David Andrews

If Hurt did call, we have no obligation to except the widow's explanation that it was an innocent, if deranged, contact. Did they keep records of who called in to Oswald? It seems that that would be of interest to DPD or FBI, even the death threat calls.

There's a past thread on this architecture and on the "Don't shoot!" incident, from not very long ago (I think within the last two years).

Also that quaver in his voice where he was struggling not to burst into tears. Man felt all bad about being misunderstood over something. We'll never know. See "...nobody has said that to me yet..." and "..when the newspaper reporters in the hall..." c. 0:46 to 0.54, for heartbreak.

Thanks.

Where's the link, please?

Thanks, Sandy. It would be interesting to see the revised forgery make it into a broadcast documentary, for comparison purposes.

Nobody will like this post. In The Men Who Killed Kennedy, the Corsican Mob criminal Christian David gave hints to the assassination, and claimed that the real story was in an envelope that his lawyer would open if David were released. David, and interviewer Steve Rivele, have since been discredited. However, one of the hints David dropped was (paraphrase): "You have to understand, one of the shots was almost on the level" (with the limo). I've always wondered if we could count on the designation "one of the shots" as insider information on a shooting position, perhaps heard third-hand, and perhaps true. Dealey Plaza offers several sites to ponder where that one shooting position was: Grassy Knoll, Dal-Tex window, others. I won't blame anyone for discounting this, and there are plenty of reasons to.

When Wilkinson and Whitehead, and then Mantik and Janney, rechecked the museum film, did the "hair and natural looking shadows" appear authentic (as in, no head wound blowout), or appear to have been put in by a better forgery artist? I believe I listened to this podcast, but didn't catch that.

Larry, what do you make of Nagell telling Russell (second edition) that he took a boat across the Gulf to Cuba and met with Raul Castro for the KGB? I'm pressed for time, so I can't look up better context for this.

Where was Oswald when the lights went out? Was Shelley with him on the front steps? Let's go interview Jim Leavelle about this bit: [Victoria Adams]...told JFK investigator/author Barry Ernest, "One time [at 8:00 PM, February 17, 1964], a detective from the Dallas police (James Leavelle) came to my apartment, showed his badge, and asked to talk with me. I asked him why he needed to talk with me since I had already given my testimony to the Dallas Police. 'Oh,' he responded, 'the records were all burned in a fire we had and we have to interview everyone again. So I once again said the same thing, which at that point felt like ad nauseum." The officer's sudden appearance that evening was strange too because Ms. Adams had only the day before moved to this location, a new apartment. She had not yet notified anyone--not her boss, associates in her office, or even the post office--of her change of address. The apartment was even rented in her roommate's name. Ms. Adams became nervous about how the police had found her and, in hindsight, figures she must somehow have been followed (The Girl on the Stairs). https://harveyandlee.net/TSBD_Elevator/TSBD_elevator.html#Electricity

I can take the side of the critics also: the more yuk-yuk humor, spook-show mannerisms, annoying rock songs, and crushing synthesizer theme music, the less I trust a podcast or care to sit through it. Dallas Action has just enough substance to overcome its faults. Just. It's like Car Talk on NPR - some people tune in for the over-the-top comedy; others (me) get turned off, and turn it off. And God knows I hold no brief against comedy.

To mention, the Dallas Action podcast host that I cited on another thread held up multi-level, stepped planning (similar to the paper presented in DJ's first post) as the reason Harvey and McCone turned on Lansdale and urged Helms to take him out of the loop. Harvey wrote of requisites like Lansdale's that “Under these conditions, units will lack the flexibility and professionalism needed.” This was in response to a 16-point paper of Lansdale's on Mongoose, not the one DJ linked to. For the Dallas Action podcast host, this reaction was a signal that Lansdale was not used in the assassination planning. Helms' written refusal to sideline or remove Lansdale from Mongoose (saying EGL should be handled politically and not bureaucratically) may indicate otherwise. However it fell out, it would be good to look at the Harvey-McCone memo and Helms' response to get a better read on Lansdale's activities, foreign and domestic. Here's the podcast link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/7338953/107-april-8-2017-the-lansdale-deviation

The Dulles book ghostwritten by Howard Hunt, goes the legend.

Not a bad interpretation. Did you listen to the internal documents as read in the podcast, though?

I hear you. But so far Dallas Action podcasts are generally worth suffering through for the gems. And I hate everything, so... Every podcast on conspiracy topics is a tendentiousness crapshoot, anyway..."You never know what you gonna get." One way to outflank the MSM would be to sound as professional as it does. But even the best CT podcast out there is handicapped by crushing synthesizer theme music.

I dunno yet. Prouty claimed that CIA was calling the shots on Lansdale's tenure at Defense. How many serving military officers were ever in line for an ambassadorship? EDIT: Helms' memo responded to Harvey's complaint (seconded by McCone) that Lansdale's plans to augment Operation Mongoose were ungainly and inoperable. Helms noted that Lansdale was useful for work that other CIA leadership would otherwise be tasked with themselves - so it's possible that Helms' recommendation that Lansdale be handled politically and not bureaucratically in future was Helms' indulgence and protection of Lansdale, in case of need. What's interesting is Helms' expression that it was common knowledge among them that Lansdale's position in the Agency was not to be tampered with. Yet Lansdale retires soon...

The photo taken of Doris Mumford from behind resembles Christina's World, by Andrew Wyeth. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/78455

Interesting Dallas Report podcast with minority opinion on Ed Lansdale's involvement in the assassination planning, based on prior CIA internal documents among Helms, Harvey and McCone: https://www.spreaker.com/user/7338953/107-april-8-2017-the-lansdale-deviation On the other hand...if Dealey Plaza was "the blackest of black operations"...then... One question to be considered: Why would Helms claim in a memo that Lansdale was a political fixture at CIA who had to be kept on and worked around, despite his unworkable contributions? Who put and maintained Lansdale in this unassailable position? The podcast cites deputy Defense secretary Roswell Gilpatric for making Lansdale a general. Fletcher Prouty said Dulles urged him to put Lansdale on LeMay's promotions list. But who kept Lansdale above Helms, Harvey and McCone's disapprobation?

This was more worthwhile than I thought. Nagell's only in the second half, and the dialogue is Texas-loquacious as all hell, but sometimes review of a subject by others points you to things you'd overlooked.

Nagell had to dodge and weave, and it was in his character to buck as well. He was a sardonic jokester, the refuge of the disillusioned and used. The facts of his predictions remain. He was one species of the quintessential modern man confronted with the absurdity of spy games beyond his powers of reason, leading to fatality for too many people. Howard Hunt, John Martino, David Ferrie, more - these were other species. The most troublesome and infuriating part of Nagell's professions - and of Dick Russel's research - is the refusal, or inability, to define Oswald precisely. That definition is the the key to Nagell's locks.

Mrs. CHARLES HESTER, 2619 Keyhole Street, Irving, Texas, advised that sometime around 12:30 p.m., on November 22, 1963, she and her husband were standing along the street at a place immediately preceding the underpass on Elm Street, where President KENNEDY was shot. Mrs. HESTER advised she heard two loud noises which sounded like gunshots, and she saw president KENNEDY slump in the seat of the car he was riding in. Her husband then grabbed her and shoved her to the ground. Shortly thereafter they went across to the north side of the street on an embankment in an attempt to gain shelter. She stated that she believes she and her husband actually had been in the direct line of fire. She did not see anyone with a gun when the shots were fired and stated she could not furnish any information as to exactly where the shots came from. After the President's car had pulled away from the scene. she and her husband proceeded to their car and left the scene as she was very upset. -- FBI Report 11/25/1963 I find, in recorded eyewitness testimony as well as in my work experience, that not only is witness and memory unreliable, but half the struggle for accuracy is that people are not equipped to describe things well, in proper vocabulary and complete context. Would this description fly in modern investigation? (I'm afraid so): "she and her husband were standing along the street at a place immediately preceding the underpass on Elm Street [...] Shortly thereafter they went across to the north side of the street on an embankment in an attempt to gain shelter." Note that in the FBI versions of both Hesters' statement, the Hesters are placed on the south side of Elm before the shooting. So it is also with the descriptive powers of other DP witnesses and law enforcement.

You are correct, sirs - the Hesters did not appear before the WC. However - for that full Hester feeling, identity questions and government involvement and all - see the extensive discussion in the back threads. Here is the McAdams site listing of the Hesters' statements. http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/wit.htm Hester, Charles 11/22/63 Affidavit, 11/25/63 FBI report Witness at assassination scene. Hester, Mrs. Charles November 25, 1963, FBI report

Just to offer again that in some back thread here, doubt was cast that the "Hester" couple who were seen around the west Pergola bench, and who were photographed on news film from a press car crouching on the center Pergola lawn, with Mr. Hester running to look out the Pergola's back windows, were actually the Hesters who later gave testimony.

Would love to see a series on the organizational restructuring of CIA, the change in department titles and repurposing of offices, since the cold war days we all know so well.