BruceSmith

Do we know the facts of LD Cooper as a person? Height, weight, skin color, eye color, etc. I know he was 67 when he died in 1999, making him 39 abouts on Nov 24, 1971. Did he have any skydiving experience? What did he do in the miliary, Korea, etc. If this has been discussed, please forgive, as I must have missed it. The pages are rolling here at the DZ over the past week or two.

Could it be a very photogenic blonde? Quote Cuties get to the head of the line journalistically, too. Not too surprisingly, I suppose; I just want to add a few kernels of truth to the fact pile, here. The convergence of Cooper forces is astonishing - Marla and her memories, Geoffrey and his book, et al.

Bruce did raise a provocative point that got no responsive comments. He pondered whether Gray was cleverly escalating Cooper news such as Marla's story to prime the market for his book. I doubt very much whether he has that much influence but it is a nice coincidence for Gray that DBC is front page news right around book release time. 377 You are correct, 377, it seems implausible that Geoffrey and his publicist, Eve Rabin of New York Media, could whip up a world-wide media frenzy that could put DB Cooper and "most promising" lead on the front page of every newpsaper and TV set. But somebody did, because that's what happened. Here's what I'm posting on the Mountain News: ******************************* How did the LD Cooper story get so big, so fast? Seemingly from out of nowhere, the possibility that an Oregon man named LD Cooper could be the infamous skyjacker DB Cooper has become an international sensation. But why? It seems implausible that Geoffrey Gray, author of the forthcoming Skyjack - The Hunt for DB Cooper, and his publicist, Eve Rabin of New York Media, could whip up a world-wide journalistic frenzy that could put LD as DB on the front page of every newspaper and TV set. But somebody did, because that's what happened. One key factor was a few words from the FBI’s public information officer in Seattle, Ayn Sandalo Dietrich, who told a British journalist named Alex Hannaford that the FBI had a “most promising” lead. This tidbit became the “LD Cooper is DB Cooper” story that went worldwide last week. Was it Gray and his team – and is Hannaford a part of it - or was it someone else, such as the FBI? Seeking an answer to those questions, I'm now in the process of learning how the LD angle geared-up in Seattle, because it seems the rapidity of the story started in Seattle. Most national and international media quoted the Seattle Times and the Seattle PI as their source and not Alex Hannaford and the London Sunday Telegraph, which is the true source of the “most promising” lead angle on the story. As I understand the play-out, Alex's piece came out on Saturday eve, July 30th for the Sunday edition, London time. That would be mid-afternoon Pacific Time in Seattle, and it seems that the Seattle Times and PI were on the story within minutes. Were they alerted? Were they sitting and waiting, with the FBI's PIO Ayn Sandalo Dietrich's cell phone on speed dial, ready to go? Regardless, they were quoting her by the end of the afternoon, and the "most promising" lead went international within a few hours, as far as I can tell. Did Geoff tell them to be ready; or the FBI? Or are they just top-notch newspapers and ever-vigilant, even in the middle of a mid-summer weekend? Nevertheless, in the ensuing days Geoff Gray conducted a ton of interviews and became the world's Guru Extraordinaire on DB Cooper. Then, last weekend, eight days after the "most promising" lead story breaks, Geoff has an opinion piece published in the Sunday NY Times and the Wall Street Journal. In addition, the NY Times commissions five authors to write a combo piece on whether a modern-day criminal could stay disappeared for 40 years in today's Patriot Act world. In Geoff’s NYT piece he says empathically that DB Cooper is dead, yet he offers no proof or compelling evidence. It is as if the Wizard of Oz has spoken and no one dares challenges the Wizard. Not only does Geoffrey have the new book coming out, he now has an authoritative perch to pronounce from – heck, we’ve learned from his ubiquitous interviewing that he has had exclusive access to the FBI files – something that no other journalist has been granted despite the information being public property. Heck, I can’t even get a cup of coffee with the feds, let alone see the juicy stuff like Geoffrey. But besides touting his book, Gray is also pronouncing DB Cooper dead. Why? Is he seeking to also bury the legend, the cultural phenomena? Does Geoffrey Gray want to switch off the Cooper excitement? Or does somebody else want Cooper dead and buried, and is using Gray? LD is already dead for sure, but maybe somebody wants the legend of DB to be dead, too. After all, Ayn Sandalo Dietrich is getting all those interrupting phone calls about counter-terrorism during her DB Cooper interviews in those early days before her vacation, and her fill-in, Fred Gutt, pronounced Goote, is telling everyone who will listen that the FBI ranks DBC so low on the priority scale that just about any other criminal beats him in a heart beat. Does the FBI want the DB Cooper case to go away? Permanently? So, I ask, is the FBI orchestrating the Geoffrey Gray roll out? Or, are two organizational forces allied together – one to sell books, and the other to make that book the last one written? After all, the LD Cooper story is so pedestrian. What made the FBI so ga-ga over it? Do they really trust a retired cop that much, even though he only sent a guitar strap for evidence? This item has a poor capacity to offer DNA samples or good fingerprints to the FBI, even though the comparison material available to the Bureau for confirming proof are suspect themselves. Plus, if I was the source of the story and not the lovely – and camera ready – Marla Cooper, would I get the same traction? Unlikely, imho. What if LD’s name was Rabinowitz or Rodriguez and not Cooper, would his story still get the same mileage? I doubt it. It all seems too pat, - the world-wide media telling the world that Cooper is dead. And he is - LD Cooper that is - and not our Danny Boy, our beloved DB Cooper. In the meantime, I’m still looking for the PIO, Ayn Sandal Dietrich. Her FBI voice mail says she’s on vacation through August 15, and the writer of the Seattle Times’ Cooper piece says that she’s not answering her cell phone; nor will he give me the number – he’s such a good journalist! My old buddy, Alex Hannaford still isn’t talking to me since I asked him if he’s in cahoots with Gray, but he may have been played by Geoffrey. After all, Alex was so miffed about his Cooper piece being ripped off by the London Daily Mail, and I don’t blame him – but it does seem to put him outside the conspiracy to whip-up publicity for GG. Stealing is stealing, even in the Big Leagues, and even in Murdock’s London. Plus, Alex gave all of us Cooper hunters a taste of fame in his Cooper article – Galen Cook and me, Robert Blevins and his investigation of Kenny Christiansen, the Fazio Brothers down at Tina’s Beach and Dona Elliott up in the LZ of Ariel. The Mountain News got 2-3,000 hits last week, and 90 percent of it was DB Cooper. In fact, one night I had over 30 hits from a newspaper link in Austria! Tomorrow, Geoffrey Gray’s book receives its national release, and I will be reading it. Then, it’s back to the phone, Google and emails - trying to ascertain what is going on. I smell something fishy, and I do believe the game is afoot, this time in a different fashion than usual in the DB Cooper saga.

Now THIS -- could blow the case wide open! Olive skin? Dark eyes? You guys DO know what the average Israeli and Arab colouring is right....!! We may have a new lead! Remember Cooper being described as "accentless"? Doesn't that strike you as just the type of "fluency" learnt by a foreign secret service agent to pass as local? Anyone got an Israeli paratrooper database? Now you're talking, Orange!

Where do these guys learn to write?? "Plunged into the forests of the Pacific Northwest like a golfball on a soggy fairway"?!! Dodgy prose aside, thought the article pretty decent. Providing these links is one of the stellar functions of the DZ. As for Geoff, I just realized that he has never posted here as far as I know. I find that remarkable, and sad. The guy really doesn't share, does he. As for his writing, I think it's fine. Danny B as a golfball I think is a sweet metaphor - something original, and it certainly plays to the upper-middle-class sensibilties of the NY Times readership on a Sunday. But Gawd, the orchestration of his book's roll out is remarkable: a piece in the NY Times the Sunday before release; the FBI stirring up a hoopla the week before and the resulting international media orgy, and getting Alex on board with the young PIO from Seattle and her "most promising" announcement of a most mundane finding. Lastly, Geoff says Danny Boy is bye-bye, yet he provides no proof or compelling argument. There is a game afoot, here.

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Since there are so many newbies to the DB Cooper case now reading the DZ, I thought this video link may be helpful. In particular, it has a great interview with Florence Schaffner, back in the day, Yes, the video was made to further the work of Galen Cook and his championing of William P Gossett as DB Cooper, but the information is compelling, and serves a greater purpose here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tRGP7t1U6s

Tina = Victim Mountain News and Bruce Smith = Stalker (I loathe this aspect of the media) Quote Your characterization of my professional conduct is incorrect, Vicki. I am a persistent, careful and impeccible journalist seeking information from the primary witness in one of the top criminal mysteries of our time. Remember, Ms. Mucklow is a public figure, even though she is uncomfortable with her status. She also has a responsiblity, in my view, to help folks who are trying to find the guy who threatened to kill her.

Quote The possibiility exists that the mystery of Tina and the mystery of DB Cooper are linked. If so, Tina gets us closer to Cooper. Remember, I'm trying to find the guy who threatened to kill Tina Mucklow and 41 of her friends, colleagues and passengers. If Tina had half the courage that she does rage, I believe we'd be closer to the truth of this case. Further, if my brother-in-law was a career FBI agent and refused to lift a finger to find the criminal who threatened to kill me, I'd be royally pissed. In the meantime, I'm stepping up to the plate. As such, I'm showing the pix to the world. I have received copious amounts of assistence in my DBC investigation from the DZ, including the address and contact information on Tina's brother-in-law and sister. Hence, I'm stirring the pot once again. Whaa- Pat? You're not even curious to see what Tina Mucklow looks like these days? Really?

If you would like to see current pictures of Tina Mucklow, the primary witness to the skyjacking, there is now a display of them at the Mountain News. Four photos taken in spring of 2010. http://themountainnewswa.net/2011/08/04/pictures-of-tina-mucklow-the-primary-witness-to-the-db-cooper-skyjacking/

A jump from 10k is high for a static line jumper, especially military, but someone like that could easily have gone to a jump school and got on to free fall within a few jumps. Normal static line to freefall can be done in 6-8 jumps depending where you do it, and maybe fewer in the old days. The choice of 10k points to some experience in my book. Does the average Joe know that it's a common jump altitude that you don't need to pressurize the plane for? 377, for the life of me I cannot remember why we stopped discussing Braden. Other than this thread is a sorry example of "he who shouts loudest..."? Quote Snow, me and others seemd to run out of gas regarding Ted. Leads in PA dried up, and the trail went cold in Florida. It will take more resources than I have to persue this line of investigation. I still love Ted, though.

Who knows what else was going on in her personal life and what effect the incident had on that. One day this whole mess happened out of the blue, and I am sure was very frightening and stressful. But maybe her reaction hasn't been so much to do with the actual incident, disturbing as it must have been, but the ongoing un-asked-for and incurable condition of being associated with it. Not everyone would want that kind of attention, to be known for and defined as a person primarily by something like that, something completely out of one's control. Wanting to block things out, and hiding out somewhere could understandably be way to deal with something like that. Quote Entirely plausible. One thing, however, neither Tina or any member of her friends and family have ever told me that Tina has been silent because she was sick and tired of talking about the skyjacking. Rather, what I hear is a mantra along the lines of - "Leave it in the past." That said, some individuals complain about the stream of phone calls to themselves, but I have not heard anyone say that Tina has been overwhelmed by pesky media types, and I would consider myself to be on the short list of these guys. At least that is my impression.

Greetings, I have fielded a number of questions pertaining to the new suspect, Geoff and Blevs, and the possibility of an inside job at Tina's and KC's airline, NWO. Hence, I thought I'd add my thoughts to the current tidal wave of commmentary. What a week for the Cooper investigation! ****** The New Suspect is suspect As the story of the New Suspect develops, it appears increasingly that it was a master ploy by author Geoffrey Gray to trumpet his Cooper book’s release next Tuesday. The FBI has known about the suspect for a year, and made no big deal about it until now. Plus, the “lead” was presented by a new PIO, Ayn Sandalo Dietrich, to the Brit writer Alex Hannaford, who interviewed me a month ago. I strongly consider Alex to be an ally of Geoff, and now may be working in cahoots with him to boost book sales. During the interview, Alex told me he had an advance copy of Gray’s book, which blew my mind. How does a freelance writer in the UK get an advance copy of an American crime treatise? I emailed Gray and asked him if he was working with Alex, and Geoff said no, but I now believe they probably are. I have asked them point blank this week if they are in fact working together and I have not heard from either writer. In addition, Alex possessed an uncanny knowledge of the Cooper case and knew the key people to contact for an A+ article, as if he had been coached. I can think of only a handful of candidates for Alex’ mentor and GG is one of them. So, the coincidences are very great. As a result, I feel like I have been deceived by them. However, Alex said that his piece on Cooper, which came out in the (London) Sunday Telegraph on Saturday, July 30, had been totally lifted by the (London) Daily Mail. “Cut and Paste” is what Alex wrote me. That is totally bizarre. I don’t think even Rupert Murdock would do that, so maybe it was given to the DM to help build sales for Gray’s book. But given by whom? Geoff? Alex? Or Crown Publishing??? But Alex sounded miffed in his email, and indicated that he felt his work was stolen. As a result, I don’t think he got paid by the Mail and was not informed beforehand of the publishing. Was he set-up or is he just a really good actor? Also, Ms. Dietrich has reportedly left town on a very impromptu “vacation” until at least August 15th. Worse, the “most promising” lead was touted by the feds as highly credible because it came from a law enforcement official, but the acclaimed evidence apparently doesn’t have the capacity to absorb fingerprints. So what is the “item” Ms. Dietrich boasted about? The current supposition is that the item is a guitar strap with nary a fingerprint on it. Thus, the lack of fingerprints on the “item” makes the Bureau look stupid, and indicates that their friendly cop is not the sharpest tool in the shed, either. As for Ms. Dietrich, I can only wonder if she has a weakness for a British accent. ************ Blevins’ ties to the New Suspect As for Kenny Christiansen, he ain’t DB Cooper, despite Robert Blevins’ hard work trumpeting his book on Kenny-as-Cooper in the Blevins-Porteous tome: Into the Blast - The True Story of DB Cooper. The FBI’s former, and once again current, PIO in Seattle, Fred Gutt, told the Seattle Times this week that Kenny ain’t the guy, and that KC has been dismissed as a suspect by the Bureau. In addition, Bill Mitchell, the passenger in seat 18B, Cooper’s aisle, and the passenger who had the best look at Cooper besides Tina and Flo, says Kenny ain’t the guy, either. That’s two strikes. But, can anyone actually trust authors who put a picture of a skydiver landing with a rectangular sport parachute in daylight while wearing dry, heavy clothing and jumping boots on the front cover of their Cooper book, and then titling it: “The true story of DB Cooper?” Such a blatant falsehood is utterly unacceptable to me. As a result, I consider Blevins and Skippy to be untrustworthy. Further, Skipp lied to me about the extent of his relationship with Geoff about a year or two ago, and later ‘fessed up. Similarly, I believe Robert and Skipp are incorrect about Kenny. The truth of Kenny Christiansen lies in a closer examination of his life, which Blevins and Skippy seemingly refuse to conduct. Kenny reportedly had a penchant for young men, particularly runaways, and often opened his house to them. Also, Kenny continued to fly with NWO for twenty years after Cooper, flying on overseas routes to the Orient. Yet, he only flew twice a month and started accumulating lots of moolah. Clearly, Kenny found a way to make lots of money on those flights that had nothing to do with serving drinks and snacks enroute to Tokyo. So, what was he doing, then? Laundering money? Finding a niche in the Nipponese sex industry? Smuggling? I have not a clue. But I suggest that Robert and Skippy look in those directions. The Cooper door is closing for them, although they are pushing hard on it in the hopes of getting rich and famous on their circumstantial evidence, especially via a movie deal and riding the GG wave. Remember, there is a connection between Blevins and Gray, and Robert seems to be surfing hard on the tsunami stirred up by Geoffrey. Skipp Porteus, Robert’s co-author, is the common link between GG and Blevs. Porteous got Gray working on the KC case in 2007, and then later Skippy shifted to Robert, resulting in the Blast saga. ************ Tina and an Inside Job I do not believe Tina had any role in the skyjacking. In fact, I’d sooner believe that she was an opponent of those who are responsible and they have found a way to shut her up, which is why she is so angry. I encourage y’all you to keep reading, distilling the information on Cooper that is available, and use your most discerning judgment on who and what.

Greetings everyone, I met with Tina last Sunday. However, if you would like to read my report, you'll have to go to the Mountain News. http://themountainnewswa.net/2011/08/02/the-resurgent-investigation-of-db-cooper-%e2%80%93-an-interview-with-chief-witness-tina-mucklow/#more-2665 Also, if you would like to learn more about the preparation that Galen and I conducted that led to my interview with Ms. Mucklow, you can also read it at the Mountain News: http://themountainnewswa.net/2011/07/31/the-db-cooper-case-heats-up-looking-for-tina-preparing-for-contact/#more-2645 I've decided not to post my work here, as the environment on the DZ has become too toxic in my opinion for me to share sensitive material. I will continue to announce my findings though, so the DZ community will have access to my writing.

On Monday, July 25, I traveled to the home of Lee and Jane Dormuth, located in the Puget Sound area of Washington. Jane Dormuth is the sister of Tina Mucklow, and has been married to Lee since before the skyjacking. Lee Dormuth is a 32-year career FBI agent, and after my two visits with him – albeit brief chats on his front stoop – I’ve learned that he’s a nice guy. One thing is for certain, maybe two. First, Lee is profoundly reluctant to close the door in the face of someone who is speaking to him. Secondly, Jane seems to have no desire to talk with me, and I wonder if she is the one who calls the shots in the family. When I showed up on their door step for the second time, I heard the deep, firm voice of an adult woman speaking just to left of the front door, presumably it was Jane and she was on the phone and talking from the kitchen. She had a lot to say and spoke for a good 5-8 minutes in total when I was there, but I was unable to hear anything distinctly. I rang the door bell and heard neither a break in her conversation nor any foot steps in my direction. After a lengthy pause I knocked loudly on the door, and I heard it echo throughout the large room directly behind the door, perhaps the living and dining area. Eventually, I heard someone approach and open the door. It was Lee, and he didn’t seem happy to see me, but he did crack it open a few inches and after a moment’s hesitation decided to slither out and talk to me on his little stoop. I had been expecting that, so I had backed off the stoop and stood on a lower step. Lee’s a short guy, about 5’7 or so, and seems to be lost in his retirement. His beard was a day-old and he ought to visit a dentist soon. At the very least he should begin brushing his teeth regularly. As he was not too welcoming, I took the initiative. “Hi Lee, I’m Bruce Smith with the Mountain News,” and I handed him my business card. He looked at it and handed it back to me. “I’m back because I’m looking for a partner – someone to team up with and make a combined therapeutic-journalistic intervention with Tina.” “Nope – no,” he replied immediately. “Like I told you, I don’t want anything to do with it.” 'It,' I thought, he’s made his sister-in-law an object? Lee began backing up into the house and started to close the door. “Can I at least tell you why I’m doing this?” He kept closing the door but I kept talking. “It’s all going to change in about two weeks, Lee,” I said, and he paused. Then he came back out as I continued speaking. “Geoff Gray’s book is coming out August 8th and it’s the first major book on Cooper by a professional writer. It’s a comprehensive book about the case and it’s gonna have Tina’s address in it and the whole world is going to know. In fact, that’s already on the Internet.” Lee moved back into full view in the doorway. “Do you know Geoff Gray?” I asked. “Is he the guy sending me all those letters….from Alaska?” Lee said as he continued to move back outside. “No, that’s Galen Cook,” I said. “Geoff Gray’s a writer in New York City. He writes for New York Magazine, and his book has a major publishing house behind it. It’s gonna get a lot of support. “Why are people still interested in that?” Lee said. “I don’t understand it. It’s what? - thirty years since it happened? Yeah, thirty-some-odd years.” “It’s the only unsolved skyjacking case in the history of the United States, Lee. A lot of people are interested in DB Cooper. In fact, the case is usually considered one of the top ten crime mysteries in the country.” “Look, the night it happened, and right after, we were there,” Lee replied. “We knew what happened – what was going on. There wasn’t too much to it. She got the parachutes and money for him. They took off, and then he walked to the back and jumped out. That’s it. Why is there still all this interest in it?” “Lee, there’s a lot of mysteries involved with the case. Why did Tina disappear for twenty years? Look - Bill Rataczak told me that he wouldn’t have made it if it wasn’t for Tina. She saved his life by keeping Cooper calmed down.” I continued. “Another FBI agent wrote that Tina was the brains of the outfit, so how could such a capable woman fall apart so bad? Why did she go into the convent – especially when the nuns down there say she never fit in? And for twelve years? Why did she move back to Gresham, Lee? What happened there? Can you tell me about that?” “No! – No, I’m not going to get involved. Look, some woman called last night – she was married to him (again another indirect reference to a principal, this time Cooper himself, and the ‘she’ is presumably Jo Weber) and she kept my wife on the phone for forever. Look – we, my wife – she just decided that we don’t want anything to do with it. I can’t help you and Tina. My wife doesn’t want to have anything more to do with her.” “A lot of people are going to be knocking on her door, Lee, starting in two weeks. She’s not going to be protected anymore.” “Well let them go knock on her door, then.” “Well, what do you think will happen, Lee? Why won’t Tina talk? Why has she stayed hidden for so long? What happened to her, Lee? What can you tell me?” “No,” he murmured and waved me off, closing the door a second time. “Look Lee, I’ll make you a deal.” Lee paused and listened. So too, perhaps, Jane, as I didn’t hear any more voices from the kitchen. “Tell me what you know and help me get in touch with Tina. In return I’ll be your family’s press agent. I’ll even work for free, Lee. So, whenever someone calls – the TV stations or another reporter, you don’t have to say anything – you just tell them to call me - ‘Sorry, you’ll have to call Bruce, he’s handling all of these inquires. He’s our press agent and you can call him at, blah, blah, blah’ I said in a sing-songy voice. “Lee, that’s all you have to do.” “No, that’s not going to happen,” Lee said matter-of-factly. “But it’s a good deal, Lee. I’ll work for free – how can you turn down free?” “No, no really. I don’t want to be part of any of it, any more.” He closed the door and was gone. I walked away, drove to a local C-store, and wrote my field notes of this conversation. © 2011 Bruce A. Smith

Report on Everett Johnson regarding 727s used by World Airways in covert ops during the Vietnam War On Tuesday, July 19, I traveled back to Seattle to lunch with DB Cooper aficionado Bob Sailshaw and meet his friend Everett Johnson. Everett is a lively character – animated, confident, and clearly a man who has been around the block a few times, as he has been a life-long pilot, flying commercially and privately. Currently, he takes bush pilot gigs in Alaska, and starting about 1970 he was a regular pilot for the Puget Sound air service called San Juan Airways. Everett also worked in the mid-1970s for World Airways, a governmental and military carrier that, along with Southern Airways and Continental Air Services, were rivals of Air America. “Yeah, World Airways and the others did whatever needed to be done in Vietnam that the military couldn’t do because of the Geneva Conventions,” Everett told me. “They flew in troops and cargo that were involved in the covert wars – all that illegal stuff.” However, Everett did not participate personally in any World Airways activities within Vietnam. In the latter stages of the war he flew 707s from Okinawa for World, ferrying Vietnamese refugees back to the United States. “Those flights were filled with women and children,” he said. “We flew them to locations all over the United States.” Nevertheless, Everett did have specific information about World Airways activities in the covert wars in Laos and Cambodia. Everett got his information from a senior pilot at World named Tom Sailor. After his Okinawa flights, Everett teamed with Sailor and flew together out of Sana, Yemen, where they were involved in the CIA’s activities to “keep tabs” on the Soviet activities in South Yemen. At that time, Yemen was divided into two parts, North and South, and the southern country was ruled by a communist regime, while the northern one, based in the capital city of Sana, was aligned with the United States. Everett and Sailor flew 727s out of Sana and their activities ranged throughout the Middle East. Everett did not disclose many details on those operations, but, he did say that World Airways double-registered its 727s as both World and Yemen Airways aircraft to provide some cover for its covert operations in Vietnam and elsewhere. Everett told me about what Sailor had described regarding his activities in Vietnam: Everett said that Sailor had told him that World Airways had three 727s active in Vietnam, and that Sailor had flown many illegal sorties over Laos and Cambodia. During these flights he would air-drop cargo and small squadrons of commandos drawn from an elite group of about 20 soldiers – who parachuted out the back of the 727 from its unique aft stairs, which could be lowered in flight. For cargo, Everett said that the 727 crew inserted an aluminum chute over the aft stairs for the cargo to slide down, and this device was stored in the plane, overhead in the stairway area. As for the troopers, they went out much the same way DB Cooper is believed to have exited his aircraft. “They just walked down to the bottom step and jumped,” Everett said. Everett says he does not recall the code name for these operations, nor does he know the locations for take off. However, he did say that the soldiers had to walk back to American lines once their operations were concluded. Everett said Sailor was quite specific about DB Cooper being one of these guys. “Yeah, I could tell you exactly who DB Cooper was,” Everett said Sailor declared. “He would have been one of maybe ten guys out of the twenty.” Okay, that’s not too specific, but Sailor’s perspective is certainly aligned with those expressed by MSgt Billy Waugh and Major John Plaster of MACV-SOG, soldiers who have written extensively about their covert – and illegal - combat operations during the Vietnam War. When I asked Everett about Ted Braden, the commando put forward by Waugh and Plaster as Cooper, Everett said he hadn’t heard the name before. Nevertheless, Everett confirmed that Sailor had described these twenty soldiers as members of the Special Forces. “Yeah, they were Green Beret types,” Everett said. However, Everett does have a personal DB Cooper story – he was piloting a local flight inbound to Sea-Tac when Cooper skyjacked his plane. Everett said that he was flying a six-passenger plane from Friday Harbor, the main tourist spot in the San Juan Islands located between the United States and Canada, to Sea-Tac, about a 40 minute run. He said that he was flying the regularly scheduled 1 pm flight and mid-way to Sea-Tac was told to “expect delays.” A moment later, he was told by Seattle Control to go into a holding pattern at the aviation intersection known as “Low-Fall,” which is about seven miles west of Paine Field, the major Boeing facility in Everett, Washington, about 30 miles north of Seattle. “We had no idea what was going on,” Everett said, ‘but they never tell you, anyway.” Everett said that he flew a “race course” pattern over Puget Sound, about 1 mile out, four down, a mile back and another four miles on the final leg. He flew this pattern for at least an hour. “After a while, we had 10-15 planes stacked on top of me,” Everett said, “and everybody was constantly asking for clarification.” Everett flew this configuration until he had about 20 minutes worth of fuel left, and asked for permission to make a diverted landing at Paine Field. “They would not authorize it,” he said. However, Everett decided to force their hand, and a few moments later he declared a fuel emergency and was routed into Paine Field. When they landed they learned about the Cooper skyjacking, which was in progress. “They wouldn’t let us fly back to Friday Harbor, or head south to Boeing Field, either,” said Everett. I questioned Everett about the timing of his flight and the skyjacking, as there seemed to be a discrepancy – Everett said he left Friday Harbor at 1 pm on a 40 minute run to Sea-Tac, so he should have arrived there by the time Cooper handed his hijacking note to Northwest Orient flight attendant Florence Schaffner at approximately 2:05 pm in Portland. Everett had no answer to this question, and assumed that his memory of the flight schedule must have been off by an hour. Nevertheless, Everett also had another DB Cooper encounter. Several years later, the FAA instituted a mandatory instructional class for pilots on how to handle a skyjacking. “The instructor mentioned DB Cooper a lot,” Everett said. Everett indicated that he wasn’t much interested in the information, since, as a seasoned pilot, he knew he would take full command of his craft and act solely as he thought best - not giving much weight to the recommendations of governmental bureaucrats sitting on the ground. But what got his attention most in the class was his instructor – first, he was a former Marine, and second, he was wearing bright and shiny patent-leather shoes even though he was dressed in civvies and supposedly out of the service. During a coffee break towards the end of the class, Everett said he began talking about his Cooper experiences with a small group of pilots and mentioned that he had flown with a World pilot, Tom Sailor, who told him that DB Cooper was a commando involved in the covert wars in Laos and Cambodia. Everett says that when the former-Marine with patent-leather shoes heard Everett mention those covert operations, he immediately strode over to Everett, firmly grabbed his elbow, and led him to a private room. There, the instructor told Everett he had better keep his mouth shut, as that was top-secret information, and that Everett could go to jail for what he had disclosed. “He was serious,” Everett said. However, the final words of the former Marine were a real kicker. “He told me he was in charge of the DB Cooper investigation!” Everett said. However, Everett was unable to provide any further details about this elusive Cooper sleuth. Lastly, the Mountain News is actively looking for Captain Tom Sailor to confirm these stories. © 2011 The Mountain News-WA

Quote Yes, as I recall, it was a left-hand pull. As for the reserve chute, we didn't talk much about it, so I have no information about its material.

I hope Bruce gets to interview Cossey. Quote I did, about two years ago. He refused to be interviewed in person even though he lives just a few miles away. As a result, the interview I had was conducted over the phone, and lasted about 30 minutes. "Coss," as he prefers, was hard to get ahold of, and took a couple weeks. However, he had been on vacation for part of that time. He was coy with me regarding the chutes on the plane, as has been discussed here a while back. He told me defintively that the Amboy chute was not a DBC chute. In fact, Coss told me that Danny jumped with Coss' own personal chute, and Coss is convinced that Cooper died in a no-pull because the NB8/6 that he used had been extensively modified. As I recal, the rip cord had an unusal angle to it, and Coss described it as a hard pull. Further, the 28-foot NB-8 chute was stuffed into an NB-6 bag for reasons that are unknown to me. Coss also told me that the FBI wanted to milk the Amboy chute controversary and get more media mileage out of it. Coss said that when the feds brought the chute to his house for examination and he told them in "two seconds" that it wasn't a Cooper chute, they then instructed him to "keep that information quiet for awhile, please." I was led to believe that the FBI wanted to impress the public with their diligence in the case, even though the chute was a false lead. I posted an extensive report on my interview with Cossey here on the DZ about two years ago. Also, Coss spoke to me in an even and cordial manner. He did not seem "put out" that yet one more journalist was calling for his time. Also, I spoke a couple times with his adult daughter, who was also amiable and gracious. I was surprised when my suggestion that I come over for an interview was denied.

Bruce, May I add some additional insights that I have learned within the past month based on personal experience with wildfires. The time to start preparing for an emergency evacuation is about three years before the need arises. Perhaps important paperwork could be scanned onto computer disks and those disks stored in safe deposit boxes. Don't expect to get the word about an emergency evacuation before the fire gets to you. Actually, it was the smoke and ash that got to me before any word about an evacuation. Thanks to a four lane divided highway on the other side of my rear property fence, the fire trucks were able to easily maneuver on the highway to keep the fire itself about 2 to 3 hundred feet from my house (and upwind at that). However, the fire did burn some parts of the highway median and in at least one case made it across the highway into a weeded area but was contained by the fire fighters. But no one on my side of the highway lost any property to my knowledge. The moral of this story is to plan ahead. When the smoke and fire starts is much to late. Robert Nicholson Quote I agree with you completely, Robert. One of the main themes that the Mountain News explores is emergency preparedness. As the Director of Emergency Managment for Pierce County (Tacoma area) put it, "It's not a question of if, it's a quesiton of when." Mother Nature certainly does seem to be on a roll. We're seeing it on so many levels - with you it wildfire; further east it's drought; north, it's floods and for us here in the PNW summer has yet to arrive. Current temp is 64 degrees and we're having our fourth day of rain in a row - unheard of for July when it's usually bone-dry for July and August. Up in the mountain passes the DPW gave up trying to dig out one hwy pass (Route 20, I think) as it still had 50 feet of snow. Our near-by ski resort of Crystal Mountain still had skiing on July 9-10, with ten feet left. I personally am stockpiling water in barrels, and putting up rice and beans, plus I have a grab-and-go pack with camping supplies, food, stove, fuel, etc.

An interesting side note has arisen in the DB Cooper saga. On the eve of his bursting upon the national scene with his comprehensive tome, Geoff Gray's apartment has burned down. He emailed me today and said his apartment is a total loss, but his research files are okay, albeit a tad smokey. A great wake-up call to store our Cooper material in safe locations away from home and office.

So, Patsy, you gonna stick around now that you've found us and had a serious taste of the Cooper jazz? Hope you do - you sure gave us a run for a few days.

I got this biography from Stephanie Waite Witherspon today. She also said that her father and her were skiing in the Alps on November 24, 1971. As for living the high life, Col. Waite never owned a sports car until the last year of his life. Stephanie also said that her family is having a good chuckle on our speculations that the Colonel was DBC. ********************* I am amazed how facts get screwed up. Here is a rough cut/draft of my father’s obit, since I can’t find the original, which was published in the Portland Oregonian and the Salem statesman journal. I wrote this about 9 years ago. Colonel (Retired) Hugh Gordon Waite died suddenly this past Thanksgiving morning at the home of his brother-in-law and sister in-law in Snohomish, Washington. Colonel Waite was born in St. Cloud, MN and raised in St. Cloud and Albany OR. He graduated from what was then the only Albany High School in 1949, attended Oregon State University (then known as Oregon State College) and received his infantry officer commission as a distinguished Military Graduate of their ROTC program in 1954. He attended the Infantry Officers Basic Course at Ft. Benning, GA and joined the 82nd Air Borne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC. He was ranked as a Senior Parachutist before leaving for Germany to serve with the 10th (Mountain) Infantry Division and eventually Commander of the US 7th Army Honor Guard. Col. Waite attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course in 1960 and was the Aide de Camp to the Commanding Generals of the 4th Infantry Division in Ft. Lewis, WA. He attended the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA and the Special Forces Officer Course and the Special Warfare Staff Officers Course at Ft. Bragg. While in Korea he served as an Infantry Company Commander and as Assistant Division Logistics Officer with the 7th Infantry Division. He returned to the US in 1964, and joined the ROTC instructor group as Assistant Professor of Military Science at California State Polytechnic College in San Luis, Obispo, CA. In 1967 he attended the Civil Affairs Officer Advisor Course at Ft. Gordon, GA and departed for the Republic of Vietnam, where he served as Senior District Advisor and then Deputy Sector Advisor in the province of Bien Hoa where he was instrumental in establishing one of the first CORDS offices. He was in Bien Hoa province, in a small hamlet named Duc Tu, when the ammunitions dump at Long Binh Post was destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive. In the fall of 1968, his tour of Vietnam complete, he attended the US Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. He was Secretary of the General Staff and graduated in 1970. He returned to Europe for a second tour of duty. He served on the NATO Central Army Group Starff and then as Special Assistant and Assistant Political Advisor to eh Commander in Chief, US Army, Europe. Col Waite returned from Europe in 1974 and attended the Advance Public Relations Course at the University of Wisconsin. He was assigned as Chief of Media Relations, Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, Secretary of the Army, until 1978, when he Chief of Public Affairs HQ Sixth Army at the Presidio of San Francisco. He retired from the Army for medical disabilities in August, 1980. When Col. Waite retired from the Army, the Adjutant General of Oregon selected him to become the Public Affairs Officer for the Oregon Military Department. In 1988, he was appointed Special Assistant, and then Executive Assistant, to the Adjutant General until the position was eliminated and he retired from state employment in 1994. He then began part-time work as Executive Officer of the Oregon State Defense Force, the all- volunteer segment of the Organized Militia of the State of Oregon (Army and Air National Guard and State Defense Force.) He fully retired in 1996 after 50 years of service in, employment by and association with the Active and Reserve Component military and associated organizations.

Funny how all this stuff intersects. Sheridan Peterson undoubtedly has some strong opinions about the Pioenix program, having been a refugee advisor and witnessing atrocities in Viet Nam committed in the quest to find VC among the peasants in the south. Col Waite, at least in that one photo, sure looks like the DBC FBI sketch, but that proves little. Nice to know folks like Pat71 are still looking for new suspects. We get pretty inbred here. 377 Yes, the "sadness" I saw in pix of Waite that Pat 71 shared with us reflect something that's in the composite sketches I had never seen before. Remarkable.

Greetings All, I spoke with Col Waite's daughter, Stephanie, today. She was both flabbergasted and concerned to hear what was going on here behind her back regarding her father. When I told her about the connection to DBC, she burst out laughing - "Haven't heard that one before!" she exclaimed. She said she would review the DZ postings and get back to me. She sounds like a level-headed lady to me, and I enjoyed speaking with her. We had some phone gltiches, so our converation was truncated. I have sent her all the pix that Pat 71 sent me, along with our commentary. Bottom Line: I don't think Col Waite was Cooper. In 1971, he had just graduated from some advanced officer training and was stationed in Europe - in a few places it seems, but which included NATO. I find it hghly doubtful he'd leave that postion to go 'jack a plane. Also, his work in Vietnam included working in CORDS, what has come to be known as the Phoenix Program. More on these later points once Stephanie gets up to speed and knows what the heck is going on here. BTW: I highly recommend to anyone even vaguely interested in Vietnam to watch Stephanie's photo montage of her father's pictures of "Pre-1975 Saigon." It is brilliant work, both her's and her father's. She's posted lots of her father's photgraphic work. He was in 'Nam prior to Tet, and was in-country when it happened. Pix of him then are remarkably different than the pix we've been viewing here.