Generals / Military High Brass at the JFK autopsy

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Michael Crane said:

Taken from a website.

http://22november1963.org.uk/sibert-and-oneill-report

The following individuals attended the autopsy:

• Adm. C.B. HOLLOWAY, U.S. Navy, Commanding Officer of the U.S. Naval Medical Center, Bethesda;
• Adm. BERKLEY, U.S. Navy, the President’s personal physician;
• Commander JAMES J. HUMES, Chief Pathologist, Bethesda Naval Hospital, who conducted autopsy;
• Capt. JAMES H. STONER, JR., Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Medical School, Bethesda;
• Mr. JOHN T. STRINGER, JR., Medical photographer;
• JAMES H. EBERSOLE;
• LLOYD E. RAINES;
• J.T. BOZWELL;
• J.G. RUDNICKI;
• PAUL K. O’CONNOR;
• J.C. JENKINS;
• JERROL R. CRESTER;
• EDWARD F. REED;
• JAMES METZLER.

During the course of the autopsy, Lt. Col. P. FINCK, U.S. Army Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, arrived to assist Commander HUMES in the autopsy. In addition, Lt. Cmdr. GREGG CROSS and Captain DAVID OSBORNE, Chief of Surgery, entered the autopsy room.

Major General WEHLE, Commanding Officer of U.S. Military District, Washington, D.C., entered the autopsy room to ascertain from the Secret Service arrangements concerning the transportation of the President’s body back to the White House. AMC CHESTER H. BOWERS, U.S. Navy, visited the autopsy room during the final stages of such to type receipts given by FBI and Secret Service for items obtained.

At the termination of the autopsy, the following personnel from Gawler’s Funeral Home entered the autopsy room to prepare the President’s body for burial:

• JOHN VAN HAESEN
• EDWIN STROBLE
• THOMAS ROBINSON
• Mr. HAGEN

Brigadier General GODFREY McHUGH, Air Force Military Aide to the President, was also present, as was Dr. GEORGE BAKEMAN, U.S. Navy.

Thanks a lot Michael. 

[Micah Mileto]

Could Dr. Finck have been talking about Air Force general Godfrey McHugh?

[Michael Crane]

10 minutes ago, Chris Barnard said:

Thanks a lot Michael. 

I wish that I would have read the names on the list before I posted that information because it looks like they spelled John H Stover name wrong also.Here is a more complete list taken from Wiki.

Personnel present during autopsy[edit]

List of personnel present at various times during the autopsy, with official function, taken from the Sibert-O'Neill report list, the HSCA list^[26] and attorney Vincent Bugliosi, author of Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Non-medical personnel from law-enforcement/security

 

• John J. O'Leary: Secret Service agent.
• William Greer: Secret Service agent.
• Roy Kellerman: Secret Service agent.
• Francis X. O'Neill: FBI special agent
• James "Jim" Sibert: FBI special agent, assisting Francis O'Neill^[27]

Medical personnel and assistants

Official autopsy signatories:

• Commander J. Thornton Boswell, M.D., MC, USN: chief of pathology at Naval Medical Center, Bethesda.
• Commander James J. Humes, M.D., MC, USN: director of laboratories of the National Medical School, Naval Medical Center, Bethesda. Chief autopsy pathologist for the JFK autopsy. Officially conducted autopsy.
• Lieutenant Colonel Pierre A. Finck, M.D. MC, USA: Chief of the military environmental pathology division and chief of the wound ballistics pathology branch at Walter Reed Medical Center. Afterwards, Dr. Finck moved to Switzerland declining all interviews but eventually returned to Dallas dying there in 2018.

Other medical personnel

• John Thomas Stringer, Jr: medical photographer
• Floyd Albert Riebe: medical photographer
• PO Raymond Oswald, USN: medical photographer on call
• Paul Kelly O'Connor: laboratory technologist
• James Curtis Jenkins: laboratory technologist
• Edward F. Reed: X-ray technician
• Jerrol F. Custer: X-ray technician
• Jan Gail Rudnicki: Dr. Boswell's lab tech assistant on the night of the autopsy
• PO James E. Metzler, USN: Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class
• John H. Ebersole: Assistant Chief of Radiology
• Lieutenant Commander Gregory H. Cross, M.D., MC, USN: resident in surgery
• Lieutenant Commander Donald L. Kelley, M.D., MC, USN: resident in surgery
• CPO Chester H. Boyers, USN: chief petty officer in charge of the pathology division, visited the autopsy room during the final stages to type receipts given by FBI and Secret Service for items obtained
• Vice Admiral Edward C. Kenney, M.D.,MC, USN: surgeon general of the U.S. Navy
• Dr. George Bakeman, USN
• Rear Admiral George Burkley, M.D., MC, USN: the president's personal physician
• Captain James M. Young, M.D., MC, USN: the attending physician to the White House
• Robert Frederick Karnei, M.D.: Bethesda pathologist
• Captain David P. Osborne, M.D., MC, USN: chief of surgery at Bethesda
• Captain Robert O. Canada, M.D., USN: commanding officer of Bethesda Naval Hospital

Additional military personnel

• Brigadier General Godfrey McHugh, USAF: US military aide to the President on the Dallas trip
• Rear Admiral Calvin B. Galloway, USN: commanding officer of the U.S. Naval Medical Center, Bethesda
• Captain John H. Stover, Jr., USN: commanding officer of the U.S. Naval Medical School, Bethesda
• Major General Philip C. Wehle, USA: commanding officer of the U.S. Military District of Washington, D.C., entered to make arrangements for the funeral and lying in state.
• 2nd Lieutenant Richard A. Lipsey, USA: Jr. aide to General Wehle^[28]
• 1st Lieutenant Samuel A. Bird, USA: head of the Old Guard.
• Sr CPO, Alexander Wadas - Chief on duty.

Others: At the termination of the autopsy, the following personnel from Gawler's Funeral Home entered the autopsy room to prepare the President's body for viewing and burial (this required 3 to 4 hours:^[28]

• John VanHoesen
• Edwin Stroble
• Thomas E. Robinson
• Joe Hagen

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, Allen Lowe said:

the reason, I believe, that LeMay was there is that the military was a central part of the plot (this btw is something that John Newman is working on, if I understand correctly). Note, as well, that when John Kenneth Galbraith went in to discuss his resignation (over Vietnam) with Lyndon Johnson, LBJ clearly indicated that he believed that the generals, and in particular LeMay, had executed JFK BECAUSE of Vietnam (this according to Galbraith's son James).

I would expect Lyin' Lyndon to be deflecting and leading everybody on a path that leads anywhere but his own door. Lets assume the military were behind it or central to it. I have an idea that may take us a step nearer to finding out who was involved. If Dulles was careless enough to pop in his diary that he was to attend 'the Farm' on 22/11/63, maybe there are previous entries that help us, not just in his diaries but, those of others. 

So.... NSAM-263 was signed on the 11th October 63, assuming Vietnam was JFK's kiss of death. November 2nd was the death date of the Diem brothers in Vietnam and also the date of the Chicago plot when rifles were found in a hotel room on the motorcade route and JFK's trip was aborted. Is there a way we can see Dulles diary on 2nd November? LeMay's? And those of other suspects in the matter? Hunt, Phillips, Angleton etc? Is there a chance that information may taken us a bit closer to knowing who? 

Edited December 16, 2020 by Chris Barnard

[Paul Brancato]

5 hours ago, Allen Lowe said:

the reason, I believe, that LeMay was there is that the military was a central part of the plot (this btw is something that John Newman is working on, if I understand correctly). Note, as well, that when John Kenneth Galbraith went in to discuss his resignation (over Vietnam) with Lyndon Johnson, LBJ clearly indicated that he believed that the generals, and in particular LeMay, had executed JFK BECAUSE of Vietnam (this according to Galbraith's son James).

I have not seen this before. Where did you read the info from the younger Galbraith? Btw I agree with you about the Military being central to the plot. 

 

9 hours ago, Chris Barnard said:

It opens some questions. If he was in on the plot, presumably he would have been closer by? Was fishing a cover? Or did the plan go awry and he was suddenly needed? Does this tie in with the would altering stuff, that may not have been in the original plan and suddenly sign-off on some extra duties involving aircraft were needed? 
On the smoking thing, I think in that era they all liked a brandy and a cigar, I guess its possible another high-brass could have been smoking. It suits his absolutely mannerless crass behaviour to me smoking in a medical room and at a fallen presidents autopsy. 

Most interesting point indeed. What I recall was the description of LeMay’s adjutant desperately trying to find LeMay, but now that I think about it I’m pretty sure he was trying to locate LeMay’s aircraft, which was on its way to DC. There’s still a lot missing from the AF 1 tapes, and my conjecture is that LeMay’s guy was trying to alert his boss to the change of location for the autopsy. You are right that the story as it stands supports the idea that LeMay was not involved in the plot but called in afterwards. That isn’t so surprising by itself of course. But if we combine this story with LeMay actually being at the autopsy itself, not just back in DC in case there were any subsequent events following the assassination, it takes on a different meaning. That supports your suggestion that there was a cover story. I’ve wondered how it was that LeMay got himself to an airport so quickly. So I’ll go with the cover story idea, and that the info being conveyed to him while he was aloft was where to land in DC. I did look that up at one time, and there was no doubt that the airport he chose was the only one convenient to the autopsy location. 

 

[Paul Brancato]

4 hours ago, Chris Barnard said:

I would expect Lyin' Lyndon to be deflecting and leading everybody on a path that leads anywhere but his own door. Lets assume the military were behind it or central to it. I have an idea that may take us a step nearer to finding out who was involved. If Dulles was careless enough to pop in his diary that he was to attend 'the Farm' on 22/11/63, maybe there are previous entries that help us, not just in his diaries but, those of others. 

So.... NSAM-263 was signed on the 11th October 63, assuming Vietnam was JFK's kiss of death. November 2nd was the death date of the Diem brothers in Vietnam and also the date of the Chicago plot when rifles were found in a hotel room on the motorcade route and JFK's trip was aborted. Is there a way we can see Dulles diary on 2nd November? LeMay's? And those of other suspects in the matter? Hunt, Phillips, Angleton etc? Is there a chance that information may taken us a bit closer to knowing who? 

Let’s not forget Lyman Lemnitzer, ideally situated in NATO with access to non traceable foreign killers under Operation Gladio. 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, Paul Brancato said:

Let’s not forget Lyman Lemnitzer, ideally situated in NATO with access to non traceable foreign killers under Operation Gladio. 

That's who I was thinking of as a probable candidate. Let's face it, JFK listened to recordings of all the military high brass criticising his tenure around the time of the Cuban missile crisis, the chiefs of staff were unaware of their being recorded when he vacated the room. There are in my book a few candidates who could have been overseeing his autopsy or the cover up.

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, Paul Brancato said:

I have not seen this before. Where did you read the info from the younger Galbraith? Btw I agree with you about the Military being central to the plot. 

 

Most interesting point indeed. What I recall was the description of LeMay’s adjutant desperately trying to find LeMay, but now that I think about it I’m pretty sure he was trying to locate LeMay’s aircraft, which was on its way to DC. There’s still a lot missing from the AF 1 tapes, and my conjecture is that LeMay’s guy was trying to alert his boss to the change of location for the autopsy. You are right that the story as it stands supports the idea that LeMay was not involved in the plot but called in afterwards. That isn’t so surprising by itself of course. But if we combine this story with LeMay actually being at the autopsy itself, not just back in DC in case there were any subsequent events following the assassination, it takes on a different meaning. That supports your suggestion that there was a cover story. I’ve wondered how it was that LeMay got himself to an airport so quickly. So I’ll go with the cover story idea, and that the info being conveyed to him while he was aloft was where to land in DC. I did look that up at one time, and there was no doubt that the airport he chose was the only one convenient to the autopsy location. 

 

I would love to know what their diaries said on Nov 2nd and the whereabouts of prominent suspects. 

[Ron Bulman]

Paul O'Connor said Humes told him to go tell whoever was smoking a cigar in the gallery to put it out.  I thought he said he recognized LeMay and felt he was out ranked, couldn't bring himself to request the general put it out.  This version says LeMay refused and blew smoke in O'Connor's face.  I defer to Doug Horne.

JFK Facts » Where was Gen. Curtis LeMay on Nov. 22, 1963?

 

 

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Ron Bulman said:

Paul O'Connor said Humes told him to go tell whoever was smoking a cigar in the gallery to put it out.  I thought he said he recognized LeMay and felt he was out ranked, couldn't bring himself to request the general put it out.  This version says LeMay refused and blew smoke in O'Connor's face.  I defer to Doug Horne.

JFK Facts » Where was Gen. Curtis LeMay on Nov. 22, 1963?

 

 

Sounds like LeMay. 

[Ron Bulman]

From William Law's interview of James Jenkins. 

And how many people would you estimate in the gallery besides the doctors and technicians? 

It was full.

It was full?

The gallery ran almost the length of the morgue . . . probably 18-20 feet.

An estimate of people - fifteen, twenty, thirty?

I would say probably more than thirty people.

pg. 228, Eye Of History. 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Ron Bulman said:

From William Law's interview of James Jenkins. 

And how many people would you estimate in the gallery besides the doctors and technicians? 

It was full.

It was full?

The gallery ran almost the length of the morgue . . . probably 18-20 feet.

An estimate of people - fifteen, twenty, thirty?

I would say probably more than thirty people.

pg. 228, Eye Of History. 

Christ, we're missing some names then. Need to check some more diaries. 

[Michael Crane]

There is over 30 names on the list that I provided.

[Ron Bulman]

14 minutes ago, Michael Crane said:

There is over 30 names on the list that I provided.

I counted 39 on the list, but not all of them were in the gallery.  E.G. Humes, Boswell and Finck, the autopsy doctors (Fick was actually a non current practicing forensic pathologist but not Humes or Boswell); Stringer, Riebe, O'Connor, Jenkins, Custer, Ebersole and more.  Boyer visited.  None of the four from Gawler's.  All total I counted 17 of those not in the gallery so maybe 22 of those listed in the gallery?  Room for more in it if Jenkins was right.

[Michael Crane]

Good observation.I didn`t even think to subtract the doctors & technicians.