Interview of Burley, Idaho resident re Army acquaintances' hijacking discussions
Interviewed 26 July 1972Transcribed 7 August 1972
Report a problem
Email this to [email protected]
Id: Cooper-Part-27:273-277
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-27:273-277 Document: FD-302 interview of Burley, Idaho resident re Army acquaintances' hijacking discussions Id: Cooper-Part-27:273-277 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-27%3A273-277 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 27 pp. 273–277 (DB Cooper-9352–9356), FD-302 interview, interviewed 26 Jul 1972, serial SE 164-81-3827 (as read from the transcript) — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-27%3A273-277
FD-302 (REV. 11-27-70)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Date of transcription: 8/7/72
---
[REDACTED] date of birth - [REDACTED] [REDACTED] residence - [REDACTED] Burley, Idaho, advised [REDACTED] [REDACTED] He never discussed the matter with anyone nor did he reduce the matter to writing.
On [REDACTED] he entered the U. S. Army at Seattle, Washington, and was assigned to [REDACTED] [REDACTED] He was stationed at several bases throughout the Southern United States during his first year in the service, one of which was Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he received training as a [REDACTED] [REDACTED]
During the latter part of [REDACTED] he was assigned to Okinawa with the [REDACTED] Also assigned to this same organization was [REDACTED] who was from Ilion, New York, and believed to have lived on [REDACTED] in Ilion. [REDACTED] apparently entered the service in New York State prior to [REDACTED] and he had also gone through training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and was a [REDACTED]
[REDACTED] became close friends and were together on Okinawa for approximately six months or until [REDACTED] went to Vietnam. After approximately one year [REDACTED] returned from Vietnam and was again stationed at Okinawa up to the time [REDACTED] left [REDACTED] He is believed to have signed up for another hitch in the service after returning from Vietnam.
[REDACTED] estimated he was around [REDACTED] approximately one year and recalled [REDACTED] related to him how [REDACTED] and two buddies, about one year prior to [REDACTED] entering the service, [REDACTED] near Ilion, New York, [REDACTED] Further, the method they used in [REDACTED] from the building was so unique [REDACTED] [REDACTED] from the premises and [REDACTED] as one of [REDACTED] buddies was experienced in the
---
Interviewed on 7/26/72 at Burley, Idaho File # BT #164-26 SE #164-81
by SA [REDACTED] SA [REDACTED] /imw:GEL
Date dictated: [stamp] 7/27/72 [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.
DB Cooper-9352 164-81-3827
BT #164-26 SE #164-81 Page 2
---
[REDACTED] One of these two buddies either [REDACTED] [REDACTED] a service station in Illion, New York, and [REDACTED] also had [REDACTED] prior to entering the service.
---
[REDACTED] told [REDACTED] that the [REDACTED] [REDACTED] however, he did not indicate where, but presumably some place near Illion, New York.
---
[REDACTED] also told [REDACTED] that he and his two buddies [REDACTED] on the street and had the system worked out to where they could [REDACTED] in from three to five minutes. At times they would sit back and [REDACTED]
---
[REDACTED] stated he first mentioned the hijacking to [REDACTED] after [REDACTED] asked [REDACTED] to give him a problem to figure out.
---
They then discussed the hijacking plan that [REDACTED] had thought of earlier and whether or not it would work. Their original plan was to obtain a flight that would have very few people on it. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] one or more of the hijackers capable of taking over the controls of the airplane. [REDACTED] suggested the northwestern United States, pointing out there were numerous open places where a jump could be made with no problems. Their jump would be made at night from a height of 10,000 feet. Further, they talked of asking for a $200,000.00 ransom; however, they never discussed how it would be gotten aboard the aircraft, such as landing at an auxiliary field after radioing ahead. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] instead of having them provided with the ransom. The plan also called for the jump to be made without the crew of the aircraft knowing when it took place. An accomplice on the ground with a vehicle was discussed as part of the plan. No other aircraft was mentioned in their plan. The fewer people involved as participants of the hijacking the better.
---
[REDACTED] said no cities in the northwest were mentioned and no specific landing area was selected. Also, they never
---
DB Cooper-9353
BT #164-26 SE #164-81 Page 3
---
discussed any particular airline as their victim. He estimated they discussed the hijacking about four different times of periods of thirty minutes or less.
One of their problems was to determine in advance that a plane on a particular flight would not have very many people on board. Further, after additional consideration they realized that the only jet aircraft in use at that time had side doors and a jump from a side door would be too dangerous. In view of this, they "bagged" the idea and did not feel it could be carried out safely.
---
[REDACTED] said that [REDACTED] he has ever discussed the hijacking plan with and never with any of his other military buddies.
[REDACTED] insisted that this is as far as he went with this plan; however, he feels [REDACTED] has the nerve and is shrewd enough to plan and carry out a hijacking. Definitely [REDACTED] had not told [REDACTED] he intended to carry through on the plan; however, he could have decided after the 727 came into existence.
[REDACTED] said he has not seen or heard from [REDACTED] in any manner whatsoever since he, [REDACTED] left Okinawa in early [REDACTED] and thereafter received his discharge at Oakland, California, [REDACTED] and thereafter received his discharge at Oakland, California. He added that [REDACTED] was in Okinawa when he left; however, he presumed he later came to Oakland and was discharged if he did not sign up for another hitch. Further, [REDACTED] held the rank of [REDACTED] at the time he received his discharge and [REDACTED] when [REDACTED] left Okinawa.
---
[REDACTED] furnished his own Army serial number as [REDACTED] and description as follows:
Date of Birth [REDACTED] Height 6' Weight 190# Hair Brown Eyes Brown Marital Status Single Education 2½ years (1 year University of Idaho, 1½ years Idaho State)
---
DB Cooper-9354
BT #164-26 SE #164-81 Page 3
---
Employment He has worked for the UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD, Pocatello, Idaho, for one and one-half years as a [redacted]. He has been b6 employed by SPENCER'S b7C OFFICE SUPPLY, 1340 Overland b7D Avenue, Burley, Idaho, for the past six months [redacted]
---
Parents [redacted]
Heyburn, Idaho [redacted]
---
[redacted] denied any criminal background and insisted he b6 has never been [redacted] b7C b7D
---
He pointed out that he was reluctant to come forward with the above information, inasmuch as he will have this action on his mind the rest of his life if [redacted] is responsible b6 for the hijacking and is located and convicted. He also added b7C that he owes a great many bills and desires to return to b7D college to obtain his degree.
---
Further, if the information that he has furnished is pertinent and leads to the solution of this crime and there are any rewards he definitely is interested in receiving them.
---
[redacted] described [redacted] as follows: b6 b7C Race White b7D Sex Male Age 29-31 Height 5'9" - 5'10" Build Slender Hair Brown
---
DB Cooper-9355
BT #164-26 SE #164-81 Page 5
---
Eyes Brown, no glasses Marital Status Single Army Serial # [REDACTED]
---
b6 b7C b7D
---
DB Cooper-9356
Serials: SE 164-81-3827
Similar documents
Very similar text — possibly a copy redacted differently, or another memo written from the same template.