I’ve recounted here before how the JFK assassination changed the direction of my life. The short version is with a family history in law enforcement, and being a 6th Grader interested in being a cop at the time of the assassination, I was primed to evolve into an investigations career. I spent many years as a private investigator and researcher, and have made a lifetime study of this crime.
I was fortunate enough to visit Dealy Plaza on November 22, 1992 (the 29th Anniversary) and to meet and speak with Jean Hill (The Lady in Red) and Penn Jones, Jr. (Forgive My Grief), as well as to walk the crime scene and take photographs. Along with about 300 others that day.
My understanding is the City of Dallas is selling tickets (!) for the capacity crowd today. Crime scene as tourist trap (see Ford’s Theatre).
There are those who believe The Warren Report as gospel, that Oswald acted alone; and those who believe the FBI, Secret Service, CIA, Army Intelligence, anti-Castro Cubans, pro-Castro Cubans, the military industrial complex, Lyndon Johnson and the entire road cast of Cats are responsible. Or some amalgamation, thereof.
My best guess, based on the physical evidence, is there was more than one assassin. As to the puppetmasters, pick-a-card. Certainly there are many accessories-after-the-fact who participated in obfuscation to cover their own incompetence, at the very least. And perhaps elements of them were compartmentalized conspiratorial elements before the crime. We’ll probably never know.
Hell, they still question whether or not Napoleon was poisoned, and the official Secret Service account of Lincoln’s killing neglects to mention his co-conspirators. It’s neater that way.
Some things to ponder:
- In the early 60s (during The Cold War), the Defense Department was actively using military recruits to ‘defect’ to Soviet Russia, to plant disinformation and collect intelligence. Oswald learned Russian while a Marine, defected, and returned. With ease. One of the telephone numbers LHO called from the Dallas lockup was to a military phone in North Carolina. (His handler, perhaps?) Of course, records where the number went are no longer available. He was also a CI for the Dallas FBI.
- In the late 50s, Jack Ruby was a known criminal informant for the Miami Police, with respect to smuggling and gun-running into Cuba. He was mob-connected. He obviously was not just a patriotic, grief-stricken night-club owner. (Incidentally, the last page of his Miami PD CI informational form, which contained names of his friends and associates has been ‘sanitized for your protection’).
- I’ve stood behind the stockade fence at the top of the infamous ‘grassy knoll’. It is not just an easy rifle shot. It’s decent pistol shot for someone with some skills.
- Evidence suggests a bullet strike to the rear of the President’s car, in the street, another to the curb in front of the Triple Underpass (wounding James Tague) and a cracked limo windshield. There is also a photograph of the dashboard with an obvious bullet strike from the rear. (I’ve seen it, but it’s not available on the Internet(!) The ‘
SingleMagic Bullet’ would have had to defy all laws of physics and then some for this to happen, with a single shooter and only three shots. And LBJ ordered the limo and Gov. Connally’s suit cleaned before JFK’s body was cold! Evidence, what evidence? And speaking of Gov. Connally, there was more metal left behind in his wrist than was missing from CE 399 (the Magic Bullet)! - Men behind the stockade fence produced Secret Service credentials to Dallas Police, and others, immediately after the shooting. Only the entire Secret Service entourage was with JFK, Jackie and LBJ at Parkland hospital at the time. Who were these impostors?
The United States is promoted to the rest of the World as a beacon of liberty and not a banana republic. At least it used to be. Between Fourth Amendment abusers (like the TSA, NSA et al) sometimes I wonder. And we should be able to protect the Chief Executive, or minimally determine what happened to him if we were unable to do so.
Not doing so is contrary to what’s left of this Constitutional Republic.
The Zapruder Film – enhanced (click to view)
h/t Jean Hill, Penn Jones, Jr., Harold Weisberg, House Select Committee on Assassinations, et al
(and Happy Birthday to Dave the Genius Mechanic! And many more, my friend!)
Guffaw in AZ 
I’m sure better qualified people will read this and comment, but I just wanted to say:
Very nicely done and great commentary.
I was born after the events, and probably because of that, have never felt personally invested in the story.
It is, however, a bit frustrating to read accounts such as yours and wonder how something so important (the investigation) could have been botched so badly.
EVEN IF (and it does stretch one’s incredulity) there was no ill-intent in doing so, it really stands as an embarrassment to our reputation.
Posted by Tomi | November 22, 2013, 8:13 amThank you. Take a moment @ 1130 AZ time (1230 Dallas, TX time) to remember Jack.
Posted by guffaw1952 | November 22, 2013, 8:25 amGood points, all. Much of the published evidence is contradictory, and there were far too many players who had much to gain. While Americans love a good conspiracy, that old adage about “Where there’s smoke …” arguably holds true.
Either that, or both the Secret Service and the Dallas PD were the biggest bunch of fumbling boobs on the planet at the time.
Like you said, pick a card. Any card.
Posted by Rev. Paul | November 22, 2013, 8:15 amThanks.
“far too many players who had much to gain.”
‘Cui bono’? Who benefits applies here.
Posted by guffaw1952 | November 22, 2013, 8:27 amI watched part of a documentary last week called JFK- the smoking gun. If you can find it, it’s very informative. They have a well known (at the time) ballistician go over the evidence, He shows how the “Magic” bullet traveled. And also the trajectory of the kill shot. The evidence is compelling and also theorizes that JFK was accidentally killed by a secret service agent with a AR-15.
For the single shooter theory, LHO shot JFK by mistake. LHO was dishonorably discharged from the Marines. Connolly was, before being Governor, was the SECNAV. LHO appealed his discharge as was his right. SECNAV Connolly denied his appeal. LHO was trying to kill Connolly and missed.
Theories abound. .
Posted by robertsgunshop | November 22, 2013, 10:00 amYep. Saw it.
Funny how they discredit the WC, except the parts they want to use.
And they say they are scientific, but make blanket statements about Oswald’s guilt and the Tippit shooting.
And Groden has already discussed how some photos and XRays had been doctored.
As you say, theories abound.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Posted by guffaw1952 | November 22, 2013, 10:32 amThe book “Mortal Error” by Bonar Menninger was based on the theory of Howard Donahue. That was the basis for the show JFK: The Smoking Gun.
The book goes into the possibility of SS Agent George Hickey having a ND from sympathetic squeeze due to the follow car accelerating. (The agent sitting next to Hickey said he went to reach for the AR15 and Hickey already had it in his hands.)
I haven’t watched all of the show yet on the DVR but the *book* details how Donahue’s theory could have been proven.
He (Donahue) had contacted the House Select Committee on Assassinations in ’78-’79 to try and tried to get them to test the bullet fragments from JFK’s skull. The 223/5.56 jacket would have been 99% copper. The Carcano jacket was 96% copper / 4% zinc.
All the bullet fragments were gone and nobody knows where they went. (Standard procedure I’m sure)
To shed light on the coverup aspect, Menninger’s hypothesis was that:
*They already had a shooter – Oswald.
*Nothing would be gained by scarring the reputation of the Secret Service further. It was an accident.
*Bobby Kennedy in his role as AG could have given the OK and had the Justice Dept and every other Alphabet Agency go along with the single shooter theory.
If you get a chance to read it, the book Mortal Error is very well done.
It gives a compelling theory that makes sense – something that the Warren Commission never did IMHO.
Posted by KM | November 22, 2013, 11:17 amThank you.
Posted by guffaw1952 | November 22, 2013, 2:54 pmThere’s lots to say that the Warren Commission report didn’t really solve anything. At this point, we will probably never know unless a true “smoking gun” is found. But it do provide for interesting speculation. Saw one documentary that laid it at the feet of Bush Senior. Had to laugh at that, considering the current kool-aid drinkers have to rely so much on the “It’s Bush’s fault” line of reasoning for Obama’s failures.
Posted by ProudHillbilly | November 22, 2013, 1:01 pmYes. GB Sr. said she didn’t remember where he was that day. Nixon was in Dallas as a PepsiCo atty.
It’s all the Republican’s fault…
Posted by guffaw1952 | November 22, 2013, 2:56 pmI heard that Tricky Dick was in New York City that day. Where was he really?
Posted by harp1034 | November 30, 2013, 8:29 am