Ammerman's interview with me yesterday:
To begin, Cliff emphasized that his thoughts, recollections and estimates are based upon an event 48 years previous. Therefore, they are not set in stone.
Ammerman clarified that when he formerly stated the jet traveled near Hillsboro that he was referring to an area that he estimates was west of downtown Portland but east of Beaverton. Additionally, he stated that he recalls the jet flying on a heading of 160. Moreover, that this heading was consistent from a point somewhere east of Kelso down to a point south of Portland where the jet would have naturally merged back into centerline V23. At this merging point the jet would have modified its course to 175 as it headed toward Eugene.
He stated that the T-33 pulled in behind 305 NNW of PDX. According to Cliff, 305 was never north or east of PDX.
I stated to him that based upon his information it appears that 305 could have flown right over Woodland and asked him if this sounded accurate. He stated, "yes that's possible."
He clarified that he was not told that 305 was assigned V23, however, that it became apparent that V23 was the route that he was flying. He stated that he did not recall 305 leaving V23 because he did not recall being concerned about it leaving V23. Add to this his comments about not being concerned about the jet flying a couple miles out of V23 because their navigation equipment may show a little variance in position. Also, he thinks that 305 would have slipped out of the western boundary of V23 slightly as it passed PDX and Portland. Nonetheless, not far enough out to be of concern.
I asked about the "23 miles south of Battlefield VORTAC" and he said it is entirely likely that 305 was tuned in to Battleground and also Eugene. In other words, that both were set. Remember, the pilot's objective was to cut out the V23 "dogleg" as Cliff puts it. They would have headed 160 from the Kelso area knowing that they would eventually naturally merge back into V23 south of Portland. This was done to avoid the majority of population on the ground around the Portland/Vancouver area.
What this indicates is that 305 and the T-33 flew due south for quite a long distance and that they flew from east of Kelso, over or very near Woodland, over or very near the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, over or very near Tena Bar, west of Portland and ultimately merged back in to centerline V23 south of Portland then adjusted to 175 toward Eugene.
Notably, this path appears to line up remarkably well with the three red "+" marks on the yellow FBI flight path map.