Contents

Page

LETTER
OF TRANSMITTAL
..........................
FOREWORD.
.........................................
CHAPTEIi
I. SUMMARY
AND CONCLUSIONS
...........
Narrative of Events. ................................
Conclusions .........................................
Recommendations
...................................
CHAPTER II. THE ASSASSINATION.
...................
Planning the Texas Trip. ............................
Advance Preparations for the Dallas Trip. .............
Preventive Intelligence Activities. .................
The Luncheon Site. .............................
The Motorcade Route. ..........................
Dallas Before the Visit ...............................
Visits to Other Texas Cities. .........................
Arrival at Love Field. ...............................
Organization
of the Motorcade .... : ...................
The Drive Through Dallas. ..........................
The Assassination. ..................................
TheTime
......................................
Speed of the Limousine.
.........................
In the Presidential Limousine .....................
Reaction by Secret Service Agents .................
Parkland Memorial Hospital. .........................
The Race to the Hospital. .......................
Treatment of President Kennedy. .................
Treatment of Governor Connally. .................
Vice President Johnson at Parkland.
..............
Secret Service Emergency Security Arrangements.
..
Removal of the Presidents Body. .................
TheEndof
the Trip.. ...............................
Swearing in of the New President. ................
Return to Washington,
D.C ......................
The Autopsy. ..................................
CHAPTER III.
THE SHOTS FROM THE TEXAS SCHOOL
BOOK DEPOSITORY.
...............................
The Witnesses ......................................
NeartheDepository
.............................
On theFifthFloor
..............................
At the Triple Underpass. ........................
The Presidential Automobile.
.........................

vii
ix
1
1
18
25
28
28
29
29
30
31
40
42
42
43
46
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48
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61
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63
68
71
76

xvii

III. THE SHOTS FROM THE TEXAS SCHOOL

BOOK DEPOSITORY-Continued
Expert Examination of Rifle, Cartridge Cases, and Bullet
.......
Fragments.................................
Discovery of Cartridge Cases and Rifle. ............
Discovery of Bullet at Parkland Hospital ...........
Description of Rifle. .............................
Expert Testimony. ..............................
The Bullet Wounds ..................................
The Presidents Head Wounds. ...................
The Presidents Neck Wounds. ...................
The Governors Wounds. ........................
The Trajectory.
....................................
Films and Tests. ................................
The First Bullet That Hit. .......................
The Subsequent Bullet That Hit. .................
NumberofShots ....................................
The Shot That Missed. ..............................
The First Shot. .................................
TheSecondShot ................................
TheThirdShot
.................................
Time Span of Shots. .................................
Conclusion. ........................................

CHAPTER

IV. THE ASSASSIN. ..........................

Ownership and Possessionof Assassination Weapon. .....
Purchase of Rifle by Oswald. .....................
Oswalds Palmprint on Rifle Barrel. ...............
FibersonRifle ..................................
Photograph of Oswald With Rifle. ................
Rifle Among Oswalds Possessions.................
Conclusion. ....................................
The Rifle in the Building. ............................
The Curtain Rod Story. .........................
The Missing Rifle. ..............................
The Long and Bulky Package. ....................
Location of Bag. ................................
Scientific Evidence Linking Rifle and Oswald to
................................
PaperBag...:
Conclusion .....................................
Oswald at Window, .................................
Palmprints and Fingerprints on Cartons and Paper
Bag .........................................
Oswalds Presence on Sixth Floor Approximately
35 Minut,es Before the Assassination. ............
Eyewitness Identification of Assassin. .............
Oswalds Actions in Building After Assassination. ...
Conclusion. ....................................
...

CHAPTER

XVlll

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137
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143
143
149
156

CHAPTBR IV. THE ASSASSIN-Continued

The Killing of Patrolman J. D. Tippit. ................
Oswalds
Movements
After
Leaving
Depository
Building .....................................
Description
of Shooting. .........................
Eyewitnesses.
..................................
MurderWeapon
................................
Ownership
of Revolver. ..........................
Oswalds Jacket. ................................
Conclusion .....................................
Oswalds Arrest.
....................................
..............
Statements
of Oswald During Detention.
Denial of Rifle Ownership:
.......................
TheRevolver
...................................
The Aliases Hidell
and 0. H. Lee. ............
The Curtain Rod Story. .........................
Actions During and After Shooting. ...............
PriorAttemptToKill..
......................
. ......
The Attempt
on the Life of Maj. Gen. Edwin A.
Walker .......................................
Richard M. Nixon Incident. ......................
Oswalds Rifle Capability.
............................
The Nature of the Shots. ........................
Oswalds Marine Training. .......................
Oswalds
Rifle Practice Outside the Marines. .......
Accuracy of Weapon .............................
Conclusion.
....................................
Conclusion ..-.......................................

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183
187
189
189
191
192
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195
195
196
196
198
199
200
201
201
206
208

CHAPTER V. DETENTION
AND DEATH
OF OSWALD.
..
Treatment
of Oswald in Custody. .......
: .............
Chronology .....................................
Interrogation
Sessions. ...........................
Oswalds Legal Rights. ..........................
Activity
of Newsmen.
...............................
On the Third Floor. .............................
Oswald and the Press. ...........................
The Abortive Transfer.
..............................
Possible Assistance
to Jack Ruby in Entering
the Basement ............................................
Adequacy of Security Precautions.
....................
News Coverage and Police Policy. ....................
Responsibility
of News Media. .......................

216
225
231
240

CHAPTER
VI. INVESTIGATION
OF POSSIBLE
CONSPIRACY
............................................
Circumstances
Surrounding
the Assassination.
..........
Selection of Motorcade
Route. ....................
Oswalds
Presence in the Depository
Building .......
Bringii
Rifle Into Building. .....................

243
$245
245
246
247
Xix

CHAPTER

VI.

INVESTIGATION

OF

POSSIBLE

CON-

SPIRACY-Continued
Circumstances Surrounding
the Assassination-Con.
Accomplices at the Scene of the Assassination. ......
Oswalds Escape. ...............................
Background of Lee Harvey Oswald. ...................
Residence in the Soviet Union. ...................
Associations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Community.
.
Political Activities Upon Return to the United States.
Contacts With the Cuban and Soviet Embassies in
Mexico City and the Soviet Embassy in Washington,
D.C .........................................
Investigation
of Other Activities. .................
Oswald Was Not an Agent for the U.S. Government.
Oswalds Finances. ..............................
Possible Conspiracy Involving Jack Ruby. .............
Rubys Activities From November 21 to November
24,1963 ......................................

..........
Ruby and Oswald Were Not Acquainted.
Rubys Background and Associations. .............
Conclusion .........................................
LEE HARVEY
OSWALD:
BACKGROUND
AND POSSIBLE
MOTIVES.
.........................
The Early Years. ...................................
New YorkCity
.....................................
Return to New Orleans and Joining the Marine Corps. ..
Interest in Marxism. ................................
Defection to the Soviet Union. .......................
Return to the United States. .........................
Personal Relations. ..................................
Employment
........................................
Attack on General Walker ............................
Political Activities. ..................................
;. ......................
Interest in Cuba. .. , ........
Possible Influence of Anti-Kennedy
Sentiment in Dallas. .
Relationship
With Wife. .............................
The Unanswered Questions. ..........................
Conclusion .........................................

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287
299
312
325
328
333
333
359
365
374

CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PROTECTION

OF THE

PRESIDENT.

The Nature of the Protective Assignment. .............

Evaluation
of Presidential
Protection at the Time of the
Assassination of President Kennedy. ...............
Intelligence
Functions Relating to Presidential
Protection at the Time of the Dallas Trip. .........
Liaison With Other Government Agencies. .........
Other Protective
Measures and Aspects of Secret
Service Performance. ..........................
xx

375
377
378
383
388
390
394
400
402
404
406
412
415
416
421
423
425
426
428
429
444
444

VIII.
THE
PROTECTION
OF THE
PRESIDENT-Continued
Recommendations
...................................
Assassination a Federal Criie.
...................
Committee
of Cabinet Officers. ...................
Responsibilities
for Presidential Protection.
........
General Supervision of the Secret Service. ..........
Preventive Intelligence.
..........................
Liaison With Local Law Enforcement Agencies. ....
Inspection of Buildings. ..........................
Secret Service Personnel and Facilities. ............
Manpower
and Technical
Assistance From Other
encies
.....................................
Ag
Conclusion .........................................

CH&TER

APPENDIX

I. EXECUTIVE

APPENDIX

II.

APPENDIX

III.

WHITE

ORDER
HOUSE

SENATE

NO.

RELEASE.

JOINT

11130.

...............

RESOLUTION

IV. BIOGRAPHICAL
INFORMATION
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
.............................
Members of Co mmission .............................
Gene&Counsel
.....................................
Assistant Counsel ....................................
Staff Members ......................................
Acknowledgments.
.............................

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

V. LIST

OF WITNESSES.

.........

Page

454
454
456
457
460
461
465
466
466
467
468
471
472

137. .....

473

AND
475
475
476
476
477
481

....................

483

VI. COMMISSION
PROCEDURES
FOR THE
TAKING
OF TESTIMONY.
..........................
Resolution Governing Questioning of Witnesses by Members of the Commission Staff. ......................

APPENDIX

501
501

VII. A BRIEF
HISTORY
OF PRESIDENTIAL
PROTECTION
.......................................
Before the Civil War. ...............................
Lincoln ............................................
The Need for Protection Further Demonstrated .........
Development
of Presidential Protection.
...............

504
504
505
507
510

VIII.
MEDICAL
REPORTS
FROM
PARKLAND
MEMORIAL
HOSPITAL,
TEX .................................................

516

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

AT

APPENDIX

MENTAL

IX.

AUTOPSY
REPORT.

REPORT
AND
................................

DOCTORS
DALLAS,
SUPPLE538

xxi

..................
X. EXPERT
TESTIMONY.
.................
Firearms and Firearms Identification.
General Principles. ..............................
TheRifle .......................................
Rifle Cartridge and Cartridge Cases. ..............
The Rifle Bullets. ...............................
TheRevolver
...................................
Revolver Cartridges and Cartridge Cases. ..........
Revolver Bullets. ...............................
The Struggle for the Revolver. ...................
The Paraffin Test. ..............................
The Walker Bullet. .............................
Fingerprints
and Palmprints.
.........................
General Principles. ..............................
Objects in the Texas School Book Depository Building ..........................................
Questioned Documents.
.............................
The Mail Order for the C2766 Rifle, the Related Envelope, and the Money Order. ..................
Mail Order for the V510210 Revolver ..............
Post Office Box Applications
and Change-of-Address
Card .........................................
The Spurious Selective Service System Notice of
Classification
and U.S. Marine Corps Certificate
of Service. ...................................
The Hidell Notice of Classification.
...............
The Hidell Certificate of Service. .................
The Vaccination Certificate. ......................
The Fair Play for Cuba Committee
Card ...........
The Unsigned Russian-Language
Note. ............
The Homemade Wrapping Paper Bag ..............
Wound Ballistics Experiments.
........................
Purpose of the Tests .............................
..............
The Testers and Their Qualifications.
General Testing Conditions. ......................
...
Tests on Penetration
Power and Bullet Stability.
Tests Simulating
President Kennedys Neck Wound.
Tests Simulating Governor Connallys Chest Wounds.
Tests Simulating Governor Connallys Wrist Wounds.
Conclusions From Simulating
the Neck, Chest, and
Wrist Wounds ................................
Tests Simulating
President Kennedys Head Wounds.
Hairs andFibers ....................................
General Principles. ..............................
Photographs ........................................

APPENDIX

XI. REPORTS
RELATING
ROGATION
OF LEE HARVEY
DALLAS
POLICE
DEPARTMENT.

APPENDIX

xxii

TO THE INTEROSWALD
AT THE
.................

Page
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598

Page

XII. SPECULATIONS
AND RUMORS. .......
The Source of the Shots. .............................
The Assassin ........................................
Oswalds Movements Between 12:33 and 1:15 p.m .......
Murder of Tippit. ...................................
Oswald After His Arrest. .............................
Oswald in the Soviet Union. ..........................
Oswalds Trip to Mexico City. ........................
Oswald and U.S. Government Agencies. ...............
Conspiratorial Relationships. .........................
Other Rumors and Speculations. ......................

APPENDIX

637
639
642
648
650
654
655
658
659
661
664

XIII.
BIOGRAPHY
OF LEE
HARVEY
OSWALD ............................................
Early Years. .......................................
Marines ............................................
Soviet Union ........................................
Fort Worth, Dallas, New Orleans .....................
MexicoCity
........................................
Dsllas ..............................................

669
669
681
689
713
730
737

XIV. ANALYSIS
OF LEE HARVEY OSWALDS
FINANCES
FROM
JUNE 13, 1962, THROUGH
NOVEMBER
22, 1963 ...................................

741

XV. TRANSACTIONS
BETWEEN
LEE HARVEY OSWALD AND MARINA
OSWALD, AND THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT
OF STATE AND THE IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION
SERVICE
OF THE
U.S. DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE ...................

746

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

Issuance of Passport in 1959 ..........................

Oswalds Attempts To Renounce His U.S. Citizenship. ...
Return and Renewal of Oswalds 1959 Passport. ........
Negotiations Between Oswald and the Embassy. ....
Legal Justification for the Return and Reissue of
Oswalds Passport. ............................
Authorization
for Marina Oswald To Enter the United
states. ...........................................
Negotiations Between Oswald and the Embassy. ....
Legal Justification for the Decisions Affecting Marina
Oswald. ......................................
Oswalds Letter to Senator Tower. ....................
The Loan From the State Department. ................
Oswalds Return to the United States and Repayment of
HisLoan .........................................
Issuance of a Passport in June 1963. ..................
Visit to the Russian Embassy in Mexico City. ..........
Conclusion .........................................

746
747
752
752
759
761
761
766
769
770
773
773
777
777
.. .

xx111

XVI. A BIOGRAPHY
OF JACK RUBY. ......
Family Background. ................................
Childhood and Youth (1911-33). ......................
Psychiatric Report. .............................
Placement in Foster Homes. .....................
Subsequent Home Life. ..........................
Education ......................................
Activities. ......................................
Temperament ...................................
Young Manhood (1933-43). ..........................
San Francisco (1933-37) .........................
Occupations and Activities. ......................
Chicago (193743) ...............................
Military Activities (1943-46) .........................
Postwar Chicago (1946-47). ..........................
Dallas (1947-63) ....................................
.............................
TheMovetoDallas
The Change of Name. ...........................
Nightclub Operations. ...........................
Employee Relationships. .........................
Financial Data and Tax Problems. ................
Other Business Ventures. ........................
Arrests and Violations. ..........................
Police Associations. .............................
UnderworldTies ................................
Travels ........................................
Character and Interests. .............................
Family Relationships. ...........................
Social Relationships. ............................
Affection for Dogs ...............................
Religious Interests. ..............................
Physical Activities. and Violence. ..................
Generosity to Friends and the Need for Recognition.

APPENDIX

XVII.
POLYGRAPH
EXAMINATION
RUBY. ..............................................
Preliminary Arrangements. ...........................
Administration of the Test. ..........................
Interpretation of the Test. ...........................

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

INDEX

xxiv

XVIII.
FOOTNOTES.
...............................................

........................

779
779

780
781
782
783
784
784
785
786
786
786
787
790
791
792
792
793
794
796
797
799
800
800
801
801
802
802
803
804
804
804
806

OF JACK

807
807
809
813
817
880