(FD-350), The Oregonian: 'Ariel area in Cooper search' with photo and search-area map
Document date 23 March 1972
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Id: Cooper-Part-54:057-058
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-54:057-058 Document: Clipping (FD-350), The Oregonian: 'Ariel area in Cooper search' with photo and search-area map Id: Cooper-Part-54:057-058 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-54%3A057-058 What is wrong (title, date, type, which pages belong together, copies)? What does the scan show?
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FBI 164-81, Vault Part 54 pp. 57–58 (DB Cooper-22983–22984), News clipping, dated 23 Mar 1972 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-54%3A057-058
Staff photos by Wes Guderian FBI SEARCHES — J. Earl Milnes, agent in charge, di- rects renewed search for elusive "Dan Cooper," with aid of Army Capt. Charles Markham. Merwin Camp- ground is closed to public during search.
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(Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.)
THE OREGONIAN PORTLAND, OREGON
— Page 34
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Date: 3/23/72 Edition: Author: Editor: J. RICHARD NOKES Title:
Character: or Classification: Submitting Office: ☐ Being Investigated 164-41 [handwritten: 164/-4/1 Sub1] [partially illegible stamps/markings] DB Cooper-22983
Ariel area in Cooper search
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By LEVERETT RICHARDS of The Oregonian staff
ARIEL, Wash. — The FBI, with the aid of the Army, Wednesday resumed search of the Ariel district for the elusive "Dan Cooper," who hijacked a Northwest Airlines 727 out of Portland Nov. 24 and vanished with $200,000 ransom money.
Two hundred men and nine helicopters of the First Squadron of the 3d Armored Cavalry from Ft. Lewis, commanded by Lt. Col. Edward H. Bonsall, started searching Wednesday morning under FBI direction. This area was included in the initial search after the hijacking last November.
J. Earl Milnes, FBI special agent in charge in Washington, would not say why the search was being renewed at this time and place. But other FBI sources said definitely none of the $200,000 in $20 bills had turned up and no other hot clues had been uncovered.
Some searchers theorize that "Dan Cooper" will eventually be found hanging from his parachute in a tree.
Five light observation helicopters were being used Wednesday to cruise slowly over the wooded hills on both sides of the East Fork of the Lewis River from Lake Merwin west for 5 miles or more. Four big Huey helicopters capable of carrying 12 fully-equipped troops were being held in reserve to airlift ground searchers into key areas.
The search was being hampered by rain and low clouds which covered the tops of the hills. Army officials said about 150 of the troops were equipped for extended ground searching. Col. Bonsall, who is in charge of advanced training for the 3d regiment, said the search was "good tactical training for the men." Army officers said the search would continue all week.
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PP&L buildings used
All troops are bivouacked in buildings made available by Pacific Power & Light Co., which owns Merwin Park on the shores of Lake Merwin just above the dam. Contrary to earlier reports none is based at Camp Bonneville, 17 miles northeast of Vancouver, Wash.
Residents of the area said the FBI for the past couple of weeks has been searching farm buildings in the area. Residents have been asked to sign releases to permit search for "a briefcase or duffle bag, parachute and the person of Dan Cooper."
Residents say as many as four carloads of FBI agents have joined in searching some farms along the river, but others have not been searched.
Residents report an advance Army cadre inspected Merwin Park as early as Saturday, March 18. This visit apparently triggered [illegible]
spate of rumors that some of the ransom money had turned up in Woodland, Vancouver, or Ariel. One rumor had a small boy finding a $20 bill south of the Lewis River in the Ariel district.
Milnes had no comment on the rumors, but other FBI sources said none of the ransom money had turned up. Army officers at Ft. Lewis said the FBI had requested Army help last week, before the rumors were heard.
Milnes would only say, "We are continuing our investigation of the hijacking and the Army is assisting in the terrain search."
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Details withheld
He would not say how big an area would be searched, where the ground search would be conducted or how long the operation would be continued.
Milnes would not say why the FBI thought the elusive Cooper had bailed out north of the Lewis River. Members of the crew of the hijacked Northwest Airlines flight 305 said they had last talked to the hijacker on the interphone a few seconds after 8:10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, while they were three minutes north of the Portland VOR airways navigation station.
At their speed of about 240 miles an hour that would have put them 12 miles north of the VOR, south of the Lewis River and about two miles east of Woodland.
Ariel residents report a southwest wind of 25 to 40 miles an hour was blowing at that time and heavy rain was falling. The wind could have drifted the hijacker toward Lake Merwin.
Milnes would make no comment, but other FBI sources have told The Oregonian the man who bought a ticket in Portland under the name of Dan Cooper (not D.B. Cooper as commonly reported) has never been identified.
FBI sources won't say whether they obtained fingerprints from the hijacked airplane, but if they did they apparently didn't match any in FBI files.
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DB Cooper-22984
Serials: PD 164-41