I must conclude by referring to the severe criticism I have received for mentioning as rumor a theory that Kennedy’s successor may have been involved. I mentioned this as one of the many theories that is heard. Unfortunately a measurable number of Americans (2 per cent according to the Harris poll) and a larger number of Europeans hold this theory. I think nothing is gained by pretending that it doesn’t exist.
It is probably part of the present disenchantment with the Warren Commission, and part of the fevered speculation that will go on until a publicly satisfactory explanation of the events in Dallas is offered. Surely one of the significant arguments for a new investigation is that it might accomplish what the first one did not; that is, it could quiet the fears and rumors, and end the speculations.
Paris, October 31, 1966.
Afterword
Second Thoughts on The Second Oswald
The following is an excerpt from a much longer article by Richard H. Popkin that first appeared in the St. Louis Jewish Light, November 30, 1983.
In sum, where are we now? By this stage in history and in the accumulation of evidence I think at least the following theories are supportable by evidence, and are not disprovable:
The events in Dealey Plaza, Nov. 22, 1963, were designed to assassinate Gov. Connally, and Kennedy was an innocent by-stander.
That Kennedy’s assassination was designed by anti-Castro Cubans, with assistance from U.S. intelligence personnel, to precipitate another invasion of Cuba. Oswald’s role was to create the causus belli by disappearing into the arms of Fidel Castro.
That Kennedy’s assassination was designed and carried through by Mafia elements, because of the actions of JFK and his brother in interfering with their operations. Oswald was a bit player in this scenario, who became the main suspect.
That Kennedy’s assassination was the result of Oswald’s involvements in Russia. Oswald’s activities before, during and after his trip to Russia strongly indicate he was somebody’s agent, maybe a double agent. His access to a high KGB figure in Mexico City, and the lack of interest in his activities in Mexico and Dallas on the part of the CIA and FBI again suggest his being somebody’s agent. The clues of his Nov. 9, 1963 letter, his aggressive and pro-Russian remarks in Dallas just before the assassination, and his calm after his arrest are all suggestive of some kind of spy plot.
The Kennedy assassination was planned and carried out by Russian agents, and Nosenko was used to disinform the U.S. authorities. (Yuri Nosenko, a KGB agent then in Switzerland, contacted the CIA in early February 1964, saying he wanted to defect, and that he had all of the Russian information on Oswald.)
The Kennedy assassination was planned and carried out so that the Russians would be blamed and World War III would commence. Castro’s speech and Nosenko’s defection were attempts to defuse this.
The Kennedy assassination was Castro’s revenge for the many ongoing attempts to assassinate him. Although Castro had publicly stated he would avenge these plots, there is nothing besides Oswald’s “fake” pro-Castro activities to indicate Castro was at all carrying on any offensive efforts against his American antagonists.
That Kennedy was assassinated by some faction in the CIA-KGB puzzle factory as part of a power struggle between the secret leaders of these two groups. Kennedy had tried to purge the CIA after the Bay of Pigs. Allan Dulles, its fired leader, had written (or had had ghost-written) by Watergate burglar, E. Howard Hunt, The Craft of Intelligence, in which in early 1963, he strongly indicated our ability to stop the Communists depended on getting rid of Kennedy. Marchetti’s KGB branch of the CIA may have capitalized on the opposition of Dulles, Hunt, Angleton and others to Kennedy, and …
All of these I say are possible scenarios, supported by some evidence and not presently refutable. There are no doubt other scenarios that meet these conditions. Unless more evidence, a confession or two, some secret papers released, somebody’s secret memoirs turn up we may be left at this point.
Appendices
Appendix I
The report on the autopsy by FBI agents O’Neill and Sibert.
Other FBI documents relating to the autopsy are attached. None of these documents was published by the Warren Commission.
CD-7
DL 100-10481/cv
A. AUTOPSY OF BODY OF PRESIDENT
JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY
FD-302 (Rev. 1-25-60)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Date 11/26/63
At approximately 3 p.m. on November 22, 1963, following the President’s announced assassination, it was ascertained that Air Force One, the President’s jet, was returning from Love Field, Dallas, Texas, flying the body back to Andrews Air Force Base, Camp Springs, Maryland. SAs FRANCIS X. O’NEILL, Jr. and JAMES W. SIBERT proceeded to Andrews Air Force Base to handle any matters which would fall within the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, inasmuch as it was anticipated that a large group of both military and civilian personnel assigned to the Base would congregate at Base Operations to witness the landing of this flight.
Lt. Col. ROBERT T. BEST, Director of Law Enforcement and Security, advised the President’s plane would arrive at 5:25 p.m. Subsequently, Col. BEST advised that the plane would arrive at 6:05 p.m.
At approximately 5:55 p.m. agents were advised through the Hyattsville Resident Agency that the Bureau had instructed that the agents accompany the body to the National Naval Medical Center,
On 11/22/63 at Bethesda, Maryland File # 89-30
by SAs FRANCIS X. O’NEILL, JR.;
JAMES W. SIBERT :df 1
Date dictated 11/26/63
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
Bethesda, Maryland, to stay with the body and to obtain bullets reportedly in the President’s body.
Immediately agents contacted Mr. JAMES ROWLEY, the Director of the U. S. Secret Service, identified themselves and made Mr. ROWLEY aware of our aforementioned instruction. Immediately following the plane’s landing, Mr. ROWLEY arranged seating for Bureau agents in the third car of the White House motorcade which followed the ambulance containing the President’s body to the Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.
On arrival at the Medical Center, the ambulance stopped in front of the main entrance, at which time Mrs. JACQUELINE KENNEDY and Attorney General ROBERT KENNEDY embarked from the ambulance and entered the building. The ambulance was thereafter driven around to the rear entrance where the President’s body was removed and taken into an autopsy room. Bureau agents assisted in the moving of the casket to the autopsy room. A tight security was immediately placed around the autopsy room by the Naval facility and the U. S. Secret Service. Bureau agents made contact with Mr. ROY KELLERMAN, the Assistant Secret Service Agent in Charge of the White House Detail, and advised him of the Bureau’s interest in this matter.
He advised that he had already received instructions from Director ROWLEY as to the presence of Bureau agents. It will be noted that aforementioned Bureau agents, Mr. ROY KELLERMAN, Mr. WILLIAM GREER and Mr. WILLIAM O’LEARY, Secret Service agents, were the only personnel other than medical personnel present during the autopsy.
The following individuals attended the autopsy:
Adm. C. B. HOLLOWAY, U.S. Navy, Commanding Officer of the U. S. Naval Medical Center, Bethesda;
Adm. BERKLEY, U. S. Navy, the President’s personal physician;
Commander JAMES J. HUMES, Chief Pathologist, Bethesda Naval Hospital, who conducted autopsy;
Capt. JAMES H. STONER, JR., Commanding Officer, U. S. Naval Medical School, Bethesda;
Mr. JOHN T. STRINGER, JR., Medical photographer;
JAMES H. EBERSOLE;
LLOYD E. RAIHE;
J. T. BOZWELL;
J. G. RUDNICKI;
PAUL K. O’CONNOR;
J. C. JENKINS;
JERROL F. CRES
TER;
EDWARD F. REED;
JAMES METZLER.
During the course of the autopsy Lt. Col. P. FINCK, U. S. Army Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, arrived to assist Commander HUMES in the autopsy. In addition, Lt. Cmdr. GREGG CROSS and Captain DAVID OSBORNE, Chief of Surgery, entered the autopsy room.
Major General WEHLE, Commanding Officer of U. S. Military District, Washington, D.C., then entered the autopsy room to ascertain from the Secret Service arrangements concerning the transportation of the President’s body back to the White House. AMC CHESTER H. BOYERS, U. S. Navy, visited the autopsy room during the final stages of such to type receipts given by FBI and Secret Service for items obtained.
At the termination of the autopsy, the following personnel from Gawler’s Funeral Home entered the autopsy room to prepare the President’s body for burial:
JOHN VAN HAESEN
EDWIN STROBLE
THOMAS ROBINSON
Mr. HAGEN
Brigadier General GODFREY McHUGH, Air Force Military Aide to the President, was also present, as was Dr. GEORGE BAKEMAN, U. S. Navy.
Arrangements were made for the performance of the autopsy by the U. S. Navy and Secret Service.
The President’s body was removed from the casket in which it had been transported and was placed on the autopsy table, at which time the complete body was wrapped in a sheet and the head area contained an additional wrapping which was saturated with blood. Following the removal of the wrapping, it was ascertained that the President’s clothing had been removed and it was also apparent that a tracheotomy had been performed, as well as surgery of the head area, namely, in the top of the skull. All personnel with the exception of medical officers needed in the taking of photographs and X-Rays were requested to leave the autopsy room and remain in an adjacent room.
Upon completion of X-Rays and photographs, the first incision was made at 8:15 p.m. X-Rays of the brain area which were developed and returned to the autopsy room disclosed a path of a missile which appeared to enter the back of the skull and the path of the disintegrated fragments could be observed along the right side of the skull. The largest secion [sic] of this missile as portrayed by X-Ray appeared to be behind the right frontal sinus. The next largest fragment appeared to be at the rear of the skull at the juncture of the skull bone.
The Chief Pathologist advised approximately 40 particles of disintegrated bullet and smudges indicated that the projectile had fragmentized while passing through the skull region.
During the autopsy inspection of the area of the brain, two fragments of metal were removed by Dr. HUMES, namely, one fragment measuring 7 x 2 millimeters, which was removed from the right side of the brain. An additional fragment of metal measuring 1 x 3 millimeters was also removed from this area, both of which were placed in a glass jar containing a black metal top which were thereafter marked for identification and following the signing of a proper receipt were transported by Bureau agents to the FBI Laboratory.
During the latter stages of this autopsy, Dr. HUMES located an opening which appeared to be a bullet hole which was below the shoulders and two inches to the right of the middle line of the spinal column.
This opening was probed by Dr. HUMES with the finger, at which time it was determined that the trajectory of the missile entering at this point had entered at a downward position of 45 to 60 degrees. Further probing determined that the distance traveled by this missile was a short distance inasmuch as the end of the opening could be felt with the finger.
Inasmuch as no complete bullet of any size could be located in the brain area and likewise no bullet could be located in the back or any other area of the body as determined by total body X-Rays and inspection revealing there was no point of exit, the individuals performing the autopsy were at a loss to explain why they could find no bullets.
A call was made by Bureau agents to the Firearms Section of the FBI Laboratory, at which time SA CHARLES L. KILLION advised that the Laboratory had received through Secret Service Agent RICHARD JOHNSON a bullet which had reportedly been found on a stretcher in the emergency room of Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas. This stretcher had also contained a stethoscope and pair of rubber gloves. Agent JOHNSON had advised the Laboratory that it had not been ascertained whether or not this was the stretcher which had been used to transport the body of President KENNEDY. Agent KILLION further described this bullet as pertaining to a 6.5 millimeter rifle which would be approximately a 25 caliber rifle and that this bullet consisted of a copper alloy full jacket.
Immediately following receipt of this information, this was made available to Dr. HUMES who advised that in his opinion this accounted for no bullet being located which had entered the back region, and that since external cardiac massage had been performed at Parkland Hospital, it was entirely possible that through such movement the bullet had worked its way back out of the point of entry and had fallen on the stretcher.
Also during the latter stages of the autopsy, a piece of the skull measuring 10 x 6.5 centimeters was brought to Dr. HUMES who was instructed that this had been removed from the President’s skull. Immediately this section of skull was X-Rayed, at which time it was determined by Dr. HUMES that one corner of this section revealed minute metal particles and inspection of this same area disclosed a chipping of the top portion of this piece, both of which indicated that this had been the point of exit of the bullet entering the skull region.
On the basis of the latter two developments, Dr, HUMES stated that the pattern was clear that the one bullet had entered the President’s back and had worked its way out of the body during external cardiac massage and that a second high velocity bullet had entered the rear of the skull and had fragmentized prior to exit through the top of the skull. He further pointed out that X-Rays had disclosed numerous fractures in the cranial area which he attributed to the force generated by the impact of the bullet in its passage through the brain area. He attributed the death of the President to a gunshot wound in the head.
The following is a complete listing of photographs and X-Rays taken by the medical authorities of the President’s body. They were turned over to Mr. ROY KELLERMAN of the Secret Service. X-Rays were developed by the hospital; however, the photographs were delivered to Secret Service undeveloped:
11 X-Rays
22 4 x 5 color photographs
18 4 x 5 black and white photographs
1 roll of 120 film containing five exposures
Mr. KELLERMAN stated these items could be made available to the FBI upon request. The portion of the skull measuring 10 x 6.5 centimeters was maintained in the custody of Dr. HUMES who stated that it also could be made available for further examination. The two metal fragments removed from the brain area were hand carried by SAs SIBERT and O’NEILL to the FBI Laboratory immediately following the autopsy and were turned over to SA KURT FRAZIER.
FD-302 (Rev. 1-25-60)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Date 11/29/63
Mr. GERALD A. BEHN, Special Agent in Charge, White House Detail, United States Secret Service, was interviewed at his office and advised that during the President’s visit to the State of Texas, then Vice President JOHNSON would always arrive at the next city to be visited ahead of the President and would join the party awaiting the President’s arrival. This was accomplished by the use of two Jets; Air Force I, which carried the President; and Air Force II, carrying the Vice President. Once departing from a city, Air Force I would first take off followed by Air Force II which would thereafter pass Air Force I in flight, cruising at a faster speed, thus allowing the Vice President to arrive prior to the President and be with the greeting party.
Mr. BEHN was questioned concerning the section of the President’s skull, which was brought to the National Navy Medical Center at Bethesda, Maryland after the autopsy was in progress. He advised that this section, which was measured by the Doctor performing the autopsy as being 10 x 6.5 centimeters, was found in the Presidential car on the floor bet
ween the front and rear seats. He further related that two fragments of bullets had also been found in this vehicle in the front of the car and that the windshield had been cracked by the impact of one of these fragments.
BEHN was likewise questioned concerning the location of a bullet which had been found on a stretcher at Parkland Hospital in Dallas and which had been turned over by the Secret Service to an Agent of the Federal Bureau of investigation for delivery to the FBI Laboratory.
He stated
ON 11/27/63 at Washington, D.C. File # BA 89-30
by SAs JAMES W. SIBERT & FRANCIS X. O’NEILL JR.; Mk
Date Dictated 11/27/63
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
Upon learning of such a bullet being found at the Dallas Hospital he inquired of a group of his Agents who had returned from the Dallas trip on the night of November 22, 1963, and Secret Service Agent RICHARD JOHNSON produced this bullet which had been handed to him by someone at the hospital who had stated that it was not known whether or not the President had been placed on the stretcher where the bullet was found.
Mr. BEHN advised that the undeveloped photographs and x-rays made during the course of the autopsy conducted at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, are in the custody of Mr. BOB BOUCK, Protective Research Section, United States Secret Service and could be made available to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on request.
FD-302 (Rev. 1-25-60)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Date 11/26/63
At 8:50 p.m., Mr. JAMES ROWLEY, Chief, United States Secret Service, gave to SA ELMER LEE TODD an envelope containing a bullet. This envelope and its contents were taken directly to the FBI Laboratory and delivered to SA ROBERT A. FRAZIER. The envelope was opened and initials of both SA TODD and FRAZIER were etched on the nose of the bullet for identification purposes.
The Second Oswald Page 10