To SAC Seattle re NORJAK suspect Robert Harbeson (Sub 670)
Document date 13 February 1974
Report a problem
Email this to [email protected]
Id: Cooper-Part-116:353-355
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-116:353-355 Document: Memo to SAC Seattle re NORJAK suspect Robert Harbeson (Sub 670) Id: Cooper-Part-116:353-355 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-116%3A353-355 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 116 pp. 353–355 (DB Cooper-53431–53433), Memo, dated 13 Feb 1974 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-116%3A353-355
SAC (164-81) (Sub 670) 2/13/74
SA [REDACTED] Sub 670
NORJAK
---
Re memo of SA THOMAS J. MANNING, 10/28/73.
On 11/22/73, the records of the Burlington, Washington, PD and the Skagitt County SO, Mount Vernon, Washington, were checked and revealed no records identifiable with ROBERT HARBESON or with MARGARET HARBESON.
On 12/20/73, the U. S. Post Office, Burlington, records showed no address where ROBERT HARBESON was or has been receiving mail in Burlington. The General Telephone Directory for the Burlington area revealed no listing for ROBERT HARBESON. On 12/20/73, records of the Skagitt County Credit Bureau, Mount Vernon, revealed a record for ROBERT HARBESON, 202 Rainbow Drive, Burlington. The credit bureau record indicated the above address for ROBERT HARBESON on May, 1971.
On 12/27/73, and 1/14/74, attempts were made to contact someone at 202 Rainbow Drive, Burlington, and no one could be located at that address. On 1/24/74, MARGARET HARBESON was contacted at 202 Rainbow Drive, Burlington, at which time she provided the following information:
MARGARET HARBESON advised that she was married to ROBERT HARBESON in 1968 and has been separated from him since the latter part of 1971. MARGARET HARBESON advised that ROBERT HARBESON used to visit her from time to time even after they were separated. MARGARET HARBESON advised that they had a hard time with their marriage and that ROBERT HARBESON had three heart attacks during their marriage and was in very poor health at the time of their separation. MARGARET HARBESON advised that she has no idea where ROBERT HARBESON is at this time. MARGARET HARBESON advised that ROBERT HARBESON was formerly married and his b6 former wife and [REDACTED] live somewhere in Pennsylvania at b7C the current time.
---
WGG/spr (2)
SERIALIZED...FILED... FEB 13 1974 FBI-SEATTLE
---
DB COOPER-53431
---
Sub 670 b6 b7C
SE #164-81
---
MARGARET HARBESON advised that during the summer of 1972 [REDACTED] was at her residence b6 and that ROBERT HARBESON visited with them several times during b7c that summer. MARGARET HARBESON advised that during one of the visits ROBERT HARBESON was trying to impress [REDACTED] and told a story about how he was D. B. COOPER and how he hijacked the Northwest Airlines plane. Mrs. HARBESON advised that ROBERT HARBESON was always telling tall stories and after the D. B. COOPER hijacking, used to sit around the coffee shops in the Burlington area and talk with other "bums" about the D. B. COOPER hijacking. Mrs. HARBESON advised that ROBERT HARBESON always considered D. B. COOPER to be a hero and liked to think of himself as being that type of person. Mrs. HARBESON advised that as far as she is concerned, ROBERT HARBESON is completely incapable of such an act and she is very certain the story he told her and [REDACTED] was simply a story. Mrs. HARBESON advised that even at the time he told the story he told it in a context of simply being a story and she did not think he even meant for anyone to believe it.
---
MARGARET HARBESON advised that sometime after ROBERT HARBESON told her and [REDACTED] this story, she went to a b6 family reunion in Raymond, Washington, and during family conversatib7c she repeated this story told to her and [REDACTED] by ROBERT HARBESON. She told it simply as a story and did not expect anyone to take her seriously. She advised that [REDACTED] [REDACTED] evidently took her seriously as she is aware that [REDACTED] reported this to the police in Pacific County, Washington. MARGARET HARBESON advised that [REDACTED] later told her that he told the police about her story and that he was sending the FBI to talk to her about it. MARGARET HARBESON advised that she was very disappointed in [REDACTED] as she felt he just wanted to try to be a "big shot" with the police in his area.
---
MARGARET HARBESON advised that the story ROBERT HARBESON told her and [REDACTED] did portray himself using a camper and a motorcycle. She advised he did have a camper and a motor- cycle; however, she is certain he did not use it to commit this crime. She advised that he told them how he drove his camper and motorcycle to the Spirit Lake area and left the camper and rode his motorcycle to Portland where he boarded the airplane to hijack it. He then told them he jumped from the plane with the money and landed right next to his camper, entered the camper and drove to Portland, recovered the motorcycle and proceeded on to California where he deposited the money in numerous banks.
---
- 2 -
DB COOPER-53432
SE #164-81
---
Mrs. HARBESON advised that all during this story ROBERT laughed and gave the impression that it was simply a story.
MARGARET HARBESON advised that ROBERT HARBESON was formerly in the Air Force and was a pilot during World War II; however, she advised that she did not feel ROBERT HARBESON was in any mental or physical condition to perpetuate such a crime. MARGARET HARBESON advised that ROBERT was employed with the State Highway Department as an engineer in Olympia, Washington, until early 1971, when his physical condition got so poor that he had to quit his job. She advised she has not heard from ROBERT HARBESON in over one year and has no idea where he is. MARGARET HARBESON advised that contrary to what [REDACTED] [REDACTED] believes, she does not fear ROBERT HARBESON and knows that he would in no way attempt to harm her.
---
MARGARET HARBESON viewed the photograph of ROBERT HARBESON and advised that it is a very good likeness of him and also viewed the composite of D. B. COOPER which she advised in no way resembles ROBERT HARBESON. MARGARET HARBESON provided the following description of ROBERT HARBESON:
---
Race White Sex Male Nationality American Height 6'0" Weight 190# Remarks Has false teeth which he very seldom wears as they irritate his mouth Complexion Very ruddy Hair Brown, turning grey worn in crewcut, not receding Age 53 Build Heavy
---
MARGARET HARBESON advised that ROBERT had a Washington driver's license when she last knew him.
---
DB COOPER-53433
---
- 3 -
---
b6 b7C
Serials: 164-81 (Sub 670), SE #164-81