Interview re Douglas Gibson Burns, Anchorage, Alaska
Interviewed 15 May 1973Transcribed 16 May 1973
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Id: Cooper-Part-103:084-087
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-103:084-087 Document: FD-302 interview re Douglas Gibson Burns, Anchorage, Alaska Id: Cooper-Part-103:084-087 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-103%3A084-087 What is wrong (title, date, type, which pages belong together, copies)? What does the scan show?
A person reads every report. Corrections are made by hand, to the data — titles, dates, names, which pages belong together — never to the scans, and they can take a while to appear.
FBI 164-81, Vault Part 103 pp. 84–87 (DB Cooper-46533–46536), FD-302 interview, interviewed 15 May 1973 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-103%3A084-087
FD-302 (REV. 11-27) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Date of transcription 5/16/73
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Anchorage, Alaska, telephone number [redacted] was interviewed in the presence of [redacted] [redacted] Anchorage Police Department, Anchorage, Alaska, in the offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Anchorage, Alaska.
[redacted] advised that during the year of 1971 he was [redacted] Anchorage, Alaska, on several occasions on [redacted]
He stated that in the Fall of 1971 and in connection with for a period [redacted]
[redacted] stated that during that [redacted] [redacted] with an individual whom he came to know as DOUG BURNS. He stated that to his recollection BURNS was in confinement on a charge of bank robbery or some murder in the State of Alaska.
[redacted] advised that he found BURNS to be a very interesting and intelligent individual. He advised that BURNS was very knowledgeable about types of aircraft, aerodynamics, flight rules and regulations, speeds and altitudes. He stated that BURNS was either a pilot and/or parachutist to his recollection. He advised that at that time there were numerous magazines and manuals relating to aircraft and flight and that during [redacted] [redacted] he observed BURNS to be reading those various publications.
[redacted] advised that he can recall three conversations with BURNS during this period of time wherein BURNS indicated to him that he, BURNS, intended to do something spectacular and that what he did would be published in the newspapers. BURNS never mentioned that he was going to hijack an aircraft and BURNS never mentioned the fact that a plane or an airlines would be
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Interviewed on 5/15/73 Anchorage, Alaska File # AN 164-59
by [redacted] SA [redacted] /rmm Date dictated [redacted]
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. FBI - SEATTLE
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1DB COOPER-46533
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Sub-199
2
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AN 164-59
involved in the venture that he was discussing. [REDACTED] advised that he merely assumed himself that since BURNS / was knowledgeable about aircraft and flight operations and spent his time reading periodicals relating to that field and allegedly was a pilot and/or parachutist that whatever BURNS eventually did accomplish would in somehow be related to the aircraft field. He gathered from BURNS that money would be involved but BURNS never volunteered the source of the money. He gathers from the conversation that it would be some kind of a heist on the part of BURNS.
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[REDACTED] advised that BURNS even elaborated that when he accomplished this feat that he would be known by the first initials of his first and middle name and that he intended to use the surname of [REDACTED] BURNS explained to [REDACTED] that in this way when his feat was publicized in the newspapers that it would be a clue to him, [REDACTED] that BURNS had in fact accomplished what he had planned.
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[REDACTED] advised that at no time did BURNS indicate a city or state in the United States where he was planning to perform this heist.
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[REDACTED] advised that he was [REDACTED] in Anchorage prior to BURNS' release. [REDACTED] advised that to his recollection BURNS had been in the Anchorage State Jail for approximately 14 or 15 months at the time. [REDACTED] stated that upon [REDACTED] he has neither seen nor heard from BURNS.
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[REDACTED] further recalls that during some conversations with [REDACTED] that BURNS had indicated that at one time he had planned to rob a bank in Fairbanks, Alaska. BURNS elaborated that he intended to use a white snowmobile and wear a white sheet for clothing and would make his escape into the countryside and being camouflaged, his chances of escape were excellent.
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DB COOPER-46534
3
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AN 164-59
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[redacted] advised that he believes BURNS has been released from all charges and that he is presently located in the area of Portland, Oregon, and/or Seattle, Washington. He stated that BURNS apparently has some cattle farm and he may be residing with [redacted] in that area. He had no further details concerning this.
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[redacted] advised that at the time BURNS was in the Anchorage State Jail he was sporting a gray van dyke beard, full length, and he had a gray thick moustache at the time. BURNS smoked cigarettes but to his recollection he did not consider BURNS to be a heavy smoker and he could not recall the brand of cigarettes that BURNS smoked at the time. It is his recollection that BURNS had very little money and could not afford cigarettes. He stated that BURNS wore reading glasses but he does not know if they were prescription or whether BURNS personally owned them or that they were furnished by the State of Alaska to him.
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[redacted] advised that to his recollection BURNS combed his hair straight back and he cannot recall any part in the hair. He stated that BURNS was very calm and very cool and very self assured.
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[redacted] added that BURNS had no accent. [redacted] stated that with reference to BURNS' [guess: feat] that BURNS never mentioned any guns or bombs or incendiary devices or the use of same in the accomplishment of what BURNS had planned to gain notoriety.
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[redacted] advised that he has no background information on BURNS other than the belief that BURNS may be from the East Coast of the United States.
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b6 b7C b6 b7C b6 b7C
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DB COOPER-46535
AN 164-59
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[REDACTED] advised that [REDACTED] was also [REDACTED] and was also a witness to the conversation of BURNS concerning his plan to do something that would make newspaper headlines.
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[REDACTED] advised that on May 11, 1973, he knows for a fact that [REDACTED] departed Anchorage, Alaska, with two female companions for Seattle, Washington. He stated that [REDACTED] is violently opposed to law enforcement officers and he knows for a fact that [REDACTED] would decline interview or if interviewed would knowingly and intentionally furnish false information.
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[REDACTED] advised that he is self-employed in the [REDACTED] in Anchorage, Alaska.
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[REDACTED] identified a photograph of DOUGLAS GIBSON BURNS FBI number 136659B as being identical to the BURNS who was in the Anchorage State Jail and about whom the above information was furnished.
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b6 b7C
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DB COOPER-46536
Serials: AN 164-59