Bernice Moore

Agreed Pat, the shots certainly did not come from one direction, to be fair, when the top was off the xp 100, that left a roof support bar, behind the front seat, which the POTUS also used as a support bar when standing on parade.....Kellerman perhaps would have had to have been an olympic jumper to have cleared it and accessed the back seat.....b

Pat here is the latest insert, appears much interest in his book on the web.......thanks b...http://www.dailymail...sassinated.html

quote..Pat....''Hill's recent claim supports this almost certain lie. Perhaps he now recalls it this way. Or perhaps he thinks his claiming this will help fend off calls for a re-inspection of Kennedy's body.''

There is interest in Balma's painting.....here is some

Further information on the '' pieta'', painting, which was on display at the vatican....b

It is a painting the artists rendition, of how he thought the dramatic scene would have appeared.....

His name is Mark Balma......it is controversial and was......still is...

Clint covered his head and shoulders, only after

she would not release him, when covered she did so....

B....

Minnesotan's Kennedy Assassination painting destined for Vatican

Minnesota native Mark Balma has painted Presidents before, including Ford, Reagan and George H.W. Bush, but they always posed and were depicted is a scene from their lives. Now, Balma has rendered a presidential work darker and much more spiritual.

It is a moment of history, a snapshot of the Kennedy assassination that was never captured by any camera.

"Mrs. Kennedy, after arriving at Parkland Hospital, refused to let go of the President," Balma explained, recalling one line in the Warren Commission Report that caught his attention. The First Lady had to be gently coaxed to release the mortally wounded President from her lap in the limousine, so he could be taken to the emergency room.

The 1963 murder in Dallas was the end of innocence for a generation of Americans, including the now 50 year old Balma. There is a distinct difference between this work and his earlier paintings.

"Well, in this painting, I really tried to capture the idea of both frenzy and yet a still moment. In the background, there are figures which are softer and even slightly blurred and almost like a movie still where there is motion in the background and where the most amount of refinement is in Mrs. Kennedy."

Balma waved his hand over the 5 by 7 foot oil. "She becomes the emotional place that I think most of the public looked to in the months after the assassination, more so than President Johnson."

Balma calls the painting "Pieta", like Michelangelo's famous sculpture of Mary holding the crucified Jesus. The First Lady?s iconic pink suit has been reproduced, not just in oil and canvas, but in cloth and thread. The original blood-spattered garment is sealed in the National Archives until 2060.

http://www.kare11.co...?storyid=138787

Minnesotan's JFK painting bound for Vatican

by Chris Roberts, Minnesota Public Radio

November 15, 2006

Listen to feature audio

A controversial painting of John F. Kennedy's dying moments is on display at the Cathedral of St. Paul. The unveiling of the painting corresponds with a week-long symposium the church has convened on the Kennedy assassination.

http://minnesota.pub...11/15/jfkpieta/

B........

Pat here is the latest insert, appears much interest in his book on the web.......thanks b...http://www.dailymail...sassinated.html

quote..Pat....''Hill's recent claim supports this almost certain lie. Perhaps he now recalls it this way. Or perhaps he thinks his claiming this will help fend off calls for a re-inspection of Kennedy's body.''

below mark balma's pieta, painting, for the vatican...b

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=14521

Manchurian thread.....b

This mAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU BILL....exc caps...thanks.b

DPD Structure: November 1963

Ian Griggs examines the basic structure and organisation of the Dallas Police Department in November 1963. Ian will be updating this information with material on the Criminal Investigation Depatment and Crime Scene Service Section later.

Introduction

As a retired career police officer in the U.K. (1971-1994) it is only natural that one of my specialist areas of research into the assassination of President Kennedy should be the Dallas Police Department. I have studied the DPD for several years, naturally concentrating on the period between 22nd and 24th November 1963. Inevitably, I have occasionally made comparisons between the DPD of 1963 and its modern counterpart. Similarly I have sometimes compared the differences in general policing methods, particularly in the investigative field, as carried out in the USA and the UK.

Through my research activities, including over a dozen visits to the USA, I have come to know US police officers based in various cities, of different ranks, with many specialist responsibilities and of both sexes. These contacts, particularly those in the Dallas Police Department itself, have proved of immense value. I firmly believe that the police service worldwide represents a form of 'club' and like Freemasons or the Rotary Club, every individual member can quickly locate a fellow member no matter where he may find himself.

In this paper, I have leant heavily on certain extracts from the Warren Commission 26 Volumes, including the testimony of many DPD officers, plus other official sources, documents traced and located in the US National Archives, certain documentation found during visits to City Hall, Dallas, the official history of the Dallas Police Department (Partners in Blue by Carlton Stowers) and personal meetings with serving and retired DPD officers.

As well as explaining the way each Division of the Department was divided up into its individual component parts, I have identified senior supervisory officers and included brief notes of some of the more notable individuals.

It is my hope and intention that this paper may become a valuable resource for future researchers seeking basic information on the organisational structure of the Dallas Police Department at the time of the assassination. With that in mind, it is also intended to publish this paper in the November 1998 issue of The Dealey Plaza Echo, the research journal of Dealey Plaza UK.

The Numerical Strength of the Department

During a brief WFAA-TV street interview outside the Texas School Book Depository on the afternoon of Friday 22nd November 1963, DPD Captain J. Herbert Sawyer was asked how many police officers there were in Dallas. He replied: "Approximately thirteen hundred". His estimate was very close. In November 1963 the total number of DPD employees was 1,287, comprising 1,067 police officers (not including the Police Reserve) plus 220 civilians.

The first name on any list of DPD personnel was that of Jesse Curry, in his capacity as Chief of Police. He had assumed overall control of the DPD in 1960 and remained in that position until his retirement in 1966. Perhaps ironically, the final name on the DPD personnel list was that of somebody who may or may not have played a part in the assassination of President Kennedy but who was virtually unknown until 1990 when his son came forward to claim that his late father has shot JFK. I refer, of course, to Roscoe Anthony White. In November 1963, Roscoe White was one of three members of Recruit Class No. 79 who were described as 'awaiting school'.

Of the 1,067 police officers, only five were female. None had been promoted from the lowly rank of Policewoman and all five were employed in the Juvenile Bureau. This is a far cry from today's DPD where one of my contacts at City Hall is a charming lady who holds the position of Deputy Chief in the Crimes Against Persons Bureau. Much of this changed attitude towards female officers emanated from the progressive policies of Frank Dyson (DPD Chief of Police, 1969-1979) who 'inherited' eleven policewomen when he assumed his post. He had the foresight to realize that they were capable of far more than just dealing with juveniles and he not only assigned them to other tasks but also brought about a steady increase in their numbers. He also allowed them to step on to the promotion ladder for the first time.

The civilian employees, 118 male, 102 female, filled a very wide variety of posts including clerks, typists, stenographers, telephone clerks, jailers, porters, auto pound drivers, etc.

In addition to the regular police officers there was a Police Reserve which appears to have fulfilled much the same role as the Special Constabulary in the UK. I have been unable to establish its precise strength but it operated under a Captain of Police and for administrative purposes was deemed part of the Training and Research Section. The Police Reserve is not included in my figures for the DPD numerical strength above.

Structure of the Department

Headquarters and Administration

Chief of Police Curry maintained a staff of 15 police offficers (including himself) as Headquarters personnel. They were supported by eight highly-qualified female civilians who were responsible for a wide range of clerical duties.

Curry's second-in-command was Assistant Chief of Police Charles Batchelor, the man who would succeed him as Chief (1966-1969) There were then five Deputy Chiefs of Police, one in command of each of the Criminal Investigation, Patrol, Traffic and Service Divisions, plus one whose responsibilities were concerned with Civil Defence and Disaster Control. Chief Curry's Administrative Assistant was Captain Glen D. King, another of his staff who would later become Chief (1979).

Special Service Bureau

Following these HQ and Administrative offices, was the Special Service Bureau; the first of the specialised departments.

It operated under the command of Captain W. P. ('Pat') Gannaway who was supported by six Lieutenants, 34 regular Detectives, 14 Patrolmen who were temporarily assigned to the Bureau, and four female civilians (one stenographer and three clerk-typists). The 14 'temporarily assigned' men were what we in the UK would call Aides to CID or TDCs (Temporary Detective Constables).

Initially, I had great difficulty in working out what the Special Service Bureau actually did. I soon established that 18 police officers, including Captain Gannaway, plus one of the female civilians, were mentioned in the Warren Commission 26 Volumes. Indeed, eight of them actually testified before the Commission and three of them had their names as titles of Commission Exhibits Careful study of the appropriate testimony, together with other DPD documents in my possession, finally enabled me to work out the purpose and responsibilities of the Special Service Bureau.

It was basically a covert surveillance and intelligence-gathering unit which, as well as the Criminal Intelligence Squad (CIS), encompassed the Vice Squad and the Narcotics Squad, etc. Its regular officers were plain clothes detectives and the temporarily assigned Patrolmen were there for one of two reasons. Some were genuinely 'on trial' or undergoing training prior to becoming full-time detectives whilst others had been drafted in from the uniform branch to undertake basic undercover work in areas where their faces would not be known. A similar system exists in the UK, and probably in other countries, today.

The testimony of Lieutenant Jack Revill (in 1982 to reach the rank of Assistant Chief) is very revealing in indicating the duties and responsibilities of the Special Service Bureau. He stated: "I am presently in charge of the criminal intelligence section." Later he outlined the overall task of the bureau: "Our primary responsibility is to investigate crimes of an organised nature, subversive activities, racial matters, labor racketeering, and to do anything that the chief might desire. We work for the chief of police. I report to a captain who is in charge of the bureau - Captain Gannaway." Revill later indicated that he had been assigned to an investigative panel whose task was to determine how Jack Ruby had gained access to the City Hall basement where he shot Oswald. This type of enquiry was obviously also the responsibility of the Special Service Bureau.

For a very revealing account of the functions of the CIS, see Philip H. Melanson's article Dallas Mosaic, published in The Third Decade, Vol. 1, No. 3, (March 1985), pages 12-15. Among other things, Dr Melanson mentions that "the spooky little unit was physically removed from the rest of the DPD and was headquartered in a building on the state fairgrounds" (source IV HSCA 597). The use of the word "spooky" may or may not be a deliberate clue to something rather sinister!

The Patrol Division

The Patrol Division, the first of the four Divisions into which the majority of DPD personnal was divided, was by far the largest in terms of manpower. Deputy Chief of Police N. T. Fisher was its overall commandeer In November 1963, it had 526 members of whom all but three were police officers. They ranged in rank from Captain (just three) to Patrolmen (463). The DPD Canine Corps was also part of the Patrol Division. It consisted of just one Sergeant and two Patrolmen/Dog Handlers and had been formed in 1961 with the purchase of three German Shepherds. From the DPD radio log transcripts, it appears that both dog-handlers were on duty on 22nd November - but without their dogs (CE 1974, page 176 of exhibit).

Like the Traffic and Service Divisions, the Patrol Division was divided up into three Platoons. This represented nothing more than a basic revolving eight-hour shift pattern. The First Platoon worked from midnight to 8am, the Second Platoon from 8am to 4pm and the Third Platoon from 4pm to midnight. Obviously, that roster put the Second Platoon on duty during the hours of the presidential visit. In view of the additional manpower necessary to ensure the President's safety (!) some members of the other platoons were called in to assist.

Each Platoon was under the control of a Platoon Commander, these officers being the three Captains of Police mentioned earlier: William B. Frazier (First Platoon), Cecil E. Talbert (Second Platoon) and James M. Souter (Third Platoon). Each Platoon was then divided into a Headquarters Station and three Substations, one each for the North East Area, North West Area and South West Area. I have not yet established the exact geographical locations of these areas but I know that the NW Substation area included Love Field and the SW Substation was also known as the Oak Cliff Substation.

Several members of the Second Platoon of the Patrol Division have become well-known names through their actions or otherwise during the period 22nd-24th November 1963. Five that immediately spring to mind are: Patrolman J.D. Tippit, the man who came on duty but never completed the shift; Patrolmen Billy L. Bass and Marvin L. Wise, the officers who initially dealt with the so-called three tramps; Patrolman Roy S. Vaughn, who failed to notice Ruby enter the City Hall basement via the Main Street ramp and Patrolman Maurice N. ("Nick") McDonald, the officer who sustained the scratched cheek during his struggle to arrest Oswald in the Texas Theatre.

The 463 officers holding the rank of Patrolman were very much the 'foot soldiers' of the Dallas Police Department. During the events of 22nd November 1963, they were assigned both static and patrolling duties on foot, plus driving and observer tasks in police cruisers, that wonderful unique American expression for patrolling police cars.

The Traffic Division

This Division, the next largest in size after the Patrol Division, comprised 176 Police Officers and three civilians. It was under the command of Deputy Chief Ray H Lunday. He took no active part in the events of either 22nd or 24th November but was on duty in his office on the third floor of City Hall on the 22nd. He had, however, taken a leading part in the planning of the motorcade route through Dallas.

The Traffic Division was divided into five distinct components. These were Traffic Control; the Accident Prevention Bureau; a group of seven Special Assignment Men, ten School Safety Officers and the Solo Motorcycle and Special Enforcement Detail.

Traffic Control

This was by far the largest of the five elements and like the Patrol Division it was composed of three Platoons, each working an eight-hour shift. Here, however, the shift hours were structured in such a way that there were more officers on duty during the day than at night. The First Platoon worked from 7am to 3pm with the Second Platoon overlapping as it worked 10am to 6pm. The Third Platoon then overlapped again, working 3pm to 11pm. Traffic Control was under the overall command of Captain R. A. Thompson.

Each platoon consisted of either one or two Sergeants, between 11 and 15 Patrolmen (on foot), between ten and 19 three-wheel motorcycle officers and one female civilian clerk.. The foot Patrolmen were deployed at static posts throughout the downtown area and because these were mainly at road intersections the officers were known within the DPD as "corner men" (7H 578).

The Accident Prevention Bureau

This element was commanded by Captain Perdue William Lawrence. In the absence of Captain Thompson, he took over operational command of the entire Traffic Division on the day of the assassination and had previously worked with Deputy Chief Lunday on the motorcade assignments.

The bureau, which presumably carried out exactly the duties its title suggests, consisted of four shift sections organised in an overlapping rota system which covered the period 7.00am to 2.00am. One Lieutenant, four Sergeants and 32 Patrolmen made up the unit. Two of its members, both normally employed as accident investigators, were Patrolmen J. C. White and J. W. Foster. These two officers were deployed on the triple underpass during the motorcade. Another accident investigator, Patrolman Charles T. Walker, found himself very closely involved in the arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald and the subsequent removal of Oswald to City Hall (7H 34-43).

Special Assignment Men

These seven individuals present something of a problem. They appear to come under the command of a Sergeant but neither their ranks nor their responsibilities are easy to find. Perhaps they were some sort of back-up or reserve. Only one of them warrants a mention in the 26 Volumes, E. L. Crenshaw being described by another officer as a Detective. This, however, is only in connection with a semi-clerical task a couple of days after the assassination (12H 214).

School Safety Officers

Ten individuals are listed and named. No supervisory officer is identified and they all performed duties from 7.30am to 4.30pm. Perhaps they were the Dallas equivalent of lollipop men! Not surprisingly, none of them is mentioned in the Warren Report or the 26 Volumes.

The Solo Motorcycle and Special Enforcement Detail

This unit played a major part in the presidential motorcade and several of its members have become well-known to researchers. Obvious names which spring to mind include motorcyclists Bobby Hargis (splattered with blood and brain tissue as he rode slightly behind and to the left of the presidential limousine), Marrion Baker(encountered Oswald inside the TSBD), Hollis B McLain (thought by some researchers to be responsible for the 'open mike') and the ubiquitous E.D. ('Buddy') Brewer (one of the lead motorcyclists through Dealey Plaza and on to Stemmons; proceeded to TSBD, was on sixth floor when three empty shells and rifle were found, claimed to have seen the paper sack - later stated that his "primary job was traffic control"!)

The detail was made up of four Sergeants, ten officers on radar duties (in cars) and 22 solo motorcyclists. These officers were divided into two shifts and together they covered the daily period 6.00am to midnight. On 22nd November 1963, however, I can trace only that three of the four Sergeants were on duty, together with 15 of the 22 motorcyclists. I can find no available record of the duties of the radar car drivers for that day.

You are advised to consult Todd Wayne Vaughan's Presidential Motorcade Schematic Listing, (self-published, 1993) for full details of the motorcyclists, their exact positions in the motorcade and their actions following the shooting. Oddly enough, although 18 motorcyclists rode in the motorcade, only five were asked to testify before the Warren Commission (Hargis, Baker, Brewer, Martin and Haygood).

The Service Division

This was an administrative rather than an operational Division and perhaps for this reason it had the highest percentage of civilian employees of any of the four Divisions. Its total strength of 284 was comprised of just 97 police officers and 187 civilians. The Division was based mainly at DPD HQ (City Hall) with a few members at the three substations. Overall command of the Division rested with Deputy Chief of Police George L. Lumpkin and each of its separate elements - bureaux, sections, etc. - had its own head.

Several units within the Service Division played important roles in the events of 22nd November 1963 and the days immediately following.

The Identification Bureau

This small bureau was under the command of Captain George M Doughty and was made up of just one operational section. It was located on the fourth floor of City Hall.

The Fingerprint Section

Supervised by Lieutenant Karl P. Knight, this section was staffed by five full-time Detectives, two Acting Detectives and four male civilian clerks. The Section was concerned with the physical fingerprinting of suspects rather than actual crime scene examination. The photograph and fingerprints of Lee Harvey Oswald were taken by members of the section about an hour before his arraignment in the early hours of Saturday 23rd November (4H 248).

Apart from Lieutenant Knight, only two members of the section were named in the 26 Volumes. Detective Edwin (or Edward) E. Carlson seemed to be on very good terms with Jack Ruby. An FBI Report stated that "Carlson is of the opinion that he, Carlson, knows more about Ruby than any other officer of the Dallas Police Department." (CE 1180). Acting Detective James M Craft was responsible for taking the well-known portrait photograph of Patrolman McDonald showing the scratches on his cheek sustained during Oswald's arrest (4H 277).

The Crime Scene Search Section

This important element played a major part in the immediate aftermath to the assassination, and its head, Lieutenant John Carl Day, became one of the best-known DPD figures. Lieut Day had just eight Detectives under him. Several of them were to become very well-known through their involvement in various ways. For example, Paul L. Bentley (the man with the big cigar at the Oswald arrest), Richard W ("Rusty") Livingstone (co-author of 1993 book First Day Evidence), Willie E. ("Pete") Barnes (DPD Tippit murder scene photographer - also administered the paraffin test to Oswald) and John B. Hicks (took Oswald's fingerprints on the evening of 22nd November and assisted Barnes with the paraffin test).

Headquarters Section

By far the largest part of the Service Division, the Headquarters Section consisted of 79 police officers and 183 civilians. They were split up into three Platoons, once again operating in a revolving eight-hour shift system (11pm to 7am, 7am to 3pm and 3pm to 11pm). The great majority of the personnel was based at City Hall where they filled the posts of Radio Dispatcher, Telephone Clerk, Jailer, Jail Guard, Jail Matron, Relief Patrolman, Jail Cook and Porter.

Each Platoon was under the command of a Lieutenant and other Lieutenants were in charge of the jail (within City Hall).

As far as the events of 22nd November 1963 are concerned, one of the most important people was undoubtedly Sergeant Gerald Dalton Henslee. He supervised the radio dispatcher's office and was also the police dispatcher for channel 2. His is the voice that can be heard on that channel during the presidential visit. Although his normal period of duty that day should have been 7am to 3pm, he did, in fact work from 6.30am to about 5.30pm. I cannot help but mention that prior to joining the DPD, one of his previous jobs had been as a dance instructor with the Arthur Murray Dance Studios (6H 325).

As mentioned above, the jail-based personnel came under the Headquarters Section umbrella. These comprised three Jailers, six Assistant Jailers, three Jail Matrons, 22 Jail Guards, 19 Jail Clerks and one Jail Cook. These posts were all filled by civilians.

Warrant Section and Court Bailiffs

The Service Division included the Warrant Section which was under the command of a Sergeant and had 20 uniformed officers performing what were basically clerical duties. He was supported by a female civilian clerk.

The four Court Bailiffs (civilians) were also included in the Service Division.

Property Bureau

This bureau, under the command of a Police Captain (James M. English) supported by two Patrolmen and one General Clerk, was made up of the Property Room Section and the Automobile Pound Sction. A total of 33 personnel was employed in the bureau but none of them warrants a mention anywhere in the Warren Report. One name, however, may be familiar to those researchers who have studied the lists of property - particularly that seized during the searches of Oswald's rooming house and the Paine house.

Herman W. Hill was the Property Room Supervisor, and he, almost alone, was responsible for literally thousands of case exhibits. Everything from the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle to Lee Harvey Oswald's socks passed through his hands and his name and signature appear on dozens of police property receipts (see CE 2003: 24H 332-344). If any one DPD employee performed his duties in an exemplary fashion, and maybe deserved a gong for his performance, it was this man.

The Automobile Pound Section, under the command of Sergeant Thomas C. Sewell backed up by a Patrolman, was manned by 16 civilians. These ranged from Pound Supervisors to Wrecker Drivers and it appears that their duties were similar to the towaway crews we now have in the UK.

The Records Bureau/Information Desk

The final element of the Service Division was known as the Records Bureau. As well as that actual bureau, it included the Information Desk. It comprised 49 male and female civilians employed as clerks and stenographers of various grades and under the supervision of Captain of Police O. T. Slaughter supported by a Sergeant and two Patrolmen.

The Criminal Investigation Division

By the very nature of its purpose and responsibilities, this obviously became one of the busiest and most important elements of the Dallas Police Department on the afternoon of 22nd November 1963 and immediately after. It was composed of five separate bureaux and was under the overall command of Deputy Chief of Police M. W. Stevenson.

The Homicide and Robbery Bureau

The members of this bureau naturally looked upon themselves as the elite. They could easily be recognised as they were the ones wearing the white hats. Captain John William ("Will") Fritz was in overall charge of the bureau, with two assistants: Lieutenants James A Bohart and Ted P. Wells. Fritz was to retire in 1970 after 49 years as a law enforcement officer. The rest of the bureau was made up of just 18 Detectives and two temporarily-assigned Patrolmen. Space precludes lengthy accounts of the parts played by each individual Homicide Detective but I feel that mention should be made of the two who appear in the celebrated photographs of the Oswald shooting.

Homicide Detective James R. ("Jim") Leavelle became possibly the most readily recognizable member of the entire Dallas Police Department through the graphic images of live TV followed by worldwide photographic coverage. He is the Detective wearing the light suit and white Resistol hat who was handcuffed to Oswald when Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby. He remains convinced to this day that Oswald was guilty of killing both Kennedy and Tippit and is adamant that convictions would have been secured on both counts. The other Detective escorting Oswald that day was the late L. C. Graves, also a member of the Homicide & Robbery Bureau.

During a visit to DPD Headquarters in June 1995, fellow UK researcher Rick Caster and myself were shown the original 1963 Monthly Time Book and Pay-Roll ledger for Homicide & Robbery. The November section lists every officer from Captain Fritz down, plus two stenographers (Margaret R. Moody and Mary P. Rattan) who had probably been temporarily drafted in from the Forgery Bureau (see below). The exact duty disposition of each individual is clearly shown, together with some revealing sidenotes. I am convinced that this document has never been seen by any other researcher. It is currently kept inside a cupboard within the Crimes Against Persons Division admin office.

Juvenile Bureau

This was under the command of Captain Frank Martin, supported by three Lieutenants. Its main strength, however, lay in its complement of 25 Detectives, two Patrolmen temporarily assigned and the only five Policewomen in the DPD. Several members of this bureau were part of the large police presence engaged in the ultimately unsuccessful protection of Oswald in the City Hall basement garage but no member of this bureau appears to have been involved in the tragic events of 22nd November.

Burglary and Theft Bureau

This was the largest individual unit within the CID, having a total of 54 members. Captain Walter C. Fannin was in charge and he was assisted by five Lieutenants. There were 42 full-time Detectives and six Patrolmen temporarily attached. Once again, I cannot trace that any member of this bureau was directly involved in the events of 22nd November or its immediate aftermath.

The Auto Theft Bureau

This unit was headed by Captain J. C. Nichols, with three Lieutenants and 24 full-time Detectives. One of them was to gain fame (or should that be notoriety) for the part he played in the happenings on the sixth floor of the TSBD in the hour or so after the shooting.

I refer, of course, to Detective Robert Lee Studebaker. At the time of the Kennedy assassination, this officer was on temporary assignment to the Crime Scene Search Section of the Identification Bureau. One must ask why, after just seven weeks instruction with the Crime Scene Search Section, a trainee like Studebaker was let loose on what could be described as the most important crime-scene in the history of the United States. His task was to assist Lieutenant Day in photographing the scene. When asked by the Warren Commission what photographic experience he had, Studebaker replied: "Just home photography." His expertise with a camera can be demonstrated by reference to Studebaker Exhibit C (21H 645) which is a photograph showing the semi-hidden rifle.. He confirmed that he had taken the photograph by saying: "I know it's mine because my knees are in the picture." (7H 140).

He was also allowed to run around the crime scene with a fingerprint dusting kit and he proceeded to cover everything with fingerprint powder. The actions of poor Mr Studebaker that afternoon, although probably not entirely his own fault, did very little to commend the Dallas Police Department when the muck hit the fan later.

Forgery Bureau

This was the final unit within the Criminal Investigation Division. It was under the control of Captain Orville A. Jones and two Lieutenants of Police. It employed 17 Detectives and 11 female civilians of various Clerk/Stenographer/Typist grades. As far as the assassination is concerned, the best-known members of this bureau were a Stenographer Grade 5 named Mary P. Rattan and a General Clerk Grade 3 called Patsy C. Collins. As well as being Forgery Bureau employees, each was a certified County of Dallas Notary Public and it was in the latter capacity that their names appear on several affidavits made by witnesses, etc. Examples include affidavits of Captain Fritz recorded by Rattan (7H 403/404) and of Ruth Paine recorded by Collins (9H 433).

When I first became aware of this, I was somewhat perturbed and I sought the advice of major researcher J. Gary Shaw, himself a Notary Public in Johnson County, Texas. Gary assured me that there was nothing sinister here and that having Notaries Public employed within the DPD often saved time in having to contact one urgently. This way, there was usually one readily available.

(For the benefit of U.K. readers, a Notary Public is the approximate equivalent of a Commissioner for Oaths in the U.K. and is a person who is legally authorised to record sworn statements in writing under oath.)

No other members of the Forgery Bureau appear to have been involved in the assassination investigation. All enquiries concerned with Oswald's handwriting, etc. on various documents were handled by the FBI.

Special Assignment Officers

Four highly-trained Detectives were on Special Assignment to the District Attorney's Office and were considered to be part of the C.I.D. without being attached to any particular bureau or office.

Training and Research Section

This consisted of three small departments as follows:

Personnel Bureau

This was a tiny bureau, just down the hall from the Homicide offices, and was under the command of the ubiquitous Captain William Roy Westbrook. He controlled one Sergeant, two Detectives, one Patrolman and three female civilian clerical grades. Captain Westbrook described the work of the bureau as background investigations of applicants and the investigation of personnel complaints. I feel that most readers will be familiar with my widely-published paper Just Another Day At The Office (1996) in which Captain Westbrook's activities on 22nd November are described in some detail.

Police Reserve

Captain J. M. Solomon held the position of Co-ordinator of the Police Reserve. Strength and exact functions are unknown to me but members of the reserve were drafted in for duty on the day of the presidential visit.

Police Academy

Inspector Edward Preston was in charge here and he appears to have been a very busy man as he had only an Assistant Instructor to assist him. Does that indicate that he conducted all the instructional work himself? He was allocated a female stenographer but his only other staff appear to have been Pistol Range personnel (two).

The 23 members of the current Recruit Class No. 78 are listed by name and a further three are shown as "Recruit Class No. 79 (Awaiting School)". Presumably they waited until one class had finished and there were sufficient recruits available for a new one. The three names are in alphabetical order and the last one is that of our old friend Roscoe Anthony White. That, however, is another story!

Ian Griggs, 1998

http://www.dealeyplazauk.co.uk/DPD%20Structure%20Nov1963.htm

Original ‘Manchurian’ shrouded in mystery http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/5516604/ns/today-entertainment/t/original-manchurian-shrouded-mystery/

http://jfkassassinat...mony/hill_c.htm

Mr. SPECTER. What did you observe as to President Kennedy's condition on arrival at the hospital?

Mr. HILL. The right rear portion of his head was missing. It was lying in the rear seat of the car. His brain was exposed. There was blood and bits of brain all over the entire rear portion of the car. Mrs. Kennedy was completely covered with blood. There was so much blood you could not tell if there had been any other wound or not, except for the one large gaping wound in the right rear portion of the head.

Representative BOGGS. Did you see any other wound other than the head wound?

Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; I saw an opening in the back, about 6 inches below the neckline to the right-hand side of the spinal column.

Representative BOGGS. Was there a frontal neck injury?

Mr. HILL. There was an area here that had been opened but--

Mr. SPECTER. You are indicating--

Mr. HILL. In the neck. It was my understanding at that time that this was done by a tracheotomy.

from ''Mrs.Kennedy and ME.''

book p;290; I was running as fast as I could.Nothing else mattered. I have been told there was a second shot which occurred at this time.I did not hear it.My feet were hitting th pavement; the motorcycle engines were loud in my ears. I'm almost there. Mrs. Kennedy is leaning toward the president.I'm almost there. I was almost there and then I heard the shot. The third shot. The impact was like the sound of something hitting something hollow..............like the sound of a melon shattering onto cement.In the same instant blood, brain matter and bone fragments exploded from the back of the president's head. The president's blood,parts of his skull,bits of his brain were splattered all over me............in my face, my clothes, in my hair.My legs were still moving I assumed more shots were coming. I reached for the handhold and grabbed it.Just as I grabbed it the car lurched forward.Bill Greer had stepped on the gas and the car reacted with a jolt.I slipped.I was gripping with all my strength, my feet now back on the pavement. My legs kept moving,as I held on, trying to keep up with the rapidly accelerating car.Somehow, I honestly do not know how ..............I lunged and pulled my body onto the car, and my foot found the step In that same instant, Mrs. Kennedy rose up out of her seat and started climbing onto the trunk .What is she doing ??What is she doing?? The car was accelerating, .........we were really speeding up. Good God, she's going to go flying off the back of the car !!Her eyes were filled with terror. She didn't even know I was there. She was reaching for something. She was reaching for a piece of the president's head.I thrust myself onto the trunk, grabbed her arm, and pushed her back into the seat.When I did this the president's body fell into her lap.As I peered into the backseat of the car, I saw the president's head in her lap.His eyes were fixed, and I could see inside the back of his head............ I could see inside the back of the president's head............''My God !! They have shot his head off!!! Mrs. Kennedy screamed..Blood was everywhere The floor was covered in blood and brain tissue and skull fragments..''Get us to a hospital! Get us to a hospital. I screamed at Bill Greer... Bethesda Hospital. book p..305.306. ''Mrs.Kennedy and ME.''I took a deep breath,as Kellerman opened the door.. as Lying on a table, covered with a white sheet, was the body of President Kennedy. only his face was exposed and it looked like he was sleeping.Bill Greer was there and Dr.Burkley and General Godfrey McHugh President's Air Force aide. There were additional people I did not recognize . A man in a white coat stod beside the table.I'm sure they told me his name but it didn't register. The man gently lowered the sheet just to expose the president's neck, and he began describing the wounds to me. A wound in the front neck area where a tracheotomy had been performed at Parkland Hospital in an effort to revive the president. He said it covered an exit wound.Then gently rolling the president over to one side, he pointed out a wound in the upper back , at the neckline quite small.This he said corresponded to the exit wound at the throat. Moving the body back and slightly to the left he pointed out the wound in the upper right rear of the head.I swallowed hard, listening closely, as the doctor explained what had happened. It appeared that the impact of the bullet hitting the president's head was so severe, it caused an explosive reaction within the makeup of the skull and brain, so portions of the brain erupted outward, and a portion of the skull with skin and hair attached became like a flap. The image of what i saw when I was up above the backseat came flashing back into my mind. The head wound was exposed and i could see into his brain, part of which had exploded outward . It looked like somebody had flipped open the back of his head, stuck in an ice-cream scoop and removed a portion of the brain then scattered it all over Mrs.Kennedy, the car, and myself. It was a horrific sight. And I couldn't get it out of my mind."Yes Doctor I said ''That is exactly what happened. I know I saw it. I was five feet away from the president when it occurred.'' If only I had run faster, reacted a little quicker......The explanation by the doctor and my observation of the body was concluded, I thanked the doctor and returned to the seventeenth floor.

Thanks, Bernice. That's most unfortunate. Either Hill's memory has slipped, or someone has convinced him to lie on this point. The doctors never connected the back and throat wounds during the autopsy. If they had, the FBI agents at the autopsy would have been told about it. That he (or McCubbin) writes "at the neckline" is a dead give-away, IMO. It was, at the very least, an inch below the neckline. While Hill doesn't subscribe to the SBT, whoever wrote this was trying to make it sound viable.

There is another curiosity. Hill mentions a discussion of the head wound--but has never claimed, not even here, that he was shown the entrance wound on the back of the head. This raises a question--Did Hill think, as Dr. Clark at Parkland, that the large defect was a tangential wound of both entrance and exit?

Thanks PAT, I believe the same people that wrote, the other ''The Kennedy Detail '' were involved with Mr.Hill's book...for what that's worth..imo, i am not surprised of any changes or differences in what he has repeated in the past, i think whomever is with them, the witnesses, at any specific time, have much influence over them, and then take advantage when it comes to writing out the ,information given, putting their own slant into such, , or they are influenced before the taping.during a pre run through....just a thought..here is todays write up link...http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2125086/Clint-Hill-memoir-Jackie-Kennedys-secret-service-agent-recounts-day-JFK-assassinated.html..it is a very interesting read, imo, but then i am into anything connected to SS , others may not find it so, it is also very sad at the same time.....b

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2125086/Clint-Hill-memoir-Jackie-Kennedys-secret-service-agent-recounts-day-JFK-assassinated.html

thanks...b

Many Happy Returns of the day, have a goodun...b

http://jfkassassinat...mony/hill_c.htm

Mr. SPECTER. What did you observe as to President Kennedy's condition on arrival at the hospital?

Mr. HILL. The right rear portion of his head was missing. It was lying in the rear seat of the car. His brain was exposed. There was blood and bits of brain all over the entire rear portion of the car. Mrs. Kennedy was completely covered with blood. There was so much blood you could not tell if there had been any other wound or not, except for the one large gaping wound in the right rear portion of the head.

Representative BOGGS. Did you see any other wound other than the head wound?

Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; I saw an opening in the back, about 6 inches below the neckline to the right-hand side of the spinal column.

Representative BOGGS. Was there a frontal neck injury?

Mr. HILL. There was an area here that had been opened but--

Mr. SPECTER. You are indicating--

Mr. HILL. In the neck. It was my understanding at that time that this was done by a tracheotomy.

from ''Mrs.Kennedy and ME.''

book p;290; I was running as fast as I could.Nothing else mattered. I have been told there was a second shot which occurred at this time.I did not hear it.My feet were hitting th pavement; the motorcycle engines were loud in my ears. I'm almost there. Mrs. Kennedy is leaning toward the president.I'm almost there. I was almost there and then I heard the shot. The third shot. The impact was like the sound of something hitting something hollow..............like the sound of a melon shattering onto cement.In the same instant blood, brain matter and bone fragments exploded from the back of the president's head. The president's blood,parts of his skull,bits of his brain were splattered all over me............in my face, my clothes, in my hair.My legs were still moving I assumed more shots were coming. I reached for the handhold and grabbed it.Just as I grabbed it the car lurched forward.Bill Greer had stepped on the gas and the car reacted with a jolt.I slipped.I was gripping with all my strength, my feet now back on the pavement. My legs kept moving,as I held on, trying to keep up with the rapidly accelerating car.Somehow, I honestly do not know how ..............I lunged and pulled my body onto the car, and my foot found the step In that same instant, Mrs. Kennedy rose up out of her seat and started climbing onto the trunk .What is she doing ??What is she doing?? The car was accelerating, .........we were really speeding up. Good God, she's going to go flying off the back of the car !!Her eyes were filled with terror. She didn't even know I was there. She was reaching for something. She was reaching for a piece of the president's head.I thrust myself onto the trunk, grabbed her arm, and pushed her back into the seat.When I did this the president's body fell into her lap.As I peered into the backseat of the car, I saw the president's head in her lap.His eyes were fixed, and I could see inside the back of his head............ I could see inside the back of the president's head............''My God !! They have shot his head off!!! Mrs. Kennedy screamed..Blood was everywhere The floor was covered in blood and brain tissue and skull fragments..''Get us to a hospital! Get us to a hospital. I screamed at Bill Greer... Bethesda Hospital. book p..305.306. ''Mrs.Kennedy and ME.''I took a deep breath,as Kellerman opened the door.. as Lying on a table, covered with a white sheet, was the body of President Kennedy. only his face was exposed and it looked like he was sleeping.Bill Greer was there and Dr.Burkley and General Godfrey McHugh President's Air Force aide. There were additional people I did not recognize . A man in a white coat stod beside the table.I'm sure they told me his name but it didn't register. The man gently lowered the sheet just to expose the president's neck, and he began describing the wounds to me. A wound in the front neck area where a tracheotomy had been performed at Parkland Hospital in an effort to revive the president. He said it covered an exit wound.Then gently rolling the president over to one side, he pointed out a wound in the upper back , at the neckline quite small.This he said corresponded to the exit wound at the throat. Moving the body back and slightly to the left he pointed out the wound in the upper right rear of the head.I swallowed hard, listening closely, as the doctor explained what had happened. It appeared that the impact of the bullet hitting the president's head was so severe, it caused an explosive reaction within the makeup of the skull and brain, so portions of the brain erupted outward, and a portion of the skull with skin and hair attached became like a flap. The image of what i saw when I was up above the backseat came flashing back into my mind. The head wound was exposed and i could see into his brain, part of which had exploded outward . It looked like somebody had flipped open the back of his head, stuck in an ice-cream scoop and removed a portion of the brain then scattered it all over Mrs.Kennedy, the car, and myself. It was a horrific sight. And I couldn't get it out of my mind."Yes Doctor I said ''That is exactly what happened. I know I saw it. I was five feet away from the president when it occurred.'' If only I had run faster, reacted a little quicker......The explanation by the doctor and my observation of the body was concluded, I thanked the doctor and returned to the seventeenth floor.

veteran JFK researcher recently pointed out to me that in the book The Kennedy Detail, the author actually advances the view that the President's limo slowed down sharply for the following reason: that Greer, upon hearing loud noises, thought he his vehicle might have suffered a blowout. Consequently, he then tapped on the brake pedal, slowing the car down, just to test to see if the car was "stable" (i.e., to determine whether he had had a blowout); then, and only after determining there had been no blowout, he then stepped on the gas, and sped away.

FWIW: I find this explanation to be absurd and ridiculous, but that's what the book says. If time permits, or if someone wants to email me the exact quotes, I'll edit this post accordingly.

But I find it amazing that, so many years after the fact, anyone would have the audacity to come up with such an "explanation".

DSL

4/2/12; 4:50 AM PDT

Los Angeles, CA

page 212..''.Suddenly, above the noise of the motorcycles and beyond the screams of the adoring crowd, a sharp crack blistered through Dealey Plaza..The triangular canyon of buildings created an echo chamber that masqueraded the sound such that even many of the SS agents, all of whom were expert marksmen with high powered rifles , didn't recognize it as gunfire. Bill Greer, driving the president's limousine , thought one of the motorcyles had backfired or that he had a blowout .He quickly tapped on the brake to see how the car would respond, but the car remained stable , so he continued.'' b.

hi David's ; it would appear , they whomever are trying to insert words into Greers mouth that never came out imo.....watch for changes in the testimonies, recall....Bill has suggested and i agree that the information held by the museum, re the witness statements could be and should be very important, but Bill just now upon visiting the site, i opened and read the bit of Marilyn Sitzmans quoted that is available, now in my studying of her and their statements and info hers and Zaps, there are differences within this small quote, that she has told the museum, if doubtful just read what they have posted then do some searches here on the forum,and begin comparing her information, there are many threads showing how down through time, just about every time she did so,details within her story changed, and i might add neither did Zapruder stick to his original either....a shot from behind him to his right.....I would not be surprised if and when the Museums witness information is if ever made available, on the web,thee will be many , many differences found...imo..thanks for the information...take care best b

Hi Bill..........there is a spelling correction, with the place . name Wiarton, i have posted this previously..i guess it was missed....Wiarton, is up north in the province of ontario......it is ia not ai...also it is pronounced like why-ar-ton, not whatever Doug kept pronouncing in the interview....just adding this information, so you have all correct ..best b

PORTRAIT DRAWING KENNEDY http://www.youtube.c...feature=related Drawings look like photos by Paul Cadden, they are called realist artists fantastic.........thanks b http://www.allvoices...-by-paul-cadden

agreed lbj giving senator richard russell his version of the art of friendly persuasion his old'' in your face technique,'', b

Tug of war over Oswald tombstone - WGN Radio http://www.wgnradio.com/news/ct-met-oswald-tombstone-fight-20120327,0,3864400.story

thanks David and Tom, yes it had faded from memory...... b

Picturing the Century: Part II Photo Gallery http://www.archives.gov/press/press-kits/1930-census-photos/photos-2.html

Out of curiosity - whatever happened to the original "alias" marker put on the grave in 1963 to prevent desecration. The one that read "William Bobo"? Anybody know?

"I Led Three Lives - I got three headstones."

hi david...here's nick beef for you, william bobo..?? ?

According to JFK researcher Barb Junkkarinen, there is no Nick Beef, at least not a dead one. The gravesite was purchased in 1997 or 1998 for $2000 by a Fort Worth comedian who goes by the stage name Nick Beef. The idea was to get around the cemetery's refusal to direct visitors to Oswald's grave; Oswald seekers could ask for Nick Beef's grave and find Oswald's right next door. The flaw in the plan is that, since no Nick Beef is actually buried, the cemetery has no record of the grave and can't offer directions.

All this remains only a legend because, despite several versions of the story floating around the Web, no one has yet dug up any sign that comedian Nick Beef ever existed.

In late 2005, street art credited to a Nick Beef appeared on construction site billboard walls of New York City, in Greenwich Village. The art was in the form of Haikus 'written' through photos of cemetery headstones."

So there you have it - the strange tale of the death of a man who was never alive

below the original grave stone, on the front of one of Marguerite's book.......and his now side by side with ole nick..and a how to find...b

“Just before he left my apartment, he happened to look at this ring I wear on my pinky [a star sapphire and diamonds set in platinum] ''

Given to him by Frank Sinatra.agreed Pat..''Estes Kefauver'' is more likely...b

Bill...here's one link...b.....

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=7072

The return of "Castro did it" theory - Cuba - Salon.com http://www.salon.com/2012/03/22/the_return_of_castro_did_it_theory/

http://www.jfk-online.com/clhill.html Clint Hill....The motorcade departed Andrews Air Force Base for Bethesda Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland, at 6:10 p.m. We were escorted by motorcycle police officers.

David try this for information........Return to: HSCA Medical Testimony and Interviews

HSCA INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD LIPSEY, 1-18-78

http://history-matte...HSCA-Lipsey.htm

b

According to Manchester, Gearhart had the football, and he was not left behind at Parkland. Johnson and his men paid no attention to him (I'm sure Johnson knew exactly what was going on and that the Russians had nothing to do with it), but Gearhart took it upon himself to sit on a policeman's lap from Parkland to Love Field.

Manchester says that eyeglasses seen reflecting light from the rear in the photo of Johnson being sworn in are Gearhart's glasses.

Ron

''Manchester says that eyeglasses seen reflecting light from the rear in the photo of Johnson being sworn in are Gearhart's glasses.''...in back on the right..b

Apparently Manchester was wrong........i have been informed...The man wearing glasses is none other than Bill Moyers. He’s accurately identified on the LBJ Library site where all the cabin photos appear and Moyers, himself, has confirmed it.thanks..b

I have been trying to edit the post above...but the forum keeps telling me that i have posted too many images ????????????? B