The Legend of DB Cooper

Date: June 19, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: Leave a reply

Yes, the Legend of DB Cooper is real. The first time I heard about DB Cooper was in 2004; it was this year that Without a Paddle hit theaters. This movie, starring Dax Shepard, Matthew Lillard, and Seth Green, is not one that I recommend; however, the plot revolves around DB Cooper and his extorted money. As the hijacking took place in 1972, before my time, I assumed that the “legend of DB Cooper” was just part of the movie’s plot. (Below is a clip from the movie.)

Just one year later, in 2005, the hit show Prison Break came to television. It didn’t take long before the first season mentioned DB Cooper. (It would become a key part of the series.)

Could it be? Could the legend of DB Cooper be real? 

For at least one year I thought DB Cooper was some fictional event made up for a movie plot! Little did I know that DB Cooper was an alias for the man who pulled off the only unsolved case of air piracy in American aviation history.

D-B-Cooper

DB Cooper

On November 21, 1971, a man, under the alias of Dan Cooper, purchased an airplane ticket and boarded Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305, from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington. Once the plane took off, Dan Cooper informed one of the flight attendants that he had a bomb on his person. Cooper had officially hijacked the plane and then passed on his demands: $200,000 in cash, four parachutes (two primary and two reserve), and a fuel truck to meet the plane when it landed in Seattle.

Once the plane was refueled, in Seattle, it set off toward Cooper’s chosen destination in Mexico. Less than an hour in flight, Cooper jumped from the plane–with the cash and two of the parachutes. That was the last anyone saw of DB Cooper.

Local police and FBI agents began questioning possible suspects. In hopes that the man had used his real name or a similar alias, the police brought in an Oregon man with a police record, named DB Cooper. The police quickly ruled him out, but a wire service reporter confused the suspects name with the alias; therefore, the alias of Dan Cooper became permanently immortalized as DB Cooper.

Although the FBI believe that Cooper probably did not survive his risky jump, the agency maintains an active case file. What I find most interesting is the suspect list. Even though there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of suspects, the main suspect list is intriguing (to me anyway).

The legend of DB Cooper, even though forty years old, still makes it in the news. Just as of two months ago, DB Cooper related news was in the media. On April 26, 2013, Earl J. Cossey’s body was found in his home. The police firmly believe that  Earl’s death was a homicide. So how is this homicide related to DB Cooper? Earl was a skydiving instructor in 1971, and he was responsible for packing the parachutes that were given to DB Cooper. Over the years he worked as a consultant for the FBI looking at parachutes that were believed to have been used by DB Cooper. The police’s official response on whether or not the murder was related to DB Cooper is as follows: ”At this point I would be reticent to say yes. We are in the early stages and we have a lot to do so at this particular point I can’t say so one way or the other.”

For more information on this topic, I highly recommend reading the DB Cooper article on Wikipedia.

The Radio Priest and His Antisemitic, Political Preachings

Date: June 17, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 2 Replies

A new series was recently started on the site based on the book 1,001 Things Everyone Should Know About American History, by historian John Garraty. As I go through the book, some of the short, factual anecdotes are not enough for me. As I further research them, I share my findings with you. Fact #125: The Radio Priest.

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The Radio Priest (1936)

It seems like once a week I see or hear “breaking news” regarding a religious organization in a negative light. An example of this would be when the Westboro Baptist Church announced that they intended to protest Graceland, the home (now museum) of Elvis Presley. They believed that “[Elvis] had a huge platform; gave God no glory and taught sin.” As I write this article, they are currently in a head-to-head showdown with a five-year-old girl as she tries to raise funds for the purpose of “spreading messages of love and peace” with the sale of her ”Pink Lemonade for Peace.” While religion has always been a controversial issue, (what the majority perceives as) the strange or ill-conceived notions of one man—or one congregation—did not alarm and concern the public until the availability of mass media. It was not until one voice had the ability to be heard by millions that the nation began to worry about an individual’s ideology.

Today, religion in the mass media is not uncommon. Any hour of the day, on multiple channels, men and women—such as Joel Osteen—can be seen and heard preaching to the masses; there are entire television networks specifically dedicated to these types of broadcasting. Linus, from the comic strip Peanuts, once stated, “There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.” While the latter probably won’t ever be an issue for anyone, Father Charles Coughlin chose to discuss religion and politics, with millions. (At his height he had over thirty million listeners.)

Charles Coughlin, also known as “The Radio Priest,” was a Roman Catholic priest in Royal Oak, Michigan. In 1926, Coughlin found his new home in a small, twenty-five family parish–the Shrine of the Little Flower. Within one year’s time, the Shrine of the Little Flower would fall victim to a Ku Klux Klan stunt. After the burning of crosses on the parish property, Coughlin started a weekly one-hour radio program. With four years, Coughlin’s weekly radio program was selected by CBS to be nationally broadcast. As the nation started to feel the pressure of the Great Depression, Coughlin’s broadcast focused less on religion and more on politics.

Starting January 1930, Coughlin began to use his radio program, The Hour of Power, to speak out against Communism and Socialism. He blamed greed and “international bankers” for the economic collapse. Everyone listening to the radio program knew that an “international banker” was a non-subtle reference to a Jewish banker. The following is an example of some of the antisemitism that Coughlin spread across the radio waves:

“We have lived to see the day that modern Shylocks have grown fat and wealthy, praised and defied, because they have perpetuated the ancient crime of usury under the modern racket of statesmanship.”

–Father Charles Coughlin (1930)

Roosevelt-Jew-puppet

Roosevelt, the Jew’s Puppet

Knowing that the country was in need of new leadership, Coughlin established an alliance with presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt. Coughlin fully supported Roosevelt’s New Deal and believed that it was “Roosevelt or Ruin!” He even went so far as to say that “the New Deal is Christ’s Deal.” In January of 1934, before Congress, Coughlin stated, that “God is directing President Roosevelt.” How quickly that passion and support would fade away. In that same year, Coughlin quit supporting Roosevelt and the New Deal, and founded the National Union for Social Justice. Coughlin believed that Roosevelt had become a “tool of Wall Street” and that he was too interested in pushing a policy of “international socialism.”  By 1935, Coughlin had decided that enough was enough and he decided that he would “[dedicate his] life to fight against the heinous rottenness of modern capitalism…” This, of course, would mean that Coughlin would help start a new political party–the Union Party. The Union Party was a miserable flop; however, it did provide an opportunity to tell his thirty million listeners what he really thought about FDR.

“The great betrayer and liar, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who promised to drive the money changers from the temple, had succeeded [only] in driving the farmers from their homesteads and the citizens from their homes in the cities. . . I ask you to purge the man who claims to be a Democrat, from the Democratic Party, and I mean Franklin Double-Crossing Roosevelt.”

–Father Charles Coughlin (1936)

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Social Justice (1939)

As part of his campaign against Roosevelt, Coughlin began to vocalize his support for the policies of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. He believed that their Fascist governments were a cure to ridding America of Communism. It was at this time that his antisemitism rose to a palpable level. He publicly blamed Jews for the Russian revolution and, in 1938, he began publishing weekly installments of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion in his magazine Social Justice. (Protocols was a fraudulent, antisemitic text which purports to be an account of a Jewish conspiracy to take over the world.)

However, the two antisemitic acts that topped the rest occurred in 1938. The first of these started with the May 23, 1938, publication of Social Justice. In this issue, Coughlin called for a ”crusade against the anti-Christian forces of the Red Revolution.” With this anti-Semites and Nazi-sympathizers formed together under an organization called the Christian Front. The Christian Front banded together, much like a militia-like organization, and harassed Jews, flooded the streets with antisemitic pamphlets, and held local rallies–most of which was confined to New York City. The final nail in his political career coffin was his response to Kristallnacht. Attached is a fifteen page transcription of Coughlin’s opinion of Kristallnacht. In this radio response, Coughlin blamed the Jews for the millions of Christians killed in Communist Russia, stating that “Jewish persecution only followed after Christians first were persecuted.”

Shortly after this, all the radio networks dropped him and he was unable to continue his radio presence. He still continued to publish Social Justice until 1942. On May 1, 1942, Archbishop Mooney ordered Coughlin to stop all political activities and focus solely on his religious duties. The Radio Priest would be no more.

Copperhead The Movie

Date: June 14, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 4 Replies

COPPERHEAD_POSTERYou may remember a month or so back I wrote an article about American Civil War Copperheads. If you are not familiar with this term, a Copperhead is “a member of a vocal group of Democrats located in the Northern United States of the Union who opposed the American Civil War, wanting an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates.”

My timing could not have been any more perfect.

I was just informed that a new Ron Maxwell movie is about to hit theaters–Copperhead the movie! That’s right; the man who brought us historical greats such as Gettysburg, and Gods and Generals has unleashed (what I can all but expect to be) another great Civil War-based movie.

Below is an interactive web app that allows you to get involved with the movie: a Civil War history quiz, a behind the scenes look at the making of the movie, and even some recipes from this era. The quiz is not too difficult. The average score on the quiz is a 5/8–I would be interested to see how you guys fare. More importantly, the app below give you an opportunity to request to have the movie shown in a theater near you. This movie will only be shown in select theaters, and unfortunately, my city–not even my state–is on the list. So play with the app below and if the movie isn’t near you, request that it comes to your city!

When you watch the trailer, click on the Youtube button that appears on the right-hand side. Doing so will allow you to watch it in a much larger screen, in HD.

Fighting for the Press–Book Review

Date: June 12, 2013 Author: Grant Oster Comments: 3 Replies

When one comes across a headline in the news about the violation of a First Amendment right, the right in question is usually one of speech or religion. The other three freedoms guaranteed in the First Amendment–press, petition, and assembly–never seem to get much attention. As the government continues to restrict the people’s rights during the current war on terror, it becomes more and more disheartening to hear of these flagrant abuses and violations. While we fight fervently to protect these two rights (speech and religion), it is important to remember that press is what allows American citizens to be in the know; the press is what keeps the people informed. Without the press there would be no dissemination of information; ergo, no men and women to rally together (assembly), to unite behind one forthright voice–which heard makes known their dissatisfaction, needs, and desires (speech). The press’ investigative journalism has earned the nickname of “the government watchdog” for a reason. The Free Dictionary defines watchdog as: [o]ne who serves as a guardian or protector against waste, loss, or illegal practices.

James-Goodale

James Goodale

While cases such as those recently brought against Julian Assange (Wikileaks) and Judy Miller (The New York Times) have attempted to halt the press and scare reporters into divulging their sources, one case in particular set into action a legacy of protection. In 1971, the American press went head-to-head in the ultimate showdown against President Richard Nixon. The press organization that Nixon placed on the chopping block was The New York Times. In what Nixon believed was a matter of “national security,” he demanded that the courts issue prior restraint against the Times and prohibit any further publication of the Pentagon Papers. This would mark the first time that the American government attempted to have a federal court issue prior restraint. While this legal battle was not won by one individual, James Goodale was a major contributor and (for decades to come) would play a key role in guaranteeing the future freedoms of the press.

James Goodale, the author of Fighting for the Press: The Inside Story of the Pentagon Papers and Other Battles, served The New York Times as their general counsel in all four of the cases in which the Times tried cases before the Supreme Court. Moreover, he served as a beacon, both in hope and strength, in New York Times Co. v. United States (1971). Upon starting his legal career with Lord Day and Lord, in 1959, he also enlisted in the Army Reserve. During his six years in the Reserve, Goodale served as a strategic and intelligence research analyst. This training would greatly influence Goodale in his ability to determine the real worth of “classified” and “top secret” documents. Knowing that the system used to determine how a document should be rubber-stamped was a sham, Goodale was confident in his beliefs and assertive in his stance.

Fighting-for-the-press

In Fighting for the Press: The Inside Story of the Pentagon Papers and Other Battles, Goodale gives a firsthand account of the (literal) trials and tribulations of battling the Nixon administration and the Justice Department. The book fully explains the events leading up to the first publication of the Pentagon Papers, while giving you insightful tidbits that only the keys players had access to. As this case is one of the most prominent in First Amendment constitutional history, the outcome is already known. The book won’t keep you guessing, but offers an intelligent summary of the ins and outs of the case. There were numerous areas in the book which I found enthralling: the process by which the government decided what was deemed “top-secret,” the structure and continued use of journalist’s power of contempt, and the establishment of shield laws. (Just to name a few!) While the majority of the book surrounds New York Times Co. v. United States, the book ends with a summary of recent First Amendment cases. Maybe the most important aspect of the book is its ability to portray the parallels between Nixon’s administration of those of George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Overall, the book was an informative read. That being said, however, it may be hard to get through if you do not have an interest in legal proceedings, journalism, or First Amendment rights. If U.S. Constitutional history is important to you (which it should be to everyone), or you are considering a career in law or journalism, this book is worth picking up. For more on this book, click on any of the links above to purchase from Amazon or check out information on the publishers page.

Pentagon-Papers-Goodale

Celebrating the Pentagon Papers Victory (L-R) Harding Bancroft, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, A.M Rosenthal, Sydney Gruson, and James Goodale.

Britain’s Secret Bunkers

Date: June 11, 2013 Author: Guest Post Comments: 1 Reply

Britain’s Secret Bunkers (Guest Post)

Britain’s seemingly innocent countryside is in fact home to several secret underground bunkers. Built during times of epic unrest and able to withstand Cold War threats, many of these secret bases are no longer operational, but instead are now open to the visiting public.

In the last hundred years alone, our nation has been plagued by war. Two world wars and a cold war (amongst other wars we have been involved in) have resulted in secret underground bunkers and bases to have been constructed throughout Britain. Many of these bunkers are no longer operational, but still are available to visit as a way of reminding us of the ghostly shadows our recent past. Here are five of Britain’s secret bunkers.

Burlington Bunker

Burlington bunker is a former emergency relocation site in Corsham, Wiltshire. The old stone quarry was acquired by the Ministry of Aircraft Production, in 1940, in order to create an underground factory, which has since been known by several different codenames, including Subterfuge and Site 3. However the site was subsequently passed onto the Ministry of the Defence, when it became the main ‘Emergency Government Headquarters’, with quarters created for the Prime Minister and their family. Fascinating to visit, the bunker was only declassified in 2004!

Kelvedon Hatch

Secret Bunker

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Kelvedon Hatch has served many a purpose in its time. Designed to hold up to six hundred military and civilian personnel in the event of a nuclear war, the bunker was originally designed as a RAF ROTOR station, turning into a civil defence centre and finishing as the Regional Government Headquarters. After the cold war, the bunker was no longer required by the government–especially since it cost three million pounds a year simply to keep on standby. The bunker is now privately owned and can visited by anyone interested in a spot of British war history.

Scotland’s Secret Bunker

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If you travel three miles north of the picturesque port of Anstruther, you will notice a private road which leads south off of the B940. It is possible to understand the secrecy which enshrouds this Scottish bunker as you are led through walls of trees and between barbed wire fences before finally arriving at the regular red-roof tiled building. For forty years after the end of World War Two this bunker remained one of Scotland’s biggest kept secrets. Entering down along the 150m etrance tunnel, you feel as though you are truly stepping back in time. The building provides a sobering experience to visitors, bringing to attention the reality we would have faced if a nuclear war was ever embarked upon.

Battle of Britain Bunker

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The Battle of Britain Bunker is in Uxbridge, originally used as an underground operations room by the No 11 Group Fighter Command during the Second World War. Operations for Fighter Aircraft were controlled from the bunker throughout most of the war, most famously during the Battle of Britain and D Day. Today it is run by the RAF for the purpose of a Force Development asset, but is also open to visitors. A memorial outside the bunker records Churchill’s gratitude: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed, by so many, to so few”.

Hack Green Nuclear Bunker

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This nuclear bunker in Cheshire was designed with the sole purpose of confusing WW2 German bombers who were trying to find a railway junction to destroy. After the war was over the bunker became modernised as part of the ROTOR project, becoming a ground controlled inception radar station. As the threat of nuclear holocaust became a concern during the cold war, the bunker was revamped as a secret government headquarter base, boasting the most advanced air filtration system of its time, whilst offering three thousand square metres of armoured accommodation!

So why not delve into Britain’s underground labyrinths and see which secrets you can uncover?

Sydney is a recent history graduate who writes for Distinctive Doors. In her free time she loves to explore the world around her, from taking long walks in the countryside, to visiting numerous museums.