James DiEugenio Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 I cannot comprehend why no one brought this up so far. In Shane O'Sullivan's book, Dirty Tricks, on page 405, he writes that McCord passed on in June of 2017. But the family wanted to keep it secret so there was no announcement through an obituary. I know he moved to Pennsylvania to live with his daughter a few years ago. It was a small town so it would be easy to keep it quiet. But is this really true? I wonder how Shane got the info? He says it was through his niece, but that is not who McCord was living with at the time. Its incredible that this could be kept under wraps this long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie Goldberg Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 There apparently was a listing (via Ancestry.com) on Find A Grave with the following information, although if you try to follow that through to the actual memorial page, it has been removed from Find A Grave. Name: James Walter McCord Jr Birth Date: 26 Jun 1924 Birth Place: Jefferson County, Oklahoma, United States of America Death Date: 15 Jun 2017 Death Place: Pennsylvania, United States of America Cemetery: Indiantown Gap National Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Annville, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States of America Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 How do you know Stephanie that its been removed from Find a Grave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie Goldberg Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 I stand corrected. The original link at the Ancestry website leads to a 'memorial removed' page (with a note from four months ago on the same page which notes that the memorial had been removed) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180413305 -- but a separate search on Find A Grave does produce a similar listing. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181059465/james-walter-mccord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kozlowski Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Stephanie Goldberg said: I stand corrected. The original link at the Ancestry website leads to a 'memorial removed' page (with a note from four months ago on the same page which notes that the memorial had been removed) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180413305 -- but a separate search on Find A Grave does produce a similar listing. Not suprised because of his background but I dont think Ive ever been able to find so little info on someone. Only that one site you link to shows that he died. The other couple sites I found still say he's alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 Its really something. I don't recall anything like this before. They must have really tried to keep it a secret. I wonder why? Usually Wikipedia will list someone's passing within a day or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kozlowski Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, James DiEugenio said: Its really something. I don't recall anything like this before. They must have really tried to keep it a secret. I wonder why? Usually Wikipedia will list someone's passing within a day or so. That's what got me. Wikipedia usually updates immediately whether it's true or not. When the musician Chris Cornell died its was on there within 10 min of the announcement. I know that's a little different but that sites constantly being updated so it's weird it has nothing on him. I'm wondering if he really is dead. Maybe he just wants people to think hes is so he can live the few years he has left in peace. Edited March 11, 2019 by John Kozlowski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 The problem with that is no one knew where he was anyway. Only one person who reads K and K knew he was in a little town in Pennsylvania. But if you have a family member saying it, and the two notices then its probably true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kozlowski Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 2 hours ago, James DiEugenio said: The problem with that is no one knew where he was anyway. Only one person who reads K and K knew he was in a little town in Pennsylvania. But if you have a family member saying it, and the two notices then its probably true. Yeah you're right its just weird there is only one website that shows he died. I looked for 2-3 hours last night and came up with nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph McBride Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 In regard to the still unconfirmed allegations of a dead Secret Service man in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, it was reported by Seth Kantor that a source told him "they even have to die in secret." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Jolliffe Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 Wasn't McCord staying silent about any White House connections to the Watergate break-in (the June 17 one) until Nixon started hinting that the operation was CIA, and only then did McCord wrote his letter to Judge Sirica, insinuating deep, dark secrets in the Nixon White House? In other words, McCord was OK with everything until it looked like the CIA might be scrutinized. And that was something that a long time CIA officer would never allow. At least, that's my take on McCord. Loyal to the agency, come hell or high water. Even if the agency was dirty as hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted March 11, 2019 Author Share Posted March 11, 2019 (edited) Actually, I have been reviewing this stuff because of this late arriving news about his apparent death. When McCord began to get angry about all this was in late December when his first attorney, Gerald Alch, proposed a CIA cover defense. McCord then began to write letters to Paul Gaynor at the place he used to work at, the SRS division of the Office of Security. He actually advised Gaynor on how to combat this strategy so it would not gain any traction. Then, a few days later, he wrote to John Caufield, who worked for Ehrlichman at the White House. This was the famous, if Helms goes and Watergate is placed at the feet of the CIA, "every tree in the forest will fall. It will be a scorched desert." Well, apparently they did not take this seriously enough. Because Nixon fired Helms anyway. That was apparently the fissure. Because if everyone would have stayed silent, the scandal could have been contained. McCord switched lawyers. His new attorney, Bud Fensterwald, announced they were going after the White House. They did. McCord wrote his letter to Sirica saying there had been perjury in his court and pressure brought to bear to keep quiet. That broke the dam. He later implicated Dean and Mitchell in Watergate. Edited March 11, 2019 by James DiEugenio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Bulman Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 So one might speculate, Nixon fired Helms, the CIA took him down, JFK fired Dulles, they took him out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James DiEugenio Posted March 12, 2019 Author Share Posted March 12, 2019 Well, I think the Watergate imbroglio is more interesting than that. When I get done with my piece you will see what I mean. As per JFK, i think it was more than just canning Dulles. But I do think he was part of the plot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Couteau Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 There's an article online titled Rockville's Connection to Watergate, by Max von Balgooy. I'm having trouble copying and pasting the link here. But if you Google it you'll see that Max states that McCord's wife was named Ruth McCord whereas this grave listing, if you scroll down, lists McCord's wife as Sarah. Wondering if it's really the same person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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