BruceSmith

Mushugannah? Nu? Vat mushugannah? Just tell 'em "Gay kakken affem yam." Speaking of which, if Cooper landed in the Columbia at Tianenmen Bar, would his bowels have released over the money as he expired? This could be a real good source of DNA, or has this topic already been covered in the thread?

I'd like to give my heartiest Cooper Vortex Howdy to the new guys on the block - Special Agent Jimmie, and Special Agent Jake. Welcome to the Good Ship Lollipop as we sail the seas of the Cooper Ocean, complements of Skipper Sailshaw himself! Welcome aboard, fellows. You can just call me Cousin Brucie. Uncle Brucie also works. We really can't decide here. Tell Ckret w'all say hello. Does he have an email address? I've tried the three that I know about and none of them worked. They all bounced back, something about a Daemon-or-something.

I just received an email from Sail, who has discovered his inner Pit Bull and went down to the Seattle FO today to set them straight about Sheridan Peterson. Sail told me that he was interviewed by two agents, named Jimmie and Jake, and that they confirmed that Larry Carr is back in town. Apparently, FBI agents no longer use last names! Geoff had mentioned that Larry was back last week, but since no one else had corroborated that announcement, I didn't get too excited. Now, though, it's good to see LC back in circulation in Rain City. I trust that Sail will post here in the next few moments to give us all the details. I wonder if Larry is stil calling himself Ckret. Or, as some prefer, Check-Ret. (smile, MB).

Don't worry about becoming a persona non grata, Smoke. Good research that is well presented always trumps prissy attitudes from cranky journalists. Besides, Mrs. Cooper gave me a "Christmas call" a couple days ago, so even in Cooper World relationships can be quite flexible. Call was short. I left a very cutting message. Damn sure was not a Cristmas call! But your message said it was a "Christmas call." Regardless, Merry Christmas, Mrs. Cooper!

Here's what Rataczak and Himmelsbach told me about the flight path. In a 70-minute phone interview with Bill in 2009, he told me the following: Initially he said, "It's an enigma." (the position of 305 when Cooper jumped) A few minutes later he expanded on those words and said, "I don't know where we were that night...only the FAA and the FBI have access to that information." Towards the end of our conversation he told me, "We were east of Victor 23. How far? Eh. Two or three miles maybe." Lastly he said, "The wind blew us east of Victor 23." In 2010 I followed-up with Ralph. Point-blank he told me that 305 flew over the Washougal, far east of V-23. I asked him why he was so certain of that. "Because that's what Rataczak told me," he replied. We also know that Larry Carr has vassilated hugely on this issue. For a long time he was a big proponent of the Washougal theory. Then he was a firm believer in the V-23 pathway. Larry also waivered on the LZ, claiming Washougal, then supporting the Ariel-Amboy site, and then just before he left town in 2009, he reportedly was claiming Battleground as the LZ. However, Larry never told me that directly. Reviewing all of this, one can make a couple of assumptions. One is that a lot of people in Norjak are forgetful. Another notion is that a lot of people in Norjak don't want us to know the truth. I go with the latter perspective because when people have fuzzy memories, like Dorwin Schroeder, they usually tell me about it or make a joke. Bill changed his story all in one conversation and never broke a sweat. He either has a neurological impairment or missed a beat in his spin story.

Don't worry about becoming a persona non grata, Smoke. Good research that is well presented always trumps prissy attitudes from cranky journalists. Besides, Mrs. Cooper gave me a "Christmas call" a couple days ago, so even in Cooper World relationships can be quite flexible.

Reply, You are incorrect, Jo. The money was found at Tina Bar. You are also incorrect when you state that the moniker "Tena" has been "established for some time." It has not. There has been a lot of discussion on this issue, and is confusing since the FBI in many documents and the Palmer Report state that Tina Bar is Tena Bar. It simply is not. The sign on the beach says Tina Bar, and the Fazios who own the place call it Tina Bar. Now, that has been established for some time, and the pix of the Tina Bar sign has been available for several years in several places at the Mountaiin News. The question really is: why you continue to feed the Tena Bar canard. This is important. I suspect that you and many others want to divert attention away from an association between Tina Mucklow and the Tina Bar. Remember, Tina Mucklow was a patient at the Lutheran Home Health center in Gresham at the time of the money find, just a few miles upstream from Tina Bar. Is there a connection between 5,800 dollars of ransom money being found about ten miles away from the sick bed of the primary Norjak witness and both having the name, Tina? Coincidence? Curious? Telling? Y'all make the call, but shortly after the money was found at Tina Bar, Tina Mucklow's FBI brother-in-law and Tina's sister came to Gresham and bundled her off to the Carmelite Monastery in Eugene, where she remained for twelve years even though the Mother Superior said that Tina "never really fit in here." What say you, Mrs. Cooper? Are you an agent provacateur causing trouble here with mis-information, or just a wacky gal on meds. At the risk of becoming persona non grata for defending Jo,

Reply, You are incorrect, Jo. The money was found at Tina Bar. You are also incorrect when you state that the moniker "Tena" has been "established for some time." It has not. There has been a lot of discussion on this issue, and is confusing since the FBI in many documents and the Palmer Report state that Tina Bar is Tena Bar. It simply is not. The sign on the beach says Tina Bar, and the Fazios who own the place call it Tina Bar. Now, that has been established for some time, and the pix of the Tina Bar sign has been available for several years in several places at the Mountaiin News. The question really is: why you continue to feed the Tena Bar canard. This is important. I suspect that you and many others want to divert attention away from an association between Tina Mucklow and the Tina Bar. Remember, Tina Mucklow was a patient at the Lutheran Home Health center in Gresham at the time of the money find, just a few miles upstream from Tina Bar. Is there a connection between 5,800 dollars of ransom money being found about ten miles away from the sick bed of the primary Norjak witness and both having the name, Tina? Coincidence? Curious? Telling? Y'all make the call, but shortly after the money was found at Tina Bar, Tina Mucklow's FBI brother-in-law and Tina's sister came to Gresham and bundled her off to the Carmelite Monastery in Eugene, where she remained for twelve years even though the Mother Superior said that Tina "never really fit in here." What say you, Mrs. Cooper? Are you an agent provacateur causing trouble here with mis-information, or just a wacky gal on meds.

I rermember Geoff saying at his Friday afternoon talk that his only involvement with the film was that he had spoken once to the scriptwriter, "who was a nice guy." Geoff said he had no other information on whether the movie was going ahead or not, or what it would be about. As for AA, maybe we should form Cooper Anonymous. That is our true addiction, isn't it?

Reply, G, since you have invoked my name, I feel compelled to reply. Surprisingly, I have actually met all three of the folks you have mentioned. I met Blevs at Ariel last year, and he seems pretty much as he portrays himself on his Ariel 2012 video. The Grey One was at Ariel this year, and his pix is posted at the Mountain News, taken by Miss Vicki as I had left my camera behind at the Lewis River B & B. In person, he presents himself much as he does here in his posts. As for Jo, I spent a day with her toodling around Cooper Country in 2010? 2011? It was really raining, I remember that. I also remember that she steadfastly refused to have her picture taken by yours truly. But Jo appears in person just like she does in the pix she has posted here. She is exceptionally thin, and has long gray hair. She has plenty of attitude and appears to be in physical or emotional pain most of the time. She gave a hard time to every waitperson we encountered. Her dining regimen is very restrictive, and her list of "can't eat" is vastly longer than her "can eat." She is also the worst driver that I can think of. After one block as her passenger I insisted that I drive and in my pick-up, so we left her rental behind. But, Jo has a lot of courage, and walked up to farm houses that I wouldn't dare venture towards as I suspected meth labs, shotguns, Deliverance vibes, etc. etc.... Her knowledge of the case is substantial, and it was fun talking DB C all day long with her as she knows everything I was talking about. As for tooth brushes by the sink, and the status of kitty litter, well, I'll pass on those judgements. Perhaps Geoffrey could offer some help along those lines, as "Skyjack" indicates that he has actually set foot in some of the troubling abodes of Cooper World. As for my abode, Jo has never seen it, but I have described it amply enough to her - it's a 16-foot rv with a 20-foot square tarp spread over it. My Cooper files are on a plywood table just outside my door, next to my refrigerator. Vicki visited me at length last weekend, so she can add a bit more. She seemed comfortable enough when she was here, tapping away on these very keys that I am touching at this moment.

reply: So why do you think Cossey's role in Norjak has been scrubbed? Academic tidiness? Are you willing to see Cossey fade into Norjak oblivion?

Yes, who really cares about Cossey's murder? I know I do, and I suspect that many others do as well, but in different ways, such as LE. As for the family, I believe they are suffering from a form of the Stockholm Syndrome, where they overly identify with principals in the case. The Cossey family has steadfastly refused to talk with me, even invoking the cops to have me moved off the premises. Wayland refuses all contact via phone or snail mail, as does his mother, Coss' ex. Friends of Cossey have also been unsuccessful in brokering a meeting between Wayland, Debbie and me.. I have seen similar behaviors in other familtes that have suffered a death to a loved one via violent means. This is what I think happens. The family becomes very dependent upon the detectives and lead investigators for information and solice. Quickly, the cops become like a trusted confident of the family. In turn, the family are told that the media is not their friend, particularly guys like me who ask probing questions. Hence, we become outcasts, and the families live in a bubble. As far as I can tell, the KCSO is not pursuing the Cossey case. Gambling friends of Cossey tell me that the cops have not followed-up on any of the leads they provided to investigators. Nor will the cops tell us what they found on the credit cards, DL and the gambling chit sent back to the family by the so-called "Good Samaritan." Fingerprints? DNA on the stamps or envelope? Postmarks? All this non-action tells me that the ties to Cooper may be strong, and the Powers That Be are hoping this blows away in the mists of public forgetfulness. A new Cosey identity has been created, and he is no longer the owner of the parachutes that DB Coooper used. Coss is simply the rigger who packed the chutes. All mention of Cossey's role in Norjak - "I owned the chutes, NB6 vs NB8, Cooper was a whuffo who picked a bad chute, was a no-pull and cratered, etc." is gone. That story has been scrubbed. For proof, just look at the WSHM COOPER exhibit. It's totally white-washed of Cossey's 40-year stink. On a personal note, Cossey was not a nice guy. He was rude, obnoxious, and deceitful. Yes, his students loved him, but I found him to be a troubled, and troubling, jerk. Also, to characterize Cossey's involvement in Norjak as a "sideshow," is egregious. It diminishes who Cossey was in life, and the impact he had in Norjak, good, bad or indifferent. Cossey was a major player in the DB Cooper investigation and it may have gotten him killed.

Mitchell meeting??? What transpired? 377 I believe Mark Bennett means Bradley Scott Collins.

very nice photos - more! PIX of Mark Bennett, now up at the Mountain News, by popular demand, of course.

Want to read the whole magilla about T-Day weekend in Tacoma and Ariel? The Mountain News has got it all - plus photographic proof of what really happened in Ariel. http://themountainnewswa.net/2013/12/04/db-cooper-42nd-anniversary-celebrations-include-symposium-in-tacoma-and-annual-bash-in-ariel/

Agree! Bruce is the best! I read Bruce's write up, and said to myself "That sounds really fun. I wish I were there!" Then, I remembered I was! Rest assured, Mark. I have documented proof you were in attendence. Your signature is on my shirt. Which proves you should always bring a Sharpie to Ariel so the doubters on the DZ will "ferme la bouch," if you catch my drift, or if your memory fades.

You have to Fight for Your Right to Party! - 2013 Edition: *************************** On the way to Ariel, Robb Heady drove Vicki and me down in a little, cute red rental. Robb and I were gabbing the whole way, and Robb is a huge baseball fan, heading down to Arizona for a few pre-season games and then in the season, going over to Coors Field in Denver for the Rockies vs. Anybody. I was surprised to find out that the Rockies are like the Mariners in Seattle- a magnet team that attracts lots of baseball fans who don’t necessarily root for the home team. “Yeah, when the Cardinals are in town, the stands are filled with red hats – the same when the Cubs are playing,” Robb said. “’Cept then, the hats are blue,” I chided. Robb and I are also huge fans of the Jack Reacher novels, although we can’t remember any of the titles. He loved my story of attending a book signing by the Reacher author, Lee Child, and how I was way out-numbered by female Reacher fans who were telling me that they wanted more sex scenes in the book, which I was happy to pass on to Child during the Q & A, adding that the gals around me were too chicken to tell him themselves… Vicki was in the back seat and was busy with her electronic devices, giving us updates from the DZ on her smart phone and looking for Cooper super witness, Bill Mitchell. Before we left Tacoma, I was able to weasel Mitchell’s name from Geoff, but it turned out the phone was disconnected. The staff at the WSHM refused to intercede for Vicki in helping her get to Bill, so that he could see what Mel looks like. For those new to the case, Vicki’s father, Mel Wilson, disappeared from her family on September 15, 1971. His photos bear some resemblance to the composite sketches, particularly Composite A. Jerry Thomas is a big proponent of Mel, and JT talks up Mel Wilson in many Cooper places. In fact, Vicki told me she got a phone call from Curtis Eng based upon prodding from JT, so the ol' boy has some influence at the Seattle FO. I was also surprised to find out from Vicki that the federal law enforcement apparatus has a very large division helping folks like Vicki find their missing loved ones. Not surprisingly, Vicki told me that her federal case agent gets as much run-around from her supposed colleagues in other LE agencies. Sad but true. The FBI won’t even talk to the FBI liaison at Vicki’s DOJ division. A few miles from Ariel we stopped at our Bed and Breakfast, the Lewis River B&B, which is a superb place to stay. Barb and Darrell are great hosts and poured us a bottle of fine Cabernet and we chatted for a bout an hour with the Formans, who had just arrived before us. Around 6 pm we headed up to the tavern and found the Tacoma gang anchoring one end of the bar – Meyer, Doug, Mark Bennett, and the whole Oregon History Kick-Ass crew. Of course we joined them, and within seconds the beer joined the wine in my innards. Already ecstatic from getting stage time in Tacoma, and buzzed from non-stop yakking with Robb, I was zooming. The alcohol tasted so good and went down so easy, Soon, I had one beer in each hand and began to make friends at every turn. When I spotted DB Cooper memorial “T” shirts in the merchandise section, I immediately bought one, stripped off my shirts (without nary a whisper or comment from the room full of bar patrons) and donned the shirt. Then I hunted up a Sharpie and began soliciting signatures from Cooper World. At each encounter we had heart-to-heart talks. Meyer, Robb, Dona Elliott and Cindy her bar maid, Vicki, Melissa the super intern from Kick Ass, and on and on. In the course of events I came upon a guy about 40 dressed in a green army coat and wearing jeans. He introduced himself as Paul Geivet, pronounced Ghee-Vet. He spoke a somewhat recognizable form of English, but I generally had no idea what he said or what he meant. He also had a fistful of books that he has written, which I honor as a remarkable achievement. I thought he was selling me one, but he was actually telling me he was giving it to me. I thanked him, but then he asked me to sign it, which I did with my Sharpie, and he signed my shirt in multiple places, as the pix will attest. Then Paul took the book back and added it to his stack. "I guess I ain’t getting one," I thought. I was correct in my assumption and Paul breezed away into the crowd. Mark Bennett then came by and asked me where Grey Cop was. I pointed to Paul and said, “I think that’s your man!” But Paul was heading towards the memorabilia corner in the Ariel Tavern and was swallowed by the crowd of about 50 revelers. Therefore I had to guide Mark across the dance floor to Paul/Grey Cop. After they made contact I quickly left. I went outside and dropped to my knees, made the sign of the cross and said a Hail Mary for Mark. About ten minutes later, Vicki announced that she was going to rescue Mark, so that shows that prayer does work, particularly from an inebriated lapsed-Catholic in the rain. I understand from Mark’s posting here at the DZ that Vicki was successful. Thank Gawd. Paul/Grey Cop continued cruising and I saw him later with a phone-video camera out on the dance floor where Pat Forman and I were twirling each other. Vicki later showed us the YouTube clip of Paul’s creation. Thank you Paul for getting me and my friends on YouTube! By then Robb had retreated to the merch room and settled in with cute coeds and other university-looking young people. There, I too found a beautiful woman - and she looks exactly like Christie from last year. We shocked each other when she announced that in fact her name is Christie – but not the old Christie who can really dance and has Parkinson’s. However, new Christie refused to dance with me. I then asked her friend Alyssa to dance with me, and she too refused. Undaunted, I asked Christie’s husband to please speak to his wife about dancing with me, but he hedged. So, I talked to his best friend who was standing near them, and he said it was above his pay-grade. I understand that dilemma so I moved on, but right about then I had my ass pinched by the waitress who was carrying a half-dozen bottles of beer out to the crowd in the street. It was the first time my ass has gotten pinched by a woman since I was a shopping mall Santa Claus and the secretaries would come down on their lunch hour and render my butt as red as my suit. Hence, I followed the waitress out to the street, and by the time I got to her she was lighting a cigarette. So, I took a deep breath and kissed her on the mouth. She seemed surprised. Robb was getting concerned that I was over-consuming and announced that he was hungry, too, so we headed out to get some food with Vicki. We eventually found a casino that had a great Chinese/Asian restaurant and catered mostly to Asian folks who were really animated when they gambled. It was our kind of place, and we ate heartily. After we finished we headed back to the B&B and the next day I had a hang over for the first time in ten years. It felt so strange. Oh well, No pain, No Gain in Cooper sleuthing. More yakking ensued and the Formans gave Robb the total low-down on Barb. After a great breakfast with fresh-baked everything, Robb, Vicki and I headed back to Tacoma. After saying goodbye to Robb who was heading off to Sea-Tac, Vicki and I went over to her old motel and used the wi-fi to search for Bill Mitchell. AS I mentioned before, the number from Geoff was disconnected, but we learned it was a cell phone in Auburn. However, a few hours of Googling and Internet searching proved unsuccessful, so we went up to Auburn and bounced about the coffee shops looking for a 62 year-old guy who sat next to DB Cooper 42 years ago. We didn’t find Billy, but we made a lot of new friends who are now reading "Sky Thief." Eventually, Vicki and I headed home and she stayed with my neighbors. I staggered into my little abode, and the next day I took her up to Sea-Tac for her return to the Minnie Apple. I had a great time. I love you, DB Cooper!

I have an update on Twisty Butt. According to Vicki, who sources this information to Facebook, Marla has finished her book, titled: "DB's Niece - The Hijacked Heart in my Head." It appears to be quite voluminous - 100,000 words and over 400 pages. Not currently available in paper. Not sure about e-editions. On a professional level, I think Marla is quite clever to state her case as a personal memoir of what she remembers and how it affected her. She may do very well with this book, movie, docu, etc.....

Reply: Yes, there were many wonderful side conversations at the Symposium, and that is a hallmark of these kinds of gatherings. No matter how sucky the official presentations may be, the side chatter afterwards may be worth the price of admission, and that was certainly the case in Tacoma this past weekend. In short, indure the drek and savor the sweetness in the hallways and the Swiss Tavern. Also, I acknowledge the fact that my loud, opinionated, and arrogant nature often keeps the quiet folks beyond my ears. Alas, it is the price of being me, I guess, and is grist for the mill that I grind with my psychoanalyst. No, I don't think the ten dollar admission fee, nor ten dollar parking, kept anyone from attending. The lack of a program brochure announcing the specifics of who was talking and when, was much more of a deterrrent to people showing up and paying some money. The Tacoma News Tribune called me days before the Symposium and asked if I could arrange for them to interview Robb. I was a bit surprised that they had gotten wind of his plans to attend, so clearly info is swirling around in the back hallways of news rooms and museums. The TNT should have been calling the WSHM for that kind of access, and the WSHM could have called me to assist, as well. Clearly, the marketing division of the WSHM needs help beyond the young cutey voice that called me months ago seeking Cooper exhibit publicity on the Mountain News. Yes, there aren't many true experts in Cooper World, those who have a comprehensive and substantive knowledge of the case. In fact, the irony of our era is that many of the folks sitting in the audience are better informed about the case than the people on the stage. Further, those audience folks are moving in the direction of enacting an end-run around the FBI and their Norjak investigation. We may truly solve the case before the FBI does. Further, why does the FBI repeatedly refuse to show up at Cooper Symposiums (2011 and 2013) (Symposii)? That should be a topic to discuss from the stage at the next symposium! Here's my view on the principals who could be involved in the next symposium. Geoff is truly gifted. He is smart, sensitive and well-connected. However, I don't know his true agenda and interest in the case, as I have stated in many places. I like him and I am grateful to him for his many courtesies to me, but I don't fully trust him. Doug is a nice guy who can't deliver. One-on-one he is a solid guy, but as an organizer and researcher he doesn't have what it takes. When he gets a microphone in his hands he acts like a jerk. WSHM staff are bureaucratic functionaries. Poynter is the smartest. With proper supervision he could be a real assest in developing a Cooper Symposium worth attending. The rest can do the xeroxing and coffee runs. Tom Kaye and the CS team seem to be busy elsewhere. I don't see them organizing anything, but they are certainly valueable presenters. Who's left? You? Me? Galen? Coast to Coast radio? 60 minutes? The Cooper case needs more muscle in the symposium development arena, and maybe that is the next dimension to arise from the average joes and janes in Cooper World. We need more independent professionals who can convince Larry Carr, John Detlor, Al Di and others to come out of the wood work and "get 'er done."

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Thanks for setting the record straight.

Snipped above but means no disrespect Bruce. This is a pretty good report. I have similar reports from reps who were there (to satisfy Blev-a-lot and Weber's curiosity) ... You attribute the paucity in exhibits and symposia presentations to ... tight control from the gods who control Cooperland ? I see another cause, the same old cause, raising its ugly persistent head again ... ie a lack in hard info about the crime, that ordinary people can process and make connections with. Plus, no new media driven information has been added in the last year or more - This would be hard info from the FBI and from the better researchers, and not knowing what to do or how to connect with the info that does exist makes it difficult to "present" anything. I could elaborate. Note Tom gave a talk earlier ... but while well given and received it seems to have fallen on deaf ears, for lack of vital connecting tissue... It's that Cooper 'vacuum' again! (not some gods controlling the fates of mortals). Does this make sense from your perspective, my take on this? Thanks for a nice report - G. Was the WSHM-based symposium a lame affair because the organizers were clueless in Seattle, or because of other dynamics, such as a dearth of substantive information and facts? I say no. Plus the debacle in Tacoma begs bigger questions: why was such inadequacy tolerated? We have basic crapola going on with this exhibit in all areas Besides one of the prime curators, Gwen What’s-her-name schlepping around like she wished she was somewhere else and didn't have professional attire to wear, her partner in creating the exhibit, Fred Poynter, didn't even show up! Plus, when I talked with Gwen and her associates, such as Susan Rohrer, and introduced myself, they had no clue who I was despite my many unanswered emails and phone calls to them, even when I reminded them that they stole part of their exhibit from me off the Mountain News (two pix - one of the rigging card and one of Norman). Further, didn't Gwen and her crew even care their re-enactor had a beard? Geez. And Doug spent 30 minutes giving us a campy historical rendition of the tobacco industry? Hunh? What was that about? Doug couldn't find any cool Cooper stuff to talk about, so he was forced to scrape the bottom of the barrel and make unfunny jokes about a 15th Century tobacco merchant? I don't think so. Maybe Doug Crispin-Kenck is just a misguided historian who really wishes he was a stand-up comic working Vegas? Maybe. So, why doesn't someone buy him a Greyhound ticket to the comedy club of his choice and say goodbye to the Kick-Ass travesty that has no kick and ought to avoid all butts, unless they're Raleighs with 42 year-old dried saliva on them. And if a presenting parachute expert says he is a good friend of Earl Cossey, then he better be ready to talk about his buddy's murder. And if another presenter wants to talk about Richard McCoy at a DB Cooper symposium, he ought to know the exact airport where McCoy exchanged his passengers for half a mil (San Francisco and not LAX) and how much the duffle of money really weighed. Hint, it wasn't 70 pounds. The real question is why people chose to not adequately educate themselves when they agree to talk to the public about a major crime, and why professional historians accept their ineptitude.

Report on the Symposium and Ariel Monday, 8:30 pm. Decemeber 2, 2013. Just got in from dropping Vicki Wilson off at Sea-Tac. It’s been a wild, long, lovely weekend. Here is my report: Going back to Friday night, about ten of us went to the Swiss Tavern, one block south of the WSHM and UP THE HILL! Finally Robb Heady and I had a quiet moment to say hello and get a read on how public he wanted to be with his skyjacking past. Robb looked a little overwhelmed, with a blank look on his face, but as we talked he brightened and seemed reassured that I was fine with him saying any and all that he chose to disclose. I was a bit surprised but honored that he was concerned about spilling my scoop on his story, or that any thing he might say would take away from the impact of my book. I assured him that I had utmost confidence in the power of my story, and that the evening – and the weekend – was his to find the most comfortable spot for him to be. I told him that I thought he had a very special story to tell, and that so far everyone that I knew, such as 377, Georger, Sail and the Cooper crew around Puget Sound were very respectful of him, his story, and his awareness of how he came to skyjack a plane in 1972. I felt proud of our Cooper gang and their level of maturity and compassion. I think Robb took that to heart. Soon, we were joined at a row of tables by Geoff Gray, Doug Crispin-Kenck and Meyer Louie. I’ve got to say that when they joined us, it was one of the finest moments in my Cooper experience. Everyone told Robb that they wanted to hear his story, to whatever degree that he could tell it. Geoff and Doug also said that they would like him to join the panel discussion at the end of the symposium on Saturday. The level of respect and sensitivity was beautiful. Robb mulled the invitation and in the course of the evening the request got refined and more defined, and he eventually agreed to a format where he and I would join Geoff on stage and GG would interview us together. It seemed liked an ideal plan, and it worked superbly. Further down the table, but far enough away to form their own little circle was Mark Bennett, Vicki Wilson, Doug’s Kick-Ass crew, such as Melissa the Super Intern and a couple other student-looking types from Portland. I think a couple folks from the WSHM also stopped by along with a familiar face or two from GG’s talk in the afternoon. But my little group covered a wide range of topics. Robb expanded on the actual mechanics of his jump, and I realized the whole process of jumping from a 727 is much more complex than anyone has ever discussed before. Robb said that if DB Cooper was a skilled skydiver, such as he was, he would be best served if he jumped like Robb: Jump from the bottom step, arch your way through the tumble as you encountered the slip-stream – and Robb said his 727 was probably going at 350 mph, so the whole notion of using Cooper metrics didn’t seem so important. Robb stressed that once you stabilize, you will soon be moving at terminal velocity, about 120 mph, which makes the whole issue of too much stress on parachutes to be mute. Robb jumped with a 24-foot reserve chute that had a round canopy. He wore it under clothes and the flight crew never saw it. When he jumped, he knew the pilots weren’t following his flight plan and he was far from his intended LZ, so he had to dive toward Washoe Lake and his car and went into a tuck that reached about 220 mph, he estimated. He got to the edge of Washoe Lake, but the western shore and not the eastern one where his car was parked. Robb pulled at 1,000 feet above the ground as he saw it rush up. He had no goggles and seemed surprised that we asked. He got really hammered when the chute opened, and since he was so close to the ground he had only about 5 seconds before he hit, too soon to get his bearings. As it turned out he landed on a highway near the lake shore. Since he was using a reserve and it was sitting on his abdomen, the risers were in front of him and not behind, so he was leaning a little backwards when he hit the ground. As a result he was a little off balance and he fell backwards hard, banging his elbow. The hard landing made it hard to walk, too. He estimated that he was about two miles away from his car, but it took about six hours to walk there through the woods and not be detected. He could see the search lights of the cops and he knew he was surrounded and that his gig was up. He was a bit surprised that so many cops showed up so fast since he jumped about ten minutes after take-off. “They would have gotten me anyway,” Robb said, “even if I had been able to get to my car and drive away. They had road blocks up right away, and they would have interviewed all the skydivers in the area, and my name would have come right up. Then they would have asked me where I was, what I was doing that night, and who could corroborate my alibi. I’m sure they would have found a gap in my story right away. I think most hijackers are like that – they don’t think the whole thing through.” Robb also said that he spent about three weeks planning his hijacking. He also expanded on his motivations. What I heard was that his world view changed radically because his experiences in Vietnam, and that he felt that all fortunes were made by “committing some crime.” He continued and said that if you didn’t have any money - if you hadn’t made your fortune - then you were a loser and a victim of those who do have great wealth, make the laws, hire the police, form armies and invade countries. So, for Robb, the hijacking was just my way of "getting mine." Getting $200,000 was a good deal compared to robbing a bank and getting eight thousand. “I don’t feel that way anymore, though,” he told us. Robb seemed world-weary when he shared these insights. Robb also told us how his life was after serving six years in Lompoc prison. He got a CPA degree, but found it difficult to make a career in the field because of his criminal background. As a result, he formed a business and now owns a parking lot cleaning company and runs two trucks and crew. Our circle listened attentively and respectfully. It was one of our finest moments. In addition, Geoff was exceptionally courteous to me, which I valued. I didn’t know how he would receive me with my many words of concern about his behaviors with the FBI in August 2011- the timing of his book, the Marla flap, and his special access to FBI files. Moving along, Doug surprised me by announcing that he still corresponds with Marla and said that The Blonde One has written her book, which is titled “A Hijacked Heart,” according to Vicki, who checks in with Marla at Facebook. However, it is not in print currently. Maybe soon, though. Doug also said that Marla has a new guy in her life and he is subsidizing her writing and marketing efforts. Doug also said that TBO is developing contacts in Hollywood and that her story may be heading to the screen. Speaking of Hollywood, earlier at his talk, Geoff had told us that “Skyjack” has been optioned by CBS for a movie, but he has no idea with how it is going and has only spoken to the scriptwriter once. “He’s a nice guy, though,” Geoff told us. Saturday The opening workshops on Saturday were atrocious, but very telling about what is really going on at the WSHM. Gwen Perkins opened the festivities and appeared lost and confused. Plus, I found her casual dress unprofessional. But her remarks were even worse. She basically delivered a book report on “The Skies Belong to Us – Love and Tragedy in the Golden Age of Skyjacking,” which I enjoyed when I read it, but it is not central to Norjak. Gwen has a master’s degree in military history and it showed. She was utterly oblivious to why people were in her audience and what they wanted to hear. No one wanted to hear about the history of airline safety or inconsequential skyjackings in 1955. Rather, everyone wanted to hear the inside scoop on DB Cooper – they wanted the Beef of the Case, sink their teeth into new facts, and get closer to solving it. But Gwen was undeterred. Even nasty loud remarks from Sail on how ridiculous her presentation was didn’t seem to blunt her focus. And that obtuse perspective is the hallmark of the COOPER exhibit at the WSHM. It doesn’t touch anything controversial and only presents information that is sanctioned by the FBI. As bad as Gwen was, Doug Crispin-Kenck was ten times worse. He gave a stand-up comedy routine on Sir Walter Raleigh, and delivered a simplistic and incomplete presentation on the history of tobacco and Raleigh cigarettes. Most disappointingly, Doug failed to mention that Raleighs were a status symbol of Airborne troops in WW II because of a fascinating dynamic in military supply distribution. Cigarettes were given free to all troops in large quantities by the manufacturers, and the Navy personnel who shipped them to theaters of war got first pick. They took Camels. Then, the Army drivers who drove the freight trucks to regional distribution warehouses near the front took the Lucky Strikes. Locals invariably got their hands in there at this point, snagged the Pall Malls, and by the time cigarettes made their way to the front lines, where the best troops were positioned, such as the 101st Airborne Division, all that was left were the cheap, stinky Raleighs. Thus, the dregs of the tobacco industry became an identifying icon for airborne troopers, just like bloused trousers. Robb confirmed this characterization in private talks, and it has been told sublimely in the book, “Band of Brothers,” the story of Company C of the 101st Airborne during WW II. Doug was clueless, though, and his hamming bluster from the stage was exceptionally offensive. When Crispin-Kenck finished, Sail was so upset he was choking. I thought he was about to have a stroke. Fortunately his wife was sitting next to him, and calmed him a bit. To further relieve his distress, and everyone’s outrage over the stupidity of the previous two hours, I assured our little circle of Meyer, Sail, Sails’ wife, Vicki and a few others that they just had a personal experience of being part of a spin job, and that the tragically lame presentations were probably a purposeful effort from the Powers That Be to tamp down interest in the DB Cooper case. After sitting through the first half of the symposium, no one in the audience would want to confront the King Country Sheriff’s Office on the current status of the Earl Cossey homicide, or ask anyone at WSHM why they never mentioned Coss’ murder. An oversight? Hardly. Intentional? I think so, but since no one at the WSHM talks to me maybe someone else should discuss the Cossey issue with them. Maybe the next time Doug talks about cigarettes he will simply say that the fact that Cooper smoked Raleighs may mean that he was a seasoned trooper of the 82nd or 101st Airborne. After the debacle of the first half, we went to see a Cooper re-enactor. He was terrible, and didn’t care much about America’s only unsolved skyjacking. He didn’t even shave his beard for his 20-minute presentation, held on the aft stairs in the exhibit. Our Cooper crew should have dragged him into the bathroom and shaved him clean. He should also lose about thirty pounds, as he was far above Cooper’s 175. He should also read a book about DB Cooper and learn the interesting details on his character, such as some of Cooper’s idiosyncratic lingo – “No Funny Stuff or I’ll do the job.” Gawd, if Danny C was in the audience he probably would have done the job right there in the exhibit. After a lovely indoor picnic provided by Meyer, we headed back for panel discussions. First up were two very experienced skydivers from I-Fly of Tukwila. The first to speak was John Mitchell, who learned how to skydive in Salt Lake City. He pursued that lead and talked mostly about Richard McCoy, which was disappointing as I was hoping for a more detailed analysis of DB Cooper and his jump. Nevertheless, it was good to hear confirmation that McCoy had about 40 jumps under his belt before he hijacked his plane in April 1972. Even though Mitchell had personal knowledge of McCoy, most of us in the audience knew more about the McCoy skyjack than he did. Sail was really worked up with this further disappointment and really hammered the skydivers with questions about pull-offs from the stairs. However. Robb loved having kindred spirits in the auditorium and beamed. Next up was Rick Mangan, who struck closer to home and said that he skydived at Issaquah and knew Earl Cossey. However, he overstated the nature of his relationship with Coss, and when I questioned him about Cossey pronouncements of owning the chutes and the NB-6- slash NB-8 controversy, he appeared flustered. However, they had an NB-6 with them and showed us the little pouch that the rip cord handle fits into, and it showed the ludicrous nature of Cossey’s comments to me that his modification to the NB-8 that Cooper used would have a rip cord too hidden for a whuffo like DBC to find the rip cord handle. Total BS. Mangan and Mitchell also confirmed that many skydivers have jumped naked from altitudes of at least 14,000 feet, so the notion of jumping in November in freezing temps is not too extreme. They also talked about waiting until terminal velocity and then pulling was preferable to pulling-off the aft stairs and entering the slip stream at 200 mph. Then it was show time for Robb and me. Robb was superb, and Geoff was the exquisite host. Robb spoke for about 20 minutes and the room was as still as choir basement at midnight. He gave a synopsis of all that he has shared before, plus a detailed assessment of PTSD and the dynamics of his time in Vietnam, including the callous treatment he received from his command when he suffered from malaria and had a critical loss of red blood cells. As for me, Geoff asked me to speak about a range of topics and we covered some great stuff – where is the case going, the money find, and flight path. I had a great time and am very grateful to Geoff for inviting me to speak in such a public venue. Thank you, Geoffella. Afterwards, it was off to Ariel. Robb drove me and Vicki down in his rental car. We talked the whole time, and Robb got really animated about baseball and Jack Reacher novels. We had a great time. Details tomorrow…..

Reply, You made me smile, Mark. See you on the 'morrow.

Just got in from spending the day at the Washington State Historical Museum in Tacoma. Fine start to COOPER weekend. I got there at about 2:45 and Geoffrey Gray, looking sharp in a wool tweed jacket and mauve sweater, was signing his Skyjack books in the rotunda of the WSHM, which is the old train station in downtown, Tacoma. On the other side of the large, domed room, a small band of Cooper Landsmen were waiting for me – Meyer Louie, Mark Bennett, Doug Crispin-Kenck, and a couple new faces, which turned out to be Robin and Brad Collins. Brad and I got to talking straightaway, and it didn’t go well. I was a bit flippant, as in “So, you dad was DB Cooper, eh? Got any concrete proof? A twenty perhaps?” Brad, it turns out is a delicate lad, and is not adept at sparring with the likes of “moi.” Nevertheless, we sat down and I tried to make amends. But soon I asked Brad for proof again, and at every turn he said, “Read my book.” “Okay,” I replied, “but in the meantime can you tell me how you know your father was DB Cooper. Brad then launched a scripted speech on his uncle being a 727 Captain with Northwest Orient, and how Uncle Bud was very close with Jack Collins, Brad’s father. “Yes, Brad, but what does this have to do with DB Cooper?” A few more questions like that and soon Brad was standing and saying, “I don’t think I want to do this," and walked away. Brad left the building and Robin sat down and tried to patch things up with me, the “newspaper reporter.” She failed. I told her that Brad had to be ready for tough questions like the ones I was asking if he wants to go out in the world and proclaim himself the Son of DB Cooper. She agreed, then left herself. Mark and Doug then walked over and together we commiserated on our joint encounter with the Cooper Vortex. Brad is “100% convinced” that his father, Jack Collins, is DB Cooper, and I am 100% convinced that he does as well, but he also has zero amount of proof. He’s another guy in Cooper World just a-wishin’ and a-hopin’. We all wished the Collins well as they faded into the horizon, heading back to Port Angeles. By then, it was time to follow Geoffrey into the conference room and hear his talk. About sixty people were gathered around a dozen large round tables, and GG made the rounds, introducing himself and joking with his local PNW Cooper sleuths gathered in the back as we flashing our fangs and notebooks – me, Meyer, Mark, Doug, and Vicki Wilson just joining us. Susan Rohrer of the WSHM introduced Geoff, who framed an interesting angle for the Cooper talk – “The Individualist.” I thought it was a good approach, but it went a little long on the temper of the times and social unrest, but when he started showing actual slides from the FBI files we all perked-up. I’m never sure what I will learn at these kinds of gatherings, but I’ve come to understand that I always get a few tidbits. First off, Geoff showed us pix that revealed that Row 18 did not have any windows! Sniper-proof, so to speak. Geoff also revealed who and what FBI files gave him the info on the marcelled hair and russet suit: the FBI file on statements from passenger Robert Gregory. The FBI files says that Gregory was sitting in Cooper’s row and “across from the skyjacker,” or words to that effect. In true Cooper World fashion, a family member who knew “Uncle Bob,” was there to expand on Gregory’s testimony, and add that Robert Gregory died in 2002 in Sun City Arizona. The Gregory files states the following: DB Cooper was 35, about 165 pounds and about 5’9”. He was swarthy, with jet black marcelled hair, with a greasy, patent leather sheen. The skyjacker was possibly a Mexican-American or had some “Native Indian” heritage. The skyjacker wore “very dark, horn rimmed sun glasses. His suit was a reddish-brown, russet color with wide lapels. Neither Geoffrey nor the Gregory family member could say exactly where Robert Gregory sat on the plane, but GG stressed that Gregory was the owner of a paint shop and had a very fine eye for details and colors. Geoff also delved into the Sky Chef matchbook cover issue, and we pondered whether DB Cooper had eaten in a Sky Chef restaurant. Mark Bennett then announced that he had formerly worked at American Airlines, and he said that American owned Sky Chef in 1971, and that they owned restaurants and ran on-board catering, which prompted a discussion on the possibility that Cooper had flown on a previous flight that had been catered by Sky Chef. Perhaps the most important information I heard was that Geoffrey characterized Tina as being in shock during the skyjacking. Specifically, when Tina came down the air stairs to retrieve the money and parachutes, Al Lee spoke to her and she never responded to him. Apparently, Lee took that to mean she was unable to do so because of her emotional state. Also, in a discussion of the titanium, Geoff said that the clip on the tie was painted white, and he wondered if the paint had any titanium in it. At the end of the talk, Robb Heady joined us and we headed to the Swiss Tavern, where Super Sleuth Galen Cook used to hang out when he was studying law at the UW-Tacoma. We had a fine time, and after gentle prodding Robb told his story. He also agreed to speak a bit tomorrow at the symposium, addressing the physical and technical aspects of the jump. Me, I’ll be talking about the FBI – the good the bad and the ugly – lost cigarette butts, bungled evidence retrieval in Reno, and their difficulty in administering a complex case through the jurisdictions of Seattle/Portland/Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Now for some DZ gossip! Doug bet me and Meyer that Blevs will show up. I said no, and put a buck down, as did Meyer. Sail and the Formans are coming tomorrow, and Geoff announced that the last time he saw Sail he had to “break up a fight” between Sail and Blevs, so we’re all looking forward to that re-enactment, since Geoffrey is wearing such classy clothes. Doug also brought the lovely Melissa, but introduced her as her intern, again! That girl has been an intern for three or four years – she’s gonna get a pension at this rate, so I’ll be looking into that, too, once we get down to Ariel tomorrow eve and the dancing starts, if you catch my drift… Meyer’s gonna sing, but his right eye is really screwed up since his retina detached. He had an op back home in Canada, a month or so ago, and may be moving back there to the rez to be close to family and his Canadian medical care, personal docs, etc. Vicki brought lots o’ pix of Mel, and we’re tracking down Bill Mitchell for a look-see. I figure that might happen Monday morning before she hops on a plane for the Minnie Apple. As always, I’ll keep you posted. BTW: Geoffrey proudly told us that he has never posted on the DZ and does not read it. He said something about the constant bickering or stuff. And this is after he told us that the FBI was immediately deluged with a thousand Cooper suspects because half of America was stabbing their Boyfriend/lover/husband/ etc. in the back. BTW II Geoff said that Larry Carr had told him that he might show up tomorrow. Wow. Geoff and Doug also specualted that Twisty Butt might show up. Doug said that he was in touch with Marla a month ago and that she has written a book on Uncle LD and is now looking for a publisher. Apparently, she has a Hollywood sugar daddy, too....

Imagine if I start channeling Duane Weber at the symposium on Saturday! Now, that would be something to remember. Oh, Jo that might mean you would have to be nice to me.