BruceSmith

Cinci claimed to be an IRA member but wasn't. He brought aboard a 12-gauge shotgun under his black overcoat, a 40lb box full of dynamite, and another package containing a parachute! Maybe the tipoff was his ski hat with holes poked through it for eye holes, he declined to take off upon entering. 40 miles out from Calgary he pulled down the ski hat to make a crude mask, pulled the 12-gauge from under his coat and announced he was hijacking the plane, and to make things perfectly clear he fired a blast from the 12-gauge into a cabin partition, he disclosed his box contained dynamite, and he asked for 1.5 million dollars and wanted to go to Ireland. The flight was diverted to Great Falls MT where he was given $50,000 in cash but he ordered the plane airborn again refusing to let anyone off. They headed for Regina but Cinci changed his mind again ordering the plane back to Grt Falls where he let everyone but 6 crew members off. They took on approx 7000 gallons of fuel and Cinci ordered the plane aloft again. The pilot convinced Cinci they needed more fuel so they set a coarse for Regina. About 15 minutes out Cpt Ehmann got out of his seat and called back telling Cinci he was coming back to talk. Cinci allowed it. Cinci said he wanted to get his parachute on so Ehmann told him he wouldnt interfere. Cinci set his shotgun down to pick up his chute and Ehmann grabbed him and they wrestled. A purser ran back with a fire axe and hit Cinci over the head. They tied Cinci up and headed back for Great Falls ... Cinci had previously ordered the "DC-8" to be flown at 3000 ft and the emergency door/window opened - he intended to bail through that. Cinci: 5'7", black curly hair, swarthy olive skin complexion. Cinci was 27 years old, a delivery truck driver who had previously lived in the USA but had gone up to live with his parents at Calgary five years earlier. All of this on Nov 13th 1971, 11 days before the Cooper hijacking. The whole thing a six hour ordeal - Quote Thanks for clarifying, G. I had scanned the attachments and missed some crucial elements. Also, is it Cinci or Cini?

Galen Cook emailed me today and requested that I alert the DZ community that the DB Cooper site on Wikipedia continues to be sabotaged. Galen has a web master guy posting his Gossett information on the Wiki site and he reports that an individual named "DocJoe3" has been actively removing the Gossett material. Galen's guy has restored the information three times recently, and on the last occasion it was immediately removed again by DocJoe 3. Perhaps a new mystery for Sherlock Investigations to investigate???? It's certainly a new wrinkle in the DB Cooper case for me to write about - "The Monetization War of the DB Cooper Investigators."

I cant place Gaylord. The issue is who tried to use a parachute first in an airline hijacking. If it isnt Cini I dont know who it would be. Moreover Cini's attempt was just before Cooper's on 11-13-71. The name Gaylord just doesnt register - in any search. Thanks. G. Very interesting information in the attachments, G. Thanks. From what I gather there was no exchange of parachutes, no 727 - rather a DC 8 - and no monetary extortion in this case. It sounds like a typical, albeit violent, political skyjacking by a mentally unstable guy. Instead of Cuba he wanted to go to Ireland and fight with the IRA. Am I reading this correctly? If so, it makes Ralph's claims very questionable. BTW, I called Ralph today to schedule a follow-up interview and to ascertain his fee. As before, he graciously declined to continue, citing health concerns, but he did leave the door open to conversations in the future. BTW II: Before we hung up the phones, Ralph did confirm that Charlie Farrell was the Cooper case agent in Seattle in the initial stages.

So, it was Rataczak who flew in for Ralph's retirement party, not Scott. Or did they both fly in? Who broached the topic of the East Path first? Scott, Rataczak, Himms? How did Rataczak know he was over the Washougal basin? Quote I'm not sure I can answer your questions defintively, G, but here is what I know. I have never heard nor read from Ralph that Captain Scott attended the retirement party. However, Calame and Rhodes claim in their book that Scott did attend the party and while there told Himms that 305 was over Woodland, which is to the west of Victor 23 and in the opposite direction of the Washougal. As for the confusion between Gaylord and Paul Cini for the honors of the first skyjacking, I will ask Ralph to clear it up at our next meeting, which I hope is soon. How Rataczak knew he was over the Washougal I do not know. I specificallly asked Rataczak if he knew where he was that night and he told me that he didn't.

Here's the latest guys. I have received numerous PMs, emails and phone calls from DZfolks over the past few days - thanks to all for your help and encouragement. One new piece of information comes from a member of the DZ commmunity who claims that he has documentary proof that Tina lived in the Troutdale, Oregon area in 1979 and attended the nearby Mt. Hood Community College. I have yet to confirm that or see the documentation. But- Remember, six months or so later, in the spring of 1980, she was walking in the door of the Carmel of Maria Regina. In between, the money is found at where? TINA'S BAR!!! Ya just can't make this stuff, Hollywood.

QuoteGreat job Bruce. Now go for the harder interview target: Eageleye Pete. He's already been cleared by the FBI on DNA, so he has little to worry about. I'll bet Pete is all over this uprising in Egypt. I keep looking for him in on scene footage. He didn't miss Tiananmen Square. It must be killing him to be in Windsor CA while a revolution is unfolding abroad. If we offered to parachute Pete right into the thick of it in Cairo I kniow he'd say yes without a moment's hesitation. Quote Ah, Three-Seven-Seven, you sure do know our Petey. The Eagle-Eyed One is near the top of my to-do list, but I've got to refuel my bank account. I've got to get The Mountain News off the ground before I can fly down to Cali. Calling All Angels........!

The Hunt for DB Cooper Report: Interview with Ralph Himmelsback On January 30, 2011, I interviewed Ralph Himmelsbach, the retired DB Cooper case agent from the FBI’s Portland, Oregon office. Ralph is very easy to find, suggesting that he wants to be found, which may be the case as he has a book to peddle on the skyjacking, titled : NORJAK: the Investigation of DB Cooper. Nevertheless, my interview with Ralph would not have happened without the encouragement from a Cooper investigator named Jerry Thomas. Since Ralph’s contact information is readily obtained via Google, he was the first person in the Cooper case that I contacted, in 2008. That was after learning of the exploits of Cooper-confessee Barb Dayton from her biographers, Ron and Pat Forman, along with hearing indications of a FBI cover-up. As a result, I was itchin’ to put the Bureau’s feet to the fire and I think Ralph sensed that immediately. Whatever his reason, though, he declined my request for an interview. However, his rejection was delivered graciously, which left a pleasant taste in my mouth concerning Ralph personally. Some time later, with my knowledge of the case growing along with a desire to write a more comprehensive treatise, I asked Ralph again for an interview. But he turned me down a second time. During this period, however, I was in frequent conversation with Jerry, who told me that he considered Ralph a second father. Further, Jerry indicated to me that he had Ralph’s utmost confidence regarding the Cooper skyjacking and that he, Jerry, could speak for Ralph on details of the case. In this light, I asked Jerry on how I could get an interview with Ralph, and I suggested that since I had been turned down twice maybe I should just drop-in on Ralph someday. “I’m sure that would be fine with Ralph,” Jerry told me. “He’s a great guy.” Steeled with that reassurance, I stopped at Ralph’s home in Woodburn, Oregon on my way to Eugene to visit the Carmelite Monastery as part of my corresponding quest to discover the whereabouts of Cooper hostage, flight attendant Tina Mucklow. I was also curious to learn more about Woodburn since Barb told the Formans she landed in hazelnut groves there after parachuting from Flight 305. Woodburn, about 25 miles south of Portland, is on the northern end of the Willamette Valley, (pronounced Wil-LAM-et), a profoundly flat region that stretches south for 100 miles to Eugene. Like bookends, my Cooper journey framed the premier agricultural lands of the Pacific Northwest, and say what you will about Barb’s confession the girl sure knew how to pick an LZ, which, for the uninitiated, is skydiver lingo for “landing zone.” As for Ralph, he lives on 40 acres just east of the Pudding River, and his flooded, muddied land looked just like the river’s name-sake. His expansive house, a mini-mansion really, sits on a hillock in the middle of his farm lands, which I later learned are leased to a local tulip grower. Driving down Ralph’s narrow half-mile driveway through these fields made me feel like I was negotiating a causeway and crossing a moat. This medieval feel is further enhanced when one arrives at Ralph’s compound. The house is elegantly designed with multiple stories and has several surrounding out-buildings. Coupled with the exquisite stone and chrome interiors it looks like the home of a modern-day, Moorish squire. I was just getting out of my pick-up when Ralph marched out of his house to find who had just entered his kingdom. He had a grim look on his face, so I evoked the magic of Jerry Thomas immediately. “Ralph,” I called out. “My name is Bruce Smith and Jerry Thomas said it would be okay if I just dropped-in on you to talk about the DB Cooper case. I hope that’s okay.” Ralph was now upon me. After hearing Jerry’s name he brightened considerably. “You’re a friend of Jerry’s?” he asked. I shrugged, slightly. “Well, sure, c’mon in. We can talk for a few minutes but I’m in the middle of putting the laundry into the washer, so let me finish that first.” Ralph is clearly in his 80s, but looks fit and trim. His grip is strong and he walks easily without any noticeable hitch. He stands about 5’10,” weighs about 185, and his voice is clear and strong. I explained my relationship with Jerry as we walked towards the front door. “I’ve talked with Jerry a bunch on the phone and we’ve emailed each other a lot, but we’ve never actually met.” We got to the front door and Ralph opened it. Handing him my business card I said, “I’m a newspaper reporter and we’ve talked before Ralph. I called you a couple years ago.” “Ah, yes, I remember. We exchanged a couple of emails, too,” he said. “No, never any emails, but I’ve sent you a snail mail packet on what I’ve been working on.” Ralph waved his hands indicting, no matter… We walked into his gorgeous home. “You house is beautiful, Ralph,” I declared. “Thanks. We like it,” he replied. Heading towards the open-spaced kitchen Ralph introduced me to his wife Joyce, who was chopping celery for a family dinner. “This is a friend of Jerry’s,” Ralph called out. “You’re a friend of Jerry’s?” Joyce said joyfully, “It’s wonderful meeting you.” “A pleasure meeting you as well,” I intoned. Joyce and I bantered in the kitchen as Ralph headed to the washing machine. “You sound like you’re from Back East,” she quipped. “Yup, New York,” I said. Just got back this week after spending three months there taking care of my mother. I think my accent really deepened from being back there.” Joyce smiled and talked about her own upbringing in Massachusetts. “Yeah, my family’s got that whole ‘paahk-tha-caah-in-Haavaahd-Yaahd thing,” she said, laughing. After a few moments she begged-off from any more socializing since “the kids” were expected shortly for a Sunday dinner. I saw four place-settings at a small, round table adjacent to the kitchen area. Ralph returned and ushered me into the nearby living room area, motioning me to sit in a large, blue leather recliner. He stretched out in the adjoining couch, also made with the same luscious turquoised-toned leather. “So what are your questions?” he posed. “How well do you know Jerry Thomas?” I answered. “Very well, “Ralph replied. “He was my primary source for investigating the topographical area of where Cooper jumped. Jerry grew up there, and he knows the area very well. Plus, he was an Army Special Forces instructor. He’s got a great background and I knew I could rely absolutely on the accuracy of his reports.” After a pause he continued, “I knew we were getting good information from him on the area.” Ralph paused again, and then added, “I’ve searched the area many times myself, from the air and on the ground.” I was surprised Ralph never said the name of the area directly, so I asked. “Are we talking the Washougal watershed area?” “Yes,” Ralph stated. “How long have you known Jerry?” I continued. “Oh, we, ah, go way back,” Ralph replied. “Did you know him at the beginning of the Cooper investigation, then?” “Oh, no. I guess I’ve known Jerry for about ten years.” “How did he come to join your investigation?” “He volunteered. He initially contacted me and offered to ‘help in any way,’ particularly with any ground searches in the area. “Ralph, it is my understanding that Jerry has posted on the DropZone web site that he knew Cooper suspects Richard McCoy and Sheridan Peterson in Viet Nam. Is that true?” “We’ve never discussed that.” “Speaking of suspects, I understand that 922 individuals have confessed to being DB Cooper. Is that true?” “I don’t remember if that is the exact number, but it was a lot.” “Hundreds?” “Yes, hundreds.” Ralph then shared his perspective on why so many people have confessed to the skyjacking saying that each had an individual motive, but most were ex-cons in state prisons, which are generally pretty crummy places, and they were looking for a better home in a federal penitentiary. “These ex-cons were looking for an upgrade? “Yeah, you could say that. An upgrade.” Ralph chuckled. Warming to the subject of suspects, Ralph launched into a soliloquy on Cooper. Since Ralph is the guy who has called Cooper a “rotten, sleazy criminal” despite the fact that the crew members describe DB as a gentleman, I was not surprised that Ralph’s tone was dismissive. “You have to remember that Cooper was a copycat,” he began. Ralph re-iterated numerous details of the early extortive skyjackings, with the first being conducted by a fellow named Gaylord aboard an Air Canada flight out of Great Falls, Montana two weeks before Cooper’s caper. Without missing a beat, Ralph gave me a summary of the third skyjacking attempt, one carried out by a young man named McNally over Peru, Indiana. In all these recountings I was impressed by Ralph’s memory and cognitive abilities. He may be eighty-something, but he’s still pretty sharp, I thought. Ralph seemed to especially relish talking about skyjacker number four, Richard McCoy. “With each new skyjacking, the skyjackers improved their techniques,” said Ralph, echoing fellow FBI agent Russ Calame’s evaluation of McCoy’s effort. (Calame was the Special Agent in Charge of the Salt Lake City FBI office and the G-man who collared McCoy for his skyjacking in April, 1972. Calame is also co-author of the book: DB Cooper – The Real McCoy.”) As Ralph continued on the subject of McCoy’s skyjacking over Provo, Utah, I was surprised to hear him confirm Calame’s conclusion that McCoy was not at his home in Salt Lake City during the Cooper skyjacking. What I found most interesting is that Ralph was willing to hold an opinion in direct opposition to the current view held by the FBI that McCoy was at home for the Thanksgiving holiday. “We did look at McCoy in the Cooper case, but he was in Las Vegas when the Cooper skyjacking took place,” Ralph declared. I then took a sharp turn in the conversation. “I’d like to ask you about the flight path when Cooper jumped. Is your current understanding that it was east of Victor-23 and over the Washougal watershed. “Yes.” “How did you arrive at that understanding?” “The pilot told me.” As with McCoy’s whereabouts on November 24-25, 1971, Ralph’s perspective on the location of Flight 305 when DB Cooper jumped is in direct conflict with the current view of the FBI, which says the hijacked plane was flying directly along Victor 23, the navigational corridor designated for commercial airliners that roughly parallels Interstate 5 through Washington and Oregon. As such, the FBI says that Flight 305 flew west of Portland and not east, which would have taken it over the Washougal River basin. Ralph continued with an animated discussion about the pilot of Flight 305, Bill Rataczak, and I learned many things. First, Ralph said that Rataczak told him about the easterly flight path nine years after the skyjacking, in 1980 at Ralph’s retirement party from the FBI, which begs the question why the Cooper case agent in Portland never talked directly with the pilot during the earlier portions of the investigation. “It was the first time I had met Bill,” Ralph added, “and we talked for hours. He flew in just to be at my retirement party.” Ralph said his meeting with Rataczak led to a friendship that has grown over the years, with the two men exchanging regular emails and sharing frequent phone calls. When I asked Ralph when he had last spoken with Rataczak, he said, “Oh, about ten days ago.” Further, Ralph told me that Rataczak is very ill with cancer, and his wife also, but worse. “They’re hospital cases, really, at this point,” Ralph said. Throughout our 20-minute conversation Ralph was exceptionally friendly and gracious. Nevertheless, shortly after his daughter arrived for the family meal Ralph firmly announced, “This will have to do. Our family’s getting ready.” We stood and walked to the door. When I asked if he would be open to the possibility of continuing our conversation he seemed circumspect, so I tried another approach. “Maybe if I called you first, like in a couple of days on my way back from Eugene? Tuesday, maybe?” “No, not Tuesday. I’ll be busy all day. I’m undergoing a procedure at my doctor’s.” Ralph described how he was scheduled to receive a spinal injection to relive chronic back pain. I sensed that he wanted the rest of the week free of pesky reporters, so I ceased trying to schedule a follow-up interview. “Well, I hope the procedure goes well for you,” I offered instead. At the door, Ralph asked me what publication I was writing for and what angle I was taking on the case. “I’m lucky, Ralph, I don’t have to prove who DB Cooper is. I just have to write a good story. To that end, I’m taking a comprehensive approach – who the suspects are, how the investigations have gone, and I’ll explore all the mysteries.” Ralph laughed and we agreed that the case is emergent, but for different reasons. Ralph said that he thought the case was in the public eye because of all the recent media attention, such as the current History Channel documentary on Kenny Christiansen and the National Geographic special of a year ago. “Half the country is too young to know the case and now the media has to exploit a new market,” he said. My view that the case is gaining public interest because of the advent of DNA testing and the ability of the public and reporters to delve deeply into the case via the Internet was lost in a babble of goodbyes. When we reached my pick-up we shook hands and Ralph announced, “I let you off easy today. I usually charge for what I’ve just given you.” The question of payment for an interview was an issue Ralph had raised during my initial outreach two years prior. “My offer of lunch is still good, Ralph. If you want to invite Joyce along, I’m good with that, too. Just pick a place and let me know where and when.” We both laughed. But after the smile faded Ralph didn’t look like he thought a free lunch would be sufficient. I mused as I drove away. I’ll probably pay what he wants. I need the information. I hope he accepts monthly payments. © 2011 Bruce A. Smith

Hi Bruce. Just curious.....you seem to have info on Tina's sister and bro-in-law based on previous posts and they would appear to be relatively easy to locate, so why don't you just get in touch with them? I suspect you are enjoying the chase and a direct route wouldn't be as much fun?

Bruce. WHY are you covering so much old ground? Tired and truesome ground. Didnt you believe it the first time when others wrote it? Have you taken "gag me with a spoon" literally? Quote Who else has written it? Who else has been to Maria Regina? I'd love to contact them and compare notes.

Thanks, Three-Seven-Seven. Yup, I think to hot buttons and restless memories...

Here's my latest on "The Hunt for DB Cooper" - Looking for Tina, Part II: The convent in Eugene In 1991, the primary witness to the DB Cooper skyjacking case, flight attendant Tina Mucklow, vanished from public view. This is a report on my latest attempts to ascertain what has happened to Ms. Mucklow. Tina’s last known address was the Carmel of Maria Regina Monastery in Green Hill, Oregon, a hillside neighborhood on the western fringe of Eugene. Tina is reported to have been a member of that religious community beginning in 1979 or 1980, and on January 31, 2011, I traveled to Green Hill to learn whatever I could of Tina in her last known abode. Although close to the road and identified by a small sign, the convent is so neatly tucked into the woods that I drove past it once before finding it on my second pass. Entering the parking lot, the first thing I noticed was a soaring wall of stained-glass window. Ah, the chapel…I must be in the right place.. However, I was uncertain what my next course of action should be. Two years prior, I had contacted the monastery and talked with the Madam Superior, Mother Elizabeth Saint Onge. Although she confirmed that Tina had been a resident there, the Mother Superior firmly resisted my efforts to discuss Tina. “I really don’t want to get involved,” she had said. Nevertheless, I had pressed and told her of my concerns about Tina’s well-being and her importance in this felony case. Relenting a bit, Mother Saint Onge did tell me that Tina had lived at the convent in the 1980s and early 1990s, but that was it. When I sought details of Tina’s health, particularly her mental and emotion condition, Mother Elizabeth immediately cut me off and said she was not going to say a single word concerning anyone’s medical status. In short, Mother Saint Onge is one tough cookie, and I was nervous about encountering her in person. As a result, I wandered about the grounds of the monastery and sought my courage. First, I visited the chapel, which was open - surprising in this age of locked churches and stolen poor boxes. I took a few deep breaths and a few pictures. Walking outside, I found a gift shop next-door. “Press buzzer,” said a sign on the door to the closed shop. I choose not to summon any attention at that moment and continued my stroll. Beyond the gift shop I passed a few bathrooms and “parlors,” the latter I assumed were visiting rooms for family and friends in which to spend time with their cloistered loved ones. I was hoping to find an administrative office and have a receptionist help me break the ice with Mother Elizabeth, but I didn’t find one. Instead, I discovered a back entrance, “South Gate,” which was a simple, latched doorway. I pulled the handle and walked in. As I rounded the corner, I saw the whole monastic structure, which is a tasteful, wooden building reminiscent of a sorority or frat house, but without the beer smells and adolescent trash. However, I didn’t see or hear anyone. Continuing, I came to a door with a medium-sized bell hanging on a near-by lanyard. I rang it. No one responded, so I called out: “Hello,” but there was no answer. I contemplated walking along the manicured trails through the adjacent woods, but decided not to intrude any further on the sisters’ privacy. I left and headed back to the chapel area. Below the chapel I saw another level. It looked “official” and I found a second buzzer system. This time I rang. Within a few seconds a female voice squawked through the intercom, “Can I help you?” “Yes,” I answered. “My name is Bruce Smith, and I’m a newspaper reporter working up a story on the monastery. I was wondering if there is someone I can talk to about the history of the convent.” “Meet me at the gift shop,” the voice replied. “I’ll be right there.” I walked up the steps to the main level and waited at the gift shop. Within a minute a diminutive woman about 70 years-old appeared and opened the door. “I’m Sister Teresa,” she said warmly, extending her hand in greeting. Shaking it I stepped inside, and gave Sister Teresa my business card. The nun was dressed in traditional Catholic garb - a blue and white habit and a light blue dress with white trim. Despite the habit’s rim, her face was unobstructed. We began a chatty banter about the chilly fog enveloping the hills around the monastery, a bracing change from the balmy 50-degree weather of the previous few days. After a few laughs, Sister Teresa got down to business. “So who do you write for and what’s the nature of your visit?” I commenced my narrative of writing for the start-up online news magazine, The Mountain News, and my former coverage of the Cooper case for the Eatonville Dispatch. I mentioned my interest in Tina and her capacity to help unravel the only unsolved skyjacking case in the history of the United States. “We don’t want to get involved with that,” she told me. “Why not,” I replied. “We’ve been stung too many times by the newspapers,” Sister Teresa said. “When? Which papers? I’ve never heard or read anything uncomplimentary about the convent. What did they say?” “I don’t want to discuss any of that,” Sister Teresa countered. Undaunted by her rebuff, I launched my spiel on Tina, saying that I believe she may be in trouble. Trying to convince Sister Teresa of the severity of the situation I told her that a friend of Tina’s, Dr Eisenhower-Turner, had told another investigator that Tina had suffered a permanent trauma somehow in her skyjacking experience. I added that at least two FBI agents have reported that Tina’s memory has been seriously impacted in some manner, with one suggesting that Tina may have been brainwashed in the monastery. “Then maybe I’m brainwashed, too,” Sister Teresa challenged. “How so,” I asked. “We pray a lot, here. That’s what we do.” With that, Sister Teresa thrust back my business card and began to move away. Passing beside me I could see her face clearly in the light from the window and I saw a grimace, as if she had a smoldering rage inside. “Why are you so angry at me?” I asked. “I’m not angry,” Sister Teresa replied. “Well, you look angry,” I countered. “Well, you’re just seeing the face that God has given me.” “But why are you angry at me?” I continued. “I’m not angry,” she stated again, but with more emphasis. “But you look angry,” I said, with my own elevated enunciation. “That’s just the face God has giving me,” Sister Teresa insisted. “Look, Sister Teresa,” I replied, “There is very little I know about the Bible, but one line I do know and one that I truly believe in is, ‘The truth shall make us free.’ I would add that the truth can make us whole, and in doing so will make us healthy, too. There are a lot of people in pain because of the DB Cooper case, in my judgment. A lot of people are afraid to talk, they’re anxious and appear intimidated. I’m not looking to ‘get’ anyone or make their lives more difficult. I’m just seeking the truth. I just want to know what’s going on.” I paused, and then continued. “I came here looking for justice,” I said. “In fact, I came here seeking a partner in my effort to find justice.” “I’m looking for justice, too,” Sister Teresa said, “and I’m going to return to it.” “That sounds evasive, Sister,” I declared. “I’m going to return to my prayers,” Sister Teresa stated. I nodded, but continued, “I was hoping the monastery would partner with me in my search for justice.” “We’re not looking for partners.” I paused, and tried a new tack. “Is Mother Saint Onge available?” I asked. “Mother Saint Onge is on a personal retreat for ten days,” she replied. Sister Teresa began walking away and I knew we were done. “Thanks for your time, and for listening to what I had to say,” I told her. She smiled wanly and we shook hands, then I opened the gift shop door and departed. Addendum: After my return home from Eugene, DB Cooper investigator Galen Cook told me that he has had several conversations with Mother Elizabeth Saint Onge and other nuns at the convent. He has ascertained that Tina entered the convent in the spring of 1980. © 2011 Bruce A. Smith

Sands may come and sands may go, kinda like that buried dough. The truth is clear, or so says Jo. These facts we claim because we know Old Duane L. Weber said it's so. The facts run deep and spread afar, To the cash they found on Tena Bar The plan came off without a mar, When Duane took off in his car... And the pilots cheered! Har! Har! Har! Now forty years have come and gone, And pilots noses have grown long with stories told and put to song The truth they bury, the word they gong, The lives they ruined is just wrong. The beating rain can drive you insane, as easy as their crap inaine. And then to stand and act so vain... Like they never gave ol' Tina her pain. I make no claims, I'm just say'n. *** My favorite entry in the Cooper Poetry category to date. Superb, Bob.

I see your fascination with Mucklow as peculiar. Some people would take your level of interest ands remarks you have made as 'celebratory' and a red flag? I think you need to define the reason for your 'special interest' in Ms. Mucklow. But, there is another aspect to this I find interesting. Your 'special interest in Tina Mucklow' is noted. Cooper chose Tina and gave her HIS special interest. Does your interest in Tina reflect a commonality which tells us something revealing about Cooper? Birds of a feather, as it were? Perhaps you could shed light on this coincidence. What precisely is it you think you and you alone can DO for Ms. Mucklow that everyone else in her life is failing to do, or Mucklow is not doing for herself, does not see to do, or has not done already? You keep saying you see Tina is at risk of some kind. What is there about celebrities you find so compelling? Do you think Ms. Mucklow is another Barb Dayton and needs your rescue or special attention the rest of the World is failing to understand or give? What is the object of your special mission with regard to Ms. Mucklow? You keep talking about her welfare and safety and claiming she is at risk from herself or others. You see Blevins as having a common interest and concern, with you? Have you talked to Blevin's wife Gayla about this? You already talked to Tina's relatives about this. Have you expressed your concerns to Rataczak or others who have a more direct affiliation ? Quote I don't consider that I have a "special interest" in Tina. Rather, I consider her a priority source in a comprehensive investigation of the DB Cooper skyjacking story. Within that context, the possibility of some kind of affinity between Mucklow and Cooper may be relevant, or not. Why Cooper chose Mucklow as his hostage may tell us important information about Cooper. Conversely, Tina's ability to cope with him may tell us something important about her and her current reclusiveness. Then again, maybe not. It's just a possibility. I don't think that I alone can do anything unique or helpful for Ms. Muckow. Yes, I have certain professional expertise that I am bringing to bear in my investigation, but I have called for others, such as Dr. Susan Eisenhower-Turner, to join with me in an outreach to Tina. I have also made Bill Rataczak aware of my speculations and concerns regarding Tina's well-being, as I have with numerous others, such as AW Mucklow and many FBI agents, including Carr, Himmelsback, Calame, and the crew in San Francisco. That said, journalists function with a greater degree of independence than others involved in the case, such as the FBI or NWO. It's my job to uncover what others cover-up. Hence, if there is any covering-up going on in the Cooper case, my efforts and those of many other journalists to reveal them may have a healing effect for the principals besides a journalistic one. Relatedly, I think your insights into my fascination with celebrities is right-on. I do have an affinity to people of power, accomplishment and celebrity acclaim. However, my greatest attraction is to justice. I do not have any special relationship with Mr. Blevins or his wife, Gayla. I am simply responding to him here on the DZ as a fellow-poster and investigator. However, about a year ago I interviewed Robert for a possible news piece for the Dispatch newspaper regarding his book, but he never had a speaking engagement, to my knowledge, in our coverage area, so it never went to print. However, I may re-consider that as I launch The Mountain News, an online news magazine for those who live close to Mt. Rainier. Lastly, please remember that I have never said definitively Tina is at risk of any kind. I am merely drawing attention to the possibility of it, and identifying an ever-growing list of circumstantial evidence that suggests that something unsavory may have happened to Ms. Mucklow besides the overt events of Nov 24, 1971.

Skipp Porteous investigated her thoroughly and spoke to some family members. I have spoken to one of Tina's nieces. The whole thing is messed up, and that's too bad. Really. She's the best witness, IMHO. I get bummed thinking about it. That stuff I said previously was true. She should go public with something, if she can, but the truth is I don't know IF SHE CAN. Quote Thanks for the clarification, Robert.

Great post, Sluggo. Thanks. It casts an important light on what may be going on with Tina and the rest of 305's crew. Your suggestion for us to follow-up with Delta is spot-on. It's on the list.

QuoteLook, I kind of know what the deal is with Tina Mucklow. You can believe me or not, it's up to you. But before you decide if I'm right, consider this: I may have been wrong on some things occasionally, but I don't make up stuff regarding the Cooper case. Not intentionally, anyway. The True Tina Deal As Far As I Know It: Even if you could see her now, she would tell you she remembers little from the night of the hijacking. She's had 'issues' over the years. To a degree, you could call them psychological issues. She's NOT crazy. She is doing okay now. And you won't be able to get a single thing out of her. Remember, she's about 62 years old now and a bit different from the wide-eyed stew who dallied with Cooper. There have been changes to her personality and she's a little fragile. This is why her family protects her. And that's all you're getting out of me about it. I have all of this on very good information. You can take it or leave it as you like. It's a true bummer, since she was the best witness. Quote Okay, Robert, I'm ready to believe that Tina's okay, well, basically okay with maybe a few issues here and there. But can you tell me the sources from which you've received these reassurances to Tina's well-being? Perhaps I could contact these sources and receive their assurances directly? Also, how come Tina remembers little from the night of the skyjacking? How do you know that? Can you expand on that?

Actually, Orange, having just returned to WA from my three months in NY, I can tell you that there is great consternation there regarding the arrests of 94 mafiosi. The central theme seems to be: who will make sure the roads get plowed if all the Dons are in the joint? For most New Yorkers it's a question of priorities - roads-plowed-and-life-goes-on or some effort at morality via the judicial system. As we all know, waiting to be called as a juror in the latter instance is maddening, and that's where DB Cooper comes in. Guys in the trenches need something to talk about that's not trial-related. As a result, I have a huge potential audience, as does Geoff Gray, who is already tapping into it with his many writings for New York Magazine. Wish me well; remember, I need a job.... Also. I called Mom today to see how she made out in the latest snow storm. She was taking a bath and seemed unconcerned with the latest record-setting blast from Mother Nature.

Quote ********************* Yes, Quade, I have considered that Tina is perfectly fine and just doesn't want to deal with pesky guys like me. However, after considering all the information available about Tina, I don't think she is perfectly fine. In one YouTube video of a film clip made shortly after the skyjacking, Tina displays a remarkable ease in front of the camera and a deep, genuine concern of how her passengers fared during the skyjacking. Where has that ease and concern gone? No one is able to tell me, and hence I continue to search. Also, I think Tina has a lot to say about the skyjacking. At the very least, she is the definitive authority on how DB Cooper looked and acted. Reviewing photos of suspects is not asking too much of someone who cherishes her privacy, in my opinion. Perhaps she could make herself available to the pesky mimions once a year? Maybe NWO would share their publicicst and field questions? Unless of course, the experience of doing any of that is too unnerving, and if that is the case, then we are back at square one: Is Tina really okay, and can my investigation of what really happened to her be of any help to her in assuaging the residual fears or emotional discord?

. --------------------------------- -------------------------------- Jo Weber states: Bruce, your write up was interesting, but I think you STEPPED a little too far with your "opinion" about Tina Mucklow's background. I do NOT feel you are qualified to make the statement you made about how or why Tina had the ability to keep Cooper occupied. You have NO compassion for what this woman has had to live through...and to humiliate her with an opinion or assumption such as you have stated in a public forum was in very bad taste. *** Jo, I take your comments to heed with great seriousness, and I thank you for sharing them here. This is one of the great values of this forum - it is public and serious, but it is not the front page of the New York Times, either. Hence, it gives guys like me a chance to share our writings and thoughts in a somewhat buffered environment - one that provides a measure of safety to the folks I write about, such as Tina. I share your concerns about protecting Tina. However, we disagree on where to draw the line. Obviously my line is much further towards public sharing than yours, but I do not discount your perspective. I am grateful to you and the others who have posted here saying that I have crossed a line of fair play and safety. It is good to keep my feet to the fire and be accountable to the impact my words may have. Here are my thoughts on Tina and my writing about her: 1. Tina is a public figure. She is talked about in numerous books. She is seen in numerous YouTube videos. She is discussed here and on many other Internet forums. Most importantly, she is the primary witness to a major crime. Yes, she may not like her celebrity status, but nevertheless she has a public persona. As such, if she is unwilling to appear personally in the public spotlight then she ought to hire a publicist to speak for her. I hope she would select a publicist that could speak credibily about her experiences and not just spill generalities. I have recommended to the family that she do this. 2. I do not think Tina's silence serves her. Every indication I have is that Tina's life has been seriously impacted by the Cooper incident despite numerous assurances to the contrary. I simply do not belive the folks who keep telling me to respect her privacy that Tina is okay as they are not able to refute the information I have regarding her well-being. That may be a grandious and hubristic perspective on my part, but I truly I belive the truth shall set everyone free, and that is the intention from which I write. 3. Further, I believe that Tina is a victim of, and a witness to, crimes far beyond a mere skyjacking. I believe that Tina has a responsiblity to society to actively see that justice be done. As a victim, I understand that her capacity to do that may be greatly impaired; nevertheless, I think Tina needs to speak out about her experiences in a forthwright manner. Somehow, somewhere.

I'm not quite finished... Bruce Smith says in part: First, you should stop identifying yourself as a 'newspaper reporter' to both this thread and the general public, because you are not. At most, you've freelanced a couple of articles, and they don't usually issue press credentials for those. I've done more than 450 illustrated articles for Newsvine/MSNBC, and passed the million-visitor mark there just recently. (Member since March 2007) But I don't represent myself as being with MSNBC. To do so would be fraud. Here's a quote you should read from the Citizens' Law Project website: Misrepresenting Yourself in Order to Gain Consent: *** Robert, why the dis? Do I disrepect you? I think not. And the misrepresentation of my professional credentials. Why? As for setting the record straight: The Eatonville Dispatch (www.dispatchnews.com) published nearly 1,000 news articles and features of mine from November 2006 through December 2010. Priot to that and beginning in 1990, I have had numerous journalistic and short story pieces published in regional and local publications, such as The Olympian, Creations Magazine and The Golden Thread magazine. When I get back to Washington, which should be around the beginning of February, folks can read me in the on-line magazine that I'm starting, called The Mountain News. (www.themountainnews.wa.wordpress.com.)

Thanks, Three-Seven-Seven. Here's what I've been up to since my last major post: The Hunt for DB Cooper Looking for Tina – Initial investigations, August 2008 – October 2010 Tina Mucklow, the flight attendant DB Cooper kept hostage during his skyjacking, vanished from public view beginning in 1991. Nevertheless, here is what I know of her. Her last-known whereabouts were the Carmelite Monastery in Eugene, Oregon, where she had been a cloistered nun for the previous twelve years, entering the convent about 1979. It is widely reported that Tina moved to Portland, Oregon when she left the convent in 1991, but I have no definitive information on that occurrence, nor do I have any address or contacts there to question further about Tina. This report, then, is my account of my efforts to find Tina and learn the state of her current well-being, ascertain what happened during the skyjacking, and to determine why she has disappeared from sight for nearly twenty years. I’m not the only one who is looking for Tina. In 2008, Dr. Susan Eisenhower-Turner, a psychiatrist from Media, Pennsylvania, posted a blog entry on a Minnesota newspaper’s website regarding a DB Cooper-related story and asked the cyber world for information on Tina, claiming that they were old friends and former classmates at the Lankenau School for Girls, a private secondary school located in Germantown, PA. During this same time period, Cooper investigator Galen Cook also launched an intensive to find Tina. Because of my extensive writings on Tina on the DropZone.com forum, particularly concerning her mental and psychological well-being, Galen contacted me to discuss what dynamics could have caused Tina to become reclusive. From those conversations Galen and I developed an investigative partnership, pooling information and resources, and giving each other a well-appreciated support via numerous phone calls and emails. Galen, an attorney from Anchorage, Alaska, has been on the hunt for DB Cooper since the 1980s and is also writing a book on the case. Although he is widely known as the leading advocate for Cooper suspect, William Wolfgang Gossett, Galen has broad knowledge of the case and a keen interest in what has happened to Tina. We both feel that the mystery of Tina is as compelling a story as Cooper’s, and that the two may be connected. Together, we have sought to peel back the mysteries surrounding these two individuals, particularly by attempting to understand their motivations and emotional states. As part of this process Galen has shared with me several vital pieces of information about Tina. To begin, Galen told me that he has interviewed the Mother Superior at Tina’s former convent, Sister Elizabeth Mary, and says the chief nun told him that Tina “never really fit in” while she was there despite living in the ecclesiastical community from 1979 until 1991. In addition, Galen told me that he has also interviewed Russ Calame, the former Special Agent in Charge of the Salt Lake City, Utah FBI office, and co-author of the Cooper book, “DB Cooper – The Real McCoy”. Calame is the guy who collared Richard McCoy, another Cooper-esque skyjacker and the man that Calame believes did the Cooper jump as well. Galen says that Calame told him that when he interviewed Tina in the mid 1980s while looking for Cooper-McCoy connections, he came to realize that Tina would never be a credible witness in any Cooper trial because her memory of the skyjacking had become too fuzzy. Galen told me that Calame had intimated that Tina had been brainwashed during her time at the convent. “It’s as if her memory has been wiped clean, like an eraser wiping off the chalk off a blackboard,” is how I heard Galen describe Calame’s pronouncements. These comments are further enhanced by Calame’s account in his book that the FBI agents who conducted the evidence retrieval after the skyjacking were confused as to those events during Calame’s interview with them in the 1980s, and Calame states they were acting as if under the influence of post-hypnotic suggestions. Galen also said that another Cooper investigator, author and former FBI agent Richard Tosaw, had described Tina’s mental state at the convent in similar terms as Calame. Unfortunately, I have been unable to confirm these claims with the Mother Superior and Russ Calame despite numerous attempts to do so. In addition, my efforts to speak with Richard Tosaw before his death in 2009 were also unsuccessful. Another interesting angle provided by Galen is the fact that Tina’s older sister is married to an FBI agent, and that Tina lived with them prior to her arrival at the convent. Tina’s sister and brother-in-law also visited her in the convent on multiple occasions, and reportedly brought her to the monastery in 1979 and picked her up when she left in 1991. Backed with these pieces of information, I have also gathered insights into Tina’s mental and cognitive states from interviews with other principals and documentary sources. Most importantly, Bill Rataczak, co-pilot of Flight 305, told me in 2009 that Tina was cool, calm and collected during her ordeal with Cooper. He specifically stated that he “wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Tina. She kept Cooper calm.” To show his appreciation for Tina’s skillful handling of Cooper during the skyjacking, Rataczak - on behalf of the entire flight crew - gifted Tina with a large bottle of Chanel No.5, adding, “That woman sure knew how to wear perfume.” So, how did Tina develop the skill to handle Cooper? Doing so was not an easy task. Tina sat next to him for nearly two hours while circling Sea-Tac airport waiting for the parachutes and ransom money and during that time she lit at least eight Raleigh cigarettes for him as he kept his right hand on the bomb trigger. She also engaged him in conversation upon instruction from the pilots - and presumably the FBI - in an effort to ferret-out information from Cooper on his identity and motivation. In addition, she took numerous notes from Cooper and relayed information to and from the cockpit, and joined with fellow flight attendant Florence Schaffner in calming the passengers. Further, she spent at least forty-five minutes alone with Cooper in the passenger cabin during the re-fueling at Sea-Tac. It can be easily imagined that the experience was harrowing. Yet afterwards when Cooper sent her back the cockpit, she was able to take written notes of the radio transmissions between Flight 305 and the FBI and air traffic controllers in Seattle. So, how did Tina stay so calm and productive? How did she maintain that perfect blend of assertiveness and deference? Was she adept at handling a bomb-tottin’ skyjacker because she had had prior experiences placating abusers? Or was Tina Muckow just one tough cookie? If so, why did Tina fall apart a few years later in the convent? What happened? Seeking answers, I sought Dr. Eisenhower-Turner. Besides wanting to know Tina’s whereabouts and details of the skyjacking, I was especially concerned for her well-being. In particular, I wanted to know why Tina was hyper-religious. Tina is thought to have carried a bible aboard Flight 305, as she is seen clutching what appears to be a bible in pictures taken after the debriefing with FBI agents immediately following the plane’s landing in Reno, Nevada. In addition, Galen says Tina has been described by fellow flight attendants as being excessively preachy before and after the skyjacking, particularly during lay-overs. Piecing these parts together I began to see a picture of a woman who might have experienced child abuse, possibly sexual. In my fourteen years as an activity therapist in psychiatry, I had learned that many women who had been raped as children often found solace in religion, frequently becoming hyper-religious, such as carrying bibles to work. Further, many of these abused women also sought to enhance their physical beauty, recognizing the inherent power therein. Was sexual abuse the pathway by which Tina learned to handle violent men? Along these lines, pictures of Tina from the post-skyjacking period show her to be a very attractive twenty-something. So, how did this bible-carrying woman also come to be an individual who “knew how to wear perfume” and one seeking the glamour and prestige of being a flight attendant? Reports from classmate searches on the Internet indicate that Tina graduated from the Lankenau School for Girls in 1968, which would make her about 21 when she was skyjacked in 1971. Hence, she must have left her home in Philadelphia soon after graduating from the Lankenau School for Girls, heading to Minneapolis to work as a stewardess for Northwest Orient Airlines. Recapping what I knew of Tina from the early stages of my investigation: she was a good-looking young woman who left her home in Philly after graduation from a religiously-oriented high school and sought adventure in the skies. Along the way she brings her bible, handles a skyjacking with aplomb, and then loses her mind in a convent and disappears from view. How did all that happen, and what role does the DB Cooper skyjacking play in Tina Mucklow’s life, if any? And further, is there anything from her childhood or family life that could shed some light on these questions? Looking For Tina, December 15-16, 2010 A visit to Eastern Pennsylvania In the fall of 2010, I had a couple of personal experiences that placed me on the east coast for an extended period. First, the newspaper that I had been writing for, The Dispatch of Eatonville, Washington, was sold by its mom and pop operators to a corporate group. The new owners demonstrated a profound inability to pay me in a timely manner and worse, they did not display any substantive capacity to respect my intellectual property rights. My efforts to rectify these issues led my new employers to terminate my contract in September, 2010. On October 20, within minutes of chiseling-out my last pay check from corporate ownership my 86 year-old mother fell in New York and broke four ribs. Without a job, I seemed the ideal candidate to tend to mom, so, on Halloween I flew to JFK, got mom into a rehab center, and then orchestrated her return back home. During that time, I was able to take a few days and travel to eastern Pennsylvania to scout for information on Tina. Uppermost on my list was meeting Dr. Eisenhower-Turner. I had contacted Dr. ET, as Galen and I affectionately call her, the prior year and shared my concerns for Tina, especially the possibility that she might have been sexually assaulted early in life and that those traumas may have been exacerbated by the DB Cooper incident. I sent Dr. ET a hefty packet of information on the DB Cooper case and also mentioned the possibility that Tina - and the whole DB Cooper caper - may have been part of a Manchurian Candidate–like scenario. The latter could have been part of MKULTRA mind-control operations that were being conducted by the CIA and US military during the Cooper time-frame. In my view, many circumstantial aspects of the Cooper case, especially the sexual behaviors of the primary suspects and in particular those who have confessed to being DB Cooper, suggest the involvement of mind, mood, and memory control processes. Although Dr. ET and I never spoke directly with each other she did telephone me once, leaving a voice message acknowledging receipt of my packet of information and stressing that she did not want to partner with me in any outreach towards Tina. In fact, she asked quite plaintively that I abandon my efforts to contact Tina. “I ask that you respect her privacy,” Dr. ET said. I was disappointed by Dr. ET’s response, and also a little surprised. After all, she too, had been seeking information on Tina. If she was a childhood friend why did she have to ask the cyber world for information on her old classmate? Why didn’t she just call Tina’s family? Hence, I had assumed that Tina and her family were just as hidden and taciturn for Dr. ET as they were for me. Otherwise, why would Dr ET need the Internet? But then, why did Dr. ET go mum? Was Dr. ET admitted into the inner sanctum of Tina’s world and then motivated somehow to join their efforts to keep the external world at bay? Hence, I sought answers directly from Dr. ET. I was able to learn from medical directories that Dr. ET was practicing at a major medical center in suburban of Philadelphia. I was also intrigued to learn that Dr ET was a psychiatrist. Another piece of co-incidence, or a connection to MKULTRA? I pondered. On a cold, pre-Christmas December day in 2010, I knocked on Dr. ET’s office door. She quickly answered but only opened the door a little bit. It appeared that she was having a session with a client, and Dr. ET only allowed a partial view into her office. “Hi,” I said. “Dr. Susan Eisenhower-Turner?” She nodded in affirmative. “Hi there, I’m Bruce Smith,” Dr. ET’s face looked blank. “I’m a newspaper reporter from Tacoma, Washington. I contacted you about a year ago.” Her face brightened with recognition. “I was wondering if we could speak some time about Tina Mucklow.” “No,” she replied instantly, in a clear, firm voice. “Why not?” I countered. She paused, and Dr. ET began to close the door. “Perhaps we could talk about the Lankenau School for Girls,” I offered. “Just no,” she said, stepping back and closing her door. I left quickly, not wanting to trigger a response from hospital security or even risking arrest. However, I did retreat to the hospital’s snack bar where I calmed myself with an ice-cold Coca-Cola. I was surprised how excited I was. My hands were shaking and my body was absolutely tingling. After two years of talking with DB Cooper principals on the phone, I had actually met one in-person. It was enthralling. Here are some of my notes on my encounter with Dr. Eisenhower-Turner that I wrote in the snack bar: “Dr. ET is a stern-looking woman. She’s about 5’8”, early 60s and very thin. She has short hair and was dressed in casual but exceptionally tasteful and colorful professional clothes – scarf, flowing skirt - that type of thing. She looks like an old hippy that has gotten uptight, or she is a stern, older yuppie who has a taste for color, texture and composition in her clothing.” I called Galen from the snack bar and after hearing my report his first words to me were: “Why does everyone protect Tina?” We spoke for about an hour, and my effort to make direct contact with a member of the Mucklow Clan shifted something between Galen and I – we became bonded more fully in this project. Galen then suggested that I contact AW Mucklow, a woman that he had spoken with several times over the years and had found polite and receptive to his requests for information. I had known about AW Mucklow from prior conversations with Galen, and he had given me her email address during the time I was reaching out initially to Dr. ET. I had sent a similar packet of information to AW replete with a cover letter elucidating my concerns for Tina’s well-being. However, I had never heard back from her. Now, though, in the hospital snack bar Galen gave me her phone number and address. I was on the Hunt in a new and more robust manner. AW, it turned out, lived northeast of Philadelphia and I was currently far to the southwest. Further complicating my itinerary, I wanted to check-out the Lankenau School for Girls, Germantown, and any Mucklows I could find - especially one name-sake, a dentist - before I left this part of Philly. As it turned out, by the time I reached the office of the dentist bearing Tina’s family moniker he was gone for the day and not to return for a few so I headed to my evening’s lodging in Cherry Hill, NJ at the home of a member of my extended family. The next day, December 16, I resumed looking for the Lankenau School for Girls. Initially, I had thought it was a Catholic high school but neither the Catholic archdiocese nor the Philly school district had ever heard of it. Nevertheless, there was a Lankenau High School in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia that was a part of the public school system, so I headed there. The principal of Lankenau High School, Jacqueline M. Bentley, was as courteous and helpful as her assistant principal Shawn Poole had been on the phone the week before when I had called looking for information on Tina. They had never heard of Tina Mucklow or Susan Eisenhower, as Dr. ET was known in her high school years, nor did they have any information on when or how their high school was connected to the Catholic Church. I wanted to know if there was a relationship between Tina and a Catholic institution because Cathy O’Brien, the noted MKULTRA whistleblower, specifically charges that members of the Catholic Church were involved in her sexual abuse and the eventual fracturing of her personality as part of an effort to Manchurian-candidate her into a CIA operative. But Ms. Bentley told me that her Lankenau High School had come into existence in 1983, first as an annex to the Germantown High School further downtown and then as a free-standing high school that had a special charter to educate highly motivated kids. She also said that she knew prior to the Philadelphia school system taking over Lankenau it had been a private school, possibly for children with special needs. As for the building itself, it is two-stories in height with a box-like brick and masonry construction. Over its 150-foot length Lankenau High School housed perhaps sixteen classrooms spread over its east and west wings and connected by a central administrative core. Currently, the building appears a bit dilapidated and has a late-1960s-early-1970s feel. “Run-down- modern” is how I described it in my field notes. Ms. Bentley also told me that “there’s was nothing out here when the school was built,” and a drive around the area confirmed that this northwestern-most section of Philadelphia had been a collection of wealthy estates, old farms and sporting clubs in the not-too-distant past. The current Lankenau High School certainly seemed like it was built in an ideal place for MKULTRA kids getting their personalities fried, but it didn’t seem like it was old-enough to be the place Tina and Sue graduated from in 1968, as Google searches had indicated. When I explained my interest in Lankenau High School to Principal Bentley and shared my knowledge of Tina and Sue Eisenhower more fully, Ms. Bentley recommended that I pay a visit to the neighboring Renfrew Center, which she said was a private treatment facility for women with eating disorders. As I drove away from Lankenau High School I passed a small, white Honda with a Pennsylvania license plate that read: MK JOE’S. An omen? Nevertheless, I found the Renfrew Center to be a concoction of elegant dorms and classroom-like buildings surrounding a two-story Mediterranean-style villa that was built in the 1850s. Oddly, the parking lots at Renfrew were filled with twice the number of vehicles that were parked at Bentley’s Lankenau HS, and most were late-model, mini SUVs. As I headed towards the administration center in the villa I passed a number of large bay-windows that revealed several groups of pretty-but-skinny women sitting around in circles, presumably in group therapy sessions. I surmised that Renfrew did not have many male reporters strolling around its grounds and thus making the residents uncomfortable. The official I spoke with at the Renfrew administrative office was civil but not warm, informing me that the Renfrew Center was a private treatment facility and has been in existence since the 1980s. I got the hint and got out of there. It may have an interesting link to this story – or not – but I needed more specific information on Tina Mucklow. Seeking it, I started driving towards downtown on the near-by Germantown Ave with the goal of visiting the Germantown Historical Society. Within minutes a light snow began to fall and by the time I reached inner Philly the roads were very slippery and the traffic snarled. But GHS curators Sam and Alex greeted me warmly as I entered and introduced myself. They called out: “Bruce, we were just going to call you!” The prior week, I had called the Germantown Historical Society looking for information on the Lankenau Catholic High School. I was hoping, successfully as it turned out, that these historians would have knowledge of Germantown far beyond their efforts to commemorate the important battle that was fought in that part of the city in the early days of America’s Revolutionary War. The folks at the Historical Society provided me with documents that the school was officially called the Lankenau School for Girls and was dedicated in 1956 at 3201 West School House Lane, which is now located on the Philadelphia University campus. However, they couldn’t confirm the school was run by the Catholic Church or when it went out of existence. Also, before its arrival at the West School House Lane site, the Lankenau School for Girls had a pre-existing campus elsewhere in the Germantown area, dating back to at least 1903. Since West School House Lane was just a hop, skip and a jump from the Historical Society, I was back in the snow in short order. But, as I made my way to the door an older figure with twinkling eyes emerged from a dusty cubicle amongst the shadows and announced that he could not find any Mucklows listed in the 1963 Philadelphia phone book as residing in Germantown, only a Mucklow print shop, now out of business. Hmmm, I thought, Germantown is a working-class neighborhood. Maybe the Mucklows didn’t have a phone? Then, another historian approached and handed me a newspaper clipping of the dedication. I was shocked to see that the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia – not the Catholic Church - was the officiating organization at the dedication and perhaps was also administering the school. However, a Sister Lydia Fisher was listed as orchestrating the dedication ceremony. This Lankenau thing was getting murkier by the minute. Was the Lankenau School for Girls a private school run by the Lutherans and not the Catholic Church? If so, when did the Lutherans utilize teaching nuns? Slipping and sliding through the snow I wandered the grounds of Philadelphia University asking students and staff where I could get information on the former Lankenau school. Eventually, I was directed to Archer Hall, the Registrar’s building, which proved to be another elegant, two-story mansion. “Can you tell me where the old Lankenau School for Girls existed?” I asked Victoria Lally, the receptionist. “Well, you’re standing in what was the dorm building for both the nuns and the girls, as far as I know. The building across the parking lot, Downs Hall, was the classroom building,” she said. Again I felt chills, this time knowing I was standing on ground that Tina Mucklow had also walked. Also, the question of nuns further excited me - this was getting weirder. “The nuns resided here?” I asked. “They lived in the same building as their students?” “Yes, that is my understanding,” said Victoria. “And the Lankenau School for Girls was a boarding school?” “Yes.” Wow, I thought. I had assumed Tina and Sue had been day students, commuting from near-by Germantown. After all, Tina’s family didn’t have a phone or at least a listing in the phone book, so how could they afford a boarding school? Victoria couldn’t tell me when Philadelphia University took over the buildings from the Lutherans - or Catholics - or when the Lankenau School for Girls closed its doors, but she said it was prior to 1980, which was when she started her career in the Registrar’s office. Seeking more information, Victoria directed me towards the “White House,” another estate on campus and one that housed the Public Relations department. However, all the PR folks had departed for home by the time I reached their offices. As I left Archer Hall Victoria added one more piece of advice, saying that I could probably obtain confirmation of Tina’s graduation from Lankenau at the Pennsylvania Department of Education in Harrisburg. “Thanks,” I said. “Good luck,” she said. “I hope you find out what happened to Tina. It’s a great story.” As the dark descended the snow tapered off. However, the traffic mess only grew worse. The radio said that I-95 was jammed from Philadelphia to the PA-Delaware state line, and when I passed I-76 on the west side of Philly I could see it was at a standstill in both directions. Even the cars on the entrance ramps weren’t moving. "Yikes, I might as well take Route 1 North to get out of Philly!" AW Mucklow was my next stop, but she was a long ways off. "I’ll get there when I get there," I philosophized is an effort to assuage my mounting impatience. Fortunately, I caused no damage to anyone as I slid through one intersection. Creeping and crawling, I finally made it to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and headed towards my old stomping grounds of Lehigh University and Bethlehem, PA, and eventually AW. Earlier, when I had called the number Galen had given me for AW I learned that it had been disconnected. Nevertheless, I had reverse-addressed it so I knew where to go and found her house without difficulty. It’s a cute, simple little house on a fair-sized property in a clean, attractive working-class neighborhood. AW’s abode is what folks in New York call a “shotgun” dwelling, as the house is narrow and long, and the main entrance is on the side of the house and not on the side facing the street. She had a few Christmas lights strung on her house and along a shrub or two, so I could clearly see the eight-foot high hedges shielding the house and the chain-link fence and gate, which completed a fortress-like appearance. Since it was well after sunset I decided to park across the street at a neighbor’s, as it was well-lit from plenty of Christmas decorations. However, shortly after I parked, the neighbor, a young, Polish-accented woman opened her door. I asked her where AW Mucklow lived, although I knew. Besides my concerns about freaking-out the neighborhood because of my after-dark arrival, I wanted to make my investigative intentions known to the neighbors and maybe obtain a little extra information. Plus, even though AW had a few Christmas lights glowing, her property was still mostly dark. Compounding my concern was the gate. I have a journalist’s rule of never opening a private entrance unless authorized, particularly in the dark. As I talked with the neighbor, AW's dogs were apparently released from inside the house or came running from the back of the property. At the gate they barked like crazed creatures guarding the Wicked Witch of the West. Despite the commotion the neighbor asked me to move my car since I was in her husband’s parking space and he was due home momentarily. I repositioned my vehicle on AW's side of the street but in front of another neighbor's house. By the time I walked to AWs gate the dogs had been recalled inside. At the gate I hesitated, then took a breath and opened it. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission, I rationalized and approached the front door. I knocked a couple times but got no response. Since it didn't feel like the main door I walked around to the side of her house, which did feel like the primary entrance. Once again, the dogs were inside and began yapping when I knocked. A voice inside called out, "Who is it?" "My name is Bruce Smith,” I answered. “I'm a newspaper reporter. I was wondering if I could talk to you." Thus began a loud, awkward conversation shouted through the house walls and over the noise of the dogs. "About the skyjacking?" the voice-inside called out. "Yes. I'd like to talk to you about Tina....is she okay?" "She's fine...but she's not here. "Do you have a number I could call her? "No." "Is AW Mucklow here? I'd like to talk with AW, too." "No, she's not here, either." Do you have a number I could call AW?" "No, I don't." "Okay, I’ll be leaving then. Thanks for your time." As I walked away all the outside lights were turned off, but I was still able to read an engraved wooden sign hanging next to the door: "Nobody gets to see the wizard. Not no how. Not no way." I smiled. "I must be at the right place….." I left AW’s property and headed to another neighbor, this one next to the neighbor whose husband was coming home soon. I thought I would make my presence known further – let AW know that I wasn’t going to go away without an effort, and also spreading the news to folks who might not know that AW’s cousin is the primary witness to the only unsolved skyjacking case in the United States. I figured I could stir the pot a bit and maybe make a friend along the way who could intercede for me with the Mucklows. I wasn't completely sure I had spoken to AW, as the voice sounded like a young woman's, but I had thought I had and she sounded like she was going to be a tough interview. So, I knocked on a second neighbor's front door, another house with lots of Christmas lights shining. However, I received no answer. I walked back into the street, and then someone opened the door at AW's and let the dogs out again. Within seconds, a womanly figure appeared at the Mucklow's gate. She was attractive and slightly-over-weight, around 50 and I surmised it was AW, but she never introduced herself. "Do you have a business card?" the figure called out. "Yes, I do," and I handed it to her with my cell number scribbled hastily on the back. Arching my arm high into the sky to avoid the yapping dogs, I passed the card over the gate and the figure took it. "Do you have a number I can call you on?” I asked. "Yeah, I'll give you my cell number. Do you have a piece of paper?" Again using a sky-hook maneuver, I handed her a pen and a scrap of notepaper from my over-flowing Mucklow file. She wrote her number down, and handed it back to me. "Thanks," I said. "I'll call you soon." She seemed pleasant and not concerned about standing in the wintry cold talking to a pesky reporter. I was hoping that she would invite me in, but after a momentary pause during which I did not receive it I said goodbye and drove off. I stopped at a near-by convenience store to restock with note paper and then headed to a neighborhood pizzeria. There, I called AW on my cell. She picked up on the second ring and we spoke for about 20-30 minutes. She was friendly but unrevealing. She also conducted herself in a smooth manner, deftly deflecting my probing questions. Maybe she’s talked with a lot of reporters….or she’s been coached? But she did display one cognitive slip when describing Tina's departure from the home environs: "When Tina went off to become...you know…a.... whatchamacallit... ah, not a waitress..." "A stewardess?" I offered "Yeah, a stewardess.... I was surprised by that mental block but I didn’t press the issue. I wanted to build rapport so I didn't push for details or information. In the main, we had a gentle, pleasant conversation and AW took many opportunities to assure me that Tina was okay and wanted to be left alone. “It happened a long time ago, and she just wants to leave it in the past,” AW announced early in the conversation. I only pushed heavily on one item, a comment AW made that Tina lives well and even goes on vacations “Where?” I asked. “Oh, I don’t know. Lots of places.” “Like where?” “I don’t remember exactly.” “Well, what kinds of vacations does she go on? Does she go swimming, like in the Caribbean? Or maybe skiing? Like in Colorado?” “I can’t say for sure.” “Well, where did she go on her last vacation?” “Ah, somewhere down in California, I think.” “Southern California….northern California?” “Ah, down in the lower part.” “LA?” “Not exactly. It was off the coast. It was, ah…an island. Yeah, Catalina Island.” Hmmmm. Is that the truth? Did Tina Mucklow actually go on a vacation to Catalina Island, or did AW just hem and haw until she could come up with a plausible vacation spot. I don’t know. Later, AW asked me why I wanted to talk with Tina, and what my interest was in the case. I explained that I thought the crime was an important story because it’s the only unsolved skyjacking case in the United States and one filled with mysteries. I also said it was important to talk with Tina since she is the primary witness to the crime and thus a primary source journalistically. Also, I explained some of my concern for Tina's health and well-being, and the possibility of MKULTRA involvement. I told her that I had spoken with Bill Rataczak and that he had described Tina as vital to saving their lives, adding that he described Tina as a figure who kept her cool under pressure. Nevertheless, I added that others report that Tina has had serious cognitive difficulties. I told AW about Dr. ET. I described my relationship with Galen Cook and how I had come to received her telephone number, and how I had reversed-addressed it to find where she lived. AW interrupted at one point and asked where I was from. I assumed she wondered how my New York accent got attached to an Eatonville, Washington business card, so I explained how my mom had fallen and broken four ribs, and I had come back east to help care for her. Later, AW told me that Tina had returned similarly to help care for her father. “That shows you the kind of person Tina is,” AW told me. “Not too many people do that for their elderly parents these days.” Also, I told AW that I had met Dr. ET the prior day but that the doctor had declined to discuss Tina despite her outreach on the Internet a couple years before. “That makes me really curious,” I told AW. “Why wouldn’t Susan Eisenhower talk with me when she clearly wanted to learn about Tina and did so in such a public manner?” I ended the conversation after hearing yet one more string of commentaries from AW claiming that Tina's okay and just wants to be left alone. After about 20 minutes, I decided that to continue fishing would be counterproductive so I bailed. Nevertheless, I told AW that I would like to talk with her again when I had new information and more questions. She didn't protest that possibility. I intend to go back to eastern PA and talk with her again before I return to WA. Here are my field notes from talking with AW Mucklow: AW began by saying that she has spoken with a lot of reporters and investigators. “I’m dealing with half-a-dozen people trying to get – ya know – in touch with Tina.” When I asked AW how she was related to Tina, she paused, so I offered a prompt. “Are you like a cousin or something?” “Yeah, something like that.” AW added that she is a lot younger than Tina. When I asked AW about Tina and her family, she said, “She (Tina) just went off to become...you know…(the waitress/stewardess comment).” When I asked AW if or how Tina had been affected by the skyjacking she simply said, “She had a bad night, I guess.” Then she added quickly, “She’s very quiet….She’s a very good person.” Further: “She keeps to herself. I think that’s just what she wants to do... It all happened in the past and I guess she just wants to forget about it.” I asked about Cooper: “She not afraid of Cooper – that’s what I think, personally.” AW confirmed Tina’s religiosity. “She’s very religious. She’s one of those good people – like you taking care of your mother. Her dad was up in age and he needed help. She’s the one who came in and took care of him….I respect that; a lot of people wouldn’t do that – they don’t care…she’s a good person.” AW confirmed that Tina went to the Lankenau School for Girls and said that she thought it was a Catholic institution. She also confirmed that Tina was a Catholic, although she hesitated for a split second when I asked what religion Tina was. AW also confirmed that Tina has one sibling, an older sister named Jane. I asked if AW could give me contact information on Jane and she gently re-buffed me. “There’s been so many people trying to get to talk with Tina and her (Jane). I can talk to Jane and run it by her that you’d like to talk with her.” I asked what life is like in general for Tina. “She’s living a normal life. She does everything a normal person does – she dates, she works, she drives.” AW then added: “Is Tina happy? I would say yes.” I then asked AW about her relationship with Tina. “I haven’t seen her in a while, not for about ten years. But, I talk with her fairly frequently. She seems fine to me.” As for dealing with reporters: “I just feel that she doesn’t want to talk about it. I’ve sent her what I got from you. I think she just feels that it happened in the past and she just doesn’t want to relive it.” AW confirmed some specifics about Tina’s life, stating that Tina had been married once but was not currently married, and that she has never had any children. I asked about the specifics of where Tina has lived, such as the reports that she moved to the Portland, Oregon area after leaving the convent in Eugene. “I don’t think Tina’s in Oregon anymore. AW seemed exasperated at this point. “I always send everything out to her. I don’t know what else I can do…to help you guys. I’m in the middle. What more can I say?” I asked about Tina’s participation in the investigation of DB Cooper: “I don’t think she has a lot of contact with the FBI.” Then she added, a little smugly, “Nobody got hurt that night, right?” “But didn’t Tina get emotionally hurt that night?” I retorted. “It probably did traumatize her,” AW replied. Then AW went back to defending Tina: “Tina’s got a good life. She’s planting a garden, she goes on vacation – she’s living better than I am,” adding with a laugh: “That’s better than me. I haven’t been on a vacation in a long time.” AW and I then had our exchange about where Tina goes on vacation. At the end, I asked,” Can I call back, if I have more information?” “Sure, I’ll be happy to talk with you, but I don’t know what more I can say.” Summation: AW Mucklow was very circumspect in our conversation this evening (Dec. 16, 2010). She answered very carefully. She was very successful in giving some details but not too many, and nothing crucial. She seemed very skilled, as if she has been rehearsed, or just has had a lot of practice. I plan on speaking with her again, during the latter part of my trip here in New York. Addendum: Lankenau School for Girls - Update, January 12, 2011 On January 11, 2011, I spoke with John Peterson, the curator for the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, about the Lankenau School for Girls. Mr. Peterson told me that the Lutherans had operated the Lankenau School for Girls, and that the “nuns” who taught there were, in fact, Lutheran deaconesses. Pictures from that era show Lutheran deaconesses dressed very similarly to Catholic nuns, although not as severely as some Catholic orders. These deaconesses engaged in similar types of activities as Catholic nuns, such as social and medical work, and teaching. In addition, Mr. Peterson gave me an overview of the history of the school: The Lankenau School for Girls was established in 1890 and grew to become an independent school for grades K-12. It was founded by the Lutheran Theological Seminary on the grounds of the “Deaconesses House” in Germantown, with substantial support from the well-known Lutheran philanthropist, John Lankenau. Mr. Lankenau had been very active in community affairs throughout the late 19th and early 20th Century and had also founded the Lankenau Hospital, a major medical center that still serves the Philadelphia area. In 1942, the Lankenau School for Girls moved to 3201 West School House Lane, a location now part of Philadelphia University. At this time the LSG was a boarding school. However, in 1969, the LSG became co-educational and ceased its boarding operations. I was unable to clarify what part of the school was dedicated in 1956. In 1974, The Lankenau School moved to 201 Spring Lane, apparently building the structure that is now the current public Lankenau High School. In 1978, the Lutherans closed the school and the public school system took control soon after, re-opening as a public charter school sometime around 1980. Addendum, Second AW Interview, Jan. 12, 2011 AW has been unresponsive to my requests for a second interview. I have also sent her a snail mail correspondence and have not received a reply. In addition, I have called Florence Schaffner, Tina’s fellow flight attendant aboard 305. Ms. Schaffner is also unresponsive to my requests for an interview. Addendum, Interview with Leslie, January 17, 2011 A former NWO flight attendant named Leslie contacted Galen recently, claiming that she was a colleague of Tina’s, and in fact had been a classmate of her in flight attendant training. I called her to get more background on Tina, and I was surprised at her response, her kindness for calling me after I had left on her phone. “I knew Tina Mucklow as a wonderful, sweet person, and that’s all I want to say,” Leslie told me. I was stunned. She reached out to two different investigators to tell us that brief statement and then cut off the conversation? I find that weird - it's almost a set-up. I pursued Leslie a little, asking if we could just have a general conversation about Tina and discuss what kind of person she is and how she knew Tina. Leslie relented a little, and confirmed to me that she knew Tina in flight school. When I grasped for more she pushed back, saying that maybe Tina is incommunicado because guys like me constantly hound her. Leslie also seemed unaffected by my perspective that Tina, as the prime witness to a major crime, has some level of responsibility to contribute to the effort of having justice served. “I’m just going to respect her privacy and I ask that you do, too. I knew Tina to be a dear sweet person, and I won’t say anything more.” And she didn’t. Leslie makes the third person I have spoken to in recent days that has beseeched me to respect Tina’s privacy and has also offered a positive, upbeat note on Tina’s well-being. After I spoke with Leslie, I began to wonder if she was reading from a script, one that Dr. ET and AW both read from – many of the words were identical, i.e.: “Please respect Tina’s privacy,” and were delivered with similar inflection and with similar firmness. These three ladies were all tough cookies.

We have apparently transitioned from soap opera to pro wrestling. 377 I vote for mud wrestling. Winner take all, of gawd - knows- what.

Just saw the Uncoded show; some thoughts: 1. Favorite line: "Robert Blevins is lying!" Quoting Bernie Geestman. 2. Biggest surprise: Ralph H being identified as the head of the FBI's investigation in the DB Cooper case. What happened to Charlie Farrell and Seattle? 3. Coolest surprise: the hiding place in the attic. It reminds me of a similar spot my dad created in the attic above his bedroom to hide all the Werhmacht weaponry he brought back from WWII and never told anybody about until he spilled the beans in a dementia-fueled confession 65 years later while eating a bowl of peach ice ceam with me in the kitchen. Mom freaked when she saw 'em! 4. Coolest factoid: KC worked for NWO for 20 years after the skyjacking. 5. Saddest tidbit: The Museum of Flight looks like a dump! Yeesch...c'mon MoF, mow the lawn and tiddy up the place. 6. Biggest disappointment: Zip investigation into other sources/crimes, etc. where KC could have pulled in big money. And kudos to Robert for letting us see his face. It's neat to see the folks who we talk with so frequently on this forum.

BTW, the person in charge of the Tena Bar crime scene dig was Alexander Haig. 377 Quote Of course Haig was in charge, 377, but was he the PIO?!