SA Herrmann to SAC Milwaukee re Coon Valley inquiries and interviews concerning Merlin Cooper
Document date 27 June 1988
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Id: Cooper-Part-97:156-158
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-97:156-158 Document: Memo SA Herrmann to SAC Milwaukee re Coon Valley inquiries and interviews concerning Merlin Cooper Id: Cooper-Part-97:156-158 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-97%3A156-158 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 97 pp. 156–158 (DB Cooper-43687–43689), Memo, dated 27 Jun 1988 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-97%3A156-158
Memorandum
To : SAC, MILWAUKEE (164A-36) (P) Date 6/27/88
From : SA REUBEN M. HERRMANN
Subject: NORJAK; CRIME ABOARD AIRCRAFT-HIJACKING; OO: SEATTLE
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Re Milwaukee airtel to the Bureau, dated 6/9/88.
On 6/16/88, MICHAEL RAASCH, Chief of Police, Coon Valley, Wisconsin, was contacted regarding any knowledge he has of the family of MERLIN GENE COOPER, a white male, born 7/8/34 and/or any of [REDACTED] who might reside in Coon Valley at the present time, or who may have resided in the area at any point in the past. RAASCH advised that he has lived his entire life in Coon Valley, Wisconsin and he has never heard of any [REDACTED] living in the area.
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On 6/16/88, [REDACTED] (protect identity), [REDACTED] [REDACTED], Wisconsin, was contacted. [REDACTED] stated that MERLIN GENE COOPER was [REDACTED] [REDACTED]. She explained that COOPER married [REDACTED] [REDACTED]. She stated that [REDACTED] [REDACTED]. They were married at Decorah, Iowa. At the time they were married, COOPER was in the U.S. Air Force, and immediately after [REDACTED] and MERLIN were married they went to Europe, where he was assigned duties as an air traffic controller. Upon his release from military service in 1955 (approximate) MERLIN and [REDACTED] moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where MERLIN was employed as an air traffic controller at Truax Field. [REDACTED] stated that COOPER was almost continuously unfaithful to [REDACTED], and in [REDACTED] filed for a divorce.
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A review of plaintiff and defendant file number [REDACTED] in [REDACTED] Circuit Court reveals that [REDACTED] was divorced from MERLIN on [REDACTED]. At that time, MERLIN COOPER was residing at Truax Park, Number 6-M, Madison. Wisconsin.
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(2)- Milwaukee (164A-36) [REDACTED]
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C/A
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DB Cooper-43687
MI 164A-36
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The file reflects that MERLIN and [REDACTED], [REDACTED] born [REDACTED].
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[REDACTED] (supra) continued by stating that shortly after MERLIN and [REDACTED] were divorced, MERLIN moved to the western part of the U.S., believed to be the State of Washington. She stated that she did not know what sort of work he did in that region, but she is quite sure that he was married two more times after his divorce from [REDACTED]. She further stated that [REDACTED] and [REDACTED], had no contact with MERLIN COOPER whatsoever after the divorce which was finalized in [REDACTED].
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[REDACTED] stated that she did recall that MERLIN COOPER committed suicide while living in the western part of the U.S. She recalled that the year was approximately 1972. She stated that COOPER apparently had no friends or family in that part of the U.S. and COOPER'S mother, ORPHA COOPER, ordered his body to be returned to La Crosse, Wisconsin for burial.
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[REDACTED] stated that [REDACTED] has remarried, and she has serious health problems, in that she is recovering from major surgery following the discovery of an [REDACTED] in [REDACTED]. She pointed out that [REDACTED] has had a number of problems and for the last several years, [REDACTED] [REDACTED], has been raising LINDA. She stated that [REDACTED] has had [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]. She reiterated that neither [REDACTED] has had any contact whatsoever with MERLIN since the divorce in [REDACTED].
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[REDACTED] stated that SILAS COOPER, MERLIN'S father, died in 1952.
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She stated that ORPHA COOPER, MERLIN'S mother, is approximately 74 years of age and she resides in an apartment complex for elderly people in the community of Delavan, Wisconsin. [REDACTED] stated that she does have some contact with ORPHA COOPER and she stated that she is quite certain that ORPHA has no knowledge whatsoever of MERLIN COOPER possibly being identical with the subject in captioned matter. She suggested that extreme tact be used in any approach to ORPHA COOPER inasmuch as she is not in very good health.
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[REDACTED] stated that ORPHA COOPER has [REDACTED] [REDACTED], who lives near Baraboo, Wisconsin and who might [REDACTED] in that community. She added that ORPHA COOPER has a daughter, but she does not know the daughter's name nor does she know where the lady lives.
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DB Cooper-43688
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2
MI 164A-36
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[REDACTED] recalled that MERLIN COOPER was commonly called "COOP" by family and friends while he was living in the La Crosse area. She stated that he was a rather handsome individual, about 6'0" of medium to heavy build. She stated that he had dark brown hair and she stated that he looked somewhat the movie actor, PAUL NEWMAN. She recalled that when she viewed MERLIN COOPER'S body prior to burial, he had lost a considerable amount of weight and his hairline had receded considerably. She added that she thought that the reason that MERLIN COOPER committed suicide was due to the fact that he had been diagnosed as having cancer, but she was not certain of this information.
Contact with ORPHA COOPER at Delavan, Wisconsin is left to the discretion of case agent in this matter. If ORPHA COOPER is contacted, it is suggested that extreme discretion be used in contact inasmuch as Mrs. COOPER is allegedly not in good health.
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b6 b7C b7D
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DB Cooper-43689