jobs no longer needed. I know this history - my father and my family lived it and in 1945 penicillin was hard to find in the states - it was all going to save the lives of injured soldiers. The aftermath of WW11 was a matter of recovery and discovery! Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

What was the Federal Law on the age in 1945? I have been told it was 21...in 1945. 377: You are a CA attorney - find the correct answer to this problem. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

WHAT IS A PA? I need to see documentation other than what is on a SITE - for the date the 555 went to WA. I had always been told it was in Late 1944 or that could be when they got the orders to go and then went to WA in January of 1945. Snow was still on the ground - they were in training mode in the mountains! Look at the pictures. Look at the attire they are wearing. Was this a training session or a tape of an actual fire fight? Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Why don't you BUY the BOOK and READ the WHOLE book! I didn't want to be married to a skyjacker - if you knew anything about me U would know that was the farthest thing from my mind. Remember this - in 1995 when he died I had no knowledge of DAN COOPER (the name he used in the hospital) and it would be 1 yr and 2 months before I learned the skyjacker USED that name. I had heard of DB Cooper but just was NOT interested in crimes of any kind. Learn to TRUST something besides WHAT U read on a SITE. Without an open mind you will miss a lot in life. Do you have any idea how difficult it is for me to type a whole page from a book? Of course not - you still have the eyesight of a young man and an able body! Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Oh Robt that was sick but not as sick as I feel after being on the computer trying to find a new house. Iugggj - these people do not take care of the homes and the yards are crap. Funky colors on the walls with dark cabinets and little windowa. Give me light and bright and open and airy with a green well cared for yard. Maybe I wait too long to make a move! Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

The Map just did me in. I am elated - all of the places he took me and the places he showed me and talked about the Balloon Bombs - it is all there. When we went down thru Oregon - all of the places he talk about the GUYS it was all of those balloons. We or the guys Flew in this airport or that airport. It is all there. So now I know how he knew all of the places - it makes more sense now than it ever did. So - were are the Balloon Bomb records. Surely there were some kind of records or pictures made by the government! Duane will be in one or more of those pictures. Surely there is someone still alive that might remember him - but he was very young himself in 1944-45. Now I know he was connected to the Nickles - not in them, but many of the forestry workers and the prison work programs - I am sure where completely enthralled with them. Duane had shown me a picture in a book I could never find - he showed me a bunk and told me that was were he used to stay and there was a room for folding the chutes and a picture of the mock-up and training towers. I found similar books but I never found that particular book....I did not get to see the cover - just a few of the pictures he showed me. He even claimed there was one of him in it, but it had been torn out. This was after we had moved to Virginia I believe around 1985 - it was about the time the Books came out. I forget the dates now, but I am tired. . Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Has anyone heard anything? I know when I spoke to him last he had been having migrain headaches and I was worried about his having a stoke or worse. He is a BIG guy for those who do not know. I described him to my family as looking like a logger guy - tall and big. We spent a day together on my 2010 trip to WA. He was with me when we found my Mountain but it was raining to hard for us to go up. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Like I said - it doesn't make much difference with the things I know. It is trivial. Please go back and read the long post I just made about Richard Tosaw and my visit to California with Duane's brother and sister.

There is definitely some misinformation there. I haven't been able to locate my file on this as I cannot lift more than 5 lbs and what I did has caused me much suffering. One of the accountings was from one of the 555 himself. There is also the accountings of the Balloon Bombs on record. Perhaps that would be a more reliable source. Read about the Balloon Bombs and you will find my dates are correct - but, I could be wrong. Maybe it has been too many yrs since I reviewed this stuff...but, even if the dates are NOT right on my part it does NOT change anything about the HOWs and WHYs. If it was later as they are claiming it only enforces the stories Duane told me...because we know Duane was in WA by July of 1945....this is per family records which are detailed. His parents never threw anything away. The brother John sent me lots of stuff regarding Duane that was kept in the family Journal. That Journal is in the hands of a relative who will not allow me access to them - so all I have is what John (Duane's brother told me). John was an engineer and represented Boeing for 6 yr as a consultant while he was in the Army. John was either 12 yrs or 13 yrs older than Duane. Duane could never live up to the standards of the family. The brother went to College - Duane did NOT graduate from highschool. The brotherx had not spoke to each other in 38 yrs when Duane died. John had ordered Duane OUT of his mothers home in 1958 and they never set eyes on each other again. The sister and I arranged for the 2 of them to talk before Duane died after his removal from the machine 11 days before he died. Duane was beaming when he was on the phone with John. Two brothers re-united by Duane's battle with the kidney disease his mother died of. John after the fact was very proud of what Duane had finally done with his life and this culminated in my getting to meet John in 2004 when my last husband and I went to CA to the Loma Linda University for proton radiation for his cancer. Our visit was very brief as Duane's sister had a heart attack while my husband and I had dinner with John and his wife. She had shared things with John after finding out about Cooper and she didn't want anyone to know. She never dreamt I would make it to CA and that John and I would arrange a meeting. John had something to share with me, but I never got to find out because the private meeting he and I were to have after dinner did not get to happen. John was almost deaf and his wife was going to entertain my husband in the living room while John and I went to his Office in the home (so he could use his amplifier) as he had something to share with me. We never got to have that private time.... At dinner that night - John had asked me if I had ever met Richard Tosaw. I told him I had spoke to him on the phone, but Tosaw was a difficult man. John and his wife knew Tosaw very well from another city in Ca. they had lived in. He went to the same Church and the two belonged to the same boating club. John's wife attested to his. They also knew the sister of Tosaw. John informed me that Tosaw was a private investigator and he had aquired something I needed to see. Duane's sister did NOT want him to share this with me. Because of her heart attack I never found out what it was about. I did get a letter from the sister BEGGING me to leave the past in the past. She was very proud of her social position and did not want anyone to know what only she knew. The sister lived in Modesto when the jump occurred. Remember that one of the letters was mailed only a few miles from her home. The sister thought until that night at the hospital that I was the other wife she had met in 1971 - she beamed that night in the hospital when she met me. I had told her I had never been to CA but she kept insisting I was in CA with Duane. I had explained to her many times I was not that woman and I had never been to CA. She looked at me that night in the hospital (John went in the room and she said she wanted to meet me) and the relief in her eyes and voice was overwhelming. She finally realized that was his other wife and not me...! The visit was very very brief and she was relieved. John never got to share with me what he had found out about Duane, but would tell me over the phone being only able to hear every other word I said - he told me that Duane had paratrooper training...1940's. I have to assume this is what he wanted to share with me on my visit. But, like the song Duane used to sing to me as he did on our wedding night "You'll Never Know, If You Don't Know Now". I feel half decent tonight and even though I have shared these moments before - I decided it was time to share them again. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Supposedly he forged a federal check from a woman he met in a bar in CA. She was a military wife in a bar while her husband was at war. So that is a federal crime. It is a moral crime she was in a bar cozying up to other men, but that is my opinion. Since if was a Federal check - he went to a Federal prison and he was barely 19 yrs old. I have been told by the family the judge had NO feelings for a man who had been discharged as a Undesirable regardless of the reason. Duane was in the Navy first - and was put out on a bad conduct discharge for hitting an officer in a bar off base for feeling up his girl. I have the papers where the family fought and fought to have this discharged. The somehow Duane managed thru pulled strings to get into the ARMY - but they found him out in a few wks - and then it was out as an undesirable. He wanted to be in the service. Tried to enlist before he was of age. He wanted to be a pilot. The 2ed discharge was because of the 1st discharge. The family records were very extensive and they fought the battle for him. Back in the day NO ONE would hire him to even pick apples with 2 discharges like that - he couldn't find work so I guess he resorted to stealing. All of his wives were drinkers and pretty rowdy from what I Know. WHY the hell he picked me I will never know...I did NOT fit the profile. I have always thought it might have been because of my name and my grandfathers name - the same as his alias of 6 yrs. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

THERE YOU go AGAIN you young SQUIRT. Duane was sent to Mc Neil in Jan of 1945, BUT the family and intervened - The ID the state of CA had shown Duane 4 yrs older than the actually was. This is reflected in the files. His sentence was handed down in CA. Why they were sending him to WA to prison is unknown, but perhaps how they did it in the day. Duane was NOT 24 as the records showed - he was only 19. The 555 arrived in 1944 in WA or perhaps it was meant they just received orders - NOT 1945- where the hell did you get that info? By the end of 1945 is was all history. You have an issue with details - or your source has date issues. Do you know when you were born? Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

I am not lecturing him - he has a lot of misinformation, but is the same information past down for 60 yrs now - things change. For Matt's information I have no idea what is going on in the video's as I cannot down load them. I only have dial-up. Would love it if someone would put them on a disk and send them to me. The written word and still pics are all I can do. Don't tell me to go to a library - we barely have one and I live a fairly private life - so would not ask anyone locally to do it for me. I am NOT lecturing Matt on parachuting, but on his sources. I have always said I know NOTHING about parachuting and why I came to the DZ was for that reason. Matt did finally realize after reading that the 555's did have to obtain some additional training after arriving in WA in 1945. Nothing they had been trained for prepared them for what was ahead of them (one of the 555's said just about these same words). Your question was what in my background made me qualified to lecture Matt on military parachuting...I just provided him with a lesson about respect for research. His experience was not in the 1940's - he did NOT take that into account. I don't care if he is an aerial jumper - we have a couple of those lofting around and they don't blow and puff up tooting their words and know how like Matt did. Matt was not around in 1940 - in fact he was NOT even BORN YET. Jump training changed and Matt hopefully just learned a valuable HISTORY LESSON. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Matthew said: You know you are a REAL JERK! You take what I say and twist the words to make it sound like I was wrong and you were right - when we are both saying the same thing. We are both stating they did not become known as The Nickles" until 1945. The summary indicated we both were saying the same thing, but you had certain things wrong because of how they have come down thru the yrs. Stories handed down thru the generations get changed here and there. The book was written in 1953 - your infomation was put on the computer and some of it is different than the same information was just a few yrs ago. If I was a gambler - I would stack the memories from the 1940's told in 1953 to two writers only 13 yrs after the fact (most of the contributing individuals were still live) against the same stories told after 2000 (approx) to several individuals about what happened 50 yrs ago. In this day of computers it all about who has the best not about finding commonalities that will produce real results. You act just like FBI and all you want to do is TWIST this to meet your protocol. Two different stories saying the same thing, but with some differences. I printed out all of the jumper sites several yrs ago and what little was available in 1998 was printed out for me by a friend. Certain facts got changed along the way...as the sites developed and changed. Some removed and some new. Certain "facts" got change along the way - such as who made the 1st experimental jump in 1939. OK, Smarty Pants! Seems like there are at least 2 different names and someone just threw me 3rd. You are a young disrespectful jerk who only wants to make yourself look BIG while belittling others...over facts that do not mean diddly squat regarding the end results. It was important to establish the dates and what happened during those time spans -who did what first is NOT important to solving this case. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

"The group engaged in over 1200 missions, earning the nickname "Smoke Jumpers" in addition to "Triple Nickles." The only fatality in the unit died while jumping on 6 August 1945." I disagree with this Statement above. I was under the impression they were NOT called the Triple Nickles until 1945, but a division of the 555 and did NOT earn the nickname Smoke Jumpers nor get the official name of "Triple Nickles" until 1945 during the Balloon Bomb searches. If you want it scanned you will need to pay for it. I have to go someplace and they do it for me, but then the page is usually too big to post. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Page 124: Remember I am typing this on a very old keyboard. Just a summary! Not the Whole text - what are you fishing for. 1939 The Flying Johnson Service was well experienced in delivering firefighters and their equipment, cauallty-free onto cramped back-country strips. Howard Flint concieved the idea of smokejumping because of the delays in getting the guys to the fires. A period between Oct 5 and Nov 15 decided to experiment in the deliver of fighters to fires via airplane and chute. Location selected for this was Chelan National forest in WA. Harold C. King was the engineer-pilot. Eagle Parachute Company provided the Chutes, protective clothing and riggers and jumpers. Frank Derry was head rigger and jumper Glenn Smith as assistant. Franks' borthers, Chet and Virgil Derry, Richard Tuttle and Allen Honey were the jumpers. Experimenting is the KEY word here. A lot of tests with dummy chutes 28 foot condemned military silk canopy with a 150 pound sand dummy attached. END of Summary: NOTE: PAGE 126 picture of Jack Nash and Fred Brauer Highlighted and jumps off the page: "Of these, eight were first jumps by forest officers. NO ACTUAL FIRE JUMPS WERE MADE IN THIS YR OF EXPERIMENT". Last Paragraph - Quoted word for word out of the book. NOW FIND OUT WHO IS RIGHT - THE BOOK IS RIGHT! Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

So which one is right? The book or the computer - I will wager the book is accurate. So who is taking the bets and what will you bet - a trip to WA for "shy"JO. Well, I am old and I do not like computer researches and I make mistakes due to my age, but in 1996 - you would not have been able to match me. "shy" Jo is the reason the FL. Real Estate Exam is so hard - yea, if I had not erased to correct answers it would have been a perfect score. BRAGGING RIGHTS - The moderator told me it was so HIGH they actually looked at the answer card - that is how they found the 2 erasures. This was before the state went to computers. My age and my health have caught up with me so I do make mistakes. I had found my materials - the book has all kinds of stickies in it. This was one of those pages with a sticky. Also for YOUR INFORMATION I read this book yrs ago. Sluggo gave it to me when he came to visit. Was that 5 or 4 yrs ago? Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

I was NOT quoting from the same article - I was quoting from the book! We just happened to have been on the same page and you will note there is a big difference between a book and a computer where the information has been twisted and / or forgotten by the the young person who is doing the computer programming. [RED]I WASN'T READING THE SAME THING YOU GUYS WERE READING - THOSE STATEMENTS COME OUT OF A BOOK WRITTEN IN 1953.[/RED] Tall Timber Pilots Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Wrong: Correct Answer -The first organized fire jump in the United States was at 3:57 p.m. July 12, 1940. Deep in the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho. His name was Rufus Robinson. Wrong 2 Times: Correct Answer - In 1941 Frank Derry started to train 7 young men at the Winthrop Base and the project leader for Region One. Then that project Leader (Art Cochrane) and Derry went to Missoula to train the 1st squad in Missoula. Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber

Finally U comprehended what I was telling you. The 555's were NOT smoke jumpers. Read this book: Tall Timber Pilots: In this book you will learn a lot! The first organized fire jump in the United States was at 3:57 p.m. July 12, 1940. Deep in the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho. His name was Rufus Robinson. This was recorded in 1953 not mumbo jumbo that has gotten confused by computer writers in the last 60 yrs. This is why I argued with you because I knew the history. You are reading and trying to catch up with articles on the computer. Earl Cooley made the second jump. So pleased with the results of the EXPERIMENTS the Forestry service recommended that actual smoke jumping operations be undertaken in 1940. A report was sent to WA. assuring the higher-ups "there was NO evidence of fear or panicky state of mind even in FIRST-TIME jumpers" In 1941 Frank Derry started to train 7 young men at the Winthrop Base and the project leader for Region One. Then that project Leader (Art Cochrane) and Derry went to Missoula to train the 1st squad in Missoula. The 555's were NOT Smokejumpers, but brought to the REGION because of the Balloon Bombs. The 555 was completely unaware of how to jump in the heavy timbers of the N.W. 1943 Duane Weber is in Camp Siebert doing CWF. 1943 The 555 is in training at Ft Benning 1944 The 555 is sent to WA. 1945 The 555 and forestry and specially trained young men begin the search for Balloon Bombs One of the Balloon Bombs was found in Nevada. January 1945 - Duane is sentenced to McNeal in WA. But the family made arrangements the system did NOT want to acknowledge. Duane's ID stated he was 4 yrs older than he actually was. Duane even per the FBI only passed thru McNeil, but the files are forever lost other than a summary that contradicts what the FBI said and what the family has affirmed. January 1945 - Duane was NOT old enough to be sent to McNeil, but the system was the system. The family with the help of Duane's Uncle somehow made special arrangements. Even the FBI used the words "Passed Thru McNeil" - yet the file does NOT state how he was held or where or in what capacity...the back-up had been destroyed after 30 or 40 yrs. 1944/45 -(check the census for the exact dates) Duane's Uncle is called up for the second time - yet the war was winding down. The reason he was called up - was his background in the development of the chemical warfare. His family lived in Montebello, CA. How much closer do you guys want me to put Duane in relation to Derry & The Flying Johnsons. Maybe the Geestmans are connected also - you think? Now wouldn’t' that be a real twist! Copyright 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 2013, 2014, 2015 by Jo Weber