Interview report (FD-302)Interview of Parkersburg WV parachutist with background data sheetInterviewed 24 June 1980page 1 of 3
fbi_formLegibility: medium

Part 45, page 318

DB Cooper-18535

Interviewed 24 June 1980Dictated 24 June 1980Transcribed 30 June 1980

Open in FBI Vault (Part 45, page 318 of the PDF)

FBI 164-81, Vault Part 45 p. 318 (DB Cooper-18535), FD-302 interview, interviewed 24 Jun 1980 — cooper.theunsolved.net/parts/Cooper-Part-45/pages/318

Transcript

The scan is the source; the transcript is machine-generated from it.

FD-302 (REV. 3-8-77)

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

[REDACTED], G Date of transcription 6/30/80

1

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[REDACTED] who being made aware of the identity of the interviewing agent and the nature of the interview, advised as follows:

[REDACTED] stated that he has had a continuing interest in the D. B. Cooper affair since its occurrence because of the news media conjecture that Cooper possibly was a parachutist and that he had been a paratrooper. He said that the fact of his being a former paratrooper and his resemblance to the artist's conception of Cooper has brought comments from fellow[REDACTED], such as, [REDACTED] are you sure you are not Cooper?". When the interviewing agent advised [REDACTED] that he was there as a result of an anonymous phone caller, [REDACTED] said, "oh, the caller was probably [REDACTED]"

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[REDACTED] commented about a recent article in the Parkersburg Newspaper which told of pieces of the extortion money being found. He said it was probably placed there as a "decoy". He asked the interviewing agent if the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had obtained fingerprints of Cooper and if the FBI were certain that Cooper had actually parachuted, instead of hiding himself on the plane. Also, when the mechanics of the alleged jump were discussed, [REDACTED] stated that the jump was certainly possible, that the speed of the plane and the altitude of it would be no factor. He said that he, as a United States Army Paratrooper, had made 30 jumps; one jump, according to him, was made from a plane flying at 300 miles per hour.

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[REDACTED] advised, when he was told by the interviewing agent of his similarity to Cooper, that he is not Cooper and that he had been no farther West than Iowa. He did admit, however, to considerable travel, including flying to various places, but costly, he said, East of the Mississippi. He said that he once had a passport to Newfoundland, and; more recently, he said he made an application for a passport to Saudi Arabia.

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Sc 1[redacted]-81-8488

Investigation on 6/24/80 at Parkersburg, WV File # [REDACTED]

by [REDACTED] /jaz Date dictated 6/24/80

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-18535

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b6 b7C

SERIALIZED [REDACTED] FILED [REDACTED] 6/24/80 AUG 2 3 1980