To SAC Seattle re Boeing file review of 727 air stair test personnel, with suspect list and Ashton interviews
Document date 3 August 1972
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Id: Cooper-Part-112:521-526
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-112:521-526 Document: Memo to SAC Seattle re Boeing file review of 727 air stair test personnel, with suspect list and Ashton interviews Id: Cooper-Part-112:521-526 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-112%3A521-526 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 112 pp. 521–526 (DB Cooper-51408–51413), Memo, dated 3 Aug 1972, serial SE 164-81-3240 (as read from the transcript) — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-112%3A521-526
OPTIONAL FORM NO. 10 MAY 1962 EDITION GSA FPMR (41 CFR) 101-11.6
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum
TO : SAC, SEATTLE (164-81) DATE: 8/3/72
FROM : SA [REDACTED] b6 b7C SUBJECT: NORJAK
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RE: THE BOEING FILE REVIEW Sub 4/F2 Re Seattle airtel to Bureau 6/1/72.
Referenced communication advised The Boeing Company had furnished the names of their employees who were involved in a test of the 727 air stairs, conducted in 1963-1964. The personnel files for those individuals were carefully reviewed by SA [REDACTED] in an attempt to eliminate all personnel b6 involved in testing, as possible suspects. This review was b7C completed on 7/25/72.
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The following is a list of Boeing personnel whose files were reviewed as well as pertinent descriptive data, concerning them, that would eliminate them as possible suspects or indicate further investigation is necessary.
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Name Descriptive Information
1. ROBERT FLETCHER BROWN DOB 5/28/23, hair sandy; missing left thumb; complexion not swarthy, eliminate
2. EMIL RICHARD CARROLL DOB 7/17/21, complexion not swarthy; has thick lips, facial features not similar to artists conception (FFNSTAC) eliminate [handwritten: Sub 4/82] [handwritten: /64-81-3240]
3. EARL V. CHESTER Not a Boeing employee. Employed by FAA. No descriptive info concerning CHESTER available at Boeing. Lead being set forth to contact FAA re CHESTER to eliminate him as possible suspect.
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SEARCHED SERIALIZED FILED [illegible date] FBI—SEATTLE
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RNN:klb (4)
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Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan DB COOPER-51408
SE 164-81
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Name Descriptive Information
4. CHARLES M. CLARK Deceased - 1/6/69.
5. WILLIAM C. CLAY DOB 5/26/23. 6'3", square chin. FFNSTAC. Eliminate
6. [REDACTED] [REDACTED], 6'3", complexion not swarthy. FFNSTAC. Eliminate
7. Major WARREN ELFENDAHL DOB 8/5/20. 6'. 170 lbs. Hair light brown. Complexion swarthy. General descriptive information matches. Leads being set out to eliminate as possible suspect.
8. WILLIAM LEE GRAY DOB 1/9/18. Hair blond. 5'11". 165 lbs. Eyes blue. No picture of GRAY in file. Eliminated because of age and hair color.
9. ANTHONY DANIEL GREGOIRE DOB 10/20/31, 6', 160 lbs., complexion swarthy. General physical appearance similar to artists conception and leads being set out to eliminate as possible suspect.
10. FREDERICK CHARLES HALL DOB 4/24/29. Ears stand out from head. Complexion not swarthy. FFNSTAC. Eliminate.
11. EDWARD FERDINAND HARTZ DOB 8/26/14. Age and facial features preclude being considered as suspect.
12. MELVIN A. HIATT DOB 1/12/21, 6', 140 lbs., FFNSTAC. Eliminate.
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DB COOPER-51409
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SE 164-81
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Name Descriptive Information
13. CHARLES RICHARD JELLEFF DOB 10/14/25, 5'8", FFNSTAC. Eliminate.
14. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Boeing personnel b6 file lost and not available b7C for this review, however [REDACTED] age at time of NORJAK would have been [REDACTED] and he is being eliminated because of this. Eliminate.
15. ROBERT RICHARD LARSON DOB 1/6/21, 5'8", complexion not swarthy. FFNSTAC. Eliminate.
16. ROGER LEANDER LEONARD, JR. DOB 7/18/32, 5'10", 160 lbs., complexion not swarthy. FFNSTAC. Eliminate.
17. RICHARD LLEWELLYN (DIX) LEOSCH, JR. DOB 5/26/18, complexion not swarthy. FFNSTAC. Eliminate.
18. BILLY R. LUCE DOB 5/25/30, 5'10", 190 lbs., complexion not swarthy. FFNSTAC. Eliminate.
19. ERIK STANLEY LUND DOB 12/5/17. Complexion swarthy, however LUND's age at time of NORJAK precludes him from being a possible suspect. FFNSTAC. Eliminate.
20. [REDACTED] DOB [REDACTED] 6'1", 180 lbs., b6 FFNSTAC. b7C Eliminate.
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SE 164-81
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Name Descriptive Information
21. CHARLES EDWARD MC UMBER DOB 4/6/18, FFNSTAC Eliminate.
22. JAMES DON MOSS DOB 7/10/41. FFNSTAC Eliminate
23. RALPH MULVIHILL No Boeing file available. Leads being set out to contact RONALD LEE MULVIHILL (see below) to determine background information on RALPH MULVIHILL.
24. RONALD LEE MULVIHILL DOB 8/2/38, 6'3", 185 lbs., FFNSTAC. Eliminate
25. WILLIAM GRANT NELSON 8/24/25, 6'2", 190 lbs., hair light brown. FFNSTAC Eliminate.
26. [REDACTED] DOB [REDACTED] FFNSTAC Eliminate
27. ALLEN MILLER STRATTON DOB 8/13/23, 5'10", 180 lbs., FFNSTAC Eliminate
28. [REDACTED] DOB [REDACTED] 5'10", 180 lbs., FFNSTAC Eliminate
29. FLOYD M. ULSCHEL DOB 12/1/20, 5'9", 185 lbs., FFNSTAC Eliminate
30. JACK (NMN) WADDELL DOB 2/25/23, 6'2", 183 lbs., FFNSTAC. Eliminate
31. SAMUEL LEWIS WALLICK, JR. DOB 5/26/24, 5'11", 185., hair light brown, mouth too big, FFNSTAC Eliminate
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b6 b7c
SE 164-81
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It is noted that UNSUB in this matter requested that the aft door must be opened and the stairs down during take off. When it was explained to the hijacker that the plane could not take off with the stairs down, he reportedly said in a low voice, "Yes they can, but the cockpit can put it down after they get airborne."
On 7/26/72, JAMES C. ASHTON, JR., Boeing Company Executive, advised that if the hijacker was a member of or had consulted with a member of The Boeing test team, he would have known that the 727 could not have taken off with the air stairs down; nor would it have been necessary, since the air stairs can easily be lowered in flight.
On 7/31/72, ASHTON advised that all personnel involved in the Boeing tests have been interviewed by Boeing Security Personnel and at the time of interview, copies of the artist's conception of UNSUB were provided to those personnel interviewed. Mr. ASHTON specifically requested that any further interviews with Boeing personnel be arranged through him and that consideration be given to prior contact with Boeing employees because of valuable work time involved.
On 7/31/72, Mr. ASHTON made available, a copy of the Boeing test summary report dealing with the flight configuration of the 727 during testing. The following is a summary of the configuration used during the Boeing air stairs test:
Speed - 125 knots Flaps - 25 degrees down Altitude - 10,000 feet
The following information was obtained from The Boeing report:
"...the air stair was quite stable when it was down and no airplane control problems were experienced. No excessive cabin pressure transients were noted with the aft entry door open and the stair extended. The environment near the aft entry door allowed it to be safely opened and the stair retracted at speeds up to 300 knots."
In Seattle report of SA CHARLES E. FARRELL dated 2/16/72, it is noted that UNSUB requested the following configuration upon taking off from Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) International Airport:
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DB COOPER-51412
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SE 164-81
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Gear down Flaps 15 degrees Altitude - 10,000 feet
It is apparent therefore, that the configuration requested by UNSUB is not the same as used in Boeing air stair testing.
ASHTON further stated that the Boeing test results occupy many volumes and because of the many copies made and length of time since test conducted (8 years), it is not possible to determine the names of all persons who might have had access to the test results.
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DB COOPER-51413
Serials: SE 164-81, SE 164-81-3240
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