Interview of Robert Hockman re Jerry Arthur Cooper, El Paso
Interviewed 12 September 1975Dictated 17 September 1975
Also filed at: Part 119 pp. 118–121
Copies may differ in what was redacted.
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Id: Cooper-Part-119:102-105
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-119:102-105 Document: FD-302 interview of Robert Hockman re Jerry Arthur Cooper, El Paso Id: Cooper-Part-119:102-105 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-119%3A102-105 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 119 pp. 102–105 (DB Cooper-54591–54594), FD-302 interview, interviewed 12 Sep 1975 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-119%3A102-105
[partially obscured header, illegible] ... ● ● Date ● 9/17/75
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ROBERT HOCKMAN, 5300 Carousel, El Paso, Texas, was interviewed at the Chamizal National Memorial, U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, 800 San Marcial, where he is employed as the Facility Manager- Chief of Maintenance by Special Agent (SA) WAYNE O. TAYLOR who immediately identified himself as a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Mr. HOCKMAN was advised of the purpose of this interview and volun- tarily furnished the following information:
On September 10, 1975, he read the article in the El Paso Times, captioned "Suspected Skyjacker Calls Similarity 'Kind of Scary'" with date line, Washington, which reflected that an acquaintance of his, JERRY ARTHUR COOPER, might possibly be identical with D. B. COOPER, the airline hijacker who parachuted with $200,000 ransom money from a Northwest Orient, 727 Jet on Thanksgiving Eve, 1971, and was never seen again.
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On September 10, or September 11, 1975, he attempted to contact JERRY ARTHUR COOPER through [REDACTED] and eventually spoke with [REDACTED], who stated that "they" were having a hard time remembering what JERRY ARTHUR COOPER did on or about Thanksgiving Eve, 1971, until he (HOCKMAN) refreshed her memory.
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On Thursday morning, Thanksgiving Day, date unknown, 1971, at approximately 3 A.M., he drove from his residence at 206 Uhler Terrace, Alexandria, Virginia to JERRY'S apartment, possibly the Persimmon Tree Apartments, one mile east of Fairfax City, Virginia where he awoke JERRY and [REDACTED] who had spent the night at JERRY'S. JERRY, [REDACTED] and himself were joined by [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]. The five had breakfast together and proceeded in [REDACTED] automobile on Highway 81 or Highway 66 to Gainesville, Virginia, turning off to Route 55, heading west towards
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On 9/12/75 at El Paso, Texas File # EP 164-52 SE 164-81 by SA WAYNE O. TAYLOR:mg Date dictated 9/17/75
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.
DB COOPER-54591
EP 164-52 2
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Marshall, Virginia. They were unable to reach Marshall, due to the heavy snow and traffic tie-ups so they turned around and went back to Hay Market, Virginia on Route 15, stopping at Frostie's Diner at Warrington, Virginia to have coffee. Not being able to get out of the Warrington area to the area they had selected to hunt in, they then proceeded to Quantico, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia and en route on Highway 66, found a car "wrapped around a tree" and deserted. They then proceeded on Highway 66 to Vinthill Farms turn off and proceeded to Quantico.
He noted that it is a requirement in Quantico Marine Base, Quantico, Virginia, that one must register at the Marine Corps Base as a hunter and must receive an instruction at an unrecalled building, prior to hunting. All five of them registered on Thanksgiving Day, 1971, at Quantico, Marine Corps Base for hunting at Quantico. He did not see COOPER during the day inasmuch as COOPER hunted in one sector of the Marine Corps Base and he hunted in another sector of the base. At the end of the day, all five did return to COOPER'S residence together.
He was then working for Brentwood Maintenance Yard for National Capitol Parks and he did not take the day off and he noted this was the only time he ever hunted in Virginia on Thanksgiving Day.
He noted that he had known JERRY and [REDACTED] since approximately 1963 when they [REDACTED] at Falls Church, Virginia.
He and his wife moved from Falls Church, Virginia in 1965 to North Madison, Ohio.
In approximately 1966 to 1967, the COOPERS came to North Madison, Ohio and lived with him until they found a house of their own. While in Ohio, he recommended COOPER for a job at Cleveland Crane and Engineering and would not recommend COOPER for another job, inasmuch as COOPER worked for only a short while before he (COOPER) walked out on the job.
In approximately 1967 or 1968, the COOPERS left Ohio and moved back to Virginia.
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b6 b7c
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DB COOPER-54592
EP 164-52 3
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[illegible]
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In approximately 1971, he and his wife, moved back to Virginia and he noted that in approximately 1973 the COOPERS left Virginia to move out west, possibly Phoenix, Arizona noting that within a few months the COOPERS returned back to Virginia.
On July 7, 1974, he left Virginia for El Paso, Texas and has not heard from or spoken with JERRY ARTHUR COOPER since that date.
COOPER has a mother and step-father (names unknown), who reside somewhere in Florida and COOPER has made several trips to visit them.
The most money he has ever known COOPER to have was approximately $1200.
He believes COOPER has a brother who resides in some unknown town in Oklahoma.
COOPER has a step-father and a sister-in-law in San Antonio, Texas.
He noted that COOPER owes him $300 for a note he co-signed while there in Ohio, so COOPER could buy a motorcycle. COOPER did not pay off the note.
He was exhibited color and black and white artist's conceptions of unknown subject and advised that none of them resembled JERRY ARTHUR COOPER, but noted that they best resembled himself if he lost approximately 40 pounds.
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ROBERT HOCKMAN is described as follows:
Sex: Male Race: White Citizenship: American Date of Birth: June 22, 1938 Place of Birth: Edinburgh, Virginia Height: 5 feet 11 inches Weight: 200 pounds Scars and Marks: Two inch burn scar on right elbow.
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DB COOPER-54593
EP 164-52 4
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Wife: Military Service;
[redacted/blank box] b6 b7C US. Army, Serial Number RA13533974, June 22, 1955 to May 16, 1958. Honorable.
Discharge: Military Specialty: Present Employer:
Radio Repairman Department of Interior, National Park Service, since April, 1971.
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DB COOPER-54594