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I just returned from a vacation in Montana. Lots of fires and smoke there as there is here in Washington. If Cooper landed in the Columbia River, he almost certainly died and that is a d cent possibility! After over 45 years if that is the case, I feel it highly unlikely that we will find any more real evidence. I guess that's why I am exploring other scenarios. Since his flight originated in Portland, its possible that his escape vehicle might have been somewhere in Portland vicinity. Since there are only 2 bridges that cross the Columbia being the Interstate 5 and the Railroad bridge, I decided that the railroad bridge would be by far the most likely escape path. Why ? Most importantly is the fact that you would be more visible on Interstate 5 but also it's a draw bridge and always manned 24/7 by a bridge crew.
If Cooper died in the heavy woods around Ariel, how could the Money find its way to Tina Bar ? I'm pretty sure he's not out there ! So I think IF he survived the jump, he could easily walk his way to the railroad bridge and cross into Portland. There is and has been a railway from Yacolt that travels through Battleground, Brush Prairie and connect to main line a few miles from Vancouver/Portland railroad bridge. I have checked out the full line and it's all still usuable and easy walking. I took the Amtrak round trip from Longview to Portland to try to ascertain what it would be like if you were to walk it. The only dangerous part would be IF a train would come along as you were crossing 2 rather long bridges. It's a double track BUT Cooper would be very visible to the train engineers ! There is room to duck out of sight but not for the faint of heart. Of course jumping out of a plane in darkness isn't for the faint of heart either. After noting there are Hobo camps under the bridges, my train ride showed me NO sight of any Hobo camps as they are far below the track level. So it would be entirely possible for Cooper to never encounter any hobos ! From being VERY familiar with the areas on the Oregon side of those tracks in 1971, I have a lot of places where I know Cooper could have easily left a escape vehicle which would be undetected by anyone. He would have to be a total idiot to leave his vehicle at PORTLAND airport ! I don't think he was an idiot !

I like your logic and your tracing a possible path ... thanks Kermit!

Any thoughts on how the money got to Tina Bar ?  (and when) ?

And how did Cooper know when to jump so that he would be within walking distance of his escape vehicle where ever it was parked?

I think there is a good chance that Cooper's escape plans involved finding a pay phone and calling a waiting accomplice to pick him up where ever.  But that phone call was almost certainly never made.

Kermit,

At one time, you talked about some sort of military airport/outpost just south of PDX and you also mentioned the name of a road where Cooper may have parked his car, Oregon side.  I hope I'm not saying too much, but if you would, please elaborate -- would like to get your thoughts on that.ui

Meyer

I worked for the Post Office as a letter carrier from 1960 to 1968 and again from 1981 to 2001. In 1962 I was sent to Lackland Airforce Base in Texas for basic training and then to Oregon Air National Guard at Portland Airbase. Portland Airbase actually shares the same grounds as PDX ( Portland International Airport ). It's located off Cornfoot Road where both the regular airmen and Air National Guardmen must enter through a secured gate. The Regular Airforce and Air National Guard aircraft use the southern runways closest to Cornfoot road. The other runways were for the commercial and private aircraft. That was the case in the 60's and I'm pretty sure still applies. I drove by recently and there has been a ton of development along Cornfoot road and the Airbase. The Army National,Guard has facilities there now and I see Boeing has facilities on the western edge of base. In the 60's and 70's, there was nothing there but the Airforce and Air National Guard bases. I was a mechanic in Air National,Guard assigned to Refueling maintenance. I wasnt all that good at mechanics so naturally that's where they assigned me ! 😁

Now how many people actually knew about Portland Airbase next to Cornfoot Road?  I have to Google Earth it and check it out.  Thanks for that information, Kermit.
Meyer

Don't read too much into the "Portland Airbase", "Air National Guard Base", "Naval Air Station", or any other such names you see associated with the Portland International Airport.  These places probably consisted of only a few aircraft and probably a hangar or two.  The original T-33 that chased the hijacked airliner, as well as Himmelsbach's helicopter, was from that side of the PIA.

Interesting.
Meyer

As we try to digest the recent reports from TLC, I'd like to bring up another matter. I spent most of the day with my older brother who retired from Portland Boeing in 2001. I asked him when he started at Boeing and he said 1966. He said it was Electronic Speciallties at the time he was hired. I recalled that also but asked him why Boeing bought them out in 1974 from Iron Fireman who have been manufacturing parts for Boeing for many years. He said both Iron Fireman and Electronic Specialty were names both used within the plant. He didn't really know about the ownership details. What is relevant is that Iron Fireman has been making part for Boeing for many years. Perhaps I missed it on this site but IF there is suspicion that COOP might have been a Boeing employee, has anyone done any investigation into Iron Fireman/Electronic Specialty ? I jokingly mentioned it to my brother that perhaps he might have been working with good old COOP. He just smiled !

Kermit,

Do you know what type of parts Iron Fireman/Electronic Specialty made for Boeing?

And do yo know where they were located in Portland?  Were they on the PIA property or have free access to it?

ADDENDUM:

Let me add a bit more information here.  I have long speculated that Cooper was a US Government employee (or former employee) and that includes military service and working for a government subcontractor.

Cooper did know that the rear stairs on the 727 could be lowered in flight but did not know how to lower them himself, even after Tina gave him specific instructions on how to do so.  This suggests to me that he was not directly involved in the production of the airline aircraft.  However, it is highly likely that the modified 727s that were used in SEA had a different control panel and a more powerful motor to insure that the stairs could be closed in flight, plus other modifications.  This would require different electronics for the modified aft stairs.

Cooper's parachute experience appears to have been quite limited or maybe even non-existent.  He apparently knew how to put on an emergency parachute and, presumably, how to use it.  Cooper could have been taught this on the ground in less than five minutes.  There is nothing at all to suggest that Cooper had made a parachute jump previously.

Cooper's knowledge of the flap setting, airspeed, altitude, gear position, etc., that he specified for the flight to Reno could have been gathered from talking to others.  Or maybe he was even involved in the flight testing of the modified aft stairs that Boeing did.

So I suggest further checking into this "Electronic Specialty" company and exactly what they produced for Boeing. 

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As we try to digest the recent reports from TLC, I'd like to bring up another matter. I spent most of the day with my older brother who retired from Portland Boeing in 2001. I asked him when he started at Boeing and he said 1966. He said it was Electronic Speciallties at the time he was hired. I recalled that also but asked him why Boeing bought them out in 1974 from Iron Fireman who have been manufacturing parts for Boeing for many years. He said both Iron Fireman and Electronic Specialty were names both used within the plant. He didn't really know about the ownership details. What is relevant is that Iron Fireman has been making part for Boeing for many years. Perhaps I missed it on this site but IF there is suspicion that COOP might have been a Boeing employee, has anyone done any investigation into Iron Fireman/Electronic Specialty ? I jokingly mentioned it to my brother that perhaps he might have been working with good old COOP. He just smiled !

Kermit,

Do you know what type of parts Iron Fireman/Electronic Specialty made for Boeing?

And do yo know where they were located in Portland?  Were they on the PIA property or have free access to it?

ADDENDUM:

Let me add a bit more information here.  I have long speculated that Cooper was a US Government employee (or former employee) and that includes military service and working for a government subcontractor.

Cooper did know that the rear stairs on the 727 could be lowered in flight but did not know how to lower them himself, even after Tina gave him specific instructions on how to do so.  This suggests to me that he was not directly involved in the production of the airline aircraft.  However, it is highly likely that the modified 727s that were used in SEA had a different control panel and a more powerful motor to insure that the stairs could be closed in flight, plus other modifications.  This would require different electronics for the modified aft stairs.

Cooper's parachute experience appears to have been quite limited or maybe even non-existent.  He apparently knew how to put on an emergency parachute and, presumably, how to use it.  Cooper could have been taught this on the ground in less than five minutes.  There is nothing at all to suggest that Cooper had made a parachute jump previously.

Cooper's knowledge of the flap setting, airspeed, altitude, gear position, etc., that he specified for the flight to Reno could have been gathered from talking to others.  Or maybe he was even involved in the flight testing of the modified aft stairs that Boeing did.

So I suggest further checking into this "Electronic Specialty" company and exactly what they produced for Boeing.

First question is easy. Iron Fireman moved to 19000 n e Sandy Blvd in 1963. That was actually in Gresham back then but probably 6 miles East of PDX. Also it's not all that far from the troutdale airport. It's been about 50 years ago so I'm not sure if brother Don would recall exactly what they were making for Boeing back then. According to what I could look up, they manufactured 747 main Landing gear beams and trailing edge products into the early 70's. Don't ask me what " trailing edge products " are as I haven't a clue. LOL

"Trailing edge products" would be such things as ailerons, flaps, flaperons, rudder and vertical stabilizer components, and elevator and horizontal stabilizer components.  It might also include leading edge products such as slats and Kruger flaps.

These are not products that I would expect from a company named "Electronic Specialties".   

Georger wrote: "I dont know Robert. Some of these companies are diversified... we had one fairly large advertising printer here who started out making ad labels (patented) for fertilizer and farm products - they finished years later making some of the best audio amplifiers on the market! It's funny how some companies go - - - anything to make a buck."

Helena Rubinstein, the cosmetic maker, tried to diversify into electronics in 1960, and bid for the manufacture of a small lot of R-390A military HF receivers. When they discovered the high cost of setting up a production facility, they allegedly purchased Collins units at a premium, relabeled them, and delivered them to the Navy.

This is off topic but I wanted to share the good news. My daughter Amy started med school at Pitt yesterday realizing a dream she has held since she was four years old. She had to work extra hard to overcome a learning disability. Tenacious should be her middle name. Picture attached.

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Congrats to Amy, Three-Seven-Seven. BTW: My ex-in-NY is a Pitt grad!

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Georger wrote: "I dont know Robert. Some of these companies are diversified... we had one fairly large advertising printer here who started out making ad labels (patented) for fertilizer and farm products - they finished years later making some of the best audio amplifiers on the market! It's funny how some companies go - - - anything to make a buck."

Helena Rubinstein, the cosmetic maker, tried to diversify into electronics in 1960, and bid for the manufacture of a small lot of R-390A military HF receivers. When they discovered the high cost of setting up a production facility, they allegedly purchased Collins units at a premium, relabeled them, and delivered them to the Navy.

This is off topic but I wanted to share the good news. My daughter Amy started med school at Pitt yesterday realizing a dream she has held since she was four years old. She had to work extra hard to overcome a learning disability. Tenacious should be her middle name. Picture attached.

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Congrats ... 

Congratulations from me as well.  Meyer

Destruction of key evidence immediately after testing is INSANE if you want to preserve a prosecutable case. This would be deliberate destruction, not accidental loss or alteration making it even worse from a legal standpoint.

If testing requires destruction or alteration of a sample, the prosecutors always keep a portion in original condition. It is absolutely essential legally.

The defense has a right to run their own tests. If you have destroyed evidence you have impacted the defendant's right to a fair trial, something which appellate courts take very seriously.

That clearance to destroy evidence after testing still puzzles me. Back then many FBI SAs were lawyers. They knew better.

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From a legal standpoint, it doesn't matter that DNA testing wasn't happening in 71. The defense will argue that ANY destroyed piece of evidence could have contained exculpatory evidence, such as a fingerprint from someone other than the defendant, and that the destruction deprived their client of his right to a fair trial. The appellate courts are really tough on this. The clear message has always been: do not destroy evidence if you want a prosecutable case.

I have had cases dismissed at the trial court level for mere mishandling (not destruction) of evidence. That can include failure to properly preserve tissue or blood samples, chain of custody gaps, and missing maintenance/repair/calibration records for crime lab test gear. I was relentless on technical issues.

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