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Igor “the Turk” Vaganov

Few individuals stand out as suspects and have such an intriguing background as Igor Vaganov.

I think Gaeton Fonzi wrote about Vaganov in Greater Philadelphia Magazine, which later became Philadelphia Magazine (Owned by the same company that owns Boston Mag.). Fonzi wrote for Philly Mag when it was edited by the late Alan Halpern, who mentored Fonzi and secured the publication of his story in Washingtonian Magazine that became The Last Investigation.

While I haven’t seen the early articles Fonzi is said to have written about Vaganov, I did read the lengthly article later published in Esquire Magazine (May, 1968) which details Vaganov’s strange and suspicious movements.

A Latavian émigré who lived in Germany during WWII and came to America at the age of nine, Igor Vaganov was a credit manager for General Electric for two years, had served in the Navy, spoke four languages, had been in jail in California, and before moving to Dallas he lived in Philadelphia where he hung out at McMullin’s Bar in Upper Darby.

Vaganov is reported to have used the alias of John Nicholson, Kurt Kullaway, Vince Carson and Igor Baganov. He owned a high powered rifle and liked to hunt. One friend, Doc Ornasteen said he thought Vaganov had suicidal tendencies, about which Vaganov said, “I don’t have any, but many think I should.”

On November 5, Vaganov suddenly walked off his job, and showed up in Dallas with his rifle in his red Ford Thunderbird. On November 12 he was living on Sunset Manor, Oak Cliff, possibly with a girlfriend. He knew “Mike,” a short stocky man “from the CIA,” and worked for a plumbing supply company and for a day and a half at Texas Consumer Finance Corp., which had offices next to the Carousel Club.

On November 21, Joan Anthis cried hysterically and said, “Turk is going to do something terrible tomorrow.”

On November 22, Vaganov said he slept in his Oak Cliff apartment until noon, and left near 1 pm, went to bank and somehow got tied up as a suspect in the Tippit shooting.

Some six months after the assassination the FBI found a bundle of his clothes in a Dallas telephone booth.

While little, if any of the information collected about Igor Vaganov makes much sense, I think its important to try to figure out what this guy was really up to, and wanted to see if anyone had anything else on this guy.

BK

Bkjfk3@yahoo.com

Edited by William Kelly
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On November 22, Vaganov said he slept in his Oak Cliff apartment until noon, and left near 1 pm, went to bank and somehow got tied up as a suspect in the Tippit shooting.

Hi Bill. That is a new one for me. Is that documented?

I think there are a few pieces you are missing - one had to do with a background in electronics I thought [going from memory here]? Another was that on the morning of 11/22, I thought that he came downstairs in his pajamas and was witnessed by his landlords or something at 1:00pm? Last was that there was a scrap of paper in his pocket with code words on it - which I pasted someplace here before.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...ost&p=50211

Found it.

Ed O'Hagen can probably add some detail here.

- lee

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Igor “the Turk” Vaganov

Few individuals stand out as suspects and have such an intriguing background as Igor Vaganov.

I think Gaeton Fonzi wrote about Vaganov in Greater Philadelphia Magazine, which later became Philadelphia Magazine (Owned by the same company that owns Boston Mag.). Fonzi wrote for Philly Mag when it was edited by the late Morton Halpern, who mentored Fonzi and secured the publication of his story in Washingtonian Magazine that became The Last Investigation.

While I haven’t seen the early articles Fonzi is said to have written about Vaganov, I did read the lengthly article later published in Esquire Magazine (May, 1968) which details Vaganov’s strange and suspicious movements.

A Latavian émigré who lived in Germany during WWII and came to America at the age of nine, Igor Vaganov was a credit manager for General Electric for two years, had served in the Navy, spoke four languages, had been in jail in California, and before moving to Dallas he lived in Philadelphia where he hung out at McMullin’s Bar in Upper Darby.

Vaganov is reported to have used the alias of John Nicholson, Kurt Kullaway, Vince Carson and Igor Baganov. He owned a high powered rifle and liked to hunt. One friend, Doc Ornasteen said he thought Vaganov had suicidal tendencies, about which Vaganov said, “I don’t have any, but many think I should.”

On November 5, Vaganov suddenly walked off his job, and showed up in Dallas with his rifle in his red Ford Thunderbird. On November 12 he was living on Sunset Manor, Oak Cliff, possibly with a girlfriend. He knew “Mike,” a short stocky man “from the CIA,” and worked for a plumbing supply company and for a day and a half at Texas Consumer Finance Corp., which had offices next to the Carousel Club.

On November 21, Joan Anthis cried hysterically and said, “Turk is going to do something terrible tomorrow.”

On November 22, Vaganov said he slept in his Oak Cliff apartment until noon, and left near 1 pm, went to bank and somehow got tied up as a suspect in the Tippit shooting.

Some six months after the assassination the FBI found a bundle of his clothes in a Dallas telephone booth.

While little, if any of the information collected about Igor Vaganov makes much sense, I think its important to try to figure out what this guy was really up to, and wanted to see if anyone had anything else on this guy.

BK

Bkjfk3@yahoo.com

John Berendt ( Author: Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil) wrote the article on Igor (Turk) Vaganov

which was published in the August 1967 issue of Esquire Magazine. The Esquire archive located in New York no longer has a copy of the article, but I was able to find a copy at a local library.

According to the article, Vaganov was first married to an Atlanta lady called Martha, whose father was a 'sea

captain'. No mention of her surname occurs in the article,...... but wouldn't it be really interesting if it was

'Davison'.

Vaganov's girlfriend was Anne Dullin. They were married in South Carolina on their way to Dallas. Her sister , Mrs. Joan Anthis lived in Garland , Texas, and it was she who called the FBI immediately after hearing the news of the assassination. Anne had phoned her the night before, and cryingly told her about

Turk going to do something terrible the following day.

'Few individuals stand out as suspects and have such an intriguing background as Igor Vaganov', is a well chosen opening sentence for this thread. The Esquire article is full of interesting information, and should be considered a 'must read' for all CT researchers.

I posted this NARA list re Vaganov some time ago, but here it is again :

National Archives and Records Administration

Kennedy Assassination Collection Full Results

Hits 1-15 of 15

Hit 1 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10027-10241

RECORDS SERIES : DL

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 89-43-4

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : BIBLER, PAUL

TO : SAC, DL

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 11/22/1963

PAGES : 2

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK, SUSPECTS, VAGANOV, IGOR

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 2 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10265-10368

RECORDS SERIES : PH

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 157-916-362

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : CARROLL, JAMES E.

TO : SAC

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 08/08/1967

PAGES : 2

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK, ASSA, SUSP, VAGANOV, IGOR V.

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/27/1994

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 3 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10236-10098

RECORDS SERIES : DL

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 89-43-5904

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : GEMBERLING, ROBERT P.

TO : SAC, DL

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 03/06/1967

PAGES : 1

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK, TELCAL, INQUIRY, SUSPECT, VAGANOV, IGOR, ACK

INQUIRY

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 4 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10027-10388

RECORDS SERIES : DL

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 89-43-145

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : HALL, C. RAY

TO : SAC, DL

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 11/23/1963

PAGES : 6

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK, SUSPECT, VAGANOV, IGOR, BKG

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 5 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10236-10045

RECORDS SERIES : DL

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 89-43-5903

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : HODGENS, DONALD, J.

TO : SAC, DL

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 03/01/1967

PAGES : 4

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK, TELCAL, ADVICE, WIT, BENAVIDES, DOMINGO, LHO,

TIPPIT, J., INQUIRY, PHOTO, VAGANOV, IGOR

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 6 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10079-10100

RECORDS SERIES : DL

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 89-43-504

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : KUYKENDALL, EDWIN D.

TO : SAC, DL

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 11/25/1963

PAGES : 4

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK, SUSPECTS, INTERVIEW, VAGANOV, IGOR

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 7 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10009-10341

RECORDS SERIES : HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 62-109060-918

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, HO

TO : DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 11/22/1963

PAGES : 2

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : KENNEDY, JOHN, SEARCHING FOR SUSPECTS, VAGANOV, IGOR

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 8 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10164-10049

RECORDS SERIES : DL

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 89-43-1967

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, HO

TO : SAC, DL

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 12/02/1963

PAGES : 4

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK, INTV, VAGANOV, IGOR

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 02/01/1994

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 9 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10229-10391

RECORDS SERIES : HO

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 62-2115-204

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, HO

TO : SAC, DL

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 12/02/1963

PAGES : 6

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : LHO, POST-RP, SUSPECT, VAGANOV, IGOR

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

COMMENTS : DTD IN SECOND PARAGRAPH

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 10 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10274-10073

RECORDS SERIES : HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 62-116395-1396

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, MO

TO : DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 01/11/1967

PAGES : 52

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : CC, REQ, INVEST, JFK, ASSA, SUSP, SILVA, ART, VAGANOV,

IGOR VLADIMIRS, WC, LIAISON WITH USSS, JG, INVEST, DF,

LHO, POST-RP, RES, TRA, TRIP TO MX 9/26/63, EMP, REL,

PROPOSED RUSS TRIP, FPCC, ASSOC, CONSPR THEORIES,

CUBA, JR, ASSOC, CASTRO MATTER

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : 2; 4

CURRENT STATUS : RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 07/13/1994

OPENING CRITERIA : INDEFINITE

COMMENTS : INC 8 FBI RESPONSES, 4 LHM, 6 MEMO, NEWS ARTIC, 2 TTY,

3 ADMIN PAGES, REC, CIT LTR, USSS LTR, DOJ LTR, CC LTR

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 11 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10009-10325

RECORDS SERIES : HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 62-109060-935

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, PH

TO : DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 11/24/1963

PAGES : 1

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : KENNEDY, JOHN, SEARCHING FOR SUSPECTS, VAGANOV, IGOR

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 12 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10009-10326

RECORDS SERIES : HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 62-109060-934

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, PH

TO : DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 11/23/1963

PAGES : 1

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : KENNEDY, JOHN, SEARCHING FOR SUSPECTS, VAGANOV, IGOR

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 13 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER : 124-10047-10374

RECORDS SERIES : HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 62-109060-4421

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, PH

TO : DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 01/27/1967

PAGES : 2

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

SUBJECTS : JFK, SUSPECT, VAGANOV, IGOR VLADIMIRS

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/26/1992

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 14 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : HSCA

RECORD NUMBER : 180-10019-10161

RECORDS SERIES : FBI INVESTIGATIVE FILE ON ASSASSINATION OF JOHN

KENNEDY

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 62-109060-4421

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, PHILADELPHIA

TO : DIRECTOR

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 01/27/1967

PAGES : 1

DOCUMENT TYPE : MEMORANDUM

SUBJECTS : IGOR VLADIMIRS VAGANOV,; D.O. MC ELWEE, ASSISTANT

DISTRICT SUPERVISOR; JOHN BERNEDT, ASSOCIATE EDITOR4

OF EQUIRE MAGAZINE

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 05/19/1993

COMMENTS : Box 20. Folder Title; Section 109 [4412-4428].

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hit 15 of 15

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : HSCA

RECORD NUMBER : 180-10020-10163

RECORDS SERIES : FBI INVESTIGATIVE FILE ON ASSASSINATION OF JOHN

KENNEDY

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 62-109060-4732

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : SAC, PHILADELPHIA

TO : DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE : [No Title]

DATE : 03/09/1967

PAGES : 1

DOCUMENT TYPE : MEMORANDUM

SUBJECTS : JFK; VAGANOV, IGOR VLADIMIRS; BERNEDT, JOHN; TIPPETT

CLASSIFICATION : UNCLASSIFIED

RESTRICTIONS : OPEN IN FULL

CURRENT STATUS : OPEN

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 05/24/1993

COMMENTS : Box 21. Folder Title; Section 116.

Audit history for this Record Identification Form

Hits 1-15 of 15

National Archives and Records Administration

webmaster@nara.gov

Hope this helpful.

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On November 22, Vaganov said he slept in his Oak Cliff apartment until noon, and left near 1 pm, went to bank and somehow got tied up as a suspect in the Tippit shooting.

Hi Bill. That is a new one for me. Is that documented?

I think there are a few pieces you are missing - one had to do with a background in electronics I thought [going from memory here]? Another was that on the morning of 11/22, I thought that he came downstairs in his pajamas and was witnessed by his landlords or something at 1:00pm? Last was that there was a scrap of paper in his pocket with code words on it - which I pasted someplace here before.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...ost&p=50211

Found it.

Ed O'Hagen can probably add some detail here.

- lee

Lee,

I think that it's possible that Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe, the owner's of the Sunset Motel, were providing an alibi for Vaganov under intimidation. Later in the afternoon he drove Anne to Tenth and Patton, and then across the Trinity River and toured the assassination site. When they arrived back at the Sunset Motel around 4:30 p.m., two FBI agents were waiting to interrogate him. After two hours , having checked Vaganov's rifle and pistol and looked in his car, the two agents left.

Joan Anthis collected her sister, Anne, and took her to her home around 3:00 a.m on the 23rd. Vaganov

departed the motel before sunrise and headed back to Philadelphia alone. Anne had served her purpose, and the bottom line was that everything that Vaganov had told the FBI agents, was checked by them right

away by telephone and verified. The rifle and pistol were examined by them and found to have not been recently fired. To me it was all too neat a scenario. It seemed as though he wanted to be highlighted as a suspect, so that he would be immediately investigated and then cleared.. and that's precisely what occurred on the afternoon of the 22nd. On Sunday he was back in Philadelphia. He remained in Philadelphia very briefly,parked his red Thunderbird in a friend's garage, picked-up a Sting Ray, and drove back to Texas. He went to see Anne at her sister's residence and persuaded her to return to Dallas with him. She did, for two days. By early December she had taken the train back to Philadelphia, and he had also returned. He got rid of the Sting Ray, picked-up the Thunderbird and drove to Atlanta. There he lived for a while with his first wife, Martha, who had "died in an auto crash with their child"... at least that's what he had told Anne.

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Thanks for all the information on this character. He was mentioned in a paragraph in Flammonde's old book and I'd been trying to dig up more on him.

Owen,

In case you don't have an image of Vaganov.

James

Thanks for all the information on this character. He was mentioned in a paragraph in Flammonde's old book and I'd been trying to dig up more on him.

Owen,

In case you don't have an image of Vaganov.

James

The above picture was taken in Russia . The man looks a bit like Vaganov . However, I understand that from 1959 to 1962 he was in the U.S. Navy. Additionally I was informed some time ago by a researcher, that during that time there was a ( $5 deposit ) account in the Dallas Republic National Bank in his name... the very same bank that he went out to visit allegedly after 1:00 p.m. on the 22nd. A lady from that very same bank was reported as being in the Daltex building on the same day and at the same time as Ruby and Braden were there.

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Thanks for all the information on this character. He was mentioned in a paragraph in Flammonde's old book and I'd been trying to dig up more on him.

Owen,

In case you don't have an image of Vaganov.

James

Thanks for all the information on this character. He was mentioned in a paragraph in Flammonde's old book and I'd been trying to dig up more on him.

Owen,

In case you don't have an image of Vaganov.

James

The above picture was taken in Russia . The man looks a bit like Vaganov . However, I understand that from 1959 to 1962 he was in the U.S. Navy. Additionally I was informed some time ago by a researcher, that during that time there was a ( $5 deposit ) account in the Dallas Republic National Bank in his name... the very same bank that he went out to visit allegedly after 1:00 p.m. on the 22nd. A lady from that very same bank was reported as being in the Daltex building on the same day and at the same time as Ruby and Braden were there.

Do you have any additional info on the lady? A name or any type of information that can be referenced?

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On November 22, Vaganov said he slept in his Oak Cliff apartment until noon, and left near 1 pm, went to bank and somehow got tied up as a suspect in the Tippit shooting.

Hi Bill. That is a new one for me. Is that documented?

I think there are a few pieces you are missing - one had to do with a background in electronics I thought [going from memory here]? Another was that on the morning of 11/22, I thought that he came downstairs in his pajamas and was witnessed by his landlords or something at 1:00pm? Last was that there was a scrap of paper in his pocket with code words on it - which I pasted someplace here before.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...ost&p=50211

Found it.

Ed O'Hagen can probably add some detail here.

- lee

Lee,

I think that it's possible that Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe, the owner's of the Sunset Motel, were providing an alibi for Vaganov under intimidation. Later in the afternoon he drove Anne to Tenth and Patton, and then across the Trinity River and toured the assassination site. When they arrived back at the Sunset Motel around 4:30 p.m., two FBI agents were waiting to interrogate him. After two hours , having checked Vaganov's rifle and pistol and looked in his car, the two agents left.

Joan Anthis collected her sister, Anne, and took her to her home around 3:00 a.m on the 23rd. Vaganov

departed the motel before sunrise and headed back to Philadelphia alone. Anne had served her purpose, and the bottom line was that everything that Vaganov had told the FBI agents, was checked by them right

away by telephone and verified. The rifle and pistol were examined by them and found to have not been recently fired. To me it was all too neat a scenario. It seemed as though he wanted to be highlighted as a suspect, so that he would be immediately investigated and then cleared.. and that's precisely what occurred on the afternoon of the 22nd. On Sunday he was back in Philadelphia. He remained in Philadelphia very briefly,parked his red Thunderbird in a friend's garage, picked-up a Sting Ray, and drove back to Texas. He went to see Anne at her sister's residence and persuaded her to return to Dallas with him. She did, for two days. By early December she had taken the train back to Philadelphia, and he had also returned. He got rid of the Sting Ray, picked-up the Thunderbird and drove to Atlanta. There he lived for a while with his first wife, Martha, who had "died in an auto crash with their child"... at least that's what he had told Anne.

Thanks Ed - as another detail that I recall from the article, thanks to you, was that Vaganov was an expert shot and master of the 'double-tap.' I first learned about the double-tap technique from reading about Vaganov.

So here we have an operative -essentially - another one that was stumbled upon perhaps, and the skirt was showing. He needed to make the Dallas op so desparately that he forced the issue. A man with a background in electronics and communications - isn't that also correct - who shows up in Dallas, in Oak Cliff like everyone else, has a bizarre alibi for where he was at the time of the assassination, who then leaves the next day. While I personally don't believe that an operative like Vaganov would have been used as a shooter, I think it's possible that he may have played some kind of role in communications for one cell. And perhaps his cell's code names were all on the piece of paper, which his wife [no clue which wife] allegedly found. The first code does not appear to be a name? Possibly a geographical location? A time? If we could figure out the owner of one of these cryptos, we might learn more about the cell Vaganov operated in, and what his role may have been. I am going to assume that Vaganov's crypto is not contained in this list, and that it is a cell composed of 4 individuals total, Vaganov included.

EL 6-6111

-------

ESTRAZDS

-

ARVIDS

--

JZAKS

Another possible for a character like Vaganov that I like may have been the jamming of the frequencies about Dealey Plaza. There was the alleged 'stuck mic' - which Frank Camper says was nothing of the sort. There is also the jamming of the football and Looking Glass, and the SS frequency [maybe not both].

The SS assisted greatly by reshuffling the order of the motorcade, making sure the bubbletop was down, ensuring that the press weren't going to be able to get any footage of the shooting, changing out loyal guard, etc. But someone still had to help out by jamming all the frequencies - DPD, SS and the football / Looking Glass and adding to the confusion. The ambulance had already successfully been removed, and JFKs Doctor was nowhere nearby.

It's humorous if you consider all of the minute details that went into ensuring a successful Dealey Plaza operation - when contrasted to Lone Nut theory. You can learn a lot by studying the various operatives that got snagged - but it's still only going to be on a compartmentalized basis. Unless Vaganov is still around [i wasn't able to locate his address], and is willing to dime out his cell - which is unlikely - or provide the details of his specific role. If he was in the business long enough, maybe he knew one or two of the other guys in his cell - but the odds are he may not have known any of them.

Sorry for rambling. Just theorizing. Does anyone have more on Vagaonov's background with respect to communications and electronics?

- lee

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There is an additional article in the Dealey Plaza Quarterly, Volume 2 - Issue # 2

Entitled "The Continuing Story of the Russian Cover" by Mark Bridger

See Link to MFF

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...bsPageId=388533

Definitely, worth perusing.

Thanks Robert! You just hit the mark. Paraphrasing:

Vaganov was capable around radios, and had an expensive Sonar 2-way CB radio in his Thunderbird, 'Hopped-up' with excess output, capable of broadcasting over a large area of a city, even with tall buildings.

If you consider the other logical candidates for this type of assignment - communications disruption for only minutes during the assassination - may be able to piece together the cell.

I had never read about the half of a playing card. That plays right in. He had half of the King of Spades, which had staple holes in the top. The author of that article suggested that someone he would be making contact with - whom obviously he wouldn't know - would have the other half.

Facinating. And in retrospect - what a sloppy job. I bet there were a few folks who weren't too impressed with their selection of a 'covert' operative in this instance. He wins the award.

- lee

post-675-1152285888_thumb.jpg

Edited by Lee Forman
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Mrs Sharpe recalled that on the 22nd Vaganov left the motel wearing khaki pants and either a white shirt or a jacket.

Mrs Acquilla Clemons, who witnessed the slaying of Officer Tippit, claimed to have seen two men standing near the police car before one of them shot the patrolman. Both ran off in different directions. Mrs Clemons was never questioned by the Warren Commission. However, she told Mark Lane that the killer was "kind of a short guy" and "kind of heavy", and that the other was tall and thin and was wearing khaki pants and a white shirt. John Berendt writes in the Esquire article that the first description fitted Vaganov's myserious visitor 'Mike from the CIA'; the second fitted Vaganov.

Somewhere in the literature of the assassination I recalled reading that the second man had shouted to the first man , "Get going". That terse command suggested to me that the second man possibly knew where the first would be heading, namely the Texas Theater. I had a close look at the well known picture of the large group of people photographed in front of the cinema while waiting to see Oswald being brought outside., and found the image of a tall man wearing a white shirt and what looked like khaki pants. I have posted the image below. Zooming in on various parts of the image, I concluded that the configuration suggested the man was speaking into a ball shaped microphone, and that attached to his belt or resting in his hip-pocket was a radio - pack with an aerial pointing upwards. I can post these images, but at this stage I am not sure if I have sufficient MB space for the attachments.

Anyway, below is what I found:

Reference : Book of Facts: Clemons, Acquilla

A witness to the killing of Police Officer J. D. Tippit, Clemons reportedly said she saw two men take part in the shooting, neither of whom resembled Lee Harvey Oswald. Never questioned by federal agents, Mrs. Clemons claimed she was later visited at her home by a man with a gun who she thought was a police officer. The man warned her that if she testified about the shooting, she might be killed. See also TIPPIT MURDER SCENE WITNESSES. Crossfire; Rush to Judgment

N.B. If anyone can post copy of the Texas Theater picture in its entirety. it would be most helpful.

Edited by Ed O'Hagan
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Here's the complete picture . Notice how far back in the crowd the man is standing.

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