Part 49, page 121
DB Cooper-20223Serials MI 164-36, SE 164-81-8921
Interviewed 2 August 1988Transcribed 4 August 1988
FBI 164-81, Vault Part 49 p. 121 (DB Cooper-20223), FD-302 interview, interviewed 2 Aug 1988, serial SE 164-81-8921 (as read from the transcript) — cooper.theunsolved.net/parts/Cooper-Part-49/pages/121
Transcript
The scan is the source; the transcript is machine-generated from it.
FD-302(REV. 3-10-82)
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FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Date of transcription 8/4/88
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On August 2, 1988, ORPHA COOPER, white female, date of birth May 17, 1915, 353 Tyrell Court, Apartment Number 121, Delavan, Wisconsin, telephone number (414) 728-2844, was interviewed at her retirement home. After being advised of the identity of the interviewing agent and the purpose of the interview Mrs. COOPER provided the following chronology of her son's life.
MERLIN GENE COOPER was born July 8, 1934 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He served at least three years in the United States Air Force, and was discharged in January 1956 at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mrs. COOPER had her son's dog tags which indicated his service number was AF16395386.
In the 1950's MERLIN COOPER was an air traffic controller at Midway Airport in Chicago, Illinois and Truax Field in Madison, Wisconsin. Mrs. COOPER had saved a business card indicating MERLIN had worked at IMPORT MOTORS, INC. Route 19, JCT 12 5397, Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1964. She also believed MERLIN worked at DISNEY FILMS in California in 1965. From 1965 to 1966, COOPER was a logger in Oregon. During this time he was in a traffic accident and broke his arm, which required several operations.
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In 1966, MERLIN COOPER was convicted of fraud by issuing bad checks and consequently served time at the Oregon State Penitentiary, Salem, Oregon, from 1966-1967. During this time MERLIN COOPER wrote Mrs. COOPER two letters. Mrs. COOPER gave the letter post marked September 25, 1967 to the interviewing agent so handwriting analysis could be conducted.
From 1967-1968 COOPER worked at an auto garage in Coos Bay, Oregon. In 1969 he managed a filling station in Stoddard, Oregon. From 1972 till his death on April 4, 1974, COOPER resided in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The death was investigated by [REDACTED] [REDACTED] of either Warner or Muskogee, Oklahoma and was latter ruled a suicide.
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Investigation on 8/2/88 at Delavan, Wisconsin File # MI 164A-36 SE 164-81-8921 by SA [REDACTED] kal Date dictated 8/[illegible]/88 INDEXED SERIALIZED FILED 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. FBI-SEATTLE
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DB Cooper-20223
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Su3(00)2