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Posts posted by Steve Thomas
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This is a question for Paz Marverde, or anybody else for that matter.
What do you know of Bastien Thiry's, Vieil État-Major, and is there a connection to Jean-Rene Souetre and the Intergrelistes?
See page 15 of this article (page 3 of the pdf file).
Steve Thomas
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1 hour ago, Evan Marshall said:
No, I taught counter ambush techniques and firearms AND yest there are a number of Janet's. For example, every morning a 737 leaves Vegas and lands in Area 51 and returns in the evening.
Evan,
Did you study the attack on Charles de Gaulle at Petit-Clamart in August of 1962? and what is your assessment of that attempt? How would you compare that to Dallas in November of 1963?
Area 51 is still is use? I thought they had moved on.
Steve Thomas
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2 hours ago, Bill Simpich said:
This is not the first mistake that VJ Brian has made. He worked under Jack Revill. He bears watching.
Bill,Yes, it's interesting. If you read his WC testimony, on the one hand Brian tells Revill that he knows Revill is not lying about what Hosty told Revill about Oswald because he (Brian) was standing right there.
On the other hand, in his Report of April 20, 1964, he says he didn't hear everything, because Revill and Hosty walked off a ways, and there was "a lot of excitement and commotion there."
https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1134#relPageId=522&tab=page
You can't have it both ways.
BTW, what happened to CE 710? The list of CE Exhibits jump from 709 to 711. There doesn't seem to be a 710.
https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1134
Steve Thomas
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On 5/3/2018 at 2:48 PM, Evan Marshall said:
Steve-the NC's were Federal Agents assigned to a little known division of the Dept of Energy who transport and secure nuclear weapons. National Nuclear Security Administrations Office of Secure Transportation.
I was a firearms&tactics instructor.
Evan,
Thank you for responding.
Does that mean you taught individual crew members, or couriers how to protect/defend themselves?
And what do you mean by "tactics"?
And when you define JANET as "Just Another...", does that mean that there were a lot of them?
Steve Thomas
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" GeoCities was an important outlet for personal expression on the Web for almost 15 years, but was discontinued on October 26, 2009."
http://www.geocities.ws/archive/
Steve Thomas
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11 hours ago, Paul Brancato said:
I read that the 488th Strategic Reserve Unit turned from foreign matters - oil - to domestic dissidents in the early 1960’s.
Paul,
If you read about the Christopher Pyle revelations about the U.S. Army spying scandals in the 1960's, and the FBI's COINTEL programs, you can see the whole security apparatus of the U.S. Government shifting to quelling civil unrest.
Lately, I've been reading about the Cloverleaf, or Command Post Exercises that were held in the 1950's and 60's. To put it simply, these were annual war games held at the command level, rather than field level exercises. They were planning how to deal with a nuclear war. Part of that planning involved how to deal with civil unrest. (As in race riots and anti-war protests).
On page 121 of that Our Man in Acapulco book, the authors wrote:
p. 121. “While at the Presidio, Brandy had prepared a draft of a Domestic Emergency Plan, which he revised and submitted in 1954 as part of the Cloverleaf I exercise, to G-2 of the Fourth Army Command in Dallas, Colonel M.H. Truly.”p. 120. Brandy wrote to Colonel J.P. Kaylor of the Fourth Army's G-2 section and “...suggested monthly or semi-monthly briefings in a private area “where classified material could be read and secured,” meetings with Civilian Defense Authorities for liaison in case of emergencies, and correspondence courses.”
From “Our Man in Acapulco”, pp. 127+ “after leaving Jamaica in early 1957, Brandy served as assistant troop commander and provost marshal of the Fourth U.S. Army Area Intelligence School for two weeks in August, 1957.
“These intelligence school sessions reviewed procedures and studies in a wide variety of areas for reserve intelligence officers including a review of a Central Index of Investigative and Domestic Subversive files.”Steve Thomas
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WC testimony of Nancy Perrin Rich:
We were going to bring Cuban refugees out---but we were going to run military supplies and Enfield rifles in.”
Texas State Guard:
?The guards drilled in schoolyards and on vacant lots with makeshift weapons. In 1943 the shotguns were replaced with a full issue of Enfield Rifles”
With the federalization of the Texas National Guard during the Berlin Crisis in 1961, 71 Texas National Guard Armories were left vacant and a great amount of state property unprotected.
Education Forum posting by James Richards 12/11/2004:
“I was hoping to get some forum members' opinions regarding Miller and Whitter. John Elrod claimed that Oswald identified Miller in the jail; Miller having been arrested 2 days earlier with Ruby's mechanic Whitter. These guys were in possession of US Army weapons stolen from the National Guard Armory in Terrell, Texas.”
DPD Archives Box 2, Folder# 6, Item# 9
http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box2.htm
Robert (should be Richard) Borchgardt talks to Detective K.L. Anderton. Tells him that Jack Ruby is running guns to Mexico. Borchgardt tells Anderton that he got his information from Lawrence Miller, among others.
Is there a pipeline here involving a state contract for Enfield rifles by any chance?
Steve Thomas
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50 minutes ago, Evan Marshall said:
Steve-the NC's were Federal Agents assigned to a little known division of the Dept of Energy who transport and secure nuclear weapons. National Nuclear Security Administrations Office of Secure Transportation.
I was a firearms&tactics instructor.
Evan,
Wow. That's a lot of responsibility.
Steve Thomas
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26 minutes ago, David Josephs said:
the other was the wrong guy... here's Lawson
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/358469799/
TAKES OATH William J. Lawson of Austin, former secretary of state, here takes his oath as a member of the board of directors of Texas A&M College, succeeding the late Herman Heep of Austin. The oath is being administered by Associate Justice Joe Greenhill of Texas Police
March 27, 1960
David,
Not necessarily the wrong guy.
The original 12 Districts were organized into 51 Battalions.I know who the Battalion Commanders were in the 1941-1947 time frame, but not who the District Commanders were, or even if the District Commanders were from the same area as the Battalion Commanders. The Dallas area was comprised of the 19th, 29th, 35th and 51st Battalions from Dallas Co. and the 40th from Collin Co.
I haven't written about it yet, but in 1948 the 51 Battalions were re-organized and re-constituted into 6 Defense Groups with 30 Battalions, called the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps.
This Texas State Guard Reserve Corps lasted from 1948 - 1965. In 1965, the Reserve Corps was abolished, and they went back to being the Texas State Guard.
Dallas was in the 1st Defense Group, and was comprised of the 102nd Battalion. The Records say that about half of those 30 Battalions were "Internal Security Battalions".
I do not know if the 102nd was one of those "Internal Security Battalions"
Steve Thomas
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On 6/27/2005 at 3:51 PM, Steve Thomas said:
Go to the East Dallas page and scroll down to the Garland airport.
Dallas Garland Airport had a strange moment in the spotlight
as part of the mysterious events surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas.
Robert Plumlee (who had piloted clandestine flights for the CIA for over 31 years)
testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1990 & 1991.
Plumlee testified that on November 22, 1963, he was a co-pilot on a top secret flight supported by the CIA.
The flight carried Philippe Socko (a known Mafia/CIA double operative) from Florida to Dallas,
and that their assignment was to stop the assassination attempt on Kennedy's life.
Plumlee stated that Roselli departed the plane at Dallas Garland Airport on the morning of November 22.
The author of the article wrote, "According to Gary Walker, his father continued as the airport operator "until his death in late 1966.
At that point, my Mother inherited the operation, which she ran up until about 1969-1970."
Steve Thomas
This quote is taken from the November 18, 1994 ARRB testimony of Bob Vernon here:
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/arrb/index67.htm
Steve Thomas
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6 minutes ago, Evan Marshall said:
When I worked as a trainer for the nuclear couriers, we called them "JANET'S"-just another non existent terminal.
Evan,
Can you talk a little about this?
What's a "nuclear courier"?; and,
What did you do as a "trainer"?
Steve Thomas
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On 4/29/2018 at 9:24 AM, Steve Thomas said:
The State Guard did a lot of good work in times of crisis, like natural disasters, but the potential for a lot of mischief is also there.
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/10/23/The-former-commander-of-a-defunct-Texas-State-Guard/2757467352000/
The former commander of a defunct Texas State Guard...
Oct. 23, 1984
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The former commander of a defunct Texas State Guard battalion says he will form a private armed militia in Tarrant County, a Dallas newspaper reported today.
Robert Holloway, former leader of the Texas State Guard's 105th Battalion, told the Dallas Morning News he would reorganize his 60-man unit into a private armed group called the National State Defense Force Association.
'We're not a pack of weirdoes or crazies. It's just a method of keeping the guys together,' Holloway said.
But he described the role of the association as 'to promote a well-trained militia capable of assuming any role, to include combat in defense of state or country.'
The all-volunteer Texas State Guard, an adjunct to the federally-supported Texas National Guard, was established to reinforce the National Guard in state emergencies.
State Guard officials ordered Holloway's unit disbanded recently because it had become too independent of the state organization under the leadership of the former Green Beret.
Holloway, 36, drew criticism from the state brass for making the unit too 'gung-ho' and was removed from the unit last spring. He allegedly led his group outside the perimeters of State Guard regulations by swapping standard green uniforms for camouflage fatigues.
David Cottom, spokesman for the Texas State Guard, said Holloway's new undertaking is no longer within the purview of the guard.
'This is totally a civilian venture,' Cottom said. 'Once he was dislodged, they're on their own.'
Steve Thomas
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https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/taro/tslac/30026/tsl-30026.html
Texas Adjutant General's Department:
The Governor of Texas appointed a Commanding General for the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps, to be supervised by the Adjutant General of Texas. Initially the state was divided into twelve districts, each with a colonel as regimental commander.
Later in these records, the 10th District was identified as Battalions 19, 29, 35, 51 in Dallas County, and Battalion 40. (Battalion 40 was in Collin County, just to the northeast of Dallas).
Austin Sunday American Statesman Newspaper Archives
Sunday, June 04, 1950 - Page 19
“Austin Guardsmen Organize Chapter - An Austin chapter of the Texas State Guard Association organized over the weekend by approximately 50 members of the state group had Dr. Charles W, Castner as temporary chairman, and Harry S. Pollard as adjutant Permanent officers were to be elected at the next meeting of the chapter, set for Tuesday night, July 18. An arrangements committee, including Joe K. Wells, chairman; Adoue Parker and John W. Laird, was named by Dr. Castner to make plans for the general meeting. Colonel William J. Lawson, commander of the 10th District and 10th Regiment, vice president of the Texas State Guard Association, outlined the activities the 300 Texas State Guardsmen of the Austin area will have in the statewide program of the internal security organization. Judge Charles O. Betts, former 10th District commander, told the group of the State Guard’s service during the war years, and of the legislation which continued the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps in permanent status subject to active service at any time the National Guard may be called into federal service.”
More on Charles O. Betts:
http://www.texastotheworld.com/the-lbj-murder-conference/
“Regardless, the jury found (Mac) Wallace guilty of murder and eleven of the panelists wanted the death penalty while one suggested life in prison. The judge in the case, Charles O. Betts, issued a “jury verdict notwithstanding” and gave Wallace a five year suspended sentence.”
http://spartacus-educational.com/JFKjohnsonJ.htm
“The jury found (Mac) Wallace guilty of "murder with malice afore-thought". Eleven of the jurors were for the death penalty. The twelfth argued for life imprisonment. Judge Charles O. Betts overruled the jury and announced a sentence of five years imprisonment. He suspended the sentence and Wallace was immediately freed. “
https://www.mystatesman.com/lifestyles/murder-the-butler-pitch-and-putt/5IShFhz7fdIE9lUp4m5zcL/
“According to some sources, Kinser and (Mac) Wallace were both linked romantically with Josefa Johnson, sister of future president and then-U.S. Sen. Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Some later versions say that Wallace served as LBJ’s press secretary, but that is contradicted by newspaper articles from the time, which stated he worked as an economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Wallace went free and later was given a security clearance to work for a defense contractor in Washington, D.C.
http://www.startribune.com/obituary-jack-puterbaugh-dfl-stalwart-and-advance-man-for-jfk-s-final-trip/297901471/
“In 1961, Puterbaugh joined Freeman in Washington. The former Minnesota governor had been appointed secretary of agriculture by the new president.
In October 1963, Puterbaugh advanced Kennedy’s trip to Duluth, where the president was the main speaker at a conference sponsored by the USDA. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
The next month, he was sent to Texas to help find the best place for the Nov. 22 luncheon — the Trade Mart or a building on the State Fairgrounds. Along with a Secret Service agent, Puterbaugh drove both routes from Love Field, where Air Force One was going to land.... On that fateful Friday, Puterbaugh was in the pilot car — a Dallas police car — five or six blocks ahead of the presidential limousine.
(Along with George Whitmeyer, and George Lumpkin)
Two of the Dallas Police Detectives who rode in that car, either reported or testified that there was a secret service agent in the car. In his undated after-action report filed with Police Chief Jesse Curry, Detective B.L. Senkel, who rode in the car, wrote, “Deputy Chief Lumpkin told us there would be a Secret Service Agent riding with us from Love Field. We left Love Field ahead of the motorcade. Deputy Chief Lumpkin driving, Detective Turner in front right seat. I was sitting in the left rear seat, the army officer in the center, and the Secret Service agent in right rear seat.”7. In his undated after-action report, his fellow Detective F. M. Turner would write, “A Secret Service man met us at Love Field. He rode in Chief Lumpkin’s car with us out in front of the motorcade.”8. On April 3, 1964, F.M. Turner was called to testify before the Warren Commission. He was asked about the occupants of the pilot car, and responded that in addition to his partner, Detective B.L. Senkel, and an Army major whose name I do not remember, there was also was, “…also a Secret Service man, whose name I do not remember.”9.In the Dallas Police Archives, there is an undated and unsigned report listing the positions assigned to the Homicide and Robbery Bureau officers for the security of the President. For B.L. Senkel and F.M. Turner, the report says that they were in a “Reconnaissance car with Chief G.L. Lumpkin of the City Police Department, Major Weiddemeyer of the U.S. Army, and Secret Service.”10. Also in the Archives, there is a rough draft of an unsigned and undated report listing the activities of the five men from Homicide and Robbery assigned to the President’s security (Fritz, Senkel, Turner, Boyd, and Sims). On the first page of that report is this paragraph, “At 9:50 AM Dets B.L. Senkel and F.M. Turner met Dept Chief George Lumpkin and Maj Weiddemeyer in the basement of the city hall and all proceeded to Love Field with Cheif Lumpkin driving, and arrived there at approx 10:30 AM. At approx 10:50 AM, they along with a Secret Service Agent left Love Field and proceded the presidential party by approx ½ mile and was in constant radio contact with Chief Curry.”11. (spelling and grammatical errors left intact).
7. Statement of B.L. Senkel, Detective re: President’s Assassination. Dallas Police Archives Box 3 Folder# 12, Item#1: as cited in the City of Dallas Archives – JFK Collection, http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box3.htm
8. Report on Officer’s Duties in Regards to the President’s Murder. F. M. Turner - #809. Dallas Police Archives Box 3 Folder# 13, Item#1: as cited in the City of Dallas Archives – JFK Collection, http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box3.htm
9. Testimony of F. M. Turner. Warren Commission Hearings and Exhibits, volume VII, p. 218, as cited in the History Matters Archive, http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk..._Vol7_0113b.htm
10. Report-typed, by an unknown author. Lists positions assigned Homicide and Robbery Bureau officers for the security of the President, Dallas Police Archives Box 15, Folder # 2, Item# 58 date unknown: as cited in the City of Dallas Archives – JFK Collection, http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box15.htm
11. Note - typed, by an unknown author. Rough draft of a report of the events of November 22, 1963, (Photocopy), date unknown. Dallas Police Archives Box 7, Folder# 5, Item# 23, page 1 as cited in City of Dallas Archives – JFK Collection, http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box7.htm
Steve Thomas -
48 minutes ago, James DiEugenio said:
Steve:
Some people, at least two that I know of, think Hill might have been in on it.
If that is so, do you think it might be possible that he did that to cover where the description actually came from?
Jim,
I honestly don't know, but this 5'10" 165 lb guy seems to show up more than once.
See this thread:
http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/topic/24831-510/
It just makes me wonder.
Steve Thomas
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On 4/29/2018 at 9:24 AM, Steve Thomas said:
The State Guard did a lot of good work in times of crisis, like natural disasters, but the potential for a lot of mischief is also there.
Hoo boy,
"State militia soldiers may play big role in Kaufman County prosecutor-killings trial "
https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2013/06/29/state-militia-soldiers-may-play-big-role-in-kaufman-county-prosecutor-killings-trial
"AT A GLANCE: Texas State Guard
The Texas State Guard’s mission is to “provide mission-ready military forces to assist state and local authorities in times of state emergencies; to conduct homeland security and community service activities” and to augment the Texas Army and Air National Guard. It is a “state defense force” only. State guard units, unlike National Guard units, are never activated to serve with federal military forces."
Steve Thomas
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8 hours ago, David Josephs said:
Great thread Steve... I think you've found the brass ring here.... Military Colonels is just about as much "operational plausible denial" as you can get....
Colonels are 1 step under 1-star general... do your job well as a colonel and the stars come... I would guess.
David,
Excuse my French, but I have thought that a Colonel's job is a s***t job. It's all well and good when confronted with a problem for a General to yell out, "Just throw the 5th Army at it.", but it's the Colonel's job to carry out that order. He's got to do the grunt work...the logistics, transportation, supply, etc.
In a Wikipedia entry, it says, " Today, an Army or Marine Corps "BG" or "BGen," respectively, typically serves as deputy commander to the commanding general of a division or division-sized units and assists in overseeing the planning and coordination of a mission. In an Army infantry brigade not organic to a division, a brigadier general serves as the unit's commander, while a colonel serves as deputy commander
I have thought that if you do have multiple assassins, especially coming from out of town, somebody is going to have to arrange for their lodging, meals, transportation, knowledge of street routes for escape and evasion, etc.
Local Colonels would seem uniquely qualified for that kind of thing.
Steve Thomas
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5 hours ago, James DiEugenio said:
That is really interesting Steve.
What do you make of it?
Jim,
I don't know, other than the fact that this physical description so closely matches the one put out over the police radio at 12:45 PM (the one that nobody seems to know where it came from).
In both cases, the origin of a 5'10" 165lb suspect is unknown.
Steve Thomas
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26 minutes ago, David Josephs said:
Steve...
Cause it just HAS to be there... anything about Collins Radio involved here?
Would they have outfitted the command bunker?
David,
Nothing comes to mind, but I'll keep my eyes open for that. It's not outside the realm of possibility.
That website http://www.civildefensemuseum.com/fallout/dallaseoc.html
has some color pictures of some of the old radio equipment. Maybe you'll recognize something.
Steve Thomas
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3 hours ago, James DiEugenio said:
Steve:
I don't have Hill's testimony in front of me, but I do not recall him being questioned about that.
Do you? If not, that is what I mean.
Jim,
Nada from the WC.
Hill was on foot. First he took Sgt. Owens car(19) , then he took Poe's car(105).
Mr. HILL. All right, I took the key to Poe's car.
Mr. HILL. No. That is Bud Owens.
Mr. BELIN. You had left Owens' car at this time?
Mr. HILL. I left Owens' car and had 105 (Poe) car at this time.The first man that came up to me, he said, "The man that shot him was a white male about 5'10", weighing 160 to 170 pounds, had on a Jacket and a pair of dark trousers, and brown bushy hair."
At this point the first squad rolled up, and that would have been squad 105, which had been dispatched from downtown. An officer named Joe Poe, and I believe his partner was a boy named Jez.
I told him to stay at the scene and guard the car and talk to as many witnesses as they could find to the incident, and that we were going to start checking the area.Mr. BELIN. Now, let me interrupt you here, sergeant. Do you remember the name of the person that gave you the description?
Mr. HILL. No. I turned him over to Poe, and I didn't even get his name.After searching the vacant houses, "I got back in 105's car, went back around to the original scene, gave him his car keys back, and left his car there, and at this point he came up to me with a Winston cigarette package."
The only thing I can think of is that this "mystery witness" who Hill said could identify the subject, was the "mystery witness" who gave Hill this 5'10" 165lb description. Hill said he turned this man over to Poe, but I don't know...
Steve Thomas
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2 hours ago, David Josephs said:
http://www.civildefensemuseum.com/fallout/dallaseoc.html
A New colonel? Charles McCoy.... assistant civil defense director for Dallas...
David,
I tell you what, these Colonels are everywhere aren't they?
Every time you turn around, you're tripping over one.
Steve Thomas
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1 hour ago, David Josephs said:
http://www.civildefensemuseum.com/fallout/dallaseoc.html
A New colonel? Charles McCoy.... assistant civil defense director for Dallas
David,
Thanks for the heads up about Col. McCoy.
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qqt01
Texas State Guard. By William C. Wilkes and Mary M. Standifer
"In the 1950s the Signal Corps of the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps embraced 500 radio stations statewide. These provided valuable communications assistance to civil authorities and the Red Cross in times of natural disaster."
Statement by Colonel John W. Mayo, Chairman of City-County Civil Defense and Disaster Commission at the Dedication of the Emergency Operations Center at Fair Park.
http://www.civildefensemuseum.com/fallout/docs/may241961a.jpg
This Statement appeared on the Civil Defense and Disaster Commission letter head co-signed by Boise Smith, WRR transmitter Building at Fair Park.
WRR was a city-owned radio station.
In the Batchelor's Exhibit CE5002 https://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh19/pdf/WH19_Batchelor_Ex_5002.pdf ,
Boise Smith is listed as a Deputy Chief of Police (along with Lumpkin, Stevenson and Batchelor) and as the Director of the Civil Defense and Disaster Commission. As such, he reported directly to Curry.
See this statement by Mayo decrying the artists being displayed at the Art Museum
http://washingtonbabylon.com/bunker-command-center-jfk-assassination-merely-worlds-interesting-basement/
"In March of 1955, Col. John W. Mayo, commander of the Dallas Metropolitan Post No. 581 of the American Legion, sent a communication to the Trustees of the Art Museum decrying many of the Museum’s policies and saying that the Post objected ‘to the Museum patronizing and supporting artists … whose political beliefs are dedicated to destroying our way of life."
In this same website, it says, " An online exhibit by the Dallas City Hall provides the following historical summary of WRR, the station-of-choice for Dallas-Fort Worth highbrows since 1964, when it switched to an all classical format. Until the departments had their own internal support, WRR supplied and maintained all radio equipment for Police, Fire, Park and Recreation, Water, Public Works, and the former Health Department. At its peak it furnished dispatching services for Dallas County, Cockrell Hill Police Department, and private ambulance services (in the days before 911). WRR discontinued these adjunct services in 1969."
"In his book, Family of Secrets, veteran reporter Russ Baker notes:
In April 1, 1962, Dallas Civil Defense, with Crichton heading its intelligence component, opened an elaborate underground command post under the patio of the Dallas Health and Science Museum. Because it was intended for “continuity-of-government” operations during an attack, it was fully equipped with communications equipment.
With this shelter in operation on November 22, 1963, it was possible for someone based there to communicate with police and other emergency services. There is no indication that the Warren Commission or any other investigative body or even JFK assassination researchers looked into this facility or the police and Army Intelligence figures associated with it."
Steve Thomas
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6 hours ago, Steve Thomas said:
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/45020015/
Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas
Abilene Reporter-News
Location: Abilene, Texas
Sunday, August 22, 1948
Page: Page 36
12 DISTRICTS He (Governor Jester) gave his plan for organizing the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps. It includes a state headquarters and 12 districts with from two to four Infantry battalions and a medical unit In each district.
Battalion records, 1941-1947,
They comprise the records of the 51 battalions of the Texas Defense Guard/Texas State Guard, plus records of the bands, unassigned companies, and air squadrons, 1941-1947. These records are both at the battalion/squadron level and at the company/detachment/flight level. The four Battalions in the Dallas area were the 19th, the 29th, the 35th and the 51st.
The 29th Battalion was commanded by Major E.M. Dealey.
E.M. Dealey would go on to become the publisher of the Dallas Morning News
The 19th Battalion was commanded by Major Bernard F. McLain.
The 35th Battalion was commanded by Major James M. Crumby
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8294224/bernard-francis-mclain
Bernard Francis McLain
“McLain, an Army veteran of World War I, had been commander of the John W. Low Post of the American Legion and the 19th Battalion of the Texas State Guard.”
McLain, a resident of the Melrose Hotel at the time of his death, had served as director of the Republic National Bank, Dallas Railway & Terminal Co. and Texas Industries, Inc.
An early leader in charitable activities, he was chairman of the Citizens Council committee which reorganized the Community Chest in 1939. He had served as campaign chairman, president and director of the Community Chest.
He was chairman of the Chamber of Commerce committee which brought the Veterans Hospital to Dallas. Later, he served as president of the Chamber and as a director of the American Chamber of Commerce.Steve Thomas
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6 hours ago, James DiEugenio said:
And then Hill does the interview that goes national with all of the incriminating stuff about Oswald, half of it BS, and he says he got that from Westbrook too!
Jim,
The one that got me is that according to the Dispatch Tapes, at 1:26 PM, Hill radios in and says, " I'm at Twelfth and Beckley now. Have a man in the car with me that can identify the suspect if anybody gets him."
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/dpdtapes/tapes2.htm
If you look at a Google Maps page, 12th and Beckley is like four blocks south and four blocks west of where the shooting took place.
https://www.google.com/maps/search/12th+and+Beckley+Dallas,+TX/@32.7456299,-96.8224142,17z
What's he doing way down there? And who is this "man" who can identify the subject, and why is Hill riding around with a witness 10 minutes after the shooting?
The Dispatcher asks Hill if he has been to the scene. He says yes, and Tippit was already gone by the time he got there. At the scene, Poe shows him a Winston cigarette package with shells in it.
Eight minutes later, at 1:34, Hill radios in and tells the Dispatcher that the shells indicate they came from a .38 automatic.
Phooey.
Steve Thomas
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https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/taro/tslac/30026/tsl-30026.html
Texas Adjutant General's Department:
An Inventory of Texas State Guard/Texas Defense Guard/Texas State Guard Reserve Corps Records at the Texas State Archives, 1938-1983, undated (bulk 1941-1945)
“When the Texas National Guard was demobilized in 1947, the 50th Legislature (by Senate Bill 361) created the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps (TSGRC), to provide a reservoir of military strength for use by the state in time of national or state emergency, when any part of the Texas National Guard was called into federal service. When so activated, this Texas State Guard Reserve Corps would function as the Texas State Guard (TSG). The Governor of Texas appointed a Commanding General for the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps, to be supervised by the Adjutant General of Texas. Initially the state was divided into twelve districts, each with a colonel as regimental commander. “
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/45020015/
Abilene Reporter-News from Abilene, Texas
Abilene Reporter-News
Location: Abilene, Texas
Sunday, August 22, 1948
Page: Page 36
“HOME FORCE? What number of troops would the state wish to retain as home defense force? "A sufficiently large number to afford all possible protection lo shipping, industrial, manufacturing and transportation centers In case either a national emergency with only air threat apparent or with air and airborne threat." said (Governor Beauford ) Jester. Among other questions, Jester was asked if the state had need of a state controlled combat air force. He said no, but the state might need a transport element useful in time of emergency when the air national guard and ground forces planes are not available. Only last week, it was announced that advanced naval air training would be centered in Corpus Christi. Jester suggested that the use of C-17 and light liaison planes for rapid movement to a stricken area, transport of medical or other emergency supplies and for observation or reconnaissance of an area constitutes the chief need of the state for air national guard elements. "There is foreseen, however, an immediate need for air cover and protection in case of a national emergency with an air threat apparent." he said. "Because of the strategic geographic location of Texas and our large shipping center, together with ___ industrial weapons.. . "It is believed if either threat is apparent, both would actually exist, bill it is believed that this force should he a federal force and its size should be that directed by the Army's G-2 estimate." Governor Jester gave as his idea of local defense missions of a state force the protection of utilities, railroads and government installations from sabotage, protection of air fields, oil supply concentrations and other such installations, protection of strategic lines of concentration and munitions and military supply factories instruction of and training of civilians in the use of air raid precautions. The Governor said Texas should have a larger defense force than other states because of her great distances. He thinks there should be considerable surveying done by G-2 to determine the size of such a force. Jester gave as his opinion the need for "better realization" of all employers, large and small, of the "vital importance of an adequately trained armed force." Generally, however, he said all industry showed its interest and cooperation in the national guard, organized reserve and other civilian component units of national defense in peacetime.
12 DISTRICTS He (Governor Jester) gave his plan for organizing the Texas State Guard Reserve Corps. It includes a state headquarters and 12 districts with from two to four Infantry battalions and a medical unit In each district. There would be no required training and no equipment issued. Ratings would be done to Grade III enlisted men and there would be ample room for expansion. Jester expressed gratification at the passage of a state law creating such a state guard reserve corps. If the merger of the national guard and organized reserves under the Federal military system ever passes Congress, then Texas would be wholly dependent for militia service on this state guard. Before this move ever gains much headway, however, there will be plenty of opposition registered. Rep. Olin Teague, for many years a reserve officer, has some interesting conclusions to offer on the subject. It was his survey of reserve unit residents throughout the nation that formed the basis of the Gray board's report. However, Teague said he recommended that something be done to change the present reserves by the regular army. He does not agree with the Gray board's recommendation of a merger under federal jurisdiction. Teague said the Gray board report, If adopted, would hinder the reserves and benefit the regular service. "This plan would be much more costly than we need," he says. "We could have legislation setting up a changed system that would cost much less and still obtain the desired result." Pressed for steps in this reasoning. Teague said: "According to this plan, if they get 22,000 graduates annually from Reserve Officers Training Corps schools, then it will cost them $71,000,000 annually." He makes some severe charges against military higher-ups and regular army men for their "attitude" toward the reserves. Teague has been a reserve officer since 1932. He is familiar with the program and also with the hopes of the temporary officers and men who came out of World War If. If some plan had been evolved and put into successful operation immediately following the close of the last war, whereby the reserves might have kept up their training and received interested consideration, "then we would have organized the potential manpower of this nation and today we would have all the reserve strength we need," he said. "We wouldn't even need the draft." He also is a great believer In universal military training which would maintain that reserve, he feels.
“A WRONG ATTITUDE" "The whole attitude of the. regular army toward the reserves has got to change," Teague said. Then he cited instances where he believes the military top echelons have squelched hie reserve program. He charged that some years ago, a large sum, approximately $50,000,000 was shifted from the funds allocated to the reserves and put elsewhere in the Army budget. Since that time, appropriations for the reserves have been cut by Congress to fit that pattern and thus the reserve program has been hindered. Teague also charged that recently at Texas A&M College, in his district and also his alma mater, an incident arose which is puzzling. Some 200 men wanted to join as reserve officers but the War Department which today says it needs and wants officer material and must now have the draft would not accept this large number of applicants. Teague said he is still conducting his study of just what the Gray board report means. He is also keeping perhaps the most watchful and experienced eye In Congress on the top brass.”
Steve Thomas
The Tippit Case in the New Millenium
in JFK Assassination Debate
Posted
Jim,
I was trying to find out if the shells at the Tippit scene had any fingerprints on them. As near as I can tell, there weren't. Along the way, I learned a couple of things.
Neither Hill, nor Poe knew the name of the person who gave them the shells (which is astounding in its own right).
When Poe gave the shells to Pete Barnes from the Crime Lab, who was standing right there with a fingerprint dusting kit and actually using that kit to dust the car for prints, Barnes didn't dust the shells for prints.
Hill, Benevides and Callaway all describe a suspect who was in the 5'10" range weighing about 160-165 lbs.
Here's my notes, if you're interested.
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/benavide.htm
Mr. BELIN - Then what happened? Did the officers ever get in touch with you?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Later on that evening, about 4 o'clock, there was two officers came by and asked for me, Mr. Callaway asked me---I had told them that I had seen the officer, and the reporters were there and I was trying to hide from the reporters because they will just bother you all the time.
I was just trying to hide from the reporters and everything, and these two officers came around and asked me if I'd seen him, and I told him yes, and told them what I had seen,...
Mr. BELIN - Did he ever take you to the police station and ask you if you could identify him?
Mr. BENAVIDES - No; they didn't.
Another FBI file from SA Joseph J. Loeffler to SAC (89-43) dated December 4, 1963.
https://books.google.com/books?id=IdnhAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT757&lpg=PT757&dq=%22Domingo+Benavides%22+CBS&source=bl&ots=eODtmXcfZ5&sig=FqLkfGuuiw6qUA5NRAnj1nJeifk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj0trfvxfPYAhVD7IMKHX2PCoA4ChDoAQgpMAE#v=onepage&q=%22Domingo%20Benavides%22%20CBS&f=false
“4 empty hulls – 2 found by unidentified witness at the scene of the shooting of Tippit – 400 E. 10th St. and given to Officer, J.M. Poe. He has no recollection of who gave them to him.” The memo goes on to talk about the shells found by the Davis sisters.
Poe's after-action report dated 11/22/63
DPD Archives, Box 1, Folder# 4, Item# 5
http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box1.htm
Poe wrote, "Unidentified witness handed Officer Poe two empty hulls in an empty cigarette package and stated, "These were the bullets that killed the officer.". The bottom of the Report is marked “Pending”.
The only mention of Benavides in the DPD Archives Index is Report by James Leavelle.
DPD Archives Box 16, Folder# 12, Item# 6.
http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box1617.htm
It's dated the 22nd, and it had to have been written up after 6:30PM, because he mentions the 6:30 lineup.
Leavelle wrote, "Another witness who saw the officer laying in the street, but did not see the suspect was a Domingo Benavides..."
Leavelle wrote that Benavides found two shells and turned them over to Poe, who in turn, turned them over to Pete Barnes, who "dusted the car for prints".
Leavelle says that Benevides did not see the suspect.
At the time Poe wrote his Report, Benavides was still unidentified. By 6:30, he is identified by name in Leavelle's Report. Benavides said that 2 officers came by (at Dootch Motors, I believe), at 4:00 and he told them what he had seen.
Why does the FBI Report filed by James Loeffler on December 4, 1963 says that it was an “unidentified witness” who gave Poe the shells, and that Poe “has no recollection of who gave them to him”?
Who were the two officers who came by to see Benevides? Where is their report?
Why did the police and the WC give so much more attention to Helen Markham than they did to Domingo Benavides? He was actually closer to the shooter than Markham was, wasn't he?
Is it because Benavides describes a shooter who looked different than Oswald?
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/benavide.htm
Mr. BELIN - I am between 5' 10" and 5' 11". Closer to 5' 11", I believe.
Mr. BENAVIDES - I would say he was about your size,
Mr. BELIN - Was he average weight, slender, or heavy?
Mr. BENAVIDES - I would say he was average weight.
Mr. BELIN - What color hair did he have?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Oh, dark. I mean not dark.
Mr. BELIN - Black hair?
Mr. BENAVIDES - No. Not black or brown, just kind of a----
Mr. BELIN - You say he is my size, my weight, and my color hair?
Mr. BENAVIDES - He kind of looks like---well, his hair was a little bit curlier.
Mr. BELIN - Anything else about him that looked like me.
Mr. BENAVIDES - No. that is all.
Mr. BELIN - What about his skin? Was he fair complexioned or dark complexioned?
Mr. BENAVIDES - He wasn't dark.
Mr. BELIN - Average complexion?
Mr. BENAVIDES - No; a little bit darker than average.
Of course he looked, his skin looked a little bit ruddier than mine.
Mr. BENAVIDES - I remember the back of his head seemed like his hairline was sort of--looked like his hairline sort of went square instead of tapered off. and he looked like he needed a haircut for about 2 weeks, but his hair didn't taper off, it kind of went down and squared off and made his head look fiat in back.
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/hill_gl.htm
Gerald Hill:
The first man that came up to me, he said, "The man that shot him was a white male about 5'10", weighing 160 to 170 pounds, and brown bushy hair."
Mr. BELIN. Now, let me interrupt you here, sergeant. Do you remember the name of the person that gave you the description?
Mr. HILL. No. I turned him over to Poe, and I didn't even get his name.
Mr. BELIN - When you put these two shells that you found in this cigarette package, what did you do with them?
Mr. BENAVIDES - I gave them to an officer.
Mr. BELIN - That came out to the scene shortly after?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - Do you remember the name of the officer?
Mr. BENAVIDES - No, sir; I didn't even ask him. I just told him that this was the shells that he had fired, and I handed them to him. Seemed like he was a young guy, maybe 24.
Poe's after-action report dated 11/22/63
DPD Archives, Box 1, Folder# 4, Item# 5
http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box1.htm
Poe wrote, "Unidentified witness handed Officer Poe two empty hulls in an empty cigarette package and stated, "These were the bullets that killed the officer.".
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/callaway1.htm
Mr. BALL. What kind--when you talked to the police officers before you saw this man, did you give them a description of the clothing he had on?
Mr. CALLAWAY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. What did you tell them you saw?
Mr. CALLAWAY. I told them he had some dark trousers and a light tannish gray windbreaker jacket, and I told him that he was fair complexion, dark hair.
Mr. BALL. Tell them the size?
Mr. CALLAWAY. Yes; I told them--I think I told them about 5'10"--
Mr. BALL. Was he fat or thin?
Mr. CALLAWAY. He was just--
Mr. BALL. I mean the man you saw across the street?
Mr. CALLAWAY. Just a nice athletic type size boy, I mean. Neither fat nor thin.
Mr. BALL. What did you estimate his weight when you talked to the officer before the lineup?
Mr. CALLAWAY. I told him it looked to me like around 160 pounds.
Mr. BELIN - Taking you back to November 22, 1963, anything unusual happen that day?
Mr. BENAVIDES - On the 22d?
Mr. BELIN - 22d of November 1963?
Mr. BENAVIDES - This would be embarrassing. Was that the day of the Assassination of the President?
Mr. BELIN - Yes.
Mr. BENAVIDES - I was thinking it was the 24th. Well, nothing except it seemed like a pretty nice day.
Mr. BELIN - Do you remember what day of the week it was?
Mr. BENAVIDES - I don't remember.
Mr. BELIN - Do you remember the day that the President was assassinated?
Mr. BENAVIDES - No.
Mr. BELIN - Do you remember that he was assassinated in Dallas?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Oh, yes; I remember this.
Mr. BELIN - When the officers came out there, did you tell them what you had seen?
Mr. BENAVIDES - No, sir.
Mr. BELIN - What did you do?
Mr. BENAVIDES - I left right after. I give the shells to the officer. I turned around and went back and we returned to work.
Who is we?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Later on that evening, about 4 o'clock, there was two officers came by and asked for me, Mr. Callaway asked me---I had told them that I had seen the officer, and the reporters were there and I was trying to hide from the reporters because they will just bother you all the time.
I was just trying to hide from the reporters and everything, and these two officers came around and asked me if I'd seen him, and I told him yes, and told them what I had seen...
Who were these two officers, and where is their Report?
Callaway makes no mention of this 4:00 PM visit.
Steve Thomas