Editing D. B. Cooper (section)

==={{anchor|William J. Smith}}William Smith===
[[File:William Smith Wiki Photo.jpg|thumb|William J. Smith in 1985]]
In November 2018, ''[[The Oregonian]]'' published an article proposing William J. Smith (1928–2018), of [[Bloomfield, New Jersey]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/starledger/obituary.aspx?n=william-smith&pid=187988854&fhid=17104|title=William Smith Obituary – Bloomfield, NJ &#124; The Star-Ledger|website=Obits.nj.com|access-date=December 18, 2018|archive-date=December 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181218102432/http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/starledger/obituary.aspx?n=william-smith&pid=187988854&fhid=17104|url-status=live}}</ref> as a suspect. The article was based on research conducted by an Army data analyst who sent his findings to the FBI in mid-2018.<ref name="oregonlive.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/news/erry-2018/11/e18eba2aa14557/new-suspect-in-db-cooper-skyja.html|title=New suspect in D.B. Cooper skyjacking case unearthed by Army data analyst; FBI stays mum|first1=Douglas|last1=Perry|website=OregonLive.com|date=November 15, 2018|access-date=November 22, 2018|archive-date=November 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124082816/https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/news/erry-2018/11/e18eba2aa14557/new-suspect-in-db-cooper-skyja.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Smith, a New Jersey native, was a World War II veteran. After high school, he enlisted with the [[United States Navy]] and volunteered for combat air crew training. After his discharge, he worked for the [[Lehigh Valley Railroad]] and was affected by the [[Penn Central Transportation Company]]'s bankruptcy in 1970, the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history at that time. The article proposed that the loss of his pension created a grudge against the corporate establishment and transportation field, as well as a sudden need for money. Smith was 43 at the time of the hijacking. In his high school yearbook, a list of alumni killed in World War II lists an Ira Daniel Cooper, possibly the source for the hijacker's pseudonym.<ref name="oregonlive.com"/> The analyst claimed that Smith's naval aviation experience would have given him knowledge of airplanes and parachutes, and his railroad experience would have helped him find railroad tracks and hop on a train to escape the area after landing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/fresh-db-cooper-theory-emerges-years-after-infamous-hijacking|title=DB Cooper revealed? New suspect emerges years after infamous hijacking|first=Ryan|last=Gaydos|date=November 15, 2018|website=Fox News|access-date=November 30, 2018|archive-date=November 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130071907/https://www.foxnews.com/us/fresh-db-cooper-theory-emerges-years-after-infamous-hijacking|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to the analyst, aluminum spiral chips found on the clip-on tie could have come from a locomotive maintenance facility. Smith's information about the Seattle area may have come from his close friend Dan Clair, who was stationed at Fort Lewis during the war. The analyst noted that the man who claimed to be Cooper in [[Max Gunther]]'s 1985 book identified himself as "Dan LeClair".<ref name="oregonlive.com"/> Smith and Clair worked together for [[Conrail]] at [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]]'s [[Oak Island Yard]]. Smith retired from that facility as a [[yardmaster]]. The article noted that a picture of Smith on the Lehigh Valley Railroad website showed a "remarkable resemblance" to Cooper FBI sketches.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lvrr.com/jersey-city-employee/|title=Jersey City Employees|website=Lvrr.com|access-date=November 30, 2018|archive-date=June 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629162629/http://www.lvrr.com/jersey-city-employee|url-status=live}}</ref> The FBI said that it would be inappropriate to comment on tips related to Smith.<ref name="oregonlive.com"/>