1967 JFK Reinterment Photo's & Documents.

[Guest Tom Scully]

And thanks to Robin, Anthony and Denis for the photos and calling attention to this event.

And it looks like you got the Army After Action Report there too.

I didn't look at every photo but there are a few that seem to have what Gus Russo says is a small box laying next to the hole that may contain JFK's brains. - BK

Gus Russo Brothers in Arms The Secret War Against Castro and the Death of JFK p. 405

http://books.google.com/books?id=7Q87Rrxyh...lt&resnum=1 - v=onepage&q=&f=false

…on November 24, 1963, President Kennedy’s lot in the Arlington National Cemetery had been set aside “in perpetuity” – reserved forever in the honor of his memory, as Cemetery officials would tell visitors. He was buried in Lot 45, Section 30 on the afternoon of the following November 25th, when the “eternal flame” was lit. Work on a permanent site 20 feet away began soon thereafter, and would be completed four months after the re-interment – in July 1967.

Now it was time to re-bury the 35th President in that new site, together with the bodies of his two infant children. But, as if the absence of mystery could not be tolerated in any aspect of the Kennedy family history, something puzzling occurred. 41

Before the workman started their excavation, they were startled to witness what had all the appearances of a paramilitary operation. Some 300 military personal arrived and closed Arlington National Cemetery to the public, leaving out all unauthorized persons. An Army road-block shut down Arlington Memorial Bridge. The Military District of Washington established a command post at the guard house near the grave sites. A 50-man reserve troop stood by for summoning on short notice. Meanwhile, troops ringed the area, which had been screened by canvas and open to only “key personnel” with “a specific job.”

The detailed paperwork for these maneuvers was reminiscent of a military operation – which, in fact, it was. A handwritten note from the Army General Counsel to a Deputy Secretary of the General Staff noted that Secretary of Defense McNamara wanted an “hour by hour detailed schedule” of what had taken place at the Cemetery. It also included an order that the crane, trucks and other equipment of the firm responsible for the work bear no identifying tags. And memorandum after the memorandum repeated the order that “all public will be clear of the cemetery prior to re-interment.”

The March afternoon had been cool. By 6 p.m., it was growing dark. Ten minutes later, the mystery deepened: cemetery workers were startled to see two members of the official party arrive. Why now? Surely these movers and shakers, Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, hadn’t come merely to check on the preparations for the following day? 42

Minutes after the powerful Senator and Secretary reached the site, the puzzled work crew was directed to break ground. A tractor and crane moved into position inside the canvas, where the tractor drive switched to his backhoe levers. Actually, the crew consisted of only two men – the tractor driver and the skillfull crane operator. The commander of the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division, who was in charge of the operation, was much impressed by the skill of the workmen, who “seemed like artists with their equipment.” With a single swoop, the backhoe operator scraped to within an inch of the vault, without touching it. Soon, the crane operator lifted it up” as if it were a precious cargo, and transferred it from the old grave site to the new. 43

Senator Robert and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara watched the funeral ballet in silence. At 7 p.m., Senator Edward Kennedy arrived, accompanied by Richard Cardinal Cushing of Boston and a priest named McGuire – both of whom were scheduled to bless the graves of the president and his two children the following day.

Considering that future researchers would note the disappearing of President Kennedy’s preserved brain from the National Archives, the proceedings possibly take on an added significance. Recall that virtually all of the evidence points to Bobby’s control over this material, and the brain still inventoried in 1965, the re-interment became the prime opportunity for a simultaneous re-burial of JFK’s brain. Interestingly, in several newly-surfaced photos of the late-night operation, a small box appears by the Kennedy graveside, at the feet of Cardinal Cushing (see photo spread).

Just before the first shovel of earth was thrown on the vault in its new setting, Bobby Kennedy took a Kennedy half-dollar from his pocket, used it to scrape some earth from the concrete vault, and tossed the coin into the new grave. At 8:45 p.m., the mourners departed the property. But by 11 p.m., they returned – this time, RFK was accompanied by his wife, his brother Ted, Warren Billings, and Jacqueline Kennedy. They remained at the site until just before midnight. They would return in the morning for the actual re-interment proceedings.

BOBBY AND GARRISON

After the re-interment, Robert Kennedy continued to monitor and react to the potentially troublesome Garrison “probe.” As Bobby well knew, it could turn up connections between Oswald and Cuba. And it was just two short conceptual steps from Cuba to the Cuban Project, and from the Cuba Project to him. In fact, Garrison would eventually try to implicate Bobby, but on the wrong counts, and with little success……

Gus Russo's account of "startled workmen" and inferences of intrigue.... "material" slipped into JFK's casket, barring the public, after dusk, from Arlington National Cemetery which closes at dusk, seems to me to be undocumented hyoe, compared to the news accounts I've posted, and compared to the actual reports posted by Robin, complete with time logs.

And, there is this:

[PDF]

HSCA Volume VII: Medical Panel Report - Section III. Chain of ...

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML

(146) Metzler supervised the reinterment in 1967 and was present at all phases of the transfer : from the opening of the old site through ...

http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/hsca...ustodyChain.pdf

PART IV. ADDITIONAL EFFORTS

To

ACQUIRE THE MISSING MATERIALS

(145) After failing to determine the fate of the missing materials

by tracing that chain of custody, the committee investigated the pos-

sibility that someone had placed the missing autopsy items, all of

which were physical specimens taken from the body of President

Kennedy, in the final grave on reinterment, on March 14, 1967. (111)

The persons contacted who were present for the ceremony could not

recall any additional package or material being placed in the grave.

The Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery from 1951 to

1972,John Metzler, informed the committee that he attended theburial

of the President and the reinterment.(112) At the time of burial, the

coffin was placed in a "Wilbur"vault, whichhas a lid andvaultthat op-

Page 10

32

erate on a tongue and groove system. Tar is placed on the points of

contact of the grooves to insure a tight fit and permanent seal.(113)

Metzler witnessed the lowering of the lid and the sealing of the vault.

(114) and believed that the only method to open the vault subse-

quently would be to break the lid on the main portion of the vault.

(115)

(146) Metzler supervised the reinterment in 1967 and was present

at all phases of the transfer : from the opening of the old site through

the transfer by crane of the vault to the closing of the new site(116)

Metzler said there was no way anyone could have placed anything in

the coffin or vault during the transfer without his seeing it.(117)

Metzler also said that nothing could have been placed in the vault

since 1963 because there was no indication of damage to the vault

indicating any disturbance.(118) Metzler stated further that no one

placed anything in the new or old gravesite besides the vault. (119)

[Bernice Moore]

David:

I found these two photos in the files....

They may be what you are recalling ??

B...

[William Kelly]

And thanks to Robin, Anthony and Denis for the photos and calling attention to this event.

And it looks like you got the Army After Action Report there too.

I didn't look at every photo but there are a few that seem to have what Gus Russo says is a small box laying next to the hole that may contain JFK's brains. - BK

Gus Russo Brothers in Arms The Secret War Against Castro and the Death of JFK p. 405

http://books.google.com/books?id=7Q87Rrxyh...lt&resnum=1 - v=onepage&q=&f=false

…on November 24, 1963, President Kennedy’s lot in the Arlington National Cemetery had been set aside “in perpetuity” – reserved forever in the honor of his memory, as Cemetery officials would tell visitors. He was buried in Lot 45, Section 30 on the afternoon of the following November 25th, when the “eternal flame” was lit. Work on a permanent site 20 feet away began soon thereafter, and would be completed four months after the re-interment – in July 1967.

Now it was time to re-bury the 35th President in that new site, together with the bodies of his two infant children. But, as if the absence of mystery could not be tolerated in any aspect of the Kennedy family history, something puzzling occurred. 41

Before the workman started their excavation, they were startled to witness what had all the appearances of a paramilitary operation. Some 300 military personal arrived and closed Arlington National Cemetery to the public, leaving out all unauthorized persons. An Army road-block shut down Arlington Memorial Bridge. The Military District of Washington established a command post at the guard house near the grave sites. A 50-man reserve troop stood by for summoning on short notice. Meanwhile, troops ringed the area, which had been screened by canvas and open to only “key personnel” with “a specific job.”

The detailed paperwork for these maneuvers was reminiscent of a military operation – which, in fact, it was. A handwritten note from the Army General Counsel to a Deputy Secretary of the General Staff noted that Secretary of Defense McNamara wanted an “hour by hour detailed schedule” of what had taken place at the Cemetery. It also included an order that the crane, trucks and other equipment of the firm responsible for the work bear no identifying tags. And memorandum after the memorandum repeated the order that “all public will be clear of the cemetery prior to re-interment.”

The March afternoon had been cool. By 6 p.m., it was growing dark. Ten minutes later, the mystery deepened: cemetery workers were startled to see two members of the official party arrive. Why now? Surely these movers and shakers, Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, hadn’t come merely to check on the preparations for the following day? 42

Minutes after the powerful Senator and Secretary reached the site, the puzzled work crew was directed to break ground. A tractor and crane moved into position inside the canvas, where the tractor drive switched to his backhoe levers. Actually, the crew consisted of only two men – the tractor driver and the skillfull crane operator. The commander of the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division, who was in charge of the operation, was much impressed by the skill of the workmen, who “seemed like artists with their equipment.” With a single swoop, the backhoe operator scraped to within an inch of the vault, without touching it. Soon, the crane operator lifted it up” as if it were a precious cargo, and transferred it from the old grave site to the new. 43

Senator Robert and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara watched the funeral ballet in silence. At 7 p.m., Senator Edward Kennedy arrived, accompanied by Richard Cardinal Cushing of Boston and a priest named McGuire – both of whom were scheduled to bless the graves of the president and his two children the following day.

Considering that future researchers would note the disappearing of President Kennedy’s preserved brain from the National Archives, the proceedings possibly take on an added significance. Recall that virtually all of the evidence points to Bobby’s control over this material, and the brain still inventoried in 1965, the re-interment became the prime opportunity for a simultaneous re-burial of JFK’s brain. Interestingly, in several newly-surfaced photos of the late-night operation, a small box appears by the Kennedy graveside, at the feet of Cardinal Cushing (see photo spread).

Just before the first shovel of earth was thrown on the vault in its new setting, Bobby Kennedy took a Kennedy half-dollar from his pocket, used it to scrape some earth from the concrete vault, and tossed the coin into the new grave. At 8:45 p.m., the mourners departed the property. But by 11 p.m., they returned – this time, RFK was accompanied by his wife, his brother Ted, Warren Billings, and Jacqueline Kennedy. They remained at the site until just before midnight. They would return in the morning for the actual re-interment proceedings.

BOBBY AND GARRISON

After the re-interment, Robert Kennedy continued to monitor and react to the potentially troublesome Garrison “probe.” As Bobby well knew, it could turn up connections between Oswald and Cuba. And it was just two short conceptual steps from Cuba to the Cuban Project, and from the Cuba Project to him. In fact, Garrison would eventually try to implicate Bobby, but on the wrong counts, and with little success……

Gus Russo's account of "startled workmen" and inferences of intrigue.... "material" slipped into JFK's casket, barring the public, after dusk, from Arlington National Cemetery which closes at dusk, seems to me to be undocumented hyoe, compared to the news accounts I've posted, and compared to the actual reports posted by Robin, complete with time logs.

Yea, Tom,

I like that "undocumented hype." Can I use it?

That's why we now call him "Hyper Gus."

http://jfkfiles.blogspot.com/2009/08/dalla...009-update.html

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...t=0#entry171164

And yea, it was a routine reinterment.

Now, whenever they close the Arlingtion Bridge, seal off the cemetery, put 300 soldiers on guard and another 100 on standby, fly in the Bishop and arrest reporters who try to enter the cemetery, we know they're reinterring a Kennedy.

And thanks for the new pix B. What's in the box?

BK

And, there is this:

[PDF]

HSCA Volume VII: Medical Panel Report - Section III. Chain of ...

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML

(146) Metzler supervised the reinterment in 1967 and was present at all phases of the transfer : from the opening of the old site through ...

http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/hsca...ustodyChain.pdf

PART IV. ADDITIONAL EFFORTS

To

ACQUIRE THE MISSING MATERIALS

(145) After failing to determine the fate of the missing materials

by tracing that chain of custody, the committee investigated the pos-

sibility that someone had placed the missing autopsy items, all of

which were physical specimens taken from the body of President

Kennedy, in the final grave on reinterment, on March 14, 1967. (111)

The persons contacted who were present for the ceremony could not

recall any additional package or material being placed in the grave.

The Superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery from 1951 to

1972,John Metzler, informed the committee that he attended theburial

of the President and the reinterment.(112) At the time of burial, the

coffin was placed in a "Wilbur"vault, whichhas a lid andvaultthat op-

Page 10

32

erate on a tongue and groove system. Tar is placed on the points of

contact of the grooves to insure a tight fit and permanent seal.(113)

Metzler witnessed the lowering of the lid and the sealing of the vault.

(114) and believed that the only method to open the vault subse-

quently would be to break the lid on the main portion of the vault.

(115)

(146) Metzler supervised the reinterment in 1967 and was present

at all phases of the transfer : from the opening of the old site through

the transfer by crane of the vault to the closing of the new site(116)

Metzler said there was no way anyone could have placed anything in

the coffin or vault during the transfer without his seeing it.(117)

Metzler also said that nothing could have been placed in the vault

since 1963 because there was no indication of damage to the vault

indicating any disturbance.(118) Metzler stated further that no one

placed anything in the new or old gravesite besides the vault. (119)

[Robin Unger]

Newly planted flower covered by small wooden box.

Edited August 20, 2009 by Robin Unger

[David Andrews]

David:

I found these two photos in the files....

They may be what you are recalling ??

B...

I believe this is one, as I remember the "What is it?" caption - though I seem to recall one of RFK beside the box, right at the grave edge. Maybe in another source.

[Bernice Moore]

Your Welcome Bill......

No idea " What's in the box".....

Over time I have read it covered a plant..... also that it may have contained the remains of one of the children,

and or of course

JFK'S Brain ......who knows ? now......Only your friendly neighbourhood Government...or so it would seem..

A couple more, the clarity is not great....

Take care..

B.....

[Robin Unger]

As i understand it from Anthony Marsh.

The series of images with the "ANNOTATION" on the left side of the Scan, were all taken and annotated by the official Army photographer present at the grave site. ( PX67- Series )

The clearer Scans without any annotation were all taken by Cecil Stoughton. (PX74- Series )

In this Stoughton image below it shows the "Army photographer" in the Backround, holding his camera. !

Edited August 20, 2009 by Robin Unger

[Guest Tom Scully]

What does Guy Russo provide as proof that 300 troops were deployed around the perimeter as "it was growing dark", in order to make the deployment pf the troops see, more disconcerting than what it was....for the purpose of keeping the reburial as private as possible?

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PT0OA...nesday+march-15

....Reinterment of Kennedy's body was carried out in the rain between 6:19 pm and 9:02 pm, Tuesday night....

...Strict security was maintained, with about 250 soldiers ringing the site...

Seems to me that the military made a full disclosure to the press of what amoujnted to a very private, per the wishes of the family....non-invent, conducted in a military cemetery, almost immediately after the early morning conclusion of the reburial and memorial service.

[William Kelly]

What does Guy Russo provide as proof that 300 troops were deployed around the perimeter as "it was growing dark", in order to make the deployment pf the troops see, more disconcerting than what it was....for the purpose of keeping the reburial as private as possible?

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PT0OA...nesday+march-15

....Reinterment of Kennedy's body was carried out in the rain between 6:19 pm and 9:02 pm, Tuesday night....

...Strict security was maintained, with about 250 soldiers ringing the site...

Seems to me that the military made a full disclosure to the press of what amoujnted to a very private, per the wishes of the family....non-invent, conducted in a military cemetery, almost immediately after the early morning conclusion of the reburial and memorial service.

This got "burried" and I think, missed. - BK

Tom: Gus Russo's account of "startled workmen" and inferences of intrigue.... "material" slipped into JFK's casket, barring the public, after dusk, from Arlington National Cemetery which closes at dusk, seems to me to be undocumented hyoe, compared to the news accounts I've posted, and compared to the actual reports posted by Robin, complete with time logs.

Yea, Tom,

I like that "undocumented hype." Can I use it?

That's why we now call him "Hyper Gus."

http://jfkfiles.blogspot.com/2009/08/dalla...009-update.html

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...t=0#entry171164

And yea, it was a routine reinterment.

Now, whenever they close the Arlingtion Bridge, seal off the cemetery, put 300 soldiers on guard and another 100 on standby, fly in the Bishop from Boston and arrest reporters who try to enter the cemetery, we know they're reinterring a Kennedy.

And What's in the box?

BK

[Karl Kinaski]

edit

Edited June 12, 2015 by Karl Kinaski