Leslie Sharp

Nov 14, 2023 By: Aaron Good A recently discovered document found in West German archives reveals that during or just before the month of September 1962, a US military officer met with notorious Nazi assassin and terrorist Otto Skorzeny. The US officer spoke with Skorzeny in Madrid, Spain to complain about the foreign policy of US President John F. Kennedy. The document was discovered within the Otto Skorzeny file of Germany's BND archives. German researcher and filmmaker Dirk Pohlmann found the report and shared it with his friend, the great Swedish academic Ola Tunander---who then forwarded it to Peter Dale Scott and me. It raises very interesting questions about Skorzeny, a man who was already a suspect in the eyes of some JFK assassination researchers. This is a scan of the document: Here is a working English translation: Subject: Skorzeny, Madrid With respect to the documents in Madrid, an excerpt from a report from an [outsider] whose sources have significant business in Spain via the Trading Company of Otto Skorzeny. The report is dated Sept. 21, 1962. Until recently, Skorzeny was the general representative of the VÖST [Note: this appears to refer to a Nazi manufacturing company, Voestalpine]. This position was terminated without justification. It’s assumed, that either the Socialist Party of Austria or even the [Socialist Union] was behind this. Materially, Skorzeny should be fine without the position with the VÖST. Recently he’s supposed to have purchased property in Ireland and has had his villa in Mallorca for a while, although he lives in his [flat] in Madrid. According to the source, Skorzeny has continued contact with American military, particularly contact with flight officers [probably closer to say air force officers] of the US Army. In these circles [i.e., among US military officers], one is distraught over the politics of the current president and his close advisors. The advisors are “wusses” who do not believe in the supremacy of the west over the east. The election of Kennedy was a catastrophe, which was achieved by bribery and corruption which cannot be undone in one legislative session, etc Similarly, the officers are critical of the millions spent on Poland solely for elections or given to “n****r states” [i.e., African nation-states] whose diaspora in the US could be courted as voters. According to Skorzeny, American foreign policy is a chain reaction of stupid decisions that isn’t a real foreign policy – rather, it’s foreign policy based on domestic politics (as is common for America). The September 21, 1962 date is notable. It is likely that the meeting took place in that month, an eventful month for Skorzeny. On September 11, 1962, a German scientist named Heinz Krug vanished after a day spent at his office. Krug was one of many former Nazi rocket scientists who were working for Nasser's Egypt. In 2016, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported "that Krug was murdered as part of an Israeli espionage plot to intimidate the German scientists working for Egypt." According to Dan Raviv and Yossi Melmanm, the authors of the article, [T]he most astounding revelation is the Mossad agent who fired the fatal gunshots: Otto Skorzeny, one of the Israeli spy agency’s most valuable assets, was a former lieutenant colonel in Nazi Germany’s Waffen-SS and one of Adolf Hitler’s personal favorites among the party’s commando leaders. The Führer, in fact, awarded Skorzeny the army’s most prestigious medal, the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross, for leading the rescue operation that plucked his friend Benito Mussolini out from the hands of his captors. But that was then. By 1962, according to our sources—who spoke only on the promise that they not be identified—Skorzeny had a different employer. The story of how that came to be is one of the most important untold tales in the archives of the Mossad. As detailed by Professor Chris Simpson in Blowback: America’s Recruitment Of Nazis And Its Effects On The Cold War, Skorzeny was assisted in a mysterious jailbreak before he could be tried for war crimes. He was then used by the CIA to get close to the Egyptian insurgent officers led by Gamal Nasser. Allen Dulles tasked the Nazi spymaster Reinhard Gehlen with helping the Egyptian officers on intelligence and security matters. Gehlen then deployed Otto Skorzeny to assist Nasser and company. According to Raviv and Melmanm it was years later---in early 1962---that Mossad recruited Skorzeny. During the strange evening when he was recruited, Skorzeny became suspicious about two new friends that he and his wife (the niece of Hjalmar Schacht, aka "Hitler's banker") had met in a bar in Madrid. Surmising that they were not who they claimed to be, Skorzeny pulled a gun on them and said, “I know who you are, and I know why you’re here. You are Mossad, and you’ve come to kill me.” The Israeli spies explained that they were not there to kill him, but that if he killed them, Mossad would send spies who would indeed kill him. However, they merely needed Skorzeny to do some jobs for Mossad. In exchange, they agreed to have Skorzeny's name removed from an Israeli list of Nazi war criminals. This was how a Nazi assassin went from being a war criminal awaiting trial, to being a CIA asset, to being a Mossad agent, to killing a German scientist at the behest of Israel, to finally having a friendly chat with a high-ranking, right-wing US Air Force officer about how President Kennedy was a disaster for giving too much away to black people and for not recognizing the supremacy of the West over the East. For those who have been following the release of the Four Died Trying film series, it is also worth noting how the treason-minded US military officer in question here also had complaints about "millions...given to 'n****r states' [i.e., African nation-states] whose diaspora in the US could be courted as voters." When Four Died Trying moves to the next major assassination after President Kennedy---the murder of Malcolm X in 1965---viewers will learn about how US foreign policy elites were alarmed at Malcolm X and his campaign to tie African liberation to the struggle of black Americans. As mentioned above, some respected JFK researchers believe that Skorzeny was a key figure in the Dallas assassination of President John F. Kennedy. While the book Coup in Dallas relies on some source material of disputed authenticity, it contains much interesting material on Otto Skorzeny. Regardless of the extent of Skorzeny's actual involvement in the Dallas plot, this newly discovered 1962 memo shows how deadly serious the Cold War national security state was in terms of opposing the foreign policy of President Kennedy https://www.fourdiedtrying.com/post/why-did-a-high-ranking-us-military-officer-meet-with-a-nazi-assassin-in-1962-to-complain-about-jfk

RUTH and BARD . . . A Review Leslie Sharp replied to Leslie Sharp's topic in JFK Assassination Debate ...Ruth sat on the November 9 Kostin letter until after the assassination. Why? Had she phoned the number Hosty left with her on November 1 and shared that a former defector was attempting to redefect with wife and child, would Hosty have moved post-haste to interview Oswald? Did she prompt Od...

Dallas… Dallas, ah goodness, I’m not sure what to say… I wasn’t there anywhere near as often as Pierre… not at all. But Pierre would say it was… Dallas was like the arms and legs of the American secret service, your CIA…. —Rene Lafitte Rene says oil smooths the way to silent, and sometimes deadly, change. —Lafitte notes The lay of the land… lay of the land, Dallas —Lafitte datebook, November 19, 1963 A thorough exposé of world class American Fascist and renowned modernist architect Philip Johnson — designer of the Kennedy Memorial in Dallas, the Hunt oil dynasty's Thanksgiving Tower and Carolyn Rose Hunt's Crescent Court — juxtaposed with Carlson's interview of Putin who insists without challenge that Poland started WWII. Philip Johnson had been a bit more coarse when writing about Hitler's invasion, arguing that Poland was asking for it. begin min. 6:45

Mr. LIEBELER. Did you say that you also started working at a new job that same day? Mrs. ODIO. No, sir. Mr. LIEBELER. But you had been working on the day that you did move? Mrs. ODIO. I started working initially the 15th of September, because it was too far away where I lived in Irving. I started the 15th of September, I am almost sure of the 15th or the 9th. Let me see what day was the 9th. It was a Monday. It was the 9th, sir, that I started working at National Chemsearch. (Special Agent Bardwell O. Odum of the Federal Bureau of Investigation entered the hearing room.) Mr. LIEBELER. This is Mr. Odum from the FBI. As a matter of fact, Mr. Odum was the man that interviewed you. Mrs. ODIO. I remember. He looked very familiar. Mr. [LIEBELER]. What is the name? Mr. [sic] ODIO. I interview so many people, it slips my mind at the moment. Agent Odum left the hearing room…

@David McLean Scott McLeod is intriguing, particularly his personal friendship with Sheffield Edwards.* If I haven't already shared, McLeod (a former FBI agent) was posted in Ireland at the time the Skorzenys were lobbying for permanent residence visas. His ambassadorship proposed by Pres. Eisenhower was challenged by only one Senator, John F. Kennedy. What did Kennedy know? I wasn't aware of Schacht's role with Onassis, but it 'makes sense.' Is it any accident Jackie fell under Onassis' spell. We've latterly learned that Lafitte was a private chef on one of Niarchos' private yachts sometime in the '50s; it would make sense if it was late in the decade following Lafitte's sting op in Las Vegas. Does this suggest Lafitte met Al Ulmer at some point? Ulmer was posted in Madrid when Otto began operations under cover of World Commerce; Otto's 'handler', AF attaché Wittington reported to Ulmer; of huge significance yet to be exposed sufficiently was Win Scott's role as Chief of Western Division special operations - covering Europe - at the same time his future business partner Ulmer was keeping tabs on Skorzeny in Madrid. We have at least one document regarding Otto's Madrid activities with Win Scott's signature. At the same time, Col. Charles Askins - expert marksman and former Texas Border Patrol - was posted as army attaché in Madrid and assigned hands-on surveillance of Otto's arms deals. Col. Askins had served with Harlon B. Carter who became head of the Border Patrol and advanced to SW region chief of Immigration and Naturalization Services in 1963, placing him in command of tracking potential assassins traveling in and out of Dallas the week of the assassination. Askins appears in the 1963 datebook maintained by Pierre Lafitte on September 12, October 2, and October 8. Harlon Carter left INS in 1967 for an active role in the National Rifle Association and in 1977 led what is now referred to as the Revolt at Cincinnati when the once benign sportsmen's association morphed into the most powerful lobbying effort on behalf of the arms and munitions industry — under the guise of Second Amendment rights. *Sheffield Edwards and wife were close personal friends of Pierre and Rene Lafitte; his name and ref. to his wife appear in Pierre's 1963 datebook.

Ruth's own testimony is evidence she and Michael were on first name basis with SA Bard Odum. Following leads is hardly inappropriate given the implications. Ruth sat on the November 9 Kostin letter until after the assassination. Why? Had she phoned the number Hosty left with her on November 1 and shared that a former defector was attempting to redefect with wife and child, would Hosty have moved post-haste to interview Oswald? Did she prompt Odum to pursue the Walker incident? Had the Paines ever mentioned to Bard that the Russian wife of an American defector was living with Ruth? Why was Odum teamed with Hosty the evening of the 22nd? Why is Odum in virtually every critical scene in the early weeks of the investigation and in particular the first forty-eight hours, yet he is never called to testify before the WC: TSBD bldg. rifle Texas Theatre arrest Tippit shooting scene Search of Paine home Mexico City photograph Marguerite and Marina #399 Sylvia Odio Walker fragment etc.

A similar discussion transpired recently on the 'Reiner talks about two Oswalds' thread. I think it's important to retrace Gallagher's steps to confirm that records indicate two Odums. I read a subtle nuance or irony in the phrase as if he's a bit incredulous. The reason for this thread is to prompt a review of Bard Odum's role in the Paine's life pre-assassination (if any), and how that might have affected the investigation.

SA Bardwell Odum provides fascinating bookends to the November 23, 1963 DMN article first to report a possible link between the Walker shooting and the assassination of President Kennedy: Gallagher writes that Ruth also had a conversation with “Bard” about the General Walker shooting before there was reason to believe that Lee was involved. From testimony: Ruth Paine. I don’t know whether your accounts of what the FBI has it down of their conversation with me include one meeting with Bardwell Odum, right after the newspapers had indicated something of a shot at Walker, before there was any corroborative details such as the contents of a note. (9H387) Dallas Morning News November 23, 1963 "Officials Recall Sniper Shooting At Walker Home" Police Friday were not overlooking a possibility that President Kennedy's assassin may have been the mystery sniper who shot at Maj. Gen. Edwin A. Walker last April 10. A rifle bullet was fired into the study of Walker's North Dallas [??] home at 4011 Turtle Creek by a sniper who used a backyard fence to stead his aim. The bullet slammed into a wall barely an inch from the former general's head. Police determined that the bullet was fired from a 30.06 rifle. The sniper attack occurred two nights after th Walker had returned from a coast to coast anti-Communist crusade which he called "Midnight Alert." From HSCA files some sixteen years later: . . . Lieutenant Day also advised that he retrieved the Walker bullet from the CCCIL on December 2, 1963, and gave it to FBI Special Agent Bardwell D. Odum on the same date. Special Agent Odum forwarded the Walker bullet to FBI Laboratory where it arrived for examination on December 4, 1963.

@Joe Bauer Yes, we know the Warren Commission failed miserably when they didn't call Odum to testify; and why would their investigators fail to recognize his 'ubiquitous' role, or did they? But, beyond that, why have researchers who rail against the WC Report ignored the one FBI Agent whose finger was in virtually every pie of the Dallas investigation? Raymond Gallagher realized Odum's significance and published in Fourth Decade decades ago; Bill Simpich picked up the gauntlet, as have we in Coup in Dallas. It appears the requisite innate curiosity of those who interviewed Ruth and Michael over the years was lacking. I've searched recent Ed Forum threads focused on the Paine couple for any mention of the apparent personal relationship they shared with SA Bard Odum prior to the assassination and find nothing. Those who vigorously defend Ruth in particular seem to either be disinterested or to have deliberately avoided the history. With that, I would ask @Greg Doudna whether he pursued specifics from Ruth's testimony presented in this thread? @Ron Bulman I haven't located the full document referenced here (HSCA #01431). Have you? Simpich may have a link to it in his essay available on MFF. At the very same time, according to Hosty, Bardwell was at the Texas Theater witnessing the arrest of LHO. Odum, himself made a statement (HSCA document #01431) describing his observing the arrest. His statement begins: "At approximately 2 p.m., November 22, 1963, I was informed by an unidentified policeman of the DPD that a suspect had been seen entering the back door of the Texas Theater. I immediately proceeded to the Texas Theater...."

' . . . [Ruth Paine] felt comfortable enough with “Bob” to visit Marina Oswald’s bedroom alone with SA Odum, who was at the Irving home to pick up Lee’s wedding ring for Marina. From Ruth’s testimony: Ruth Paine. “I gave it (the ring) to Mr. Odum who was in the room with me—Mr. Odum went with me to the bedroom.” (3H111-112) On another occasion, Ruth and Bardwell examined the content of Marina’s [dresser] drawers. From testimony: Ruth Paine. . . . I think she must have known that Lee had been to Mexico, judging from the materials I have already described were picked up by Mr. Odum and myself from the dresser drawer. (9H385) Ruth also had a conversation with “Bard” about the General Walker shooting before there was reason to believe that Lee was involved. From testimony: Ruth Paine. I don’t know whether your accounts of what the FBI has it down of their conversation with me include one meeting with Bardwell Odum, right after the newspapers had indicated something of a shot at Walker, before there was any corroborative details such as the contents of a note. (9H387) Ruth Paine. Agent Odum has been out a great deal. (9H106) Ruth Paine. I would guess that I report to Mr. Odum other things about— ... I talked with him a great deal. (3H10-7) — Raymond Gallagher, The Fourth Decade 'Since Ruth mentioned the Walker shooting: whatever happened to the recovered slub from General's house? From testimony:' Mr. Belin. Do you know whether or not any balistic identification was made of this slug with regard to any rifle it may have been fired from" Lt. Day. No sir, I released it to the FBI Agent B.D. Odum on December 2, 1963, at 4:10 pm. Mr. Belin. Has that ever been back in your possession since that time? Lt. Day. Not since that time. (10H271) — Raymond Gallagher, The Fourth Decade https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=48706#relPageId=20&search=9H387 see also: ' . . . Also, on May 28, 1964, Dallas Police Lieutenant J. C. Day advised an FBI Agent that on April 25, 1963, ". . . he took the bullet from the CSSS, marked it for identification . . . " and then personally took it to the City-County Criminal Investigation Laboratory (CCCIL), Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas, where he gave it to F. T. Alexander and Louie L. Anderson. Lieutenant Day also advised that he retrieved the Walker bullet from the CCCIL on December 2, 1963, and gave it to FBI Special Agent Bardwell D. Odum on the same date. Special Agent Odum forwarded the Walker bullet to FBI Laboratory where it arrived for examination on December 4, 1963.' ADMIN FOLDER-O1: HSCA ADMINISTRATIVE FOLDER, HSC-A TICKLER VOLUME VI, pg 9 RIF#: 124-10371-10117 (07/10/79) FBI#: 62-117290-ADMIN FOLDER-O1 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=10040#relPageId=7&search=cccil Oswald Tied to Shot at Walker NYTimes, March 20, 1964 https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/20/archives/oswald-is-linked-to-shot-at-walker.html

' . . . [Ruth Paine] felt comfortable enough with “Bob” to visit Marina Oswald’s bedroom alone with SA Odum, who was at the Irving home to pick up Lee’s wedding ring for Marina. From Ruth’s testimony: Ruth Paine. “I gave it (the ring) to Mr. Odum who was in the room with me—Mr. Odum went with me to the bedroom.” (3H111-112) On another occasion, Ruth and Bardwell examined the content of Marina’s [dresser] drawers. From testimony: Ruth Paine. . . . I think she must have known that Lee had been to Mexico, judging from the materials I have already described were picked up by Mr. Odum and myself from the dresser drawer. (9H385) Ruth also had a conversation with “Bard” about the General Walker shooting before there was reason to believe that Lee was involved. From testimony: Ruth Paine. I don’t know whether your accounts of what the FBI has it down of their conversation with me include one meeting with Bardwell Odum, right after the newspapers had indicated something of a shot at Walker, before there was any corroborative details such as the contents of a note. (9H387) Ruth Paine. Agent Odum has been out a great deal. (9H106) Ruth Paine. I would guess that I report to Mr. Odum other things about— ... I talked with him a great deal. (3H10-7) — Raymond Gallagher, The Fourth Decade https://www.maryferrell.org/archive/docs/048/48706/images/img_48706_20_200.png 'Since Ruth mentioned the Walker shooting: whatever happened to the recovered slub from General's house? From testimony:' Mr. Belin. Do you know whether or not any balistic identification was made of this slug with regard to any rifle it may have been fired from" Lt. Day. No sir, I released it to the FBI Agent B.D. Odum on December 2, 1963, at 4:10 pm. Mr. Belin. Has that ever been back in your possession since that time? Lt. Day. Not since that time. (10H271) — Raymond Gallagher, The Fourth Decade https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1138#relPageId=766&search=Odum see also: ' . . . Also, on May 28, 1964, Dallas Police Lieutenant J. C. Day advised an FBI Agent that on April 25, 1963, ". . . he took the bullet from the CSSS, marked it for identification . . . " and then personally took it to the City-County Criminal Investigation Laboratory (CCCIL), Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas, where he gave it to F. T. Alexander and Louie L. Anderson. Lieutenant Day also advised that he retrieved the Walker bullet from the CCCIL on December 2, 1963, and gave it to FBI Special Agent Bardwell D. Odu7m on the same date. Special Agent Odum forwarded the Walker bullet to FBI Laboratory where it arrived for examination on December 4, 1963.' ADMIN FOLDER-O1: HSCA ADMINISTRATIVE FOLDER, HSC-A TICKLER VOLUME VI, pg 9 RIF#: 124-10371-10117 (07/10/79) FBI#: 62-117290-ADMIN FOLDER-O1 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=10040#relPageId=7&search=cccil Oswald Tied to Shot at Walker NYTimes March 20, 1964 https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/20/archives/oswald-is-linked-to-shot-at-walker.html

The issue is whether the terms of the loan might affect the disposition of a manuscript. It appears the Curme/MFF loan may have been forgiven some years ago; if not, presumably Curme and/or the foundation board would be as anxious as any to see Final Charade in print.

A loan of $165,000 to David Lipton appears in early tax filings of Oliver Curme's newly formed Mary Ferrell Foundation.

Oswald-related entries found in the 1963 datebook maintained by Pierre Lafitte. Note: September 16, set-up complete; October 25, Oswald set in place March 26 McWillie — guns with Davis - Oswald April 7 Walker — Lee and pictures Planned soon — Can he do it? Wait [Won’t] May 10 T says tail LO - no direct contacts - calls? No report to Angleton + not here (wife) Rene says A looks like cadaver - Mexico City? May 23 Ask T about Oswald Magazine? Kane and Zale NY. May 28 Oswald July 23 Oswald — wife M — Where August 26 Oswald — bank? M — meet T. September 16 T. says L.O. is ‘idiot’ but w be used regardless Set-up complete September 22 Oswald — Mex City Gaudet? September 24 Oswald. D/T. (Labadie / Florida) W.J. September 26 O. traveling (Let T. know) Madrid September 27 Oswald — Commercio Hotel to meet with Tom D at Luma — T. Says yes October 6 Oswald — issue (!) check with Caretaker . . . October 9 ……… T says called Oswald to purpose — weapons— ………… October 17 JA call yest. Says high - level gathering in D.C. Lancelot - go - ok Oswald - others October 25 O says done Oswald set in place call Walker + others November 9 On the wings of murder the pigeon way for unsuspecting Lee. Clip clip his wings November 22 Merde merde xxxx xxxx —O Tippett why? Run sparrow run fly! —ask JA who is Tippett! ? (possible references to Lee Oswald) May 26 —L.O. — Wisner Vosjoli D.C. JA October 27 Gali Sherbatov — L.O. (Orlov) (Itkin) -Harvey-

It's my understanding that Lifton had uncovered extensive additional detail on Oswald. A recent draft of Final Charade is in the hands of one of his research confidants who hopes to fulfill David's 'final wishes' this year barring legal complications.

On May 9, Lafitte notes, Souetre and David[s] in April here, and then asks, Shaw where? Later, on September 17, Lafitte asks, Willoughby – Shaw? Investigative journalist James Phelan's friendship with Pierre was under discussion today while reviewing an index of files of the office of District Attorney James Garrison. (see relevant entries below) What strikes me as more than curious, according to this, Phelan was in and out of New Orleans as early as May 1967; his friend Lafitte had returned to New Orleans to open the Plimsoll Club in the new ITM building by mid-late autumn of '67. If Phelan was working on Garrison's case, is it reasonable to assume he was aware that his friend Pierre, a.k.a. Jean Martin was back in town? A related question that plagued us: how could Jim Garrison have avoided meeting sous chef Jean Martin [Pierre Lafitte] in the early 1960s? In 1963, Garrison was the subject of Phelan's coverage of the feisty new DA who planned to clean up the seedier side of the French Quarter. Is it reasonable Phelan didn't catch up with Pierre, his friend and writing partner since the Greenspun / Las Vegas caper while working on that story or that Garrison would have been intrigued by Phelan's inside scoop on that sting and want to meet "Louis Tabet"? Fast forward to 1967, in spite of the controversy over the [alleged] Phelan-Lafitte break-in of Garrison's office — a claim that is still vigorously challenged by at least one Phelan family member — it is reasonable to ask whether Lafitte was brought back to New Orleans in concert with the launch of Garrison's investigation to serve some purpose other than his culinary skills. Is it possible Garrison and those with more discretionary income during their intense investigation even dined at the newly opened Plimsoll? The coincidence of Pierre's arrival back in New Orleans as the Shaw case took shape bookends with the coincidence he was spirited out of town by Federal authorities at the end of 1969 only to disappear into the ethers; the timing is more than curious to many of us familiar with Lafitte's role in the assassination. INDEX OF FILES ‑‑ OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, NEW ORLEANS FILE DRAWER 11 3. __ 5/25/67 Phelan. Contents Contains envelopes ‑ bulky materials, primarily tape recordings 5/28/67 4th interview between Perry Russo and James Phelan James Phelan and Mark Lane Contents: 1. l tape marked "Phelan Original" 2. Transcript of 4th interview between Russo and Phelan 6 pages. Reviewed ‑ General Conversation Tape in box ‑ "4th interview between Perry and Phelan" 2nd interview between P. Russo and J. 2. 5/24/67 Tape in box ‑ "2nd interview between Perry and Phelan" Transcript Russo expressing concern about job at Equitable; doesn't want to hurt anybody. Phelan recommending Russo retain a lawyer. 1st interview between Perry Russon and James Phelan Tape and transcript (approximately 30 pages) Transcript re: Shaw, Moffett, Ferrie 5/27/67 3rd interview between Perry Russo and James Phelan Tape and transcript Transcript ‑ 7 pages, RE: parafin test, Warren report, misc. Tape ‑"Nothing of importance" noted on box containing tape Perry Russo and Washington Post #5 (Person conducting interview not identified) Tape and transcript 11 pages , RE: Ferrie &associates; Shaw

Those familiar with Armstrong's body of research may be able to identify convergence, overlap, or discrepancies with the timeline of Oswald found in the private datebook maintained by Pierre Lafitte then living in New Orleans. March 26 McWillie — guns with Davis - Oswald April 7 Walker — Lee and pictures Planned soon — Can he do it? Wait [Won’t] May 10 T says tail LO - no direct contacts - calls? No report to Angleton + not here (wife) Rene says A looks like cadaver - Mexico City? May 23 Ask T about Oswald Magazine? Kane and Zale NY. May 28 Oswald July 23 Oswald — wife M — Where August 26 Oswald — bank? M — meet T. September 16 T. says L.O. is ‘idiot’ but w be used regardless Set-up complete September 22 Oswald — Mex City Gaudet? September 24 Oswald. D/T. (Labadie / Florida) W.J. September 26 O. traveling (Let T. know) Madrid September 27 Oswald — Commercio Hotel to meet with Tom D at Luma — T. Says yes October 6 Oswald — issue (!) check with Caretaker . . . October 9 ……… T says called Oswald to purpose — weapons— ………… October 17 JA call yest. Says high - level gathering in D.C. Lancelot - go - ok Oswald - others October 25 O says done Oswald set in place call Walker + others November 9 On the wings of murder the pigeon way for unsuspecting Lee. Clip clip his wings November 22 Merde merde xxxx xxxx —O Tippett why? Run sparrow run fly! —ask JA who is Tippett! ? (possible references to Lee Oswald) May 26 —L.O. — Wisner Vosjoli D.C. JA October 27 Gali Sherbatov — L.O. (Orlov) (Itkin) -Harvey-

On May 9, Lafitte notes, Souetre and David[s] in April here, and then asks, Shaw where? Later, on September 17, Lafitte asks, Willoughby – Shaw? Investigative journalist James Phelan's friendship with Pierre was under discussion today while reviewing an index of files of the office of District Attorney James Garrison. (see relevant entries below) What strikes me as more than curious, according to this Phelan was in and out of New Orleans as early as May 1967; his friend Lafitte had returned to New Orleans to open the Plimsoll Club in the new ITM building by mid-late autumn of '67. If Phelan was working on Garrison's case, is it reasonable to assume he was aware that his friend Pierre, a.k.a. Jean Martin was back in town? A related question that plagued us: how could Jim Garrison have avoided meeting sous chef Jean Martin [Pierre Lafitte] in the early 1960s? In 1963, Garrison was the subject of Phelan's coverage of the feisty new DA who planned to clean up the seedier side of the French Quarter. Is it reasonable Phelan didn't catch up with Pierre, his friend and writing partner since the Greenspun / Las Vegas caper while working on that story or that Garrison would have been intrigued by Phelan's inside scoop on that sting and want to meet "Louis Tabet"? Fast forward to 1967, in spite of the controversy over the [alleged] Phelan-Lafitte break-in of Garrison's office — a claim that is still vigorously challenged by at least one Phelan family member — it is reasonable to ask whether Lafitte was brought back to New Orleans in concert with the launch of Garrison's investigation to serve some purpose other than his culinary skills. Is it possible Garrison and those with more discretionary income during their intense investigation even dined at the newly opened Plimsoll? The coincidence of Pierre's arrival back in New Orleans as the Shaw case took shape bookends with the coincidence he was spirited out of town by Federal authorities at the end of 1969 only to disappear into the ethers; the timing is more than curious to many of us familiar with Lafitte's role in the assassination. INDEX OF FILES ‑‑ OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, NEW ORLEANS FILE DRAWER 11 3. __ 5/25/67 Phelan. Contents Contains envelopes ‑ bulky materials, primarily tape recordings 5/28/67 4th interview between Perry Russo and James Phelan James Phelan and Mark Lane Contents: 1. l tape marked "Phelan Original" 2. Transcript of 4th interview between Russo and Phelan 6 pages. Reviewed ‑ General Conversation Tape in box ‑ "4th interview between Perry and Phelan" 2nd interview between P. Russo and J. 2. 5/24/67 Tape in box ‑ "2nd interview between Perry and Phelan" Transcript Russo expressing concern about job at Equitable; doesn't want to hurt anybody. Phelan recommending Russo retain a lawyer. 1st interview between Perry Russon and James Phelan Tape and transcript (approximately 30 pages) Transcript re: Shaw, Moffett, Ferrie 5/27/67 3rd interview between Perry Russo and James Phelan Tape and transcript Transcript ‑ 7 pages, RE: parafin test, Warren report, misc. Tape ‑"Nothing of importance" noted on box containing tape Perry Russo and Washington Post #5 (Person conducting interview not identified) Tape and transcript 11 pages , RE: Ferrie &associates; Shaw

And, in fairness, the Kennedy bros.

Credit to Bill Simpich in addition to Gallagher. Have you read Bill's lengthy piece on Bard? That said, Linnie Randle is the suspect related to Oswald's job at the depository — if you believe his hiring was part of the plot. Certainly Lafitte indicates it was essential. There were other reasons to doubt that Ruth was an actual "handler" which we lay out in that chapter. And you're right. Odum disappears through the summer because Oswald is in New Orleans, indicating Lafitte himself was tracking him or responsible for hiring someone else to. Arthur Odum is a key, in my fairly educated opinion. What were the odds he was posted in Maracaibo in the timeframe the cache of weapons was "discovered." What were the odds he was suddenly recalled for "a top level secret operation" on behalf of the "president." Which president? There were two other Odum brothers, one a Presbyterian minister in San Angelo who appears to have made annual trips to Russia. Arthur had served under the US Ambassador to Russia, twice. The other brother was a well known Dallas architect. Brothers tend to stick together, and keep secrets.

I think his handler may have been someone like David Altee Phillips, likely through a lower level CIA agent used as a cutout. Ron, "Caretaker" identified in Lafitte's datebook was on the scene in Dallas in the spring of 1963 within a few weeks of the de Mohrenschildts' departure for Haiti. He goes dark in the datebook through the summer, resurfaces briefly in September when his name appears with Walker, and then he's active in Dallas in October, a critical month during which Oswald is "set in place." The last mention of caretaker is November 14 when he meets with "Crichton" — Jack Crichton of Empire Trust, Continuity of Gov't, the 488th, and the Skorzeny-Meadows scheme in Madrid. It was anticipated that researchers would tend to cherry pick the datebook entries to fit any number of long-standing hypotheses. However, once we had access to the full datebook, we pursued an invaluable exercise; use Lafitte's record as the standard to compare 'sacred cow' theories. Would those theories that are backed by the most credible evidence hold up against the datebook entries. Cases in point: LBJ was the mastermind. Marcello was the mastermind. Army Intelligence orchestrated the assassination soup to nuts. ONI similar. The Cubans were behind all of the alleged attempts to assassinate Kennedy including Dealey. Dulles called for the head of John Kennedy. The Pentagon planned and executed the plot and the WC covered it up. Etc. Etc. The recent re-focus on Shelley prompted consideration of a possible conduit from Caretaker to Oswald's day-to-day movements while at work. I angry with you that "handler" by definition doesn't apply to Shelley. If Shelley was an employee of CIA, then an FBI SA in the role of Oswald's handler might not be comfortable relying on Shelley. (I should pause with the caveat: it is apparent from Lafitte's records that those involved in Lancelot Project were not "rogue," nor were they acting in official capacities. They used their official status as cover.) The Lancelot Project was tightly contained, and tightly knit, and if it can be established that Shelley had developed a rapport inside the bureau in Dallas over the years, either with Shanklin or one of his prized SAs like Bard Odum, that personal/professional relationship might have been sufficient bond for Caretaker to assign Shelley the responsibility of keeping Oswald "on point," and if not inside the building on Friday, then at least Shelley was in a position to confuse and distort the patsy's whereabouts. This is a working hypothesis out of respect for the thousands of hours (collectively) expended by presumably well-meaning researchers who continue to argue that Oswald was photographed standing on the top level of the steps leading to the entrance of the depository building as Kennedy was gunned down. I would be the last to dismisss Malcolm Blunt out of hand, btw.

By your logic, anyone could have been an "effective patsy"? You write that the patsy could have been at the White House. Or taking it another step, the FBI could just flip through their files, find one of those other American defectors to the Soviet Union who returned to the US and arrest him regardless of his location on November 22. Do I have that right? If, as I believe Greg argues, young school kids were sitting in the balcony of TT, why weren't they identified as African Americans? In spite of pending immigration across the country, I assure you that Dallas was still identifying "coloreds."

the "you" is a typo ergo the [sic]. I'm concerned it might not be available but as I said, efforts are underway. Hank did not anticipate passing suddenly; in fact he talked about having another decade at least so he continued to protect his sources. Coup was and is a work in progress. I've been far more transparent on this forum than he would have been because at this juncture I know it's my responsibility to balance his obligations with my own strong belief that the facts of the assassination belong in the public domain.

Read and corrected.