WA WA - D.B. Cooper Hijacking Mystery, 24 Nov 1971 #4

[folieadeuxnola]

Skyjacker D.B. Cooper revealed real identity in 1972 letter to The Oregonian, code-breaker claims

The infamous skyjacker known as D.B. Cooper revealed his real identity to The Oregonian in March 1972, just a few months after he parachuted from Northwest Orient Flight 305 and disappeared.

That's the conclusion of a longtime Cooper-case researcher who recently examined the letter with a former Army code-breaker.

For the past couple of years, TV producer Thomas Colbert has been trying to convince the FBI that he and his team of retired law-enforcement and military officers have figured out who Cooper is -- a former paratrooper and Vietnam War veteran named Robert Rackstraw.

Colbert is the author of the 2016 book "The Last Master Outlaw," in which he lays out his evidence against Rackstraw, and producer of the History Channel documentary "D.B. Cooper: Case Closed."
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[flute4peace]

Ooh! Subscribing to this thread - I'm really intrigued by this case and will have to go back and read the previous threads.

 

[bluesneakers]

I want to know more about his rank, MOS, and duties while he was in the ASA. A codebreaker could mean a few different things, and not all of the positions involved would require encryption skills.

Originally designated as the 371st ASA Company, it was formed by the United States Army Security Agency in 1962 and was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division. It was with this division that the company saw wartime service in the Republic of Vietnam from 1966 to 1971. The mission of the 371st was to provide combat information to the division commander in pursuit of his tactical war-fighting mission. The company served well and faithfully, earning two Presidential Unit Citations, four Meritorious Unit Commendations, and one Valorous Unit Award.

It was redeployed to Fort Hood wit the division in 1971 where it served with pride until deactivation in 1981.
Orgins of the Army Security Agency
​

 

[Niner]

I've see the Rackstraw name mentioned somewhere back in these threads....

 

[Gardener1850]

I've see the Rackstraw name mentioned somewhere back in these threads....

Yes, he was a subject of the History Channel Documentary on DB Cooper in 2016. It's not a new theory at all. Here's my post in the last thread on what I thought of the Rackstraw Theory: WA - WA - D.B. Cooper hijacking mystery, 24 Nov 1971 - #3
This new "code" found in a letter that may or may not have been sent by Cooper really doesn't change my opinion.

 

[Niner]

Okay - thanks @Gardener1850 ! I remember now, yes on the History Channel doc.

 

[Gardener1850]

Part of the History Channel Documentary is here:

(But the sound is not very good)

 

[george14]

I don't want to think this way, but this "news" screams documentary or book release. I hope they got him, but where is the evidence? They didn't explain how or why they reached that conclusion. I would hope there would be something substantial to back this up other than "we decoded his message".

We don't even know if that letter was actually written by DB Cooper. Could have been some troll.

 

[flute4peace]

I read a novel written around the plot of this case - it was fiction but actually really good. Now have to try to remember the author. Doggone.

ETA: Found it! It's sort of o/t and I hope I don't get in trouble for posting it, but it was an interesting read. (I'm not in any way affiliated with the author or publisher)

https://www.amazon.com/Under-Suspicion-Legend-D-B-Cooper/dp/1440450358

 

[gregjrichards]

Investigators claim they have finally confirmed the identity of DB Cooper, the infamous 1971 airplane hijacker.

The team of cold case experts say they have decoded a 1972 message addressed to The Portland Oregonian Newspaper that was supposedly sent by the mystery man months after the hijacking.

They claim the message contains a confession from Cooper, which ties his identity to 74-year-old Vietnam War veteran Robert W. Rackstraw.

D.B. Cooper unmasked at last? Investigators say they've now confirmed skyjacker's identity | Daily Mail Online

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Now all they need is the typewriter itself.

 

[snowleopard]

Mr broken record here, but they have Cooper's DNA. Match it and the case is solved. Analyzing a letter of dubious origin is not 'proof', and serious 'investigator' would know this, so avoiding that test casts a lot of doubt on the claims.

 

[Gardener1850]

Mr broken record here, but they have Cooper's DNA. Match it and the case is solved. Analyzing a letter of dubious origin is not 'proof', and serious 'investigator' would know this, so avoiding that test casts a lot of doubt on the claims.

The "investigator" making the claims is actually a TV producer/film maker, Tom Colbert, not LE or the FBI. That would be why he can't just test the DNA to prove his case. I agree that it is hard to take him seriously. JMO.

 

[Gardener1850]

Changing the subject a bit, here is a video I had not seen yet. An interview with a man who claims he saw DB Cooper in a diner the night of the hijacking:

 

[Gardener1850]

Changing the subject a bit, here is a video I had not seen yet. An interview with a man who claims he saw DB Cooper in a diner the night of the hijacking:

Above video is from this story (The Walter Reca Theory): D.B. Cooper author unveils evidence he says identifies infamous skyjacker

 

[Maia_1011]

Personally, I’m not convinced by this news at all.
Either way, I don’t think we’ll ever know if Rackstraw is DB Cooper because there’s no physical evidence linking him to DB Cooper, nor will the FBI investigate any leads unless physical evidence is found, I.e. the parachute and the rest of the money.

Part of me feels like this case isn’t meant to be solved.

 

[Bargle]

Personally, I’m not convinced by this news at all.
Either way, I don’t think we’ll ever know if Rackstraw is DB Cooper because there’s no physical evidence linking him to DB Cooper, nor will the FBI investigate any leads unless physical evidence is found, I.e. the parachute and the rest of the money.

Seconded.

 

[Niner]

So they say Rackstraw or was it the other guy - who put money into a safe deposit box in Canada?? Find that money and you might have a lead....

I too am not convinced this is news.... just another theory!

 

[Dan Cooper]

Presumably a quick way of ruling out these two guys would be to find photos of them from c1971/72 and send them to the air hostesses still alive.

Also, I still wouldn't necessarily rule out Ted Mayfield as a suspect; there are discrepancies regarding his conversation with the FBI a couple of hours after Cooper jumped (he says the FBI phoned him for advice, the FBI says he phoned them to offer advice) and to me it has always reeked of establishing an alibi.

 

[Gardener1850]

Presumably a quick way of ruling out these two guys would be to find photos of them from c1971/72 and send them to the air hostesses still alive.
<Snipped for focus>

She was shown photos of Rackstraw (from the 70's) in the Colbert/History Channel documentary a couple years ago. She said he didn't look like DB Coooper and she seemed pretty certain about it IMO. I also seem to recall she said she did not want to do any more interviews on the subject and that would be her last TV appearance (although I might have her confused with the pilot on that last point-- he also seemed to just want his privacy and did not ID Rackstraw as looking like the hijacker). IMO, it is doubtful any new suspect photos would be sent to the living witnesses now unless the FBI decided to reopen the case.