Chapter 1139 Great Robbery (1/2)
Southwest Airlines at the check-in counter at Dallas airport, Texas, on November 24,
1971.
A tall, middle-aged man with brown hair wearing a blue suit walked up to the counter
and smiled at the receptionist. ”Hello, my name is Dan Cooper. I have ordered a one-
way ticket on flight 305 to Los Angeles.”
The receptionist looked at the man and noticed that he was carrying a large suitcase.
The man paid and collected the ticket.
After getting his ticket, Dan Cooper checked the time, lugged his suitcase through
airport security and boarded the plane following the instructions.
The plane did not take off in time because the team was waiting for a batch of gold
transported from the bank of Dallas. The total weight of the gold was 120 kg, and it was
to be sent to California to stabilize the foreign trade market in Los Angeles.
The gold convoy arrived late as it was involved in a traffic accident. Fearing that the
supposed accident was a deliberate attempt to steal the gold, the convoy changed its
route.
As it turned out, the concern had been valid. On either side of the convoy was a group
of south Dallas cowboys, guns in their hands, aiming for the gold.
Many passengers were so upset at the delay that the flight attendants sent them drinks
and food to appease them.
Dan Cooper, by contrast, was nonchalant. He ordered a bourbon and soda and tipped
the flight attendant $20.
At that time, twenty dollars was a big tip. The attendant was very happy and thanked
him with a smile.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, while the plane was in the air, Cooper took out his
suitcase and began to assemble something.
Given that the US aviation industry was so developed and many flights were not
crowded with passengers, Dan Cooper easily found a secret corner with no people
around, so no one could see what he was doing in time.
Cooper finished his drink as he worked. Then he waved to the flight attendant.
Because of the previous tip, the flight attendant was very friendly to the handsome
middle-aged man, so she came over with a smile and asked, ”What can I do for you.
sir?”
Cooper also smiled pleasantly. ”May I have a post-it note, please?”
She quickly tore off a post-it note and handed it to him. He wrote something on the
paper. The pretty, curvy flight attendant was half-expecting a declaration of love.
She wondered if she should give a chance to this new admirer.
While the flight attendant was daydreaming, Cooper finished writing the note and
handed it to her.
Stretching out he hand, the stewardess took the note and, as she read it, the sweet
smile on her face faltered. There were only five short words written on the piece of
paper: I have a bomb here.
”Is that a joke, sir?”
With a laugh, Cooper slammed down his glass, unbuttoned his outer clothes, and a
strapped bomb, complete with intricate wires, appeared in front of the flight attendant.
The flight attendant was shocked and almost screamed. Cooper stood up quickly, put
his finger to her lips to silence her, and chuckled. ”Go, tell the captain I want something
from him.”