Re Army-FBI ground search planning and procedures, Lake Merwin (Sub E)
This copy: Part 65 pp. 348–349Also filed at Part 24 pp. 60–61 (primary)
This copy’s own title
Operational plan for Army-FBI ground search near Lake Merwin, 3/21/72
Document date 20 March 1972
Another copy of this document is the primary, most legible copy: Part 24 pp. 60–61.
Copies may differ in what was redacted.
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Id: Cooper-Part-65:348-349
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-65:348-349 Document: Operational plan for Army-FBI ground search near Lake Merwin, 3/21/72 Id: Cooper-Part-65:348-349 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-65%3A348-349 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 65 pp. 348–349 (DB Cooper-27650–27651), Memo, dated 20 Mar 1972, serial SE 164-81-3034 (as read from the transcript) — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-65%3A348-349
SAC at Army briefing at 10:00 AM
Information on JP-4 supply location
Explore charges for agents eating breakfast at Lake Merwin - charges and also any charge for C ration for noon meal for agents in field with troops.
Mosaic will not be ready until 9:00 AM, 3/20/72 and will not be available for Army briefing but will be at command post on 3/21/72 set up for inspection and coordinating of search.
Copies of blown up map to be given to unit commanders.
Advise Army personnel of following: agent at gate will handle security of Lake Merwin park DO WE NEED 24 hour gate guard?
. White tape will be placed on electrical wires per request of helicopter pilot.
Army personnel will have no contact with civilians - ann inquires of army personnel will be referred to Squadron Commander, [REDACTED] [REDACTED] who will refer to agent without identifying the agent as FBI personnel.
Permission for fires in field being secured from Dept. of Natural Resources.
SA[REDACTED] will work with[REDACTED] as operations officer.
We understand that the operation is an Army adventure training mission to familiarize Army personnel with training in ground reconnaissance.
All buildings, inhabited or not, army will completely skirt and only agent personnel will search buildings. No army personnel will search any buildings.
Telephone being installed today
Making use of house as command post rather than guard shack
Army starts from Ft. Lewis 0800 3/21/72 and expect in field with some searching completed in afternoon
EXPLORE POSSIBILITY OF SOME AGENTS REMAINING WITH TROOPS /FB/ [guess: SEATTLE] IN EVENT NECESSARY TO MAKE CONTACT WITH FBI AND POSS[IBLY] [guess: CITY] TROOPS MAY FIND SOME EVIDENCE.
DB Cooper-27650
Search will be made with 3 priorities - Cone area #1 main body of troops South of cone #2 and north of Lewis River #3 Air Rifle platoon will be inserted in vicinity of point A for specific area searches and wherever else needed - insertion by helicopter. 5 to 10 foot intervals between men absolute maximum. keep skirmish search line straight & all stop when one finds something
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SUB - E. [guess: charges] [illegible] [guess: don't] [guess: my] - [guess: don't] [guess: get] [guess: per] [guess: county] [illegible] b6 b7C b6 b7C [guess: Adv] [illegible] 164-81-[guess: 3034]
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SEARCHED___INDEXED___ SERIALIZED___FILED___ MAR 23 1972 FBI - SEATTLE
#2
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In event body is found agents will immediately take over the area and cordon of Army troops will be set up - procedure will be to immediately air lift coroner of the county to site to pronounce dead and id body and then evidence will be gathered and body removed to county morgue. Point out that positive ID of hijacker will be made before Army is released.
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In event after four or five days it is felt by FBI that further time other than allotted seven days for Army troop use is necessary this request is to be immediately communicated to [REDACTED] who will then secure permission from 6th. Army.
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b6 b7C
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[illegible circular stamps]
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DB Cooper-27651
Serials: SE 164-81-3034