Am deep in novel revisions for my publisher. Does anyone remember (without my digging for hours through all this stuff, lol) what kind of drugs he offered Tina for the flight crew and whether that is confirmed by the FBI docs?
Cooper reportedly said that he had drugs for the pilots if they got tired. This would probably be something like pills truck drivers reportedly use for long distance drives.
However, if Cooper had some special forces type of military training, the drugs could be something that the military issues to such troops to keep them alert during extended missions.
Even the USAF reportedly issues drugs to pilots that are involved in extended flights. Perhaps you have seen pictures of pilots with a small pill container attached to the collar of their flight suit.
Tosaw appears to be the only source for this bizarre drug story. I guess Tosaw got a scoop that everyone else missed, and there is no other record of.
But of course Tosaw also claimed that Cooper landed in the Columbia.
Hm, I will take a slog through the docs again, but like you, I don't remember pills specifically from the initial interviews. Am trying to remember the medicinal elements - maybe something that coated pills? - they found on the tie. GG did have access to some witnesses most others haven't - a lot of detail about Flo's thoughts, I would think too much for dramatic license given she's a living person, and with Alice as well. I just re-checked GG's book - I like his description of the skyjack itself for sheer in-the-moment elements, but I wish he hadn't gotten tangled up in the KC and DW lines! - and he mentions Benzedrine. (I thought this might be an ingredient in Benylin as well, but apparently their line contains dextromethorphan and occasionally codeine.) GG's end notes are a bit general in places but he states all elements of the flight description come from the records as well as his own interviews.
You're correct on its uses in wartime and other sleepless-by-necessity situations [from Wikipedia]:
Benzedrine and derived amphetamines were used as a stimulant for armed forces during World War II and the Vietnam War.[5] Benzedrine was commonly referenced in Beatnik culture and writings. It was referenced in the works of famous Beats, including Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road, Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar, William S. Burroughs's novel Junky, and Allen Ginsberg's memoir poem "Howl". Benzedrine is also mentioned in John Rechy's novel City of Night and several novels by Jacqueline Susann, in particular The Love Machine in which main character Robin Stone treats the drug as a staple of "a well balanced diet" inclusive of red meat and cigarettes. Benzedrine is frequently referenced in Hubert Selby Jr.'s novel Last Exit to Brooklyn.[6]
When amphetamine became a controlled substance, it was replaced by propylhexedrine. Propylhexedrine was also manufactured by Smith, Kline and French and was marketed under the name Benzedrex. The Benzedrex inhaler is still available today, but is now manufactured by B.F. Ascher & Company, inc.
Shutter, that's the clearest version of that postcard I've ever seen. Thank you so much, and thanks to all ye gentlemen and scholars. Will check the FBI docs tomorrow, may have just missed it.
