sailshaw

Blevins you say: "Unless you can offer proof that he was indeed in the US on 11/24/1971 I would give it up. Seriously." I saY, that is the reason the FBI needs to compare the DNA from Sheridan with that of the DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps of the four letters to the newspapers following the DB Caper. That would prove that Sheridan was in the Portland area and not in Nepal where he claimed to be with his perfect alibi. Remember, he fits the descriptions of DB better than any other candidate including the olive complextion. His height was between 6 and 6 ft 1 in unlike Christansen who was too short at 5 ft 8 in and white skin. We need to get the DNA from under the stamps/envelope flaps to quickly solve the crime and mystery of DB Cooper. Did Sheridan have a "Grudge"? Just read his book and you can find all the grudge it would take. Remember he is a very clever and skilled guy that would find any clever way he could to say he was not DB. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

Blevins: You say "I'm not sure what this all means, but it sounds interesting. Especially if the FBI ever finds those cigarette butts they *allegedly* lost. In any case, if the Seattle FBI has a partial profile from the tie it still presents possibilities." I say the FBI needs to get the DNA from the four letter sent to the newspapers after the DB Caper, the DNA from under the stamps/envelope flaps and not only compare with Sheridan Peterson's DNA (which they have) but do the 23 test that 377 talks about above for hair and eye color predictions. The cigarette butts can be lost but the four letters are in the FBI files. It is the last evidence remaining that the FBI has yet to examine. FBI just send the four letters to your Quantico Lab and get the DNA for the comparison. I truly believe they will find a match and this whole mystery will be solved Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

Blevens: You say: "He also can't be placed in the USA at the time of the hijacking, and every single resource I've dug up on him indicates he WAS in Nepal at the time. Distance from Kathmandu, Nepal to Portland, OR: 7,100 miles." I say that being in Nepal was part of Sheridan's "Perfect Alibi" !!! However, by air and a flight from Katmandu to Bangcock and on to Portland or Seattle is a little over a one day trip in those days. Is it amazing that Sheridan was so far away from the crime and possibly delivering one of his children at just the right time. I have described how he could have kept his passport clean of the skyjacking travel with the use of a fake or replacement passport. Showing the clean passport to the FBI would almost prove to them he was in Nepal at the time. Very clever guy to pull-off the perfect crime with the perfect alibi. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

377 You say: "A tie would have been worn by managers or engineers in metalworking plants. The spiral aluminum chips are only made using metalworking machinery. Since they were found on a tie, that suggests he was either an engineer or manager who went out on the shop floor. Only managers and engineers wore ties in metalworking plants at that time." I say that Secretaries and tie wearing "Technical Writers" (such as Sheridan Peterson) also passed right buy the tub skids containing all scrap Titanium and Aluminum in all forms due to the experimental work being done for the SST airplane. Not just Managers and Engineers. Bob Sailshew sailshaw@aol.com

377 You say: "Didnt Tom conclude that pure titanium (as found on the tie) was not used in the aircraft industry, just alloys? Does anyone have info that contradicts that conclusion?" My answer is the experimental work going on in the Lab in the 9-101 building that Sheridans office was working on Flame Spraying Titanium onto surfaces that the SST would possibly use on its leading edges. Pure Titanium could have been one of the materials used and it could have been like a power or a shaving particle. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

377 You say: "I found the tie-tanium evidence that Tom and his crew discovered very interesting. I always wondered if it could have come from Norman's machine shop where at least two of the Cooper chutes once resided or passed through. If that's true then it probably gives no clue about where Cooper worked as it didnt come from his workplace." I talked with Tom Kaye about the fragments on DB's tie and mentioned that the lab at Boeing that did the research for the SST airplane was in the 9-101 building on the main floor and their tub skids with throwaway metals were in the hallways. Sheridan Peterson's office was on the second floor of the same building and he had to pass the tub skids while going to his office, then to the cafateria, and going home each day. He could have easily looked into one of the tub skids and his tie would have dropped in and picked up Titanium/Aluminum machine curly cues (very small ones and not visible without a microscope). I also looked into those tub skids at times as there was always some interesting stuff being thrown away. That shop was where machining and welding processes were developed for the SST program. I believe it is highly likely that he would have drug his tie through one of the tub skids while working in the Manual and Handbooks Group on the second floor. You mention the cirgrette butts that the FBI should find on analize for DNA. However, the DNA from under the stamps/envelope flaps of the four letters sent to the new papers following the DB Caper would blow this case wide open. "The smoking gun". Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

BLEVINS You say "Christiansen's eye color is listed on his WSDL as hazel, not blue. All of the witnesses spoke of Kenny being heavily tanned. This was probably a result of his habit of hanging out on the beaches in Japan during layovers. The report is accurate as to the known facts about him." KC eye color has been reported as blue too and is sometimes confused with hazel. His tan skin would not pass for olive which Cooper certainly had. To stretch his height to 6 ft from 5 ft 8 inch you will need to put him on the rack for quite a while. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

BLEVINS You say: "So far, there has been no response from the FBI on the report, and we haven't asked about it. On February 10th, we are sending the unedited version to the Seattle Times newspaper, the Tacoma News Tribune, and KING-TV in Seattle. They will also receive the images presented to the FBI. They've all been alerted to this and two of them have responded positively. The other has not responded, but they will still receive the entire package." As I have said many times to you there are at least three things that rule KC out as a Cooper suspect. The FBI must also agree that KC is not a suspect just based upon the physical evidence: 1) KC was too short at 5 ft 8 in 2) KC had the wrong color eyes, blue and not brown 3) KC had the wrong color skin, white and not olive Those three items alone rule out KC and yet you keep beating your drum to support the conclusion of your book. It is just a bad book with bad conclusions. Why bother the FBI with your lengthly report that proves nothing? They have enough work to do with out having to poor through your report. It is just like your book, "A total waste of time" Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

Blevens You say: "This is an opinion only, but I think there's another reason why Sheridan isn't Cooper. For a guy who supposedly planned the hijacking for ten years and was a very experienced parachutist...he came woefully underprepared. The shoes, the suit, etc. Sounds more like a guy who may have known how to use a chute, but hadn't jumped in a while or something. This could be anybody, not just Christiansen, but it certainly doesn't sound like Peterson's work. Also, the idea that Sheridan abandoned his new family in Nepal and somehow made his way halfway around the world to of all places...Portland, Oregon...to hijack NWA while wearing a suit and dress shoes, well...it's a stretch." I say it was no problem for Sheridan to fly from Nepal to Bangkok and on to Portland. About one day of flying and probably on a fake or replacement Passport. His regular passport would not then show the travel and support his claim as to being in Nepal the whole time.This is all part of his "perfect alibi" to fit the "perfect crime". The way he was dressed was just like the way he jumped in an earlier demonstration jump including the loafers. Remember, his exposure time was less than three minutes if he pulled the rip cord just after leaving the plane. Three minutes is not a long time exposed to the cold weather. Un-prepaired, certainly not and just like Sheridan would do. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

MeyerLouie You say: "You keep stressing the importance of those envelopes. Isn't it possible the envelopes were a hoax, possibly from some hapless geek with a lot of time on his/her hands -- who wasn't Cooper? No doubt you have considered this. DNA analysis/comparison would certainly rule Peterson in or out." My answer is that the four letters to the newspapers had some interesting things. Like "the system that beats the system". That was the mantra that I heard over and over from Sheridan while he was at my home. When I learned of the letters and that mantra, I knew the letters were probably from Sheridan and he made the jump and was OK. As you say the DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps if compared with Sheridan and had a match would blow his "PERFECT ALIBI" about being in Nepal at the time of NORJACK. Sheridan was employed by Boeing up to the point of the cancellation of the SST "Super Sonic Transport" (1971). I think Sheridan was layed-off at the cancellation as I find no record of his continued employment at Boeing. The lay-off would have added to his "Grudge" with the system and might have sparked the skyjacking that he had been developing for possibly ten years. Blevins tries to down play Sheridan as a suspect because Blevins is committed to having Kenny Christansen be Cooper. KC is certainly not DB for at least three big reasons. 1) KC was too short at 5ft 8in, 2) wrong skin color being white and not olive, and 3) color of eyes blue and not brown. That is why the FBI has dropped KC as a suspect despite how much Blevens needs KC as DB for the sake of his book. Geof Gray had never heard of Sheridan when I talked with him at the book signing meeting. Had Geof and Blevens knew as much as they do today, they would not have tried to make KC the focus of the book. However, Blevens has added some knowledge about Sheridan by the research he has done. Blevens conclusions are way off about Sheridan as the perfect alibi has given him what he needs to not consider Sheridan. The whole story can be cleared up by the FBI by comparing Sheridan's DNA with the DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps of the four letters sent just after NORJACK. Come on FBI we need you help by just sending the last untested evidence to the labs at Quantico, VA. and comparing with the DNA you have on Sheridan. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

377 You say: "Sailshaw, a retired Boeing engineer, is certain Peterson is DBC. He recalls Sheridan quizzing him about the 727 stairs years before the skyjack. Peterson went to work at Boeing in tech documents after Sailshaw was unable to give him 727 info. Sailshaw was working on the 737. Peterson was a USFS smoke jumper, expert skydiver, ex Marine, had night jump experience and a BIG grudge related to US atrocities witnessed in Viet Nam. His semi autobiographical novel has some striking parallels to Norjack. After I pointed this out on this forum he took down the web purchase site and wouldn't answer my inquiries about buying one. As far as I know sales were tiny and now it cannot be purchased." I would like to add that Sheridan was living at my house in Seattle for one month and about ten years before NORJACK. This was when his planning was just getting started and the 727 was on the horizon as a jumpable plane complete with Aft Airstairs. From his experience in the Marines he knew that a well planned mission was to be a perfect mission. The Perfect Crime. In his planning he knew about finger prints, so he left none, however DNA was not known about at the time and I believe the DNA on the four envelopes and under the stamps/flaps will break this case wide open and finally solve the crime. Sheridan not only worked at Boeing in the Manual and Handbooks Group but he started the Boeing Employee Skydiving Club that used the Issaquah Skysports location for their jumping. Sheridan even received his Instructor certification there. That was also the same place the four parachutes requested actually came from. Sheridan actually did a demonstration jump dressed much like DB Cooper (including loafers) and with a bag of flour between his legs while at Boeing. Sheridan worked in the Boeing 9-101 bldg where he had to pass by the scrap tub skids each day on the main floor to get to his office on the second floor. Those tub skids had aluminum and titanium machining scraps and fragments in them that Sheridan's tie could have easily picked-up the aluminum and titanium particules found by microscope on the DB Cooper tie. When Sheridan leaned over to look into the tub skids, his tie could have brushed against the metals in the tub skid. The DNA on the tie clip is probably not that of DB or Sheridan but that of someone helping him get dressed. However, the DNA on the four envelope flaps/stamps of the letters sent just following NORJACK will I am sure match Sheridan's that the FBI has on file. That will prove that he was not in Nepal writing his book but at the Scene of the Crime The FBI needs to move quickly on this as Sheridan is in his 80's. He is an English major and I also believe that when he writes part 2 of his book, it will tell how the caper was done. Part 1 tells about why he had a "Grudge" and part 2 will be the "Revenge". All English Majors want to write the great American Novel and I believe Sheridan will do that and have fooled the FBI smart guys for all these years. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

377 You say: "Nobody here is working on behalf of the govt to prevent Norjack from being solved. That really is paranoid thinking. It's just a chaotic blog here. It threatens nobody. We don't matter to the govt. I know you disagree, but I think the FBI would LOVE to solve Norjack. It's their only unsolved skyjack." HOWEVER, Why is the FBI not moving forward and sending the four envelopes of the letters to the newspapers following the DB Caper? The DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps will compare with the DNA that the FBI has from Sheridan Peterson and show a match and that he was not in Nepal as his "perfect alibi" goes but he was at the scene of the crime. This is the SMOKING GUN in the case. The FBI needs to move forward on this to blow the case wide open and quickly solve the more than 40 year old only unsolved Sky Jacking. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

To Blevens: You say "I have finally gotten off my dead butt. I spent the entire day digging out all my old notes, the witness testimony recordings, pics, docs, etc and doing a complete report on Christiansen for the Seattle FBI." Blevens, remember to mention in your report to the FBI that Kenny Christansen had three things that rule him out as a DB Cooper candidate 1) Too short at 5feet 8inches - needs to be 6feet at least to be Cooper 2) Wrong Color of eyes (blue) and Cooper had brown eyes. 3) Cooper had "OLIVE" complextion and Kenney had white of light complextion. Christansen was certainly not DB Cooper Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

377 You say : I'm going to look through my junkbox and see what I can come up with for a low power BC band beacon. Then a field test to check reception distance and DF-ability. A wire antenna is a good idea for the transmitter. Stay tuned. Have you thought about the rescue beacon transmit/receive radio's used by mountain rescue skiers. They were good for short ranges but were cheep in those days ($100 to $)200 each. I really don't think DB used radio beacons as I think he was and is a real loaner and was good at orienting and finding his way in the outback and mountains. He also probably jumped within 5 to 10 miles of where he left his car in North Vancouver. As I have said before, I think he was long gone by mid-night and somewhere in Oregon preparing his four letters to the News Papers and left his DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps. When are those FBI guys going to test the envelopes for the DNA and match with Sheridan? They can then be well on their way to solving the crime. This is the only remaining evidence that the FBI has not looked into and it can solve the crime. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

mrshutter45: Great job on the simulator and some neat shots of the older planes. I expect on the night of the DB Caper, the glow in the clouds over PDX was just enough for DB to use as an indication of when to jump. Using his watch for a rough tool in when to jump and then by the confirmation by eye using the "glow in the clouds" he was able to jump before the Columbia river and just before North Vancouver. He could have left his rental car parked in North Vancouver and within possibly 5 to 10 miles of his dropzone. An easy walk to the car that night and well ahead of the FBI search in a day or two. The glow in the sky above PDX and Vancouver that I have seen on several night flights was useable for navigation as described above. Some times the weather even leaves holes in the clouds so that actual lights on the ground are visable. The Piper Cub in your simulator looks very good as does the 727 -7 prototype.Even the colors match what was actually on the prototype. I might have to buy the simulator which would be an up-grade from my present Microsoft Flight Simulator. Anyway, many thanks for the great posting. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

377 writes: "Sailshaw counts the Amboy chute as a Cooper artifact, but I've seen no evdience that supports that conclusion. I sure would like to see what's at the lower end of the risers. The finders of the canopy apparently cut a lot of things to extract it from the ground. I wonder what remains buried? The hardware that connects the risers to the harness would tell me a lot about the rig that was used with the canopy and whether or not it could have been one used by DBC." My answer is that the Amboy Chute may be the dummy chute with the big X on the container that DB could have thrown out of the plane when he saw what they had given him. If Sheridan was DB he would have seen the dummy chute at the Skydiving Center in Issaquah. He could have just laughed at the dummy chute as he threw it from the plane. Then when he jumped he was farther down from Amboy and very close to Vancouver (possibly where he parked his car). Remember, his planning was perfect except for any DNA he could have left on the four envelope stamps/flaps. When the FBI examine the four letters for DNA, the last remaining evidence will become very important and blow the case wide open, finally. The Amboy chute was looked at by Earl Cossey but his disreguard for the chute as not being one he provided is suspect as are the chute DB chose being one of Cosseys. DB actually used one of "back chutes" provided by the stunt pilot (Hayden). Read Bruce Smith's story about six chutes being provided (two front and four back chutes). Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

Blevins: Thanks for the refreshing thoughts about the DB Caper. I like the rubber band quote: "UW Burke Museum's Tom Kaye has claimed that because of the condition of the rubber bands, and his tests on similar rubber bands, that this restricts the arrival of the money on Tena Bar to no more than a year." Is probably OK that the bands would only last one year. However, if the three packs of 20's were placed in the paper bad DB brought onboard when refused by the Crew. Also, it the bag with the three packs were stuffed in DB's shirt. Could it be the wind blast blew the bag of twentys out of his shirt on the way down and floated to a tree and then to the Columbia river and on to Tina's Bar? That paper bag could have served as the container to keep the three pack together and then when enough time took place the bag was no longer there, puff! Anyway, I think this is a very possible explanation of the known facts with a little added guessing. Now, has anyone heard if the FBI has got the four letters with the DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps to their lab for testing yet? I am still hoping that it happens by the end of this year and blows this case wide open. Forty years is long enough for the case to go unsolved. Go FBI, do your thing!!! Another thought. All the things found (plackard, Amboy chute, Tina Bar money etc...) there has been no body or chute found in all these years. Does that not indicate that he made it and is still alive and well? Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

To Mrshutter45 Your simulation was not able to put in the actual glow in the sky above Vancouver and Portland cities. The g;ow and the flight time was all DB needed to know when to jump. I believe his plan was to jump where he did and probably had his car parked within 10 to 20 miles of where he jumped. I also believe he was gone by mid-night and well on his way and all before the FBI could respond on a Thanksgiving weekend. All this was by plan and his planning was perfect and that is why it worked so well. The only thing he could not have planned was the future use of DNA by the FBI. That is why the DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps of the four letters written to the newspapers is so important in this case as it will match the DNA the FBI has from Sheridan Peterson. That will blow the "perfect alibi" of Peterson that he was in Nepal. He could be jailed for just not telling the truth to the FBI but it could blow open the whole case. As I have said before, this is the Smoking Gun in the case and the DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps could prove it. I hope the FBI has sent the envelopes in to their lab by now as this is the only remaining evidence that has yet to be explored in the case. Good luck FBI and solve this case finally. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

Matthewcline The one thing Carr did not do is compare the DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps of the four letters sent to the newspapers after the NORJAK caper with the DNA they have taken from Sheridan Peterson. I am very certain they will find a match and this case will finally be solved. Possibly, the DNA is on its way to the FBI labs in Quantico, VA. That means we should know of the case being solved by the end of this year. The DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps is truly the Smoking Gun that will blow this case wide open. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

Georger: Says: Discovery had a program on tonight: "Discovery Channel crashes 727 in 'Curiosity' season premiere". ------------------------------------------------------------------ The program on the Discovery Channel was very interesting for us on the DropZone as the crew and pilot jumped out the back of the 727 just like DB Cooper. It is a myth buster in that they all just dove aft through the opening and into a stable position (belly down and arms and legs extended) and did it from about 5 steps down the airstair (the lower moving part of the airstair was removed from the hinge point and down). They were facing aft and were stable right away, no tumble, dis-orientation, or excessive slip stream beating. They seemed to delay pulling their rip cords about 10 seconds. It made the jump that DB did look very easy except it was not at night or raining. The crash of the 727 was interesting as it looked to me like the forward section of the body of the airplane broke loose at about the attach point for the 41 section (41 section is the first 410 inches of the of the body - 34+ feet - Yes Boeing planes are designed in inches point XXX - not in feet). That nose separation was caused by the nose gear down and getting stuck in the sand and causing the nose to dive down and snap loose. The nose could have survived better if the nose gear were up and would have been better for the pilot, co-pilot etc The decelerations measured 12 g's in the first class section and only 6 g's in the aft tail seating. Again showing it is safer to be in the aft seating in a crash. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

Blevins: Thanks for the reference in Nepal to mud huts and pictures of some. From Blevins: This was taken from a review on a travel website. There are many like it, where people mention mudbrick cottages with thatched roofs, although today the majority are using more modern construction. A picture of a typical Nepali mud hut is here: http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/3200908 Now that makes Sheridan's story about mud huts believable. How about the picture of him doing a demonstration jump before the NORJACK Caper dressed in the business chute and loafers. I know I have seen the photo but does anyone know where to find it? Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

377: With regards to Sheridan in Nepal in a mud hut, my friends that trecked and climed in Nepal in those day say they saw no mud huts or knew of anyone that lived in mud huts. Sheridan had to create his "perfect alibi" of being in Nepal and delivering one of his children about the time of the NORJACK caper. A good question is what is the birthday date of Sheridan's son Sheridan Jr? How close to the November NORJACK date was the birth? Snowmman where are you as you always seem to have all the answers. The delivering his child at the time of NORJACK was the special part of the alibi for the FBI to leave him alone all this time. How close are the two times? It was not common for husbands to be in the delivery room but I was there for both of my daughters and cut the umbi-cord and could have claimed to have delivered the daughters. My daughters were born at about that same area when husbands were allowed to do those things. How convenient for the perfect alibi to be able to add the delivery and the dates. However, what was the delivery date? How close to the NORJACK date? Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com

Blevins; You say: Has anyone questioned whether Sheridan was a smoker? Pictures of him smiling do not show a guy with any sign that he ever smoked cigarettes. Just a thought. -------------------------------------------------------------- My answer is yes a heavy smoker when at my home for a month and ten years before NORJACK. He agreed to smoke outside in the stairwell to keep the smoke outside my home. Could he hurt someone? He was a machine gunner in the Marines during WWII on Iwa Jima. He could kill then and the threat on the skyjacked plane was only a threat. The bomb was a fake and he did the caper just for his own way of "beating the system" and the thrill of the perfect crime and to show he was clever enough to do it and to write his great American novel of how it was done (he was an English major in College and they usually have a desire to write the great American novel). I think his whole Nepal trip was to make the perfect alibi as far away from the scene of the crime as possible. The planning that went into NORJACK was complete and over a long period of time to gather the necessary information for the caper. He thought of everything except DNA which was not used in those days by the FBI. That is why it is necessary that the FBI check out the DNA under the stamps/envelope flaps of the four letters. The DNA has been preserved under the stamps and envelope flaps for all these years. This is the last opportunity for the FBI to solve the case and so easy to do at a cost of less than $1,000 for the lab work. Sheridan learned in the Marines that only a well planned operation can be a success. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com PS Sheridan is the only suspect with the needed experience and right height (6ft 1") and Olive (not a sun tan) complexion.

Georger: You say: He would be remembered and there would be documents subtantiating his travel to and presence in Nepal. That is the reality of this matter. ---------------------------------------------------------------- The travel documents of 1971 were your passport and nothing else was kept of the record of leaving a country and returning to the country. So, if Sheridan wanted to show no record of leaving Nepal and returning after the DB Caper, he could get a replacement passport and travel to Portland and back on it with the only written record being on the replacement passport. He then chucks the replacement and produces the original for the FBI to look at showing he never left Nepal to do the DB Caper. Today, that would not work as we have many computers that track when you leave and return using a passport. An alternate plan would have been to travel on a fake passport (easy to get in Asia for a few bucks). Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com PS1 Checking out the 40 year old alibi would be certainly more difficult than just checking the DNA from the four letters and their stamps/envelope flaps (the ones sent to the news papers right after NORJACK). PS2 Big Jim Whittaker is a friend of mine and I could set up a lunch with he and Bruce Smith at my YC to discuss Nepal and Sheridan's story and the ends and outs of back in 1971.

Georger: Do you think that Sheridan in creating the "Perfect Alibi" could have thought up a better story than in Nepal in a mud hut and delivering his own child? He could have made the circumstances fit the story and still did a quick trip to Portland for the caper. Remember his planning was over a long period of time with plenty of time to create the "Perfect Alibi". The FBI bought the alibi but not totally or they would have not sent the two female agents to get swabs of his DNA not too long ago. 377 thinks that this shows the FBI don't really believe his PERFECT ALIBI. When the FBI sends the four envelopes with stamps to the DNA lab they will be able to compare the DNA on the stamps/envelope flaps with Sheridan. I really believe they will find a match. Like I have said before, this will blow the case wide open and finally solve the case. We should know sometime this year if they do it and find a match. Bob Sailshaw sailshaw@aol.com