Author: Carter McLellan – Date: January 2, 2025

Contents

1. Intro
2. 1939-1956: Youth & drop out from High School
3. 1956-1962: From Marine to Soviet defector
4. 1962-1963: Return to the USA
5. 1963: Assassinations of JFK and Oswald
6. Important areas of Intrigue
7. Conclusion
8. Notes

Introduction

[Another incomplete article, but with a lot of general information. Will be expanded in the future]

1939-1956: Youth & High School Dropout

Lee Harvey Oswald was born on October 18, 1939, at the old French Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. His parents were Marguerite Frances Claverie and Robert Edward Lee Oswald. Oswald had a brother and a half-brother.

Marguerite was born in 1907 in New Orleans to John Claverie of an old French Catholic family and Dore Stucke, a German Lutheran of French and German descent. Dora died in 1911, leaving Marguerite, her three sisters and two brothers, to her streetcar conductor father, who had help from housekeepers. The two brothers both died from tuberculosis as young men. Around 1923, Marguerite dropped out of high school. She began working at a New Orleans law firm as a receptionist.

In August 1929, she married Edward John Pic, Jr., a clerk for a steveboring company. While three months pregnant, Marguerite and Edward separated due to “irreconcilable differences,” supposedly Edward didn’t want children and refused to support her. John Edward Pic was born in 1932. During their separation, Marguerite met a friend of her sister Liliane Murret. The friend was Robert Edward Lee Oswald, Sr., a premium collector for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), who had also separated from his wife. He spotted Marguerite and her son John coming home from the park and they got to know each other. Robert was born in 1896 and was about 36 years old by this time. He served in Army during WWI.

In 1933, Marguerite divorced her first husband and got married to Robert on July 20, 1933. They got a son, Robert Oswald, on April 7, 1934. Robert wanted to adopt her first son John, but she refused in order to keep Edward’s financial support coming in. The couple bought a house on Alvar Street, New Orleans. One day on October 13, 1939, while Marguerite was pregnant, Robert was mowing his lawn on a hot day when he suddenly suffered a heart attack and died. He was around 43 years old at the time and three months later Lee Harvey Oswald was born at the French Hospital on October 18, 1939. At that time, John Pic was about 7 and Robert Oswald was about 5. At that time WWII was just kicking off as Germany invaded Poland the previous month.

Nothing is really known yet to me of the first five years of Oswald in New Orleans. She sent her two sons to an orphanage, but Lee was too young to send. She shuttled him between her sisters and an assortment of housekeepers and babysitters. At some point, Marguerite let a couple move into her home to help care for Lee. She discovered that they had been whipping him in an attempt to control his behavior, so she fired them. Marguerite carried a number of jobs and had moved up to five times. When Lee was 3, on the day after Christmas of 1942, he was placed in an orphanage, Bethlehem Children’s Home, where his two brothers were already living, mainly because Marguerite had to work.

In January 1944, Marguerite took Lee (now 4) out of the orphanage and then moved from New Orleans to Dallas, Texas. By now, Lee’s brothers John and Robert would have been about 12 and 10 and they joined them at the end of the school year. In May 1945, Marguerite married her third husband, Edward A. Ekdahl, whom she had met several months earlier. They separated in 1946 and divorced in 1948.

The two brothers at some point began attending a military boarding school. Lee Oswald remained at home living with Marguerite and Ekdahl. Occasionally Lee accompanied Marguerite and Ekdahl on business trips around the country, which caused him to miss a good deal of his first year in school. In late October, they settled in Benbrook, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth, where Oswald started school at Benbrook Common Elementary, just after his sixth birthday. He entered the first grade in 1945 and for the next five years until sixth grade he would attend several different schools in the Fort Worth area. But in the fall of 1946, after the separation with Ekdahl, Marguerite moved and reentered Oswald in the first grade in Covington, Louisiana, at Covington Elementary, in September 1946. In January 1947, while Lee was still in 1st grade, the family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, as the result of an attempted reconciliation between Marguerite and Ekdahl. Oswald was enrolled in his third school, at Clayton Public Elementary, still in 1st grade. A schoolmate recalled that Oswald was a leader of one of three or four school gangs, due to his age, but he was not a bully. Oswald did not have a relationship with any of the boys outside of school. By January to March 1948, before Oswald was 9, Ekdahl initiated a formal divorce. Oswald completed the 1st grade but soon after entering 2nd in the fall, the Marguerite moved again to a rundown house in a poor Fort Worth neighborhood adjoining railroad tracks. Oswald was enrolled in Clark Elementary School. Unable to afford tuition for the two other boys at military school, Marguerite moved them in with Lee.

In June 1948, the divorce trial between Marguerite and Ekdahl took place and Lee was brought in to testify, but he refused saying he would not know the truth from a lie. During the trial, Lee stayed home alone with a pet dog gifted by a neighbor. That summer Marguerite moved back to Benbrook, by the Autumn they moved back to Fort Worth. He was enrolled in the third grade at Arlington Heights Elementary. Lee often slept in the same bed as Marguerite until the age of 11.

Various stories have been told about Oswald and his personality. One story has it that after school Oswald would look for other children to throw stones at. Another tells that once Oswald chased John Pic around the house with a knife then threw it at him, missing and hitting the wall.

In September 1949, Oswald was transferred to his sixth school, Ridgley West Elementary, just in time to start the fourth grade. His grades were mediocre. He took an IQ test and scored a 103. He remained there for the next three years, his longest stay at a single school.

In January 1950, John Pic left the house to join the Coast Guard. In July 1952, Robert Oswald joined the Marines and served during the Korean War. Lee bought a copy of the Marine Corps Handbook at the age of 12.

Time in New York

In August 1952, a few months after Oswald completed the sixth grade, Marguerite took Oswald, 12 soon to be 13, to New York City to live with his half-brother John Pic, where he was stationed with the Coast Guard. John had a wife of one year and a child. The couple was staying at a small apartment of Pic’s mother-in-law, at 325 East 92nd Street, Manhattan, when Marguerite and Oswald temporarily moved in. Pic took a week off to tour New York with Oswald. But he soon realized that Marguerite had no intention of moving out and finding her own apartment. Tension grew as Pic’s wife and Marguerite often argued. Lee often fought with his mother, even striking her, adding to the tension. Marguerite worked at a dress shop and Oswald spent most of his time alone. Lee enrolled in Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School, he would only attend there for several weeks. He was known to wear Robert’s Marine ring, still interested in joining the military.

One day, Pic’s wife asked Oswald to lower the volume on the television. He pulled out a knife and threatened her. When Marguerite rushed into the room to tell him to put it away, he punched her in the face. The Pics immediately asked Marguerite and her son to move out. Oswald then took a hostile attitude toward his half-brother.

Marguerite moved into a one-room basement apartment in the Bronx. Oswald entered Public School 117, but he hated the NY schools. He was teased by classmates for his Southern accent and his clothes. Oswald attended seventh grade but was often truant, missing 47 of 54 schooldays and failing most of his classes. His mother pulled him out of the school. In January 1953, Marguerite moved again in the Bronx and enrolled him in Public School 44, but Oswald refused to attend.

He would go to the pubic library and museum using the subway system. Two hearings on Oswald’s truancy were set, but neither Marguerite or Oswald showed up. He spent much of his time at the Bronx Zoo and after two months of truancy, in April 1963 a judge declared him a truant, so he was picked up there by police, his probation officer became John Carro. This led to a psychiatric assessment at a juvenile reformatory called Youth House. The reformatory psychiatrist was Dr. Renatus Hartogs. Social worker Evelyn D. Siegel interviewed both Oswald and his mother. Siegel described Oswald as seriously detached and withdrawn, emotionally starved, but with a somewhat appealing aspect to his personality. He claimed to feel like his mother did not care for him and regarded him as a burden. He experienced fantasies of being “all powerful” and “hurting people.” But during his stay at Youth House he was not a behavioral problem. He was withdrawn, evasive and appeared to spend his time reading and watching television. On an IQ test he scored 118. His intelligence was judged to be above average for his age and Doctor Hartogs diagnosed him with a personality pattern disturbance with schizoid features and passive aggressive tendencies. He concluded that Oswald was quite emotionally disturbed and recommended probation and psychiatric treatment. Marguerite insisted that Oswald did not need this.

After three weeks at Youth House, in May 1953, Oswald returned to school in the fall semester. His attendance and grades improved temporarily. However, Oswald’s disciplinary problems continued. Marguerite attempted to prevent Oswald from appearing at court, believing that they were the source of her son’s problems. When he failed to cooperate with school authorities, they sought a court order to remove him from his mother’s care so he could be placed into a home for boys to complete his education. This was postponed, perhaps partially because his behavior abruptly improved.

At the height of the Red Scare, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg had been sentenced to death on April 5, 1951. It is believed that Oswald learned of it by picking up a pamphlet on the affair around 1953-1954 while in New York. He stated to an acquaintance at some point that an elderly lady had handed him a pamphlet on the Rosenbergs, who were executed on June 19, 1953. In January 1954, Oswald’s case was still pending before New York family court, but Marguerite brought him back to New Orleans so they never appeared and the case was eventually dismissed. Oswald would have been 14 years old by this time. They briefly stayed with Marguerite’s sister Liliane Murret for several weeks. Then they rented an apartment owned by Marguerite’s friend Myrtle Evans. Julian Evans, the husband of Myrtle once too Oswald out to fish with some other children. Oswald fished alone and laid what he caught in a row by his feet. Once he finished, he just walked off leaving the fish to die.

Back in New Orleans

By the time he was back in New Orleans, Oswald apparently picked up an interest in socialism. Writing in his diary, he declared himself a socialist saying “I was looking for a key to my environment, and then I discovered socialist literature. I had to dig for my books in the back dusty shelves of libraries.” By now he was 14-15 years old. Marguerite moved Oswald from New York to a place just outside the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Oswald came to be enrolled at Beauregard Junior High School, in New Orleans. He was known to often get into fights. He even got hit in the mouth by a football player knocking out a tooth. He met Edward Voebel, who tried to help him out and became his friend. Voebel discovered that Oswald was an avid reader (apparently wasnt aware of any comunist literature) and they both shared an interest in guns. Oswald had owned a plastic model of a .45 caliber pistol, but he wanted a real one. Oswald even hatched a plan to steal an automatic Smith and Wesson from a local store. Having obtained a glass cutter, he laid out his entire plan before Voebel. The two scoped out the location, but Voebel pointed out an alarm system attached to the window, so Oswald abandoned his plan.

Another friend of Oswald at this time was William Walf, the President of the astronomy club, which Oswald considered joining. They both shared an interest in history and one day at Walf’s house they had a discussion that eventually got around to Communism. He even mentioned that he was looking for a communist cell to join in town but couldn’t find any. They began arguing, which Walf’s father overheard. The father politely put him out of the house. Walf believed that Oswald was a self made communist, learning it on his own.

By the end of ninth grade in early 1955, Oswald filled in a personal history form. For plans after high school, he checked off both military service and undecided. Oswald wrote that he had no friends.

In the fall of 1955, Oswald enrolled in Warren Easton High. On October 7, 1955, about one month after he started the tenth grade, he brought to school a note forged to have been written by his mother stating that the family was moving to California. A few days later he dropped out of school. Almost immediately he tried to join the Marine Corps by having his mother lie about his age, to which she agreed. Several years earlier, John Pic joined the Marine Corps Reserve based on a false statement by Marguerite stating that he was 17. But Oswald was rejected because they found out he was 16. For the next ten months he worked at several jobs in New Orleans, such as an office messenger or clerk. It is believed that during this period he started to read communist literature. It is said that occasionally he would praise communism and express a desire to join the Communist Party to his co-workers.

One instance occurred between Palmer McBride, a messenger for a dental laboratory called Fister, and Oswald. Both enjoyed classical music, so Oswald was invited o McBride’s home. They got to discussing politics, in which McBride praised the Presidency of Eisenhower. Oswald remarked that Eisenhower we exploiting the working class and expressed a desire to kill the President if he would ever be given the opportunity. McBride did not report the threat because he did not believed Oswald was capable of carrying it out. At times Oswald praised Nikita Kruschev and encouraged him to join the communist party with him. Once McBride visited Oswald’s apartment and found him to have communist literature like Das Kapital and the Communist Manifesto.

At some point that same year, Oswald became a cadet with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in New Orleans. Fellow cadets variously recalled him attending CAP meetings “three or four” times, or “10 or 12 times”, over a one to three month period. Oswald was 15-16 years old at the time. Allegedly, Oswald met David Ferrie in the CAP chapter he joined and there is even a photograph of them together.

Back to Texas and last dropout

In the July 1956, Marguerite moved the family to Fort Worth, Texas. Oswald re-enrolled in the tenth grade at Arlington Heights High School in September 1956. At the age of 17, after a few weeks he quit school again and soon decided to enlist in the Marines. At this time he bought his first real gun, a Marlin Bolt Action .22 rifle, which he later sold to Robert. He also continued reading communist literature. By now he had resided in 22 locations and attended 12 schools and did not obtain a diploma. Though he had trouble spelling in his youth, Oswald was known as an avid reader.

Within days of quitting school, when Oswald was 16 years old, he wrote to the Socialist Party of America for information on their Young People’s Socialist League, saying he had been studying socialist principles for “well over fifteen months.” On October 18, 1956, Oswald turned 17 years old.

1956-1962: From Marine to Soviet Defector

On October 24, 1956, six days after his 17th birthday, Oswald enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, with his brother Robert signing as legal guardian because of his age. Oswald named his mother and half-brother John as beneficiaries. It is believed he enlisted to get away from his mother and because he admired his brother Robert serving in the Marines.

On December 21, 1956, during bootcamp in San Diego, with an M1 rifle Oswald fired a score of 212, earning him the rating of sharpshooter. After basic training, Oswald was trained in aviation fundamentals and radar scanning, which required a security clearance. At Kessler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Oswald finished seventh in a class of thirty in Aircraft Control and Warning Operator Course, which included “instruction in aircraft surveillance and use of radar.” He was given the military occupational specialty Aviation Electronics Operator. In May 1957, Oswald was “granted final clearance to handle classified matters up to and including confidential after careful check of local records disclosed no derogatory data.” Oswald was known to have kept to himself and read a great deal.

In May 1957, Oswald reported to Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, California. He met fellow Marine Kerry Thornley here. In August 1957, Oswald departed to Japan, assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 1 at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, near Tokyo, Japan. Over a month at Atsugi, Oswald was court-martialed after he accidentally shot himself in the elbow with an unauthorized .22 caliber Derringer. Oswald was taken by ambulance to a nearby US Navy Hospital in Yokosuka, where he recuperated for more than two weeks.

On November 20, 1957, Oswald was sent to the Philippines. His court martial case for the unauthorized handgun was postponed for his return to Japan. Oswald’s unit finished what they were doing there in four weeks, but remained as the internal war in Indonesia heated up. They established a temporary radar installation at Subic Bay. Oswald seemed to think they were there to suppress “yet another” population and that the Japanese government was a puppet. On January 5, 1958, one of Oswald’s fellow marines, Martin Shrand, was killed at Subic Bay in an accident during guard duty when his gun dropped and discharged. Oswald passed a test for corporal, but was assigned to kitchen duty. By March 1958, Oswald’s unit returned to Japan.

On April 11, 1958, a summary court martial was brought against Oswald for the unauthorized handgun incident. He was found guilty and given 20 days hard labor, suspended for 6 months if his behavior was good, fined $50 and demoted to the rank of Private. Oswald said it was around this time that he started to think of defecting to Russia. Oswald claimed to have met some communists in Japan that influenced him into defecting. His contact with Japanese communists may have come from a hostess at a nightclub called the Queen Bee in Tokyo, some of the dancers being informants for foreign intelligence. Some Marines recall Oswald accompanied by a Japanese woman and later a Eurasian who spoke Russian. He told Marina Oswald later that he had eight sexual relationships while in Japan. He also allegedly visited a transvestite club called the Flamingo. In Autumn 1958, Oswald was treated for a minor case of venereal disease.

In June 1958, Oswald confronted Miguel Rodriguez, the man he blamed for having put him on KP duty in the Philippines. The the Blue Bird bar at Yamato, Oswald poured a drink on him and challenged him to a fight. Military Police broke it up and Oswald was court martialed for a second time. On June 27, 1958, Oswald was sentenced to 28 days in the brig, fined $55 and his 20 day suspension was reinstated. After making it out of the brig, Oswald became more cold, bitter and withdrawn.

On September 14, 1958, Oswald and his unit went to be stationed at Taiwan. One evening, while on guard duty, Oswald started firing his M1 rifle inexplicably at shadows in the woods. By the time his officer reached him, he was on the ground by a tree, shaking and crying. He complained that he could no longer bear guard duty and was sent back to Japan to recuperate by October 5, 1958. The following day he was transferred out of Mocs 1 and placed on general duty. He was reassigned to the Marine squadron at Iwakuni. Oswald was now called “Bugs” and referred to his fellow marines as “You Americans” and spoke of US imperialism and exploitation.

On November 2, 1958, a month before his 19th birthday, Oswald went back to the US where he spent one month in Fort Worth with his mother and brother Robert, with whom he went hunting. On December 21, he boarded a bus to report to Air Control Squadron 9 at El Toro, where his unit’s function “was to serveil for aircraft, but basically to train both enlisted men and officers for later assignment overseas”. An officer there said that Oswald was a “very competent” crew chief and was “brighter than most people”. It was here that Oswald espoused communist leanings and flaunted his Russian studies. He subscribed to a Russian language newspaper that he tried to read with a Russian-English dictionary. He would play Russian music loudly so that one could hear it outside the barracks. Indicative of continuity in his interest in socialism back in 1954-1955 and 14-16 years old, in the Marines from 1956 to 1959, slightly built, Oswald was nicknamed Ozzie Rabbit after the cartoon character; he was also called Oswaldskovich for espousing pro-Soviet sentiments. He tried to speak easy Russian words and when he heard Russian music he came over saying “You called?” Whenever he played chess, he used a set with red pieces to represent the red army. He wore his hat low and greeted his peers with “Hello Comrade.” On February 15, 1959, Oswald took an Army Russian equivalency proficiency test. He scored poorly.

Thornley met Oswald again around Easter 1959, at which point he recalled Oswald had lost his security clearance. The two had a falling out when Oswald complained of an upcoming march, to which Thornley commented that “comes the revolution you will change all that.” Oswald’s voice cracked when he yelled at Thornley, and the two never spoke after that.

In March 1959, Oswald applied for the Spring 1960 term at the Albert Schweitzer College in Switzerland. His application is said to have contained many blatant falsehoods concerning his qualifications and background. He wrote in vocation that he wanted to be a short story writer on contemporary American life. On May 6, 1959, Oswald fired a score of 191, reducing his rating to marksman. Oswald was noted to express pro-Soviet sentiments and even to join the army of Fidel Castro a friend named Nelson Delgado. Oswald started making plans even to go to Cuba and told Delgado that the US media was putting Castro in a bad light as a communist. He spoke of socialism and hated the military. Oswald has books as Das Kapital and Mein Kompf, as well as Orwell’s Animal Farm. Oswald was apparently in contact with the Cuban embassy in Los Angeles. Around August 1959, Oswald applied for a passport, listing the Soviet Union as one of the places he intended to visit. On September 4, Oswald was transferred the H&H squadron in preparation for his departure. He also applied for a passport that same day at the Santa Ana superior court, the passport was issued on September 10. On September 11, 1959, Oswald obtained a hardship discharge, claiming his mother needed care. He was placed on United States Marine Corps Reserve. By now he has amassed possibly as much as $1,500.

Time in Russia

After taking a bus, on September 14, Oswald arrived in Fort Worth, Texas, and stayed with Marguerite for three days. On September 15, Oswald told Marguerite that he was going to work for an import/export business in New Orleans. At the Westside State Bank, he withdrew $203 from his only bank account and gave $100 to his mother. He left for New Orleans on September 16. In New Orleans, he purchased a ticket to board the SS Marion Lykes, bound for La Havre, France, scheduled to leave on September 18. On September 17, he wrote to his mother, warning her that he must go to Russia.

On September 20, 1959, Oswald embarked on a journey to the Soviet Union, just before his 20th birthday. He had taught himself Russian and saced $1,500 during his time in the Marines. He told Marguerite that he was planning to get into the import/export business in New Orleans. He began by boarding a ship, SS Marion Lykes, in New Orleans bound for La Havre, France. From there he went immediately to the United Kingdom. When he arrived in Southhampton on October 9, 1959, he told officials that he had $700 and planned to stay for one week before proceeding to the Albert Schweitzer School in Switzerland. However, on the same day he boarded a fligh to Helsinki, Finland, arriving on October 10. Once he arrived, he checked into room 309 at Hotel Torni, then moved to room 429 at Hotel Klaus Kurki. On October 12, Oswald applied for a visa at the Soviet Embassy. He purchased $300 of Intourist vouchers. He said he was a student traveler and did not list his affiliation with the Marines or an employer.

On October 14, 1959, Oswald obtained a Soviet visa, valid until October 20. The following day he boarded a train and crossed the Soviet border at Vainikkala. On October 16, Oswald arrived in Moscow, his visa was due to expire in five days on October 21. At some point her wrote to his brother Robert, mentioning that he had thought of defecting for over a year. Oswald was also interviewed at some point by UPI reporter Aline Mosby and North American Newspaper Alliance reporter Priscilla Johnson. saying he had been thinking of defecting for two years for strictly ideological reasons. Oswald turned 20 on October 18. Almost immediately he informed his Intourist [KGB] guide, Rimma Shirakova, who had taken him to the Hotel Berlin, of his desire to defect and become a Soviet citizen. Various Soviet officials didn’t take him seriously, but the KGB began watching him, with Yuri Nosenko handling the file.

On October 19, 1959, Oswald was interviewed by Radio Moscow correspondent Lev Setyaev, a KGB informant, with the purported reason of recording Oswald’s impressions as a tourist for broadcast overseas. Nosenko’s KGB depart vetoed Oswald’s request for Soviet citizenship.

By October 21, Oswald, called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was told that his citizenship application had been denied and he had to leave the country by 8:00pm that evening. He wrote in his diary later about his intention to commit suicide at 7:00pm Oswald then inflicted a wound to his left wrist in the bathtub inside his hotel room. His Intourist guide would have arrived. After contacting the floor duty clerk and finding that who did not have his room key, she went to the hotel manager, then they found him in the tub. He was taken to the Botkinskaya Hospital. Blood transfusions kept him stable and after regaining conscious he said he would not be leaving. His suicide attempt had caught attention of top Soviet officials. Senior Politburo member Anistov Mkoyen personally gave orders that Oswald’s request be given careful consideration.

Oswald was held in the psychiatric ward of the hospital for three days. Two psychiatrists examined him. One from the Botkin staff and another from outside, both concluded that Oswald was mentally unstable. He was kept under psychiatric observation for a week, until October 28, when he was released.

Shirakova checked Oswald into the Hotel Metropole. He met with four Soviet officials who asked if he wanted to return to the US. He insisted that he wanted to become a Soviet national. When asked to provide identity papers, he produced his Marine Corps discharge papers.

October 31 Oswald appeared at the US embassy in Moscow and declared that he was a Marxist and wanted to renounce his US citizenship. He was interviewed by Richard Edward Snyder. Oswald had intended to tell the Soviets any secret information he knew from his time as a radar operator. Synder felt Oswald was too young to make such a permanent decision and put him off, saying it was too late to fill out the necessary paperwork at that time. Synder told him to return the following Monday to finish the revocation, Oswald then left. However, he never returned or legally complied with the necessary steps to formally renounce his citizenship. The Associated Press reported on the story. He took great lengths to make his ideological beliefs apparent in his letters to his family, likely believing the Soviets would be reading it. He also studied Russian while in his hotel room. The FBI started a file on Oswald in November 1959.

On January 4, 1960, Oswald was summoned to the passport office and given an identity document for stateless persons, #311479. While the Soviets eventually did not accept his request for citizenship, they granted Oswald permission to remain in the country on a year to year basis. Oswald wanted to attend the Moscow State University, but he was immediately to relocate to Minsk, Belarus.

Around January 5, 1960, a Soviet government agency called the Red Cross gave Oswald 5,000 rubles, about $500. He eventually would get a salary of $150. Oswald believed it had been awarded to him by the Interior Ministry for his anti-American statements. He paid his hotel bill of 2,200 rubles and used 150 rubles to buy a railway ticket to Minsk.

Oswald arrived in Minsk on January 7, 1960, where he was met by Intourist worker Rosa Kuznetsova, who became a friend and helped him learn Russian. On January 8, Oswald met the mayor and granted a rent free apartment.

On January 13, Oswald began his job as a lathe operator at the Gorizont Electronics Factory, which produced radios, television, and military and space electronics. Stanislau Shushkevich was tasked with teaching Oswald Russian. He initially was disappointed in his work as he has wanted to go back to school to study economics, philosophy and politics. He formed a friendship with the plant’s deputy engineer Alexander Ziger, a Polish Jew who spoke English and emigrated to Argentina and then Russia. He and his wife entertained Oswald, who even briefly dated his daughters.

By March, 1960, Oswald was placed in a 1 room apartment at 4 Kalinin Street in a middle class complex. Although Oswald received a decent studio apartment, he was kept uder constant and very close KGB surveillance, however, they were to keep their distance. Oswald’s file number was 31451, eventually reaching five dense volumes. He was a bit of a celebrity and had got a lot of attention from locals, who preferred to call him Alek. He took his Intourist guide Kuznetsova, who also acted as his interpreter, to the movies, opera and theater almost every night for some months. He became friends with Pavel Golovachev, a co-worker. Within two weeks of meeting Oswald, Golovachev was approached by the KGB agent Alexander Kostikov and pressured him to meet with them several times a week. Kuznetsova introduced Oswald to a medical student, Ernst Titovets, who made recording of Oswald to help with his english. He read poems and improv. Once Oswald played the role of a killer. He tried photography and listening to Radio America on a radio he bought. Oswald soon acquired 16-gauge single barrel shotgun and joined a hunting club. He went on several excursions on the country side. But he eventually sold the gun to a second hand store for 18 rubles. He once missed trying to shoot a rabbit, but complained that the firing pin has been defective.

He likely was already having second thoughts about defecting to Russia, as the attention waned and the labor was drab. His application to attend a university got no response. But in the period of June 1960 to February 1961, Oswald was in a relationship with a Jewish girl named Ella German. Around September 1960, his Marine discharge was changed to undesirable. On December 9, 1960, the CIA finally opened a 201 file on Oswald, after a State Department request on defectors in general. He spent new years with Ella German’s family. On January 2, 1961, Oswald asked Ella to marry, but she rejected.

He began to became more disillusioned with Russia. Oswald’s permission to stay in the country was extended for another year after he said he was no longer interested in becoming a Soviet citizen. That January 1961, after he had turned 21 years old, he wrote in his diary expressing a desire to return to the US. Shorty afterwards, in February 1961, he wrote to the American Embassy in Moscow, requesting the return of his American passport, and proposing to return to the US if any charged against him would be dropped. The letter had been intercepted and his Red Cross subsidy was terminated.

Receiving the letter on February 13, Richard Synder wrote back to Oswald on February 28, that he should come personally to discuss the matter. Oswald replied on March 5, that he could not leave Minsk without Soviet approval and request a mail only process. On March 24, the embassy wrote back that he needed to come to Moscow. The State Department decided they would return his passport only if he appeared in person at the embassy to satisfy them that he hadn’t renounced his citizenship.

On March 17, 1961, Oswald met Marina Prusakova, a 19-year-old pharmacology student, at a trade union dance. Marina had been brought up in Leningrad, but was then living with an aunt and uncle in Minsk, since August 1959. Her uncle was connected with the MVD. She worked at a local hospital. On March 18, Oswald was admitted to a hospital to hah what adenoids removed. He asked Marina to visit him, who stopped by daily. He saw each other after he was released.

On April 18, 1961, Oswald proposed to Prusakova. They got married six weeks later on April 30, in the Minsk registry office. Over the following year, Oswald maintained correspondence with American Embassy and Soviets, seeking permission for a return to the US. On May 1, 1961, Francis Gary Powers’ U2 spy plane was shot down. By June, Oswald had mostly moved on from Ella and he told Marina of his plans to return to the US, writing in May to the embassy that he had married and wanted to return home. He asked to be assure that he would not be prosecuted for any crimes. Some tension between Marina and Oswald had also developed by this point. They fought and he was controlling, and also brought in little money. But Marina become pregnant by June. But tension persisted and Marina began to have regrets.

After obtaining Soviet permission to travel to Moscow, on July 8, 1961, Oswald visited the American Embassy in Moscow. That night, Marina had slept with a coworker, Leonid. Oswald was asked to return on July 10, which he did while contacting and being Marina. Speaking to Richard Snyder. Oswald lied about attempting to renounce his citizenship, or speaking against America, that he was not a member of a trade union and said he had not given any military to secrets and that the KGB had not debriefed him. It was eventually concluded that Oswald had not lost his US citizenship and could have his passport renewed, only for travel back to the US. On July 11, Oswald brought Marina to the embassy to complete paperwork to get an entrance visa to the US. Snyder’s assistant, John McVicker interviewed Marina. Lee got Marina to lie about her membership in the Komsomol and her membership in a trade union did not bar admission sense it was mandatory. Oswald wrote to his brother Robert the same day, saying that they were attempting to leave the Soviet Union. They returned to Minsk on July 13. And began contacting Soviet authorities for an exit visa. The news spread in Minsk and Marina was pressured to stay. Oswald complained about treatment of Marina.

By August 20, Marina and Oswald had filled out reams of documents and sent it to Soviet authorities. It would take several months before a decision would be made. Oswald repeatedly visited the passport and visa offices, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, attempting to speed up the process. From September to mid-October, they had gotten no word. Oswald pleaded with the Americans to intervene to inquire about the handling of the exit visa. He complained of intimidation of Marina to change her mind. On August 28, 1961, Oswald recommended to the State Department that Marina’s visa application be approved, sense she was his wife. After contacting the CIA and FBI for a security check on Marina, by October, the State Department the US embassy saying Marina was eligible for an immigrant visa. After giving Oswald a difficult time about Marina becoming a public charge, State was eventually satisfied after Oswald and his mother’s Texas employer sent affidavits to guarantee Marina’s support. The INS learned about Marina’s application by October 1961 and the State Department urged it be granted.

On October 18, it was his 22nd birthday, which Oswald celebrated alone sense his wife was visiting an aunt in the Ural Mountains, he worried whether the Soviets would allow his pregnant wife to leave with him. From October to November, Marina began having second thoughts and they complained of the delay. At this point he allegedly began to construct two small rudimentary bombs, startling his KGB watchers. In December, Oswald wrote Senator John Tower of Texas, seeking his assistance in getting the Soviets to grant the exit visas. He didn’t receive the letters until the following January. In January 1962, Oswald wrote to the former Secretary of the Navy John Connally, about reviewing his undesirable Marine Corps discharge.

Marina was approved to leave by late December 1961. Around January 1962, Marina gave birth to a daughter, June. Oswald was given a box of baby clothes from his coworkers in Minsk. On February 15, 1962, Marina and Oswald had their first daughter June. By now Oswald is 22 years old. On May 9, 1962, the US Immigration and Naturalization Service at the request of the Department of State agreed to wave a restriction under the law which would have prevented Marina from obtaining a Visa. They also used a clause indicating Oswald’s continued presence in the USSR could be damaging to the US. On May 24, 1962, Oswald and Marina applied to the US Embassy in Moscow for documents enabling Marina to immigrate to the US.

1962-1963: Return to USA

On June 1, 1962, the US Embassy gave Oswald a repatriation loan of $435.71. He had unsuccessfully obtained a $1,000 grant from the International Rescue Committee of the Red Cross. Disgruntled by the lack of funding, the Oswalds left with their infant to the US, where they received little media attention. The US embassy forgot to put a notice on Oswald’s passport file to insure he repaid the loan.

The same day, on June 1, 1962, Oswald, Marina and June left by train for Rotterdam, Netherlands, from where they had reserved passage on a ship to the US. They had traveled from Moscow to Poland, then Germany and Holland, from where they went to Amsterdam by train. They stayed in a cheap boarding house there. They then boarded a ship, the SS Maasdam, bound for New York. During the nine day trip, they argued. At 1:00pm, on June 13, 1962, the Oswalds arrived in the US at Hoboken, New Jersey. They were met on the dock by Spas T. Raikin, with the Traveler’s Aid Society, which had been contacted by the State Department. He helped walk them through Customs, then put them in contact with the New York department of welfare, sense they only had $63.

They stayed at a hotel on Time Square, found by the New York Dept. Wel. They visited an office, possibly for immigration. He was dismayed at the lack of any news attention. Although the Star Telegram reported on his return before he arrived. He hoped to announce his discover that he Russia was as bad as the US and he was still not pro-American, neither pro-far right or pro-far left, but he also speculated on anarchy. Oswald obtained $200 by wire transfer from his brother Robert. From NY they boarded a plane to Fort Worth, Texas.

Settling back down

Once the Oswalds arrived at the Fort Worth airport, Robert met them and took them to his home in Fort Worth, where they stayed for about two months. They agreed no to talk about politics. Lee was contacted by some journalists, but he refused to be interviewed. Marina tended to their daughter June and Lee talked and hung around at the local library.

Robert and his wife gave Marina a tour of Dallas and Marguerite Oswald arrived the following day after they had settled in. She told Lee that she intended to write a book about his defection and they began arguing. Oswald complained that he felt his mother believed she had gotten them back to the US.

Fours days after arriving in Fort Worth, Oswald appeared at the office of a public stenographer, Pauline Virginia Bates, wanting her to type a manuscript, which he smuggled out of Russia, on which he had scribbled his recollections of life in the USSR, hoping to have them published as a memoir, titled The Collective. However he did not mean for them to be available for people to read. He stayed with her for three days, June 18-20, 1962, to help read his notes. After she had typed 10 pages, Oswald said he was out of money. She offered to continue for free, but Oswald refuses saying he didn’t work like that and pulled $10 from his pocket. Bates noticed Oswald’s lack of emotion.

Seeking feedback on his memoir, he met Peter Gregory, a Russian emigre petroleum engineer, who worked part-time as a language teacher at the Fort Worth Public Library. Oswald visited twice, showing his memoirs and seeking work as a translator. Through Gregory, Oswald’s presence in Fort Worth became known to the local White Russian emigré community. It consisted of mostly middle and upper middle class families in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, most attending the areas single Eastern Orthodox Church.

Peter Gregory brought his son Paul to visit Marina within a week, arranging for her to earn some money by giving Paul some lessons in Russian language over the summer.

On June 24, 1962, Oswald reportedly hit Marina in an argument they had and threatened her. On June 26, 1962, the Fort Worth FBI interviewed Oswald to inquire about his adventure to the Soviet Union. SA’s John Fane and B. Tom Carter conducted a two hour interview. They wanted to determine whether he had been contacted by Soviet intelligence. The report described him as arrogant and unwilling to discuss why he had gone to the Soviet Union. Oswald denied that he was ever involved in Soviet intelligence activities and promised to advise the FBI should he ever be contacted by Soviet representatives. It was possible that Oswald was at some point debriefed by the CIA through Andy Anderson of the Domestic Contact Division, but they reportedly decided against it regarding Oswald as unimportant. Nonetheless, Oswald did not tell his family about the FBI contact.

On July 14, 1962, Marguerite Oswald gave up her job for an apartment in Fort Worth, which the Oswalds moved into. On July 16, 1962, Oswald was hired by the Leslie Welding Company in DFW as a sheet metal worker. They stayed there for about three weeks. During that time, arguments began to emerge. Marguerite started criticizing Marina.

Eventually, he managed to get and move into his own apartment on August 10, 1962 at a duplex on 2703 Mercedes Street, not far from Leslie. Robert helped in the move and Lee hadn’t told his mother where he moved and she mad a fuss when they left. Oswald spent a lot of time at the library and read historic books, he liked books on spies. Marguerite eventually found out where Oswald was staying and payed them a visit. She wanted them to come back to living with her, but Oswald refused and wanted her to stay away. He was upset when Marina let her in and had hit her.

On August 6, 1962, Oswald applied for a job at a shipping company and was living at 4907 Magazine Street, New Orleans. On August 16, 1962, Oswald was interviewed by FBI SA’s John Fane and Arnold Brown again when he displayed a less belligerent attitude and again agreed to contact them should an attempt ever be made to enlist him in intelligence activities, but refused to explain why he had defected to Russia. They picked him up on a car and parked it in front of his house where they conducted the hour interview. The FBI later closed the case after being unable to link the Oswald’s to the Communist Party.

But the two FBI interviews seemed to disturbed Oswald. He wrote to the Soviet embassy in Washington requesting where he could obtain Russian newspaper subscriptions and requested other Soviet literature. In the meantime, Marina had kept up the tutoring of Paul Gregory, the son of Peter Gregory. Once, Gregory even brought the Oswalds on a tour of Dallas.

The Oswalds made several trips by bus to visit with the emigre community. On August 25, 1962, Gregory invited the Oswald’s to a White Russian dinner party, alongside Anna Miller and George Bouhe. The latter was the unofficial leader of the Russian emigre community. They avoided speaking about Oswald’s defection and focused on Marina. Bouhe informed Katya Ford about the Oswald’s. The White Russians began helping Marina in various ways, marginalizing Oswald.

In mid September, George de Mohrenschildt, a White Russian emigre and petroleum geologist, stopped at the Mercedes apartment in Fort Worth to meet with the Oswalds. They seemed to strike up a friendly relationship, who both found themselves as outsiders. They also shared an interest in politics.

Oswald did not like the work at Leslie, so after three or four months October 9, he quit , saying he was ‘discharged.’ Several of the emigres and Marguerite had dropped by the Mercedes Street apartment and Oswald was behind on rent. He was recommended to go to Dallas to find a job. Elena Hall offered to take in Marina and June.

Oswald went to Dallas looking for work. For part of that time he stayed at 605 North Ervay, the YMCA. But he found it too expensive for over $2 a night. He likely found a spot at one of the nearby rooming houses in Oak Cliff, but it is unknown where he moved to. Living with Hall, Marina brought June to get the Orthodox Church to get June baptized. Hall was hospitalized in an car accident soon after. But Oswald arranged to visit Marina and June on the weekends. De Mohrenschildt and Bouhe tried to help Oswald get a job. He was without work for about two weeks.

A Councilor, Helen Cunningham, in the of the Texas Employment Commission tried to find Oswald any job, as he scored fairly well in on tests. First she sent him to an architect’s firm to be a messenger, but he was not hired. On October 11, she referred him to a graphics-arts firm.

On October 12, 1962, Oswald started working at a graphics-art firm of Jaggar-Chiles-Stovall as a photoprint trainee. The Cuban Missile Crisis took place from October 16 to 28. Employees here said Oswald was rude, which ended in fights threatening to break out. Oswald was seen reading a Russian-language publication. But he steeped himself in his work, asking a coworker to teach him techniques. He tried making calling cards for himself and De Mohrenschildt. He made samples and offered his service to leftist publications he subscribed to, The Worker and The Militant. The Worker thanked him and Oswald tried to join the Socialist Workers Party, but it did not have a branch in Texas. He even enrolled in an evening typing course. It’s possible that it was here that he began crafting forged documents for his alias, Alec J. Hiddell, using his own selective service and certificate of service cards. Oswald also may have altered is Uniform Services Identification and Privileges card, DD-1173, issued on Sept. 11, 1959 when he was discharged. It granted some medical privileges. He used a photo of himself taken in Minsk for his forged documents. He rented a post office box and started using false addresses alongside his alias.

On November 2, 1962, Oswald called Marina saying he found an apartment for them at 604 Elsbeth Street, Oak Cliff, in Dallas. De Mohrenschildt’s children and other emigres helped the Oswalds move out of Hall’s house and into the apartment. There was another instance where Oswald struck Marina. They moved into the apartment on November 3, Marina was not pleased.

On November 5, Marina and Lee had an argument in which Marina fled and called Anna Miller from a nearby gas station. She pleaded for help and Miller sent a taxi for her to come to their one bedroom apartment. Marina brought June along with her. The Emigres held a conference on Marina’s situation. They came to the agreement that is Marina would leave Lee, then the community would help her. Marina agreed to this and De Mohrenschildt showed up to the Elsbeth apartment to get Marina and Junes’ things where he met Oswald. There was an exchange of threats, Oswald claiming he’d break all the things, George that he’d call the police, Oswald that he’d get even. But eventually they settled down.

After five days with the Millers, Marina saw a doctor who found she was undernourished. Marina left for the larger home of Katya Ford. Three days later, Oswald began calling Marina, who eventually told him to stop calling. After a week, Marina and June moved to the home of Frank and Valentina Ray. Oswald called asking to come visit Marina, which she eventually agreed on. He came and they spoke for an hour in a room. Oswald begged her to return, saying he didn’t care to live if she did not. Marina eventually gave in, agreeing to come back with help from Gary Taylor. But they were back to fighting within days. He began to remark about his desire to return to Russia and felt it would be better if Marina returned to the Soviet Union.

In period from November to December 1962, Marina moved in with Oswald in Dallas at Elsbeth. Their activities have been described as they would go shopping or to a lake for a picnic. Lee mostly went to the movies alone because Marina couldn’t speak English. Lee took a nighttime English/typing class. But all was not well, as they often quarreled and things got violent, even threatening. The De Mohrenschildt were the last emigres to keep in touch with the Oswalds at this point. For Thanksgiving, on November 28, 1962, the Oswalds spent the holiday with Lee’s family meeting at Robert Oswald’s place and also attended by John Pic. Sometime in December 1962, Oswald sent some of the posters he made at Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall to the American Communist Party’s Defense Committee, the lawyer of which was John Abt.

On December 28, 1962, De Mohrenschildt brought the Oswalds to a Russian New Year event at the Ford’s house. They arrived late in the evening and even surprised some of the attendees. Marina was mostly left alone, while Oswald spoke to a Japanese woman, Yaeko Okui, who had been brought to the party by Lev Aronson. On December 29, while Oswald went to bed, Marina wrote to an old boyfriend in Russia complaining of Oswald. But within a week the letter was returned for insufficient postage and Oswald discovered it. He was enraged and lost all trust in Marina. From there on he had to approve her letters to pay for them. One such letter as an appreciation note for the Soviet embassy in Washington.

The New Year, 1963

Around January 1963, Oswald moved to a room on Neely Street. On January 25, Oswald sent two postal money orders totally $106 to State Department, finally repaying his repatriation loan. He also finished paying the $200 given to him by his brother Robert the previously October. On January 28, Oswald sent a mail order coupon with $10 in cash to the LA-based Seaport Traders, ordering a .38 Smith & Wesson Model 10 Special Revolver. The $19 balance was to be paid upon its arrival at the post office box. He signed the order form as A. J. Hiddell, the witness was a D. F. Driddell. Hiddell was authorized to receive mail at the post office box, along with Oswald and Marina. Meanwhile, Oswald was continually abusive toward Marina.

On February 13, 1963, De Mohrenschildt invited the Oswald’s to a dinner party at their house. Oswald spent the evening talking with a German geologist, Volkmar Schmidt, and a fascist. George had warned Oswald about fascism, after being interested in the meeting. On February 14, Oswald and Marina celebrated June’s first birthday and Marina became pregnant. Oswald also might have seen in headlines that General Edwin Walker joined by Billy J. Hargis in Operation Midnight Ride. A five week national tour to fight the threat of communism. Walker resigned from the Army in 1961 after falling out with the Kennedy administration for distributing right wing literature to his troops. He also was a candidate for Governor of Texas. He also was prominent in the John Birch Society. He was also a segregationist, while Oswald was admittedly for integration. It was said that De Mohrenschildt disliked the John Birchers and Walker so much that he may have suggested to Oswald that anyone who knocked him off would be doing society a favor. At some point, Marina saw Oswald in the kitchen, pouring over maps of Dallas and a bus schedule. Inquisitive, Oswald told Marina he was looking for the quicker rout from Jaggars to his typing class, but it was only a five minute walk. Oswald would force Marina to write letters wanting to go back to Russia, as a form of punishment.

On February 22, 1963, the Oswalds were invited by de Mohrenschildt to a gathering at the house of Everett Glover and his roommate Volkmar Schmidt, who brought together their Russian friends. At the gathering Marina met Ruth Paine, who met Glover while singing at a Unitarian Church choir. The Russian emigres tried to get to know Oswald, who claimed to be a Marxist who failed to find the ideal society in the Soviet Union. Ruth wanted to get to know Marina, so she got her address. On February 23, Marina and Lee had a confrontation, causing Marina to attempt suicide by hanging herself with the clothesline in the bathroom, but Lee stopped her before she found a place.

By the end of February, Oswald found a new place at 214 West Neeley Street, only a block away and cost eight dollars less. They moved in on March 2, 1963. Ruth Paine attempted to contact Marina soon after to visit, who had sent her the new address. On March 8, the Soviets responded to Marina, listing out the requirements to proceed to return in several months.

On March 11, the Militant published a letter by Oswald, “LH”, News and Views from Dallas.’ He also visited the home is Edwin Walker in Dallas around that time, taking two photographs with his Imperial Reflex camera, showing an entrance to the driveway from a back alley. Two others show rail tracks about half a mile from Walker’s home.

Ruth arrived on March 12, 1963, while Oswald was away. They took a walk in the park and told her about her pregnancy. Ruth promised to continue to visit occasionally. That day, Oswald clipped a coupon from the February issue of American Riflemen, sending a $29.95 money order to a Chicago based mailing house to Clines Sporting Goods, under his alias “A. Hiddell”, for a 6.5 mm Calibre Mannlicher Carcano secondhand rifle, with a x4 scope. The cartridges Oswald used were made by Western Cartridge Company. Meanwhile, on March 17, Oswald had Marina submit some beginning forms to the Soviets. On March 20, the revolver from Seaport Traders and rifle from Clines were shipped, Ruth also had visited that day, later taking Marina and June to see her house in Irving. Ruth decided that Marina could be invited to live with her. On March 25, Oswald left work early and picked up the rifle at the post office, then traveled across town to REA Express offices for the revolver. Marina later saw the rifle in the corner of Oswald’s study. He explained it away by saying he wanted to go hunting sometime. He spent time in his study, combining a document on Walker, including photos of his house, a place to stash a rifle and and carefully planned escape route. He also wrote in his Book of Plans about his rationale for the plot and his beliefs on a future society. He condemned the US and USSR, accusing them of imperialism and slavery, but focused on US capitalism. He opposed fascism and referred to himself as a radical futurist. He looked to replace the US government with a separate Democratic pure communist society.

On March 31, James Hosty at the Dallas FBI recommended that the Oswald file be reopened, having picked up that he was on the mailing list of the NY Daily Worker and had reports that he was drinking heavily and beating his wife, the former wrong. A confidential informant, “T2”, reported that Oswald had been in contact with the communist and pro-Castro organization, Fair Play for Cuba Committee (FPCC). Oswald had told the FPCC that he had handed out FPCC pamphlets out in Dallas with a placard around his neck. The Dallas police also reported an incident of chasing a pro-Castro demonstrator around but not catching him. Oswald had Marina take photographs of him in the backyard of his house. He was dressed in all-black and carried the revolver and rifle. He also held publications the Worker, March 24 issue, and the Militant, March 12 issue. He claimed that he wanted to send it to a newspaper like the Militant. He developed the photos and dedicated one to June and later, after May 4, 1963, sent one to De Mohrenschildt, with the inscriptionC hunter of fascists, haha”.

In the first week of April 6, 1963, Oswald was fired from his job at Jaggar-Chiles-Stovall. He was trouble for the other workers, had been spotted reading a Russian paper, his supervisor, John Graff, informed him that he was fired. He told a worker that if he couldn’t find work, he could go back to the Soviet Union. The Texas employment commission was unable to help Oswald find another job. Michael Paine drove to Dallas to pick up Oswald, Marina and June and take them to Ruth Paine in Irving for dinner on April 2. Michael Paine had a political discussion with Oswald. They even mentioned Walker. On April 5, Oswald rushed home and picked up his rifle, telling Marina he was going for target practice. He got on a bus marked Love Field. Jeane De Mohrenschildt also stopped by the apartment, as they were preparing to move to Haiti. Jeane spotted the rifle in a closet as Marina showed her around. On April 7, Oswald left the apartment with the rifle and returned without it, later saying he buried it near some railroad tracks, some minutes walk from Walker’s house. On April 8, Oswald left by bus, Marina assuming he was going to a typing class, but he traveled to Walker’s house, to assassinate him. But he later said he discovered the Mormon church had a parking lot adjacent to the house and had services scheduled for Wednesday, which could provide him better cover. He still hasn’t told Marina he’d been fired, claiming he had a holiday on Tuesday.

On April 10, 1963, Oswald told Marina he had been fired and blamed the FBI for inquiring about him. Then he left and attempted to assassinate retired Major General Edwin Walker, who was an anti-communist John Birch Society member. Walker was sitting a desk working on his income taxes when a shot was fired through a window. Oswald like was inside a fence, less than 100 ft away. He stood up and saw the hole in the window, went upstairs to get a gun and saw his right arm was bleeding from bullet fragments. The bullet had struck a wooden window frame and it it nearly missed his head.

Walker had distributed right-wing literature to his troops and opposed racial integration. RFK had Walker imprisoned in a mental institution but a jury refused to indict him. Oswald fired one shot then quickly stashed the rifle and made a getaway, probably boarding a bus. He returned home for an early dinner then disappeared that night, leaving a note, explaining what to do if he was in trouble.

Once he arrived back home by around 11:30pm, Oswald told his wife that he went by bus to the location where he admitted to shooting at Walker, whom he claimed was the leader of a fascist organization. But, the Dallas Police had no leads on the case until after the JFK assassination. He later returned to retrieve the rifle. On April 11, Oswald listened to the radio to discover that he had missed, just by chance. He told Marina he had been plotting the assassination for two months and that Walker was a fascist.

On April 14, 1963, George de Mohrenschildt and his wife Jeanne met with the Oswalds just before Easter Day at their home on Neely Street. They brought a toy Easter bunny to give to June. As Marina was showing Jeanne around the apartment, she discovered Oswald’s rifle inside a closet. Jeanne told George that Oswald had a rifle and he recalled joking to Oswald saying: “Were you the one who took a pot-shot at General Walker?” This was supposed to have been the last time they saw the Oswalds, as the de Mohrenschilds left the US for Haiti shortly after. By April 17, Oswald told Marina he intended to move. On April 21, the Oswalds had a picnic with Ruth. Oswald read the Monday morning paper seeing, “Nixon calls for decision to force Reds out of Cuba”. Oswald got dressed and grabbed a pistol. Marina inquired and he replied that Nixon was coming and he wanted to have a look. He tried to stop her from leaving with the pistol. Oswald eventually agreed to stay home and read. He then realizes that Richard Nixon was not in Dallas, but Johnson was visiting.

Move to New Orleans

On April 24, 1963, Ruth arrived to visit the Oswald’s and found Oswald fully packed. He asked if she could take his things to the bus station, saying he could no longer find work and wanted to try looking in New Orleans. Marina would stay in the apartment until he’s gotten a job and apartment. Ruth agreed and offered to suggested to drive Marina and June instead of have them go by bus and they were welcome to stay with her in the meantime. Oswald then left Dallas for New Orleans, Louisiana.

On April 25, he called his aunt Liliane and Dutz Murret from the New Orleans bus station. She hadn’t heard from him in six years. He asked for a place to stay while he looked for work. They agreed, so Oswald came to their house on 757 French Street. He visited the Louisiana Division of Employment Security, on April 26. He noted his skill as photography. On April 29, Oswald made an appeal to the Texas Unemployment Commission, which sent him $369, payable at $33 per week, by May 8. He continued to search for work, often lying about personal details. Dutz offered a $200 loan, but Oswald declined.

While Oswald sought work in New Orleans, Ruth Paine invited Marina to stay with her in Irving. On May 10, 1963, Oswald was hired by the Reilly Coffee Company as a machinery greaser at $1.50/h. He wrote to Marina that he secured a job and Paine drove her and June down to New Orleans to reunite them. Meanwhile, SA Hosty in Dallas, around mid-May, checked on the Neeley apartment for Oswald, but found he was gone. Oswald was searching for an apartment, returning to a place had had once lived, where the landlady, Myrtle Evans, recognized him thinking he was still in Russia. He gave a $5 dollar deposit for a $65/month ground floor apartment on 4907 Magazine Street. He lied to the landlady, Mrs. Jesse Garner, saying he worked for the Leon Israel Company. On May 10, Oswald started his job at Reilly and Ruth drove Marina and June to New Orleans. Oswald’s supervisor was Charles Le Blanc, who noticed he didn’t really care for the job. Marina and Ruth arrived at the Murretz. They went to the Magazine Street apartment and Ruth stayed the night. Ruth left a day early as the Oswald began fighting again.

On May 26, Oswald wrote to the pro-Castro Fair Play for Cuba Committee (FPCC), proposing to rent “a small office” at his own expense to set up a New Orleans FPCC branch. He moved his mailing address to the Magazine Street. On May 29, the FPCC responded to Oswald advising against opening of an office, at least not in the beginning. Oswald replied that he would proceed with the operation anyway. On the same day, Oswald ordered a number of items from the Jones Printing Company: 500 application forms, 300 membership cards and 1,000 leaflets with the heading “Hands Off Cuba”, under the name Lee Osborn. He also ordered the application forms under Osborn through the Mailer Service Company on Magazine Street, where he also got the membership cards.

According to Marina, on June 4, who had gotten a letter from the Soviet embassy in Washington, Lee told her to sign the name “A.J. Hidell” as chapter president on the membership cards and Oswald himself posed as the Secretary. Some of these leaflets contained the intriguing address of 544 Camp Street, where Guy Banister had been active.

On June 4, Oswald got an FPCC membership form in the mail from V. T. Lee. On June 6, Oswald took a government printed form, international certificate of vaccination against small pox, writing his name and stamping it with Dr. A. J. Hideel. He thought it would help get him a passport. He planned to go to Cuban China, then Russia. While he may have opened a post office box in June 3, on June 11, Oswald rented a post office box in New Orleans, listing A. Hidell and Marina Oswald as alternative names. Oswald took Marina to the New Orleans Charity Hospital, as he couldn’t afford for prenatal care, on June 8. They refused to treat her because she didn’t live in New Orleans long enough. He obtained communist literature and proceeded with opening his New Orleans FPCC chapter. He sent honorary membership cards to the leaders of the American Communist Party.

On June 16, 1963, Oswald appeared at the docked USS Wasp Aircraft carrier was. He stood outside to distribute his FPCC literature. An officer complained about him and when asked if he had permission, he claimed not to need it. He was told to leave and threatened with arrest. He boasted to the FPCC and asked Marina about Cuba, even putting a magazine clipping of Castro on their living room wall. On June 24, he visited the US passport office, applying for a new one. He said he planned to be a tourist starting in October 1963, lasting three months to a year. He listed the Lykes as his means of transportation and intended places to visit in Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia. He listed his occupation as photographer and lied about the date he married Marina. He got his passport on June 17, in New Orleans.

On June 24, Oswald applied for a new passport. They soon wrote a letter back to the Soviet embassy, asking for financial help to return. Oswald even requested that Marina’s application be rushed. He continued to read books from the local New Orleans Public Library. He read books of science fiction, spy novels, volumes of communist literature and two books on Kennedy. William Manchester’s biography and Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage. Oswald also wrote to Russian friends about a desire to return. But Ruth also sent letters to the Oswalds, trying to get Marina to come live with her.

Meanwhile, he slacked off at work at Reilly, visiting the Crescent Garage of Adrian Alba, a gun enthusiast. He sat in the garage and read the magazines, sometime borrowing them. He even asked about what caliber of bullet would do the most damage to a human target. Oswald offered to buy a rifle Alba bought and a Japanese rifle Alba would not sell. He also asked about a nearby place to fire a gun. He suggested the River Bend Levy, but warned the police would arrest if caught. Meanwhile, the New Orleans FBI, sometime in June, contacted the Dallas FBI for information on Oswald. He once complained that JFK’s father had bought him the Presidency, money paves the way to everything.

On July 19, 1963, after around two months, Oswald was fired from Reilly, “because his work was not satisfactory and because he spent too much time loitering in Adrian Alba’s garage next door, where he read rifle and hunting magazines.” He was unable to find another job. He visited the Louisiana Employment Commission every Tuesday to continue getting his unemployment pay. He had to report on his attempts to find a job, even listing NASA. Ruth proposed to come by on September and bring Marina and June back to have the baby.

On July 25, 1963, Oswald was notified that his 1962 demand for a revenue of his undesirable Marine Corps discharge was rejected. That Saturday, Marina and Lee traveled to Mobile, Alabama, with the Murrets, to visit his cousin Eugene Murret, who was studying to be a priest and had invited Russia to speak to the students about Russia and Communism. He have a half hour talk, confirming he was a Marxist and against capitalism and communism, even socialism. Back in New Orleans, he tried to get more FPCC pamphlets from a printshop, but had been turned down.

On August 1, 1963, Oswald wrote to the FPCC President Vincent Lee, claiming that he attracted great interest in his chapter and anti-Castro activists were attacking him. He also claimed to have rented an office space, but was shut down after three days. Most of the leaflets were marked as LH Oswald 4907 Magazine Street, or AJ Hidell P.O. Box 30016, or 544 Camp Street, the office of Guy Banister and visited by David Ferrie. It was a block away from Reilly. The building’s janitor recalled discouraging someone from renting and office, but couldn’t identify him.

Also early in August, Oswald received a letter from Arnold Johnson, Director of the Information and Lecture Bureau of the US. Communist Party. It was in response to Oswald sending honorary membership letters to the US Communist Party leaders. He congratulated Oswald and enclosed Communist literature on Cuba.

Having read about the Lake Pontchatrain raid on anti-Castro militants in New Orleans, on August 5, 1963, Oswald showed up at the unofficial New Orleans chapter of the anti-Castro Directorio Revolucionario Estudantil (DRE), at a Cuban owned generals goods store at the Casa Roca building, where he met Carlos Bringuier, the co-manager of the store and a lawyer who was a DRE delegate who had been speaking to two children. Oswald asking “is this the headquarters of the Cuban exiles?” He professed his sympathy for anti-Castro Cubans and claimed to oppose Castro and communism. Oswald requested some literature, which was given. He offered himself in helping the cause by training militants, saying he was a former Marine trained in guerrilla warfare, even offering to go to Cuba himself to fight. Bringuier suspected Oswald might be an FBI informant or Castro agent. He gave stories about detailing a train, blowing up a bridge, making a homemade pistol and gunpowder. The following day he dropped off his Marine Corps manual as a demonstration of good faith. Meanwhile, the Soviet embassy sent a letter to Marina saying her request to return was sent to the Soviet Union for processing. The New Orleans FBI also interviewed Oswald’s landlady Jesse Garner. SA Milton Cock was assigned to the Oswald case. Oswald had recorded addresses to Bringuier, as 117 Camp, the Hispanic American Discount House owned by two Cubans, 107 Decketer, the Casa Roca building owned by a Jewish Cuban.

On August 9, Oswald showed up in downtown New Orleans handing out pro-Castro leaflets. Bringuier would have been tipped off about this and confronted Oswald, resulting in them and two of Bringuier’s friends being arrested for disturbing the peace. Prior to leaving the police station, Oswald requested to speak with an FBI agent Francis Martello and SA John Quigley. Oswald came on August 10, and told him that he was a member of the FPCC New Orleans branch, which he claimed had 35 members and was headed by A. J. Hidell. Yet he was the branch’s only member and it had not been chartered by the national organization. He claimed to have never met Hiddell, and had spoken to him over the phone, but that it was now disconnected. But he said a note from Hidell requested Oswald to hand out the pamphlets. He made other inconsistent claims.

A couple people at Tulane University had Oswald’s pamphlets, one girl thought she’d seem Oswald at a pro-Castro meeting and Oswald claimed to have spoken to an English professor and that was member was named John, a student there. He gave the FBI agent false information about his background and was evasive concerning questions about his FPCC activities. After speaking to Quigley, Oswald called the Murret for help getting out of jail. Dutz was out of town at a Catholic retreat, Liliane was in the hospital with an ear infection, but his cousin Joycle Murret was at their house, visiting from Beaumont, Texas. Joyce went to the jail meeting Lt Martello. Joyce became reluctant about the FPCC and gave information about Oswald and left without Oswald. Martello went back to interview Oswald, who explained a lot of his thinking. Later Oswald called the Joyce Murret again asking her to get him out, but she didn’t know what to do. After calling her mother, a friend, Emile Bruno, was eventually able to help by paying the bail. When Dutz arrived back he visited the Oswald apartment. He was angry about Oswald’s support for Castro and told him to get a job.

August 12, 1963, was the court date for Oswald and Bringuier, and his two associates. Bringuier went that morning to the National American Bank to make a deposit, where he met Bill Stuckey, of WDSU’s Latin American Post. Stuckey sent camer man Johan Rush, but the judge refused the short hearing to be filmed. Oswald sat in the black section when entering the room. Oswald pleaded guilty, and was fined $10, while Bringuier and his two associates’ charges were dismissed. Rush briefly interviewed Oswald while leaving the court house, who said he was a Marxist. On August 13, Oswald wrote a letter to VT Lee of the FPCC. On August 14, Oswald sent a clipping to Johnson of the American Communist Party, including honorary membership to his chapter of the FPCC.

On August 16, with two hired helpers, Oswald passed out Fair Play for Cuba leaflets again, in front of the International Trade Mart (ITM) on Canal Street, which was filmed by WDSU local station, whom Oswald informed where he would be demonstrating. He picked up the two hired helpers, one Charles Hall Steel, Jr., at the unemployment office, offering two dollars for an hour. He told Marina to go to the Murrets to view him on television, but she did not want to see it. On August 17 the next day radio commentator William Stuckey, after stopping by his apartment which he got from Bringuier, interviewed Oswald and had probed his background at the WDSU station on 520 Royal Street. Bringuier even sent a Cuban, Carlos Quiroga, to infiltrate Oswald’s FPCC chapter by visiting his apartment. Oswald was suspicious of the man, telling Marina he was probably and Anti-Castro Cuban or FBI agent. He discussed with Marina about hijacking plane to divert it to Cuba, with Marina’s help.

A few days later Stuckey arranged for Oswald to debate the anti-Castro Bringuier and his associate Edward Scannell Butler, the head of the right-wing Information Council of the Americas (INCA).

In late August 1963, Oswald wrote a biographical sketch to impress the Cuban officials in Mexico City, where he intended to apply for a visa. He wrote that he infiltrated the DRE and then harassed them with information he gained. On September 1, Oswald called the Murrets asking to visit. They pressed him to teach Marina English, but he refused. Sometime after September 9, Oswald may have seen a story about Castro warning Kennedy about attempts to assassinate him.

On September 17, Oswald visited the Mexico consulate in New Orleans and filled out a tourist card application, listing himself as a photographer with an office at 640 Ramparts Street. He obtains a tourist card #24085, which allowed him to stay in Mexico for 15 days. Ruth Paine arrived and stayed. He had been behind on his rent, to save for the trip.

The Mexico Trip

In September 1963, the Oswalds decided to move back to DFW, Texas. On September 23, Ruth Paine drove Marina and June back to Irving, Texas. Oswald remained in New Orleans for another two days to collect a $33 or $53 unemployment cheque. On September 24, Oswald was seen catching a bus, caring two bags and a duffel bag, asking the bus driver for directions to the greyhound bus station. Oswald left on the morning of September 25. He picked up his unemployment check at of $53 dollars at the Lafayette Square substation. He also mailed a change of address card listing Ruth Paine’s address. He likely boarded the Continental Trailways bus 5121 bound for Houston. Oswald called that night to Astel and Horis Twyford (phonetic), of the Socialist Workers Party of America. Meanwhile, Kennedy’s visit to Texas was announced, without any details.

It was in the period of August to September 25, the Oswald was allegedly spotted in the Dallas area. One report has it that in the late August to September 1963 period, anti-Castro Alpha 66 leader Antonio Veciana claimed to have seen Oswald in Dallas with “Maurice Bishop,” someone suspected to have been David Atlee Phillips. Then on about September 25, 1963, Oswald with two men met Sylvia Odio, a member of the anti-Castro Jure, at her apartment in Dallas.

On September 26, Oswald boarded a bus in Houston, Continental trailways bus number 5133, bound for the Mexico border at Laredo, Texas. He reportedly told fellow passengers, such as a British couple the McFarlands, that he intended to go to Cuba via Mexico. He boarded another bus, 516 of the Fletcher Roha Line for Mexico City. He spoke to Australians, Pamela Mumfert and Patricia Winston. On September 27, Oswald arrived in Mexico City, staying at the Hotel del Commercial, Spartan Room 18. He applied for a transit visa at the Cuban and Russian Embassies. He claimed that he wanted to travel to the Soviet Union by way of Cuba, but neither the Cubans or Soviets cooperated with him at that time. He had spoken to Sylvia Duran and Yusebio Askew. He spoke to Vladimir Kostikov and Nechi Porenko. He called the Soviet Embassy on September 30 to Perenko. At one point he pulled out his pistol and waved it around, complaining that he needed it to protect himself and wanted out of the country, but was denied. Oswald then walked from his hotel to the travel agency, spending $20.30 on a bus from Mexico City to Nuevo Loredo, then by Greyhound into Texas.

[to be expanded]

Return to Dallas

On October 1, Oswald paid his hotel bill for that night. At 8:30am, October 2, Oswald left Mexico City by bus 332. At crossing the border he was questioned about his tourist papers. On October 3, At 1:35am, Oswald crossed the border and arrived in Laredo at 3:00am, then in Dallas at 2:20pm. He went straight to the YMCA, registering as a serviceman to avoid the ¢50 membership fee. He checked in at the Texas Employment Commission, filing claim for the last of his unemployment checks. He listed his address as 2515 W 5th St, Irving, the Paine’s home. The following day, October 4, he applied for a job as a typewriter at the Padget Printing Company. Theodore Gangle was prepared to hire him, but called one of his references, Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall, Robert Stovall remembered Oswald, saying he was kind of an oddball and might be a communist. He didn’t get the job.

Oswald called Marina and wanted Ruth to come pick him up, but Ruth had just donated blood at the hospital and was too tired. Oswald hitchhiked to the Pain’s home and arrived within an hour. Oswald described what had happened in Mexico, complaining of his treatment. He gave her some bull fight post cards and a silver bracelet with her name inscribed in it.

On October 7, Ruth drove Oswald to the bus station when he asked if Marina could stay until he found a job and a new apartment. He decided to move out of the YMCA and managed to find a rooming house in the Oak Cliff section of south Dallas, at 621 Marcales Street, of Mary Bledsoe. He paid the $7 weekly fee in advance and registered under his real name. Bledsoe did not like Oswald, he hardly spoke. He used the refrigerator and ate in his room, as well as made two calls a day to Marine in Russian. On October 12, he told Bledsoe that he was going to visit his wife on the weekend and wanted he room cleaned, when Bledsoe demanded that he leave. Oswald demanded two dollars back, but Bledsoe refused. He thought this was likely as a result of the FBI trailing him and probably contacting her. Over the weekend, Oswald struggled to get a job. Ruth have Oswald a driving lesson, driving three blocks and around a parking lot, but pretty unskilled.

On October 14, 1963, Ruth drove Oswald into Dallas, dropped him off and returned home. Oswald rented a room for $8 from Gladace Johnson at 1026 N Beckley Street, listing his name as “O.H. Lee”. The housekeeper was Earlene Roberts, remembering him as distant and always in his room. Meanwhile, in Irving over coffee, Ruth Paine and Marina, Dorothy Roberts and Linny Mae Randle, neighbors, were speaking about Oswald’s employment. Randle recalled that her younger brother, Buell Wesley Frazier had gotten a job at the TSBD. Marina urged Ruth to called the Texas School Book Depository (TSBD) to ask for an opening. She spoke to Roy S. Truly.

Mrs. Pain informed Oswald and he was interviewed by Truly on October 15 at the TSBD. On October 16, Oswald was hired at the TSBD as a $1.25 an hour minimum wage order filler. Oswald’s supervisor was Roy Truly. During the week Oswald stayed at a Dallas rooming house and spent his weekends with Marina at the Paine home in Irving. On Fridays and Mondays, he commuted from and to work with the co-worker Wesley Frazier. On October 18, on his 24th birthday, Oswald’s visa was approved, but he has already given up on these travel plans as he was back in the US. Oswald’s second daughter, Audrey, was born on October 20, at Parkland Hospital. On Wednesday, October 23, Oswald attended a right wing rally, at which Edwin Walker spoke. On October 24, UN ambassador Adlai Stevenson came to Dallas, resulting in an attack by right wing protestors. He wrote Arnold Johnson of the Communist Party, mentioning his attendance at an ultra-right meeting and the Stevenson attack underlining the tensions between the right and left.

On October 25, Friday, at the Paine’s in Irving, where he had his rifle, Oswald and Michael Paine had a long political discussion. Oswald espoused “revolutionary” beliefs. Ruth de described Oswald as arrogant. Michael thought Oswald seemed frustrated, believing that violence was needed for change. Oswald mentioned his attendance at the Walker speech, and Michale Paine had attended a John Birch Society meeting that night. Oswald went as a spy, thinking he was investigating a cabal that controlled everything, while Paine had gone hoping to open up a dialogue between left and right. Michael planned to attend a meeting of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that night, inviting Oswald, he was not interested but was persuaded. A speaker saying that just because someone was a Bircher, it did not mean they were an anti-Semite, to which Oswald stood up and objected, saying he had attended a Walker speech when a Bircher started making anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic remarks. After the meeting, Oswald spoke to an elderly man and Frank Christinic, a coworker of Michael Paine. Frank almost attacked Oswald, but the old man won Oswald over by some good comments about Cuba. Meanwhile, James Hosty of the Dallas FBI became interested in Oswald after an agent learned that the CIA had determined that Oswald had been in contact with the Soviet embassy in Mexico, making it a possible espionage case. On October 29, Hosty visited the Paine home twice, while Oswald was not present, and spoke to Ruth Paine and Marina. He continued to investigate the Paine’s into October 31.

On November 1, Oswald paid a $2 membership fee to the ACLU, supposedly mistakenly believing he would get a free legal defense. That same day, Hosty drove to the Paine’s home for an interview. He learned that Oswald had a job at the TSBD, but his address in Dallas was unknown. Marina was alarmed that the FBI was investigating Oswald. Hosty wrote his name and number on a note and gave it to Ruth. He claimed the FBI was not trying to prevent Oswald from getting a job. He informed the New Orleans FBI that Oswald was back in Dallas. Oswald order a Post Office box 6225 at the Terminal Annex building, a $1.50 per month, paying in advance through December 1. He listed his real name, Marina and Ruth, as well as the FPCC and ACLU. He wrote Arnold Johnson about his membership in the ACLU and asked if he should attempt to heighten progressive tendencies.

After arriving at the Paine’s, Marina told him about the FBI visit, which made him upset. He became nervous and agitated. Ruth gave him Hosty’s note and Oswald told Marina to write down details about the car if FBI came again. On November 3, Ruth gave another driving lesson to Oswald. Meanwhile, the Secret Service determined the Dallas Trade Mart as the luncheon site with some protective protocols. But Hosty heard back from the New Orleans FBI SA Cock and found Oswald told many lies. On November 4, Hosty visited the Paine’s home again with another agent, Gary S. Wilson. Hosty spoke to Paine, who advised Oswald was there the weekend and described himself as a Trotskyite Communist. Ruth memorized Hosty’s license plate number.

On November 8, Oswald returned to the Paine’s house. Marina finally told Oswald about the FBI visit, which made him angry. On November 9, Oswald barrowed Marina’s typewriter, but took a break to go with Ruth and Marina with the children to the State Driver’s License Examination Office in Oak Cliff to apply for a leaner’s permit. They spent time at a small shop before returning to Irving. Ruth gave Oswald another driving lesson that weekend. On Sunday, Ruth saw a handwritten draft of the Oswald’s letter, which made her confused.

On November 11, 1963, Oswald wrote to the Soviet embassy in Washington D.C. saying that if he was able to reach the Soviet embassy in Havana, there would have been time to complete their “business.” Around this time, during lunch, Oswald visited the Dallas FBI and requested to see Special Agent James P. Hosty, who is unavailable. Oswald reportedly left a note allegedly threatening to “blow up the FBI and Dallas Police Department”, if they did not stop bothering his wife, threatening to report information to higher authorities. He mailed his letter to the Soviet Embassy in Washington DC on November 12. Ruth showed Michael the Oswald draft to the embassy, but he didn’t take much interest, so Ruth decided to sit on it until the next FBI visit.

On Friday, November 15, 1963, Oswald remained in Dallas at the suggestion of Marina, who told him that the Paine house would be crowded because of a birthday party for Ruth Paine’s daughter. He called Marina to discuss visiting for the weekend. But she advised him not to because Michael was staying to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. The Trade Mart had been formally announced and Maine Street was selected as the main route.

On November 17, Marina requested Ruth to call Oswald’s rooming house. She asked for Lee Oswald, but they did not recognize the name. On Monday, November 18, Marina and Oswald quarreled bitterly during a telephone call, because she had learned that Oswald was living at the rooming house under an assumed name. Oswald did not call Marina on November 19 and 20. Meanwhile, the Presidential Motorcade route was announced to be passing through Dealey Plaza, including the Elm Street turn in front of the TSBD.

On Thursday, November 21, after eating breakfast at a restaurant and getting to the TSBD, Oswald told Frazier that he would like to travel to Irving to obtain some curtain rods for his room in Dallas. He likely made the brown paper bag before leaving. Marina and Ruth were surprised to see him that day. They assumed he had returned a day early to make up over quarrel three days previous. He was consolatory, but Marina was still upset. During his stay, Oswald asked Marina to come live with him in Dallas three times, but she refused. Later that evening, Ruth went into the garage to find the light still burning, she had not left it on.

November 22, 1963: Assassination of JFK and Murder of Oswald

That Friday morning, November 22, 1963, Oswald told Marina to take as much money as she needed and to buy everything, then said goodbye. He had left his wallet with $170 and his wedding ring. At 7:15, Linnie Mae Randle saw Oswald walk across the street toward her house carrying a long package parallel to his body, one end tucked under his armpit and the other toward the ground. He placed a long bulky packaged into the right rear seat of Frazier’s car, walked up to the kitchen window and stared at Mae, until she called out to her brother Frazier. It was unusual because Frazier usually down the road to the Paine’s to pick him up.

Frazier noticed the package and asked what it was, Oswald told him that it contained curtain rods. Frazier parked the car in a lot behind the warehouse. Oswald walked ahead of Frazier once at the TSBD and Frazier saw him carrying the packaged into the building. It was unusual because they would walk in together. Oswald did not follow his normal routine of going to the domino room and reading the newspapers.

At around 9:30-10:00am, Oswald was seen staring at a 1st floor window toward Dealey Plaza, when coworker James Junior Jarman approached him. Oswald asked why crowds were gathering, Jarman said the President was due by in a couple hours. Oswald asked what what direction they would be coming, Jarman replied they’d be passing directly in front of the TSBD. Oswald replied, “Oh, I see.”

At 11:40am, coworker Bonnie Ray Williams spotted Oswald on the east side of the 6th floor, near the windows overlooking Dealey Plaza. Around five minutes later, the five man crew working on the floor went for lunch, heading to the 1st floor. Charles Givens had left his jacket and cigarettes on the sixth floor, so he returned on the elevator and saw Oswald toward the south side. Givens asked if Oswald was coming down for lunch, and he responded that he was not. Other coworkers as Billy Lovelady, Jack Dhority, Danny Arsa and Bonnie Ray Williams recalled Oswald remained on the sixth floor. It was likely during this periods that Oswald assembled the Carcano and set up his perch of boxes at the southeast window. Bonnie Ray Williams had at some point allegedly returned to the sixth floor to eat his lunch, which took 5-10 minutes, then went to the fifth floor where he met coworkers at the southeast side. Several individuals noticed a man on the southeast corner of the sixth floor.

At 12:30pm, the Presidential motorcade came through Dealey Plaza, when no less than three shots were fired from Oswald’s position in the TSBD. Officially, the first shot missed, the second shot hit Kennedy and Connolly, the third shot fatally struck Kennedy in the head.

Fleeing the scene

Oswald seemed to pause for a moment after the third shot, then moved through the boxes and hid the rifle between boxes on the southwest side of the sixth floor and went down the stairs. He made it to the 2nd floor, before getting off the stairs. He was encountered and confronted there by Police Officer Marrion Baker and Roy S. Truly, who identified Oswald as an employee, so he was let go. He then purchased a coca cola bottle and may have either went down the back or front stairs, seemingly the latter. He encountered Mrs. Robert Reed in the office area from the lunch room, walking toward the front stairs. He mumbled something to Reed, who mentioned the President had just been shot. He made it out of the building as quickly as less than three minutes. Oswald may have exited the front of the TSBD and encountered a journalist who asked to be pointed to a telephone.

From there, he headed for his rooming house in Oak Cliff. Not seeing the Beckley or Marsalis busses, he went east on Elm Street in search of a bus. The Marsalis bus appeared, driven by McWaters. Oswald pounded on the door to get in, possibly around Elm Street and North Fields Street. His former landlady Mary Bledsoe was on the bus and recognized him. The bus was headed west back toward Dealey Plaza and got stuck in traffic after a view blocks, when the front passenger got out and informed the bus driver that the President had been shot. Oswald got up and asked for a transfer at the point, exiting around Elm Street and North Lamar Street. He went south on Lamar St until he reached the Greyhound Bus Station. He approached the cab of William W. Whaley, apparently the first time Oswald had taken a cab. An elderly woman approached Whaley asking for another cab, Oswald was almost ready to give it to her but Whaley told her another one would be right behind him. Oswald told him to go to 500 North Beckley Street.

Whaley eventually dropped Oswald off at 700 N Beckley. Around 1:00pm, the rooming house keeper Earlene Roberts heard about the assassination and was adjusting the television when Oswald came bustling in. He rushed into his room, got his revolver and zipped up a jacket as a he left the rooming house within a coupe minutes. On 10th Street and N Patton Avenue, Oswald encountered police officer JD Tippit and killed him. He emptied shells from his revolver and went toward the Texas Theatre heading down Patton Ave. and Jefferson St. He was chased by Warren Reynolds, but lost him at a Texaco gas station.

The arrest

Heading west on Jefferson, he ducked in a shoe store as police came the other direction. He left and went into the Texas Theatre without paying for a ticket. Police were called to the scene, eventually finding Oswald and arresting him in a scuffle. He was driven to the downtown City Jail, and sent to Capt. Will Fritz office, who was just ordering police to search to Paine’s home for Lee Oswald. They arrived at 3pm, November 22, where they asked Marina whether her husband owned a rifle. She said that he did and directly them to the garage. The police picked up an empty sack where she suddenly the rifle had been.

Oswald was being interrogated by Captain Fritz, and agents of the FBI and USSS also arrived to participate. Oswald denied having anything to do with the assassination of President Kennedy or the murder of Police Officer JD Tippit. He claimed to have been eating lunch at the time of the assassination and to have spoken to his foreman for 5-10 minutes before going home. He denied owning a rifle and when presented with a photograph of him holding a rifle, found at the Paine’s home, he claimed it was a forgery with his face superimposed on someone else’s body.

Oswald refused to answer any questions about a selective service card with his face and pseudonym Alek J. Hidell. The press was crowded into the city hall. Oswald appeared in the hallway at least 16 times, where he was battered with questions from reporters. At 7:10pm, Oswald was for sally advised that he had been charged with the murder of Tippit, as several witnesses had identified him. By 10:00pm, the FBI had traced the rifle back to a mail order in Chicago.

Shortly after midnight, November 22, Police Chief Jesse Curry had Oswald brought to a press conference at the urging of media, among the group was Jack Ruby. After 1:30am, November 23, 1963, Oswald was informed that he had been charged with the assassination of President Kennedy. Around 4am, the Chicago company responded to the FBI indicating it has been purchased by an AJ Hidell, for a shipment to a PO rented by Oswald in Dallas. By 6:45pm, the FBI advised the Dallas Police that it concluded that the rifle had been ordered by Oswald.

Oswald made several telephone calls on November 23, discussing the matter of getting an attorney with the President of the local Bar association. Oswald declined the offer of counsel from him, but would not get in touch with one into November 24. Between 2:30 and 3:00am, the Dallas FBI and County Sheriff offices received anonymous telephone calls threatening Oswald’s life. It was decided that morning to transfer Oswald from the City Jail to the Dallas County Jail. The media was told the transfer would not take place until after 10am.

The press gathered in the basement where Oswald arrived at 11:20am, after taking a few stops to the car, Jack Ruby darted out from the crowed and fired a shot from his Colt .38 revolver into Oswald’s abdomen. He fell to the ground and lost consciousness. He was taken to Parkland Hospital, around 11:27am, and pronounced dead at 1:07pm. Ruby was detained and declared that he had not killed Oswald on behalf of a conspiracy, and had done so in a fit of depression and rage over the President’s death. Ruby was indicted for the murder of Oswald on November 26, 1963, and sentenced to the death penalty on March 14, 1964, pending on appeal as of September 1964. Oswald was buried at Shannon Rose Hill Memorial Park, in Fort Worth, Texas. The Warren Commission was formed by LBJ and concluded that Oswald had acted alone. The Jim Garrison investigation of the late ’60’s in New Orleans failed to land a conviction against Clay Shaw and the HSCA in the ’70’s failed to reach a definitive conclusion about a conspiracy.

Important Areas of Intrigue

This article is already incredibly long and sense this section could be an entire article by itself, I’ll try to make it as short as possible, in order to touch all the main bases.

The first thing someone should check regarding a suspect’s background would probably be their family background. In that regard, it is interesting to note that Oswald had a fascinating ancestry.

Oswald was reportedly descended from European royalty, all the way back to King Edward I of England, and distantly related to Presidents like George Washington and James Madison. He was a third cousin once removed to President Theodore Roosevelt and fourth cousin to FDR’s wife Eleanor Roosevelt via Joseph Oswald, and fifth cousin five times removed to General Robert E. Lee via John Carter of Christchurch. He was even the eighth cousin twice removed of Admiral Byrd, a cousin of D. Harold Byrd, who owned the TSBD and help found the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). Oswald’s mother had reportedly been in touch with H. Keith Thompson, who was reportedly the representative in the US of one Admiral Karl Donitz, someone we might mention later. Also not to mention how she was in touch with the curious Mark Lane. Then there are the Murretz, who have been linked to New Orleans mobster Carlos Marcello.

There are more interesting connections Oswald developed through his youth. During his time in New York, he had been truanting from school and was sent to the Youth House and was evaluated by Renatus Hartogs, both being linked back to Jewish elements. Originally known as the Lavanburg-Corner House, started in 1928 for immigrant Jewish girls, funding came through the Lavenburg Foundation set up by Jewish businessman Fred Lavanburg, a rother-in-law of Oscar Straus, who the first Jewish United States Cabinet Secretary, early Chairman of the Lavanburg Foundation and the first president of the American Jewish Historical Society. Straus had befriended Baron Maurice de Hirsch, a funder of the Alliance Israelite Universelle for the creation of schools. Hartogs, who came from Germany in 1940, was much later convicted in New York jury convicted of malpractice in 1975 and fined for $350,000 to Julie Roy, an Esquire magazine secretary who accused Hartogs of forcing her to have sexual relations with him “under the guise” of psychiatric treatment. Hartogs then was maintaining a column for Cosmopolitan magazine. These type of connection of the Youth House and Hartogs will certainly be interesting later on.

It also appears that Oswald picked up his interest in Communism while in New York. He once alleged that in the 1953-1954 period, he encountered in elderly lady who handed him a pamphlet about the Rosenberg case. By the time he was back in New Orleans, in 1954, Oswald wrote in his diary that he’d discovered socialist literature as a key to his environment. Then he was staying just outside the French Quarter. He also started telling people about the Communist beliefs he developed. His tendency toward violence had already been showing while in New York with the Pics and continued in New Orleans. This is certainly important to note as he dropped out of high school eventually and joined the military.

Another extremely important connection made by Oswald came around 1955, at the age of around 16. He had dropped out of high school in New Orleans and attempted to join the Marines but was rejected based on his age. At some point that year he joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) in the New Orleans chapter, where he reportedly came into contact with David Ferrie. Highly curious also is the fact that Barry Seal had also joined the New Orleans CAP at some point. Whether Seal met Ferrie or Oswald is unknown to me, but Seal would later show up in the notorious Mena, Arkansas, scandal relating to Iran Contra, drug trafficking and linked to the Clintons. The Oswald moved to Fort Worth, Texas, later in 1956. He enrolled in high school, but at the age of 17 he dropped out and joined the Marines. He had also bought a rifle and continued his interest in communist literature.

Oswald spent around three years in the Marines, from 1956 to 1959. This period was certainly an important part of his life, as he continued to develop his skills with weapons and his interest in communism. He specialized in Aviation Electronics operations, likely an outgrowth of his time in CAP. He was sent to Kessler Air Force base in Mississippi and the Marine Corps Air Base in El Toro, California. There he met an interesting fellow Marine, Kerry Thornley. Oswald was sent to the Naval Air Facility Atsugi, in Japan, and later to the Philippines and Taiwan. Atsugi was interesting because the CIA was operating their U2 spy plane project from there and allegedly had some MK-ULTRA type activity going on there. His time in the Marines was also marked by a few disciplinary problems and he was known to have kept to himself. While in the far east, he was said to have visited some bars/clubs, gaining some experience with the nightlife there.

Oswald’s interest in communism and Russia was apparently so great that he took a Russian language test and read communist classics. In late 1959, Oswald obtained a hardship discharge and visited his mother in Fort Worth. He then made a trip, or “defection” to the Soviet Union. He used the Albret Schweitzer College in Switzerland as cover for his trip to Europe, before making his way into the Soviet Union.

While in Russia, Oswald came in contact with the KGB linked Intourist agency. The KGB also had Oswald constantly under surveillance while he was there from 1959 to 1962. He met a Jewish girl, Ella German, and then Marina Prusakova, whom he married in 1961. Together, they’d leave Russia for the United States in 1962.

Russian emegres

FPCC

DRE

INCA

544 Camp Street

Edwin Walker attempt

George de Mohrenschildt

Ruth and Michael Paine

Texas School Book Depository (TSBD)

Maurice Bishop

Sylvia Odio

Kerry Thornley

Strange deaths linked to Oswald

James Worrell

Lee Bowers

William Whaley

Earlene Roberts

Warren Reynolds

Jack Ruby

Rose Cheramie

George de Mohrenschildt

Antonio Veciana

Oswald

JFK

Guy Banister

David Ferrie

Roger Craig

More ties

Clay Shaw and Permindex

JM/WAVE

Gordon Novel

Kerry Thornley

Dan Burros

conspiracy movement

Conclusion

Notes