Jim Root

I for one believe that the John Birch Society (and the right wing fringe) was dangerous enough that the US Intelligence community wanted it infiltrated and did so by incerting Major General Edwin Anderson Walker into their mainstream. Jim Root

I have been recently surprized by an odd fact. Within the John F. Kennedy Library there are very few examples of written documents pertaining to communication between John F. Kennedy and John J. McCloy (only two that I located). Yet it seems that McCloy was a close advisor and involved in most major decisions that were made during the Kennedy administration. There is no "oral" history record that was taken from McCloy although many of the "oral" records were recorded by persons that recount their experiences with Kennedy while many were in the presence of McCloy as well. As I ponder this lack of historical documentation, my mind can wonder toward many unsavory conclusions. Primary amoung them would be that documents may have been removed for some reason. Does anyone else find this strange? What are you thoughts on why there would be so little information in the Kennedy Library about McCloy? Jim Root

As I understand the BOP, Nixon was very involved in the planning. During the campaign (1960) he was constantly pushing the CIA to get the job done before the election believing that it would be the final boost he needed to win. Kennedy, on the other hand, was being briefed on the BOP operations and seems to have used the information that he was given to put Nixon in a pickle. Kennedy was declaring Eisenhower/Nixon soft on communism, soft on Castro and soft on Cuba by saying more should and could be done to "free" Cuba. Nixon was stuck defending the US cover that said we were not planning any sort of attack on Cuba that involved US assets, a position that Nixon would later blame for his loss. What seems interesting is that Eisenhower also seems to have felt that the BOP Operation was being sabotaged while in the planning stages that led to constant delays. So what do we make of this? I believe that it is important to remember that Allen Dulles had visited Joseph Kennedy and had promised him that his son would be the next president of the US. It is important to remember that the U-2 incident ended the possibility of a successful Paris Peace Summit in May of 1960 that could have helped the Nixon campaign as well. Could it be that the CIA was working against Nixon in the 1960 election? On Nov. 24, 2004 I made this post dealing with this same subject: "You might enjoy reading, The Kennedys: America's Emerald Kings by Thomas Maier. In the book Maier gives an account of a visit by Allen Dulles to Joe Kennedy where Dulles assures Kennedy that his son will be the next President. I hold to the belief that if the U-2 incident does not occur on May 1, 1960, John F. Kennedy does not become President! The fact that Oswasld was a radar operator at Astugi, Japan where the U-2's were flying out of at the time and the defection of Oswald to the Soviet Union make for a connection that I just can't get out of my mind. The election of John F. Kennedy, perhaps, would not have occured if Oswald does not defect to the Soviet Union and Francis Gary Powers is not shot down. For me, the connection of General Edwin Walker to Maxwell Taylor and Taylor's rise to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Kennedy makes me believe that Taylor may have had advance knowledge of the U-2 incident. Walker's tavel to Europe in October of 1959 coincides with Oswald's defection. Did Walker meet Oswald in Europe? I believe there is a legitimate possibility." Add to this older post the sabotage of the BOP Operation before the election in 1960. One more piece of this puzzle could be that Joe Kennedy had a very close relationship with the Vatican where one could assume he then had access to the vast intelligence agency that the Vatican controlled. To what lengths would Joe Kennedy and the "Eastern Establishment" go to prevent a poor upstart from Yorba Linda, California from becomming the next President of the United States? Especially after Allen Dulles had guarenteed his election! How disappointed would certain "cold warriors" be when Kennedy refused to pull the trigger when the BOP Operation actually began? Just thoughts. Jim Root

Everybody has their pet theories and I am no different. For myself I have studied the life of Edwin Walker and am surprized by how many of the key people surrounding Kennedy he was associated with. Over the past several months I have been able to piece a great deal of information together about a man named John B. Hurt who is loosely associated to Walker and more closely associated to Maxwell Taylor (perhaps just a coincidence). I became aware of this John B. Hurt years ago and have been intrigued by the possibility that he was the man Lee Harvey Oswald attempted to call, while in custody, the night of the assassination of JFK. Within the last several months I have learned a great deal about this man and think that possibly he could be a key to learning more about the assassination. The fact that he continued to work for the NSA and retired just a few months before the assassination may explain why, if he was Oswalds contact, Oswald was unable to locate the John Hurt that he in fact attempted to contact. Hurt worked with a very small group of cryptologist that borke the Japanese codes before and during WWII. The leader of this original 5 man team was William Friedman and it was his founding group that the NSA was created from.....leaving Hurt as a major caracter in the creation of the NSA.......Coincidence? In the past few weeks I received a copy of a document that had been classified for some 48 years. Within its contents there is a strange series of decoded messages from late 1942. On the surface it would seem to be just an example of work that had been accomplished long ago by John B. Hurt. Where I am shocked is that I had read and seen reference made to these same messages in books such as the Puzzle Palace, etc. that then go on to reference the Venona Project (the work to break Soviet codes). In the second half of 1942 some forward thinking members of the Japanese diplomatic corp realized that after the Battle of Midway Japan would never win the war with the US. They began making overtures to various governments in an attempt to create an atmosphere for a negotiated peace. The US was monitoring these attempt messages and apparently Hurt was a major player (based on the declassified document that he wrote). John J. McCloy, as Asst. Sec. of War was the man who was overseeing these developments as we monitored the Japanese messages. The Japanese attempted (since they were not at war with Russia) to negotiate a sepearate peace between Russia and Germany....believing that if Germany did not have to contend with Russia the allies would be more inclined to negotiate a peace with Japan. The fear of a Russian/German seperate peace created a strong desire for the US to break and begin to understand the Russian Codes. Two players within the US Government, later to be on the Warren Commission, Asst. Sec. of War John J. McCloy and OSS Bern Station Chief Allen Dulles became intimately involved with problem which became known as the Venona Project (which began with the same messages that are discribed by John B. Hurt in his papers). So now, just by coincidence, we can associate Warren Commissioners John J. McCloy and Allen Dulles, assassination target Edwin Walker and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maxwell Davenport Taylor (all) with one John B. Hurt. We also know that Lee Harvey Oswald attempted to make a phone call to a John Hurt, unsuccessfully, using information to find the John Hurt that he was looking for. Oswald went to Russia. All the names listed above could/would have been associated with an organization created in part to break Russian codes, the NSA. Oswald was associated with the U-2, one of which was shot down on May 1, 1960. One of the key elements of breaking the Japanese Military Code just before the battle of Midway was creating the need for the Japanese to send information about Midway that the US Cryptologist knew would be sent. This information would then be followed, providing the necessary key to breaking the code. Imagine for a moment.....the order to shoot at a US spy plane would have to come from a high level of command. If the NSA could follow the complete chain of command to knock down a U-2 would we gain a great deal of intelligence knowledge? But then, Lee Harvey Oswald would have been an intelligence asset known within only the highest levels of government....including perhaps two Warren Commissioners. Ah, nevermind, to far fetched.....only a spy novel could create such a story! Just thoughts Jim Root

I have recently run accross the name of Alfred McCormack (sometimes spelled MacCormack). This former Chicago lawyer was brought into the War Department and established the "Special Branch" of M.I.S. What I have found interesting is that during WWII, it seems, McCormack is associated with John J. McCloy, Allen Dulles (while Dulles was in Bern) and the same John B. Hurt that I have been researching. It appears he is involved in X2 and connected to "Fortitude" and later "Blowback." To the above names you can add Edwin Oldfather Reischauer who, in 1961, was appointed Ambassador to Japan by John F. Kennedy. Reischauer is closely associated with Hurt. My question is, has anyone else gathered information on Alfred McCormack that they could share? Jim Root

Stephen I understand that Oswald belonged to a hunting club while in Russia. Jim Root

We know two fact for sure about Oswald post assassination. 1). He wanted Jonathon Abt as his attorney to the exclusion of all others. He turned down local Dalles attorneys hoping to reach Abt. He even had family members and friends attempt to contact Abt. 2). He attempted to contact "John Hurt." Not only did this attempt fail it seems that it was hidden from the Warren Commission. One has to wonder why? It is my opinion that Oswald was somewhat prepared, when arressted, to make contact with people he felt could help him. This preperation is similiar to what he did (if you accept that he shot at Walker) prior to his previous assassination attempt. He left behind a note that detailed what Marina was to do if he was caught and held. Perhaps if Oswald had been caught after the Walker attempt Kenndy would have served two terms. One could suggest that Oswald may well have wanted a trial for some reason! What story would he have told? Jim Root

James Just found this interesting quote in the John B. Hurt papers. Reguarding Joe Kennedy: "He was an American aristocrat with little feeling for common men anywhere." Of what importance, I don't know. Jim Root

John If Oswald's name was added to a "data base" of potential communists it would seem that that information would be used to keep Oswald form an assignment that would place him anywhere near the U-2 spy plane. But we find that the opposite was done. What does the reality of the Oswald trainnig then suggest? In dealing with this we would have to believe that either Oswald's name was not identified by this mail opening program and that the Marines were not aware of Oswalds openly Socialist, pro Castro leaning and provided him, just by chance, with an opportunity to work with U-2's or that they were aware of his Trotskist bent and provided Oswald with an opportunity to work with U-2's. One scenario suggests ignorance on the part of those tasked with protecting Americas most secrete and advanced spyplane and the other suggests a mission oriented plan. Jim Root

Chris And a letter from John J. McCloy to Edwin Walker, five months before the assassination of JFK and two months after the alledged attempt by Oswald on the life of Walker, just happened to be placed in an obvious place for researchers (or investigators) to find. But it was never found until recently. How many people (and how high up the food chain) were worried about being connected to Walker and to Oswald prior to the assassination? Was this because they were aware of a future attempt to assassinate the President or were they worried about what information Oswald might have become aware of reguarding who had used him when he defected to Russia? I lean toward the later. Jim Root

Pat and John Let me begin by saying that the actual events of November 22, 1963 are not my area of expertise. I study Walker and the events surrounding his life and associations. But: " And NOT CE 399, which was insufficiently damaged to invoke so much damage!" This statement is what gives me cause to sit back and just continue to listen within this debate that continues to trouble me. If CE 399 was planted the degree of planning in this assassination would have had to provide for foreknowledge of a Connally thigh wound that did not penitrate very deep and which allowed the spent bullet to be found and plausibly identified as the bullet that caused so many entry and exit wounds. If no CE399 was found we would all be wondering what happened to the "magic bullet" that disappeared after doing so much damage but never exited Connally's thigh. This continues to bother me and I appreciate the work that you continue to do to provide explanations. Jim Root

Ron Similiar to the Assassination of Admiral Darlan during WWII where the young assassin waited for help until his death within two days. I do find it interesting that "my" John Hurt was retired and out of country at the time of the assassiantion. "Oswald was not going to accuse his handlers of setting him up or of anything else at that point because they were the only people who could help him, as slim as that chance might be." But Oswald did want Jonathon Abt, the Smith Act attorney, to represent him to the exclusion of all other offers of help. Why? Was it because he had a story to tell about his trip to the Soviet Union that preceeded his arrest for the assassination of JFK? John Oswald arrived back in the US about April of 1962. In September he meets George De Mohrenschildt, perhaps this is significant to the White House interest perhaps not. It is my belief that the White House would be very interested in Lee Harvey Oswald if in fact he was involved with the shoot down of Francis Gary Powers and if he could associate Edwin Walker with his entry into the Soviet Union. I point out once again, Walker's "Pro Blue Program" begins within days of the State Departments decission that Oswald will be allowed to return to the US. This leads to a total and complete discrediting of Walker the General and begins his new life as Walker the anti Kennedy "right winger." Coincidence? Two points: 1) Walker always followed orders throughout his career and 2) To leagally spy on US citizens Walker would have to have a reason to resign (not retire) from the US Military. It is my belief that Walker was assigned to spy on the right wing and he did so without question, becomming an enemy of the Kennedy administration by default and without knowing that Oswald was returning to the US. If Oswald could in fact accuse Walker of "helping" him into the Soviet Union, Walker the "right winger" would provide plausible deniability for American intelligence while at the same time protecting intelligence assets. Would Walker have been willing to "fall on his own sword" if called upon? Imagine the reaction of Edwin Walker if the face he saw on the television screen in his Shreveport, LA hotel on November 22, 1963 was in fact the face of the young man who he had passed information to in October of 1959. Would Walker have believed that he was about to be set up as the "patsy?'" Would the story of Oswald's assassination attempt on the life of Walker provide a degree of "protection" to an obvious suspect in the assassination of the President? Would Walker have any reason to suspect a plot to assassinate the President that was initiated at the highest levels of government? Would these "plotters" be willing to silence him (read his testimony)? Could this phone conversation to a German newspaper be the loose thread that leads to the unraveling of this mystery? Compare the Soviets plausible reaction to Oswald leaving the Soviet Union....Yuri Nosenko makes contact with US Intelligence. After the assassination of JFK Nosenko "defects" with total knowledge of Oswald and his movement in the USSR, deflecting allegations of any possible association between the KGB and Oswald. Coincidence? In my opinion there is alot of information about this "patsy" that we still do not know! Jim Root

Mark Good point but I believe that Oswald's mother lived in Fort Worth at the time (Tarrant County) and his mothers address would have been his forwarding address following his departure from the Marines on a hardship bais to look after her. Most draft boards are county operations hence the need for searching in Tarrant County. I did a quick google and could not find the obvious but I believe you are on the right track with your thoughts. A "draft board" would still be in existance today (18 year olds still must register) and it would seem plausible that a history of the members of previous boards would be available somewhere. (Historically it is not unusual to find judges sitting on draft boards) Good hunting, Jim Root

George If you want to take "a long in advanced planned assassination" and Oswald the "patsy" to the extreme one could begin with his letter to the Socialist Party in 1957. Since the likes of Angleton, Helms and Dulles were reading mail sent to "communist" organizations in New York, is it possible that Oswald began his life as a "patsy" at that time? Fast forward to 1963 and we find that information about Oswald was being forwarded to the office of Richard Helms in the months leading up to the assassiantion. The question for me is, did the monitoring of Oswald only begin after he returned from the Soviet Union or did it begin in 1957 with the the above mentioned "mail operation?" Then the "patsy" statement itself. It seems Oswald was aware of the fact that he was a "patsy" when he made the statement, "They're taking me in because of the fact that I lived in the Soviet Union. I'm only a patsy." Most critics wish to use only the last four words of this statement while Oswald in fact used the sentence about Russia to preface his "patsy" statement. If true, according to Oswald, his life as a "patsy" began in 1959, before Kennedy was elected, making the case for a "patsy" much more complicated than a simple "set-up" on November 22. How would he know he was the "patsy" unless he in fact had reason to believe he was? This leads us to speculate that Oswald was or had been in fact used by some group/organization/agency in the past. One does not have to look to deeply to realize that his trip to Russia, his activities while a Marine radar operator, his ease of movement/entry into the Soviet Union, etc., etc. mark Oswald as more that just an average "Joe Lunchbox." But if he was this type of "patsy" would it also provide a plausible motive for a potential assassin? An assassination attempt on the life of Edwin Walker seven months before the assassination of JFK must come into play as well when we speak of Oswald the "patsy." Was this part of the attempt to set Oswald up as a "patsy?" But then why would a future Warren Commissioner, John J. McCloy, write a letter to Edwin Walker (distancing himself from Walker) five months before the assination of JFK and two months after the attempt on the life of Walker? Was this an attempt to protect a man (McCloy) who would be called upon to cover up the real story of the assassination, or to set McCloy up as well? This seems very strange to me, but I believe more than just a coincidence. Would McCloy have reason to fear being associated with Walker after an attempt had been made on Walker's life? Why? In the "patsy" scenerio the most difficult area for me to accept is the part played by the attempt on the life of Edwin Walker. It seems that it only complicates the LN theory when you look at it in depth, which most researchers refuse to do. Walker does a telephone interview with a German magizine (which calls him at exactly 7:00 AM) from a hotel room in Shreveport, LA. (Walker lives in Dallas) This same magazine reports that Oswald is the man who shot at Walker seven months before the assassination in their next issue, the Wednesday following the assassiantion of JFK (before the FBI is onto this lead). By the time Walker is questioned by the FBI he denies providing this information to the Germans and Oswald (if he would have talked about Walker) is long sense dead. The Warren Commission neglected to go into Walker's military backround with the statement, "I don't think we have to indicate a great deal of your background for the record, since I think we all know who you are..." Was there a reason for this omission? Walker was traveling in Europe at the same time Oswald goes from London to Helsinki. The Warren Commission can not identify the flight Oswald traveled on although passenger lists were available at the time. Why? If Walker was on one of those planes the "patsy" statement becomes even more important. But once again this is long before Kennedy is even elected. Walker commanded elite forces during WWII and trained Korean War era Rangers that produced a multitude of future CIA, etc. type personel. His career in intelligence seems clear when examined closely. Walker had a close relationship with Maxwell Taylor that began in 1927. Taylor's rise to the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is only achieved after he retires as Chief of Staff of the Army and writes "The Uncertain Trumpet," a book critical of the Eisenhower administration, and Kennedy is elected President. Without Kennedy's election Taylor the General, "just fades away." Did the shoot down of Francis Gary Powers on May 1, 1960 which led to the failure of the Paris Peace Summit scheduled for May 15th help JFK get elected? Did Oswald play a roll in the U-2 incident that he would later regret (see his speech at Spring Hill College)? Did Maxwell Taylor call upon his trusted friend, Edwin Walker, to "help" Oswald into Russia? Why wasn't Hosty's November 4th note (containing the information about where Oswald was working) given a CE number? Is it a coincidence that the route past where Oswald was working was decided in Washington about a week after the Hosty note was sent to the State Dept. and the FBI? Is it a coincidence that previous Hosty notes were forwarded to the office of Richared Helms? Should we believe that the November 4th note was not forwarded to the office of Richard Helms? Did Maxwell Taylor have imput into the route selection for the Dallas trip through General Chester Clifton, Jr, the military aide to Kennedy apointed by Taylor (Clifton was also in the motorcade on Nov. 22)? As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is it possible that Taylor would have access to information about a potential "patsy" named Lee Harvey Oswald if in fact Oswald had been used (in some way) by US intelligence? Is it two far fetched to believe that Taylor would be aware of the fact that Walker (Taylor's former student and go to man in Korea, Taiwan and Littlerock) had been shot at in April of 1963? And that Oswald was (unknown to Walker) in Dallas at the time? Was Oswald set up? Starting when? Jim Root

James It seems that the John B. Hurt that worked for NSA till 1963 was in fact dealing with intelligence information into and out of Sweden and Helsinki during WWII. Information continues to flow in. Could this associate him with Win Scott? Wilho Tikander would be a must. It seems that there was a German agent that was either turned or was in fact an asset of ours. The Japanese "uncovered" this agent and reported it to their Ambassador. Hurt and his team uncovered this information and moved to quickly pull the German out off harms way. Jim Root

Ron, Greg The draft card shown may be a lgegitimate card for Lee Harvey Oswald. I could accept the fact that a man who officially got out of the Marines on Sept. 11, 1959 may not have had his "new" draft card issued till perhaps Feb. 4, 1960. This card would be issued only after his local draft board would have been notified of a change in circumstances for the bearer of the card. I would assume that card would have been sent to his mother and he may have obtained it when he returned to the US. The reason I believe that this is a plausible explanation for this card is the "IV-A" classification. This classification is for "Registrant with sufficient prior active service or who is a sole surviving son." Oswald would fall into this category. In 1960's America it was not unusual for employers to request a man of "draft age" for his draft card. If a person was "draft bait" (likly to be drafted soon) they would be less likely to hire and train them for a job of substance. A person who had completed their time in the military or was not subject to military service would have a better chance of attaining employment. A draft card for an alias would also be needed for the same reason. Jim Root

Greg For the record I do have some documents with Walker's handwritting. I am a little skeptical about: "A draft card Oswald received in 1960 was signed "Gut Schieffer" What is the date of issue on this card? Oswald was in Russia at this time and I would assume that anything he had received would not have made it past the Soviet authorities first. Who would have sent Oswald a draft card after he had been discharged from the Marines in September of 1959? Who would have sent that draft card to Russia? Who would have known where to send it? Some thoughts (if Lee did in fact receive a draft card in 1960): September 13th 1960: Oswald was given an "undesirable discharge" from the Marine Corps. Was the draft card sent to him at this time? February 13th 1961: The American Embassy in Moscow is notified by Lee that he wants to return to the United States. Could the "Gut Schiffer", which translates as "good skipper/sailer" have been a message that began Oswald's journey back to the US? But I am confused because we find that "officially" on January 30th 1961 Oswald learns of his "Undesirable" discharge, which is incorrectly reported by his mother to be "Dishonorable." This would seem to preclude him from having received some sort of correspondence dealing with a draft card in 1960. Can you provide additional information about these three pieces of evidence? The translation of these three "names" are intriguing! Jim Root

Roger A question might be, "why would the FBI have an interest in a Marine who has applied for a hardship discharge so that he can go home and take care of his mother?" Or perhaps"why would the Marines grant an early discharge to a man the FBI knew was contacting Soviet KGB agents and the Cuban Embassy?" Jim Root

Antti This might help you: ARRB ACQUIRES DALLAS POLICE HOMICIDE CHIEF'S HANDWRITTEN NOTES ON OSWALD INTERROGATION The Assassination Records Review Board, an independent federal agency overseeing the identification, review, and release of records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, announced today that it has acquired original handwritten notes on the interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald taken by the late Dallas Police Captain who was in charge of questioning the alleged presidential assassin. This is the second time that the Board has obtained previously unavailable Oswald interrogation notes made by a law enforcement official. Dallas Police Captain J. W. "Will" Fritz, who headed the homicide and robbery bureau, was the primary interrogator of Oswald while he was in police custody from the afternoon of November 22 until the morning of November 24,1963 when Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby in the basement of the Dallas police station. The Board recently acquired the notes along with other papers and photographs found after Captain Fritz's death in 1984. The materials had been in the possession of the donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, until they were voluntarily turned over to the Board last month. "Captain Fritz's original notes on the Oswald interrogations add depth to the primary record of what went on during the hours following the shooting of the President while Oswald was in custody," said Dr. Henry F. Graff, a member of the Review Board. "The notes are important because a stenographer was not present and no audio recording was made during the interrogation sessions." Fritz told the Warren Commission in 1964 that he took no notes during the Oswald interrogations, but indicated that he later typed a report based on "rough notes" that were made "several days later." These notes are believed to be the ones acquired by the Review Board. They chronicle all of the key points of the Oswald interrogation, including his denials that he shot President Kennedy or owned a rifle, that he said nothing against the President and claimed that a photo of him holding a rifle was a forgery, with his head was superimposed on someone else's body. The notes end abruptly, showing the time of the last interrogation session on Sunday morning, November 24 as "10-11:15." Oswald was shot by Ruby a few minutes later. The Fritz notes are only the second set of original handwritten notes taken on the Oswald interrogations that have surfaced in the 34 years since the assassination. Earlier this year, the Review Board announced the acquisition of handwritten notes taken during the Oswald interrogation by former FBI agent James P. Hosty, Jr. The Fritz notes and other materials acquired by the Review Board have been transferred to the National Archives and Records Administration for inclusion in the JFK Collection, which is housed at the National Archives facility in College Park, Maryland. These materials are now available to researchers. Copies of Fritz's handwritten notes on the Oswald interrogation sessions and a transcription of the notes are available from the Assassination Records Review Board, 600 E Street, NW, Second Floor, Washington, DC 20530; telephone number: (202) 724-0088. Jim Root

David I am currently (and have been for the past year) tracking down more and more information about John B. Hurt, a Japanese linguist that retired from the NSA in August of 1963. Are you familier with the "Raleigh Call" (provides a reason for the attraction to the name---needless to say the place of employment is provacative as well)? This person first came to my attention about 5-6 years ago when I discovered a loose association between him and Edwin Walker that may have occured in 1935 and continued to 1941. The potential for this association has directed my research into the life of Edwin Walker from time to time. Although I have, as yet, not proven that they in fact knew each other, I have found that by following the signals intelligence angle Walkers career in intelligence has become much clearer (more than mere coincidence in my opinion). I have also been provided with unconfirmed information recently that Harrod Miller, a man known to be factually associated with NSA's John B. Hurt, visited Edwin Walker in the days following the assassination of JFK. If true, this would suggest an interesting circle: Walker to Hurt, Hurt to Miller, Miller to Walker. Followed by Hurt to Walker, Walker to Oswald (see Serendipity article), Oswald to Hurt. Only recently have I made contact with family member of John B. Hurt (see previous posts on this subject) and they have been more than helpful in expanding my information base about this man. For example I received information that indicated that Hurt was fluent in Russian as well as Japanese (perhaps explaining his longevity within the NSA). When querried about this expertise in Russian, an NSA spokesperson took nearly a month to respond. The response I received stated, in effect, that they could not confirm that he spoke Russian (which leads me to speculate that he was working on projects requiring this skill). Hurt family members have suggested that all of the work done since 1946 by Hurt is still classified to this day. A family member noted their frustration in being unable to uncover any information about the cold war work of John Hurt. Points of interest: John Hurts work dealing with the breaking of the Japanese diplomatic codes remained classified till after his death in 1966. Would this provide a reason to keep the name "John Hurt" out of the Warren Report? A name that only surfaced during the HSCA hearings (after the "Magic". Is it possible that since John B. Hurt left the United States in the days following his retirement (two months before the assassiantion of JFK) any person who would have a "need/reason" to contact this John Hurt might find a disconnected number (requiring the use of operators to attempt to locate a phone number for any John Hurt in a particular geographical area)? Is this an explanation for what did in fact occur? The NSA itself was still a classified agency, as I understand it, in 1963. Would associating a name directly linked to this classified agency with the assassination of JFK be a "bombshell?" Was Oswalds trip to Russia associated with codebreaking? The Venona Project, etc.? Was John B. Hurt associatated with the Venona Project? I find the possibility intriguing and a clearly understandable explanation for an organized governmental coverup of an assassination that involved a man connected to this type of activity (Oswald). Would a person/persons who had knowledge of this type of information be able to "play the cards" in such a way as to "stack the deck" toward a successful murder of the President of the United States? For myself I have named this person/persons "the Big Fish." Please refer to previous posts (leading to a Pentagon connection). Jim Root

All I took a moment to reread Marina Oswald's testimony in light of some of the comments made here. It seems possible that her understanding of the word "wallet" may have been different than what we would understand the word to mean. For example, I am a public official. I have a badge that is issued to me complete with identification etc. that can be used for official business. For the most part that "wallet" is kept at home and seldom sees daylight. I also transact buisness for an organization that I am involved with as well as a family corporation. For each of these entities I use a "wallet" that can be used to transport the days receipts or other pertinent information that I would need when dealing in the necessary day to day transactions. I guess you could say that I have many "wallets." Since it is my belief that Oswald had been "used" as an intelligence asset by (let me suggest at this time for arguments sake) the CIA or the KGB or you fill in the blank, it would seem logical, to me at least, that Oswald might want to "create," as the Warren Commission suggests, some false identities that he would use, as the Warren Commission suggests upon various occassions as circumstances would dictate. Forget innocence or guilt in the assassination of JFK. I would suggest that multiple identites (and perhaps "wallets") seem to fit the character of Oswald. Lee Harvey Oswald was a man who had every reason to believe that his movements were being monitored. In fact, we know that his movements were being monitored! On another note it seems that Oswald was capable of moving (knowingly) around in Mexico on more that one occassion. We know that he visited Mexico shortly before he defected to the Soviet Union (and displayed a knowledge that went beyound the first time traveler) and once shortly before the assassination of JFK (another visit shrouded in mystery). Does anyone else see a pattern here? Jim Root

John I will try to dig up information on the "Pro Blue" program in the near future. At present I am very busy and will remain so until about mid to late November. What is interesting to note is that in the post McCarthy era Army, the high command had encouraged the indoctrination of troops in a pro American way. This was not new. During WWII the "Why We Fight" series was produced to "encourage" our troops to "kill" the enemy, in many ways by making the enemy seem less than human. Propoganda itself is an art as old as the art of war and the successful practitioners of one form always work to become the successful practioners of the other. Walker's "pro blue" program was "exposed" by a magazine published for American soldiers and families who lived and served overseas (I believe the name of the magazine was the Overseas Weekly). Once again, for myself, it is not the "Pro Blue" program that is interesting. It is the timming of the introduction and trouble that it caused for Walker. Beginning within days of the State Department decision that Lee Harvey Oswald would be allowed to return to the US, the man that I believe passed information to Oswald while he traveled from London to Helsinki on October 10, 1959, began a program that would lead to his seperation from the military and his knew life in the "far right wing" movement in America. Think about this: If Oswald returned to the US and could identify Walker as the man who had helped him into the Soviet Union AND it was revealed that Oswald had in fact provided the Soviets with the information necessary to down Francis Gary Powers and the U-2 (which led to the failure of the Paris Peace Summit) the military/intelligence agencies in the US would have a whole lot of explaining to do. A resigned Walker, associated with the "far right' provides American intelligence with plausible deniability (to this day)! This line of thought also provides Oswald with a motive to assassinate Maj. General Edwin Anderson Walker. A detailed investigation into the military career of "Ted" Walker shows that he was linked to intelligence as early as 1933 and remained so for a majority of his career. Food for thought. Jim Root

General William Westmoreland, West Point Class of 1936, has passed from the stage of history. His legacy will be forever tied to the War in Vietnam. Perhaps history would have been a little different if not for a man named Lee Harvey Oswald. Upon graduation from West Point, Westmoreland and classmate Chester Clifton would be assigned to a Field Artillery unit commanded by Edwin Walker. They would stay under his command for several years and even follow Walker to Hawaii in the years prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It seems that the same hand that guided Walker's career was involved in the development and promotion of William Westmoreland. Westmoreland followed Maxwell Taylor to the Pentagon when Taylor was Army Chief of Staff during the Eisenhower administration. Westmoreland would be named Superintendent of West Point in 1960. He would receive his third star and take command of US forces in Vietnam in 1964. In later years Edwin Walker would suggest that it was he who was being groomed to command in Vietnam. In hindsight it is interesting to note that Westmoreland was junior to Walker in rank and had in fact spent years under the command of Walker who would have been involved in Westmoreland's earliest military training. Walker with two stars in 1960 and a division commander with years of combat experience was strategically positioned to recieve a third star and a command assignment in Vietnam. What happened? We know that the "Pro Blue" program happened. We know that Walker resigned from the Army as a result of this "program" that began within days after Lee Harvey Oswald applied to return to the United States from the Soviet Union. Was Westmoreland Taylor's second choice? In many attempts to contact Westmoreland and the people that have surrounded him in is final years, I never received a reply to my specific questions. Jim Root

Coincidence? Just a few for fun....... Both General Edwin Walker and Lee Harvey Oswald were traveling in Europe at the same time in October 1959. Lee Harvy Oswald's exact route to Helsinki from London remains a mystery till this day. At the time of the Warren Commission passenger lists would still have been available from this time period. Although they had apparently never met, Edwin Walker received a letter from John J. McCloy five month before the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Cadet Edwin Walker was a student of Maxwell Taylor while at West Point. A quick review of Walker's military career shows that this relationship with Taylor was instrumental in both mens careers. General Edwin Walker's "Pro Blue" program (that led to his resignation from the Army) began just days after the State Department's legal staff decided that Oswald would be allowed to return to the United States. Chester Clifton, Jr. (Senior military aide to Pres. Kennedy and in the motorcade on Nov. 22nd) first commanding officier upon graduation from West Point was Edwin Walker. Marshall Carter (Deputy Director of the CIA at the time of the assassination) was a West Point classmate of Edwin Walker (1931) Edwin Walker would be rushed out of Hawaii (Schofield Barracks and the Fort Shafter listening post where Japanese messages were intercepted) just 32 days before the attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1935 Walker would cross paths with John B. Hurt (Japanese linguist involved with breaking the Japanese Code during WWII). Hurt would remain an employee of the NSA until August 1963. Lee Harvy Oswald would fail in his attempt to contact a John Hurt after his arrest in Dallas. At exactly 7:00 AM the morning following the assassination, Edwin Walker (while staying at a hotel in Shreveport, LA) would conduct a telephone interview with a German newspaper that would first print the strory stating that Lee Harvey Oswald had attempted to assassiante Walker. Edwin Walker's personal papers are stored at the University of Texas. They are restricted from researchers with NO date stated for availability. Jim Root

Harry "Edwin A. Walker, removed from command and forced into retirement by the Kennedy administration,was acting on his own behalf,as much as for the 'new Americanist order' that he served in both military and civilian life. Walker was more than a leader of ultra-conservatism. He was an arrogant, powerless, but explosive force, enjoying the praise of his LDS/JBS co-conspirators and followers. When Kennedy entered Texas, his life was in the deadly hands of 'extremist veteran riflemen' of Walkers former Munich, Germany 24th infantry command! Harry Dean, 1990" Why do you suppose Walker did not suggest the use of former members of the 99th Battalion (over 100 became OSS Agents including William Colby), FSSF members (many went on to be covert operatives for the CIA) or members of the Korean War Rangers "as Gerry Hemming suggests) which Walker trained? It seems that Walker would have known of many better trained 'extremist veteran riflemen' than those found in, "Walkers former Munich, Germany 24th infantry command!" Just a thought. Jim Root