Another Awful JFK Book Coming

[Benjamin Cole]

https://bookhaven.stanford.edu/2022/10/how-a-21-year-old-texas-college-student-became-lee-harvey-oswalds-only-friend?utm_source=blog

Egads. The author, Paul R. Gregory, is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, knew LHO for less than four months, and depicts an unhappy couple, and LHO as a disagreeable character. 

"From June through mid-September of 1962, I was the sole companion of Lee Harvey and Marina Oswald outside of Lee’s immediate family. I visited this young married couple often in the duplex where they settled after Lee’s return from his defection to the USSR."

LHO behaved poorly towards Marina, recounts Gregory, and Gregory soon left the couple's acquaintance.

OK, fine, if that is someone's honest take on LHO, then that is their take. Many have said there was marital strife in the Oswald household, and LHO was not always a nice guy. 

But then there is this paragraph:

My next image was November 22, 1963, as a bruised Lee was dragged into Dallas police headquarters to my shock and horror. Sitting in front of a TV screen at Norman, Oklahoma, I immediately understood that Lee had done it, and why, and that he had done it alone.

This is a scholar? Gregory is gifted---he divined the truth of the JFKA while watching TV at home in Oklahoma on Nov. 22.

Gregory's book is a throwback to the "leftie, loser, loner" image of LHO in the early post-JFKA days. LHO seeking recognition to balance a life lacking accomplishments. (Forget that LHO got through Marine boot camp at 17, served in a tech position in Atsugi Airbase, traveled to Russia, got married, and likely did not measure success in traditional career terms anyway). 

"As we were meeting in 1962, I considered him (LHO) a poseur Marxist, who had taken on a radical leftist persona to divert attention from his many failings," writes the author. 

What is crazy is even if LHO had all the shortcomings Gregory posits...LHO could have all the more easily been taken advantage of as part of a conspiracy. 

How would anyone know on Nov. 22 that LHO had not fallen in with the mob, or had been suckered into a situation, or blackmailed, or offered large amounts of cash, transit to Cuba, or any other number of circumstances consistent with a conspiracy? 

Many readers here probably know the type of organization that is the Hoover Institution. 

You think there is no Deep State? If not, somebody is not quitting on the LHO as leftie, loser, loner version of the JFKA. 

 

 

 

 

 

[David Von Pein]

FYI....

The author of this new book, Paul Roderick Gregory, provided testimony to the Warren Commission on March 31, 1964. His testimony can be found HERE.

And Gregory's father, Peter Paul Gregory, also gave testimony to the Commission (on March 13, 1964). His testimony is HERE.

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by David Von Pein

[David Von Pein]

1 hour ago, Benjamin Cole said:

You think there is no Deep State? If not, somebody is not quitting on the LHO as leftie, loser, loner version of the JFKA. 

Oh for Pete sake, just because somebody (like myself, for example) thinks Lee Oswald was a lefty, a loser, and a lone assassin doesn't mean that the person believing those things is a member of the "Deep State".

Edited October 17, 2022 by David Von Pein

[Guest]

Well, he is one of those that keep talking about it, I don't mind that, I'll read it all

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/magazine/lee-harvey-oswald-was-my-friend.html

And I have a weak spot for writings that have a nostalgic/emotional touch (like some interviews with Rachel, June, Robert,... there's a couple of well written articles out there)

I don't agree on everything they say, but that's another thing, the other approach...,  I think it's a good idea to step away from the technical discussions every now and then 

 

 

 

[Benjamin Cole]

44 minutes ago, David Von Pein said:

Oh for Pete sake, just because somebody (like myself, for example) thinks Lee Oswald was a lefty, a loser, and a lone assassin doesn't mean that the person believing those things is a member of the "Deep State".

DVP:

You know how hard it is to get a book published these days? 

This book is a re-hash of nearly 60-year-old memes regarding LHO and the JFKA. 

I didn't say Gregory was a member of the Deep State...although his biography is that of a Deep State type. 

https://www.hoover.org/profiles/paul-r-gregory

What I am saying is somehow this book gets published. 

And my main point remains: Sitting at home on 11/22 and watching TV and divining that LHO obviously acted alone....that is not scholarship or smarts or circumspect. 

 

[Gil Jesus]

52 minutes ago, Benjamin Cole said:

DVP:

You know how hard it is to get a book published these days? 

This book is a re-hash of nearly 60-year-old memes regarding LHO and the JFKA. 

I didn't say Gregory was a member of the Deep State...although his biography is that of a Deep State type. 

https://www.hoover.org/profiles/paul-r-gregory

What I am saying is somehow this book gets published. 

And my main point remains: Sitting at home on 11/22 and watching TV and divining that LHO obviously acted alone....that is not scholarship or smarts or circumspect. 

 

Paul R. Gregory is the son of Peter Paul Gregory, who was contacted by the Secret Service on Saturday, November 23rd to act as an interpreter for their interrogation of Marina Oswald ( 2 H 344 ) during her illegal incarceration at the Inn of the Six Flags. The senior Gregory was a leading member of the anti-Communist "White Russian" community in Dallas and was an oil geologist by occupation. He was also a part-time instructor in the Russian language at the Fort Worth Public Library. Gregory Sr. testified that he recommended Oswald in June 1962 to be a translator. ( 2 H 338 )

Like his father, Paul R. Gregory testified before the WC. His testimony can be found in Volume 9. Most of his testimony involves what Oswald told him about life in the Soviet Union. Among the interesting things he testified to was that Oswald was an admirer of JFK and that he couldn't imagine Oswald being violent.

But to your point, the Gregorys were connected to the oil industry and the government or why would the Secret Service have chosen the father to interpret over other White Russians ? And why didn't the senior Gregory protest the illegal detainment of Marina and instead agree to be a party in the her interrogation ? Because he wasn't a part of the deep state ? Of course he was. The government knows who to go to when they want certain results and on this occasion, the man they went to was Peter Paul Gregory.

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Gil Jesus

[Benjamin Cole]

2 minutes ago, Gil Jesus said:

Paul R. Gregory is the son of Peter Paul Gregory, who was contacted by the Secret Service on Saturday, November 23rd to act as an interpreter for their interrogation of Marina Oswald ( 2 H 344 ) during her illegal incarceration at the Inn of the Six Flags. The senior Gregory was a leading member of the anti-Communist "White Russian" community in Dallas and was an oil geologist by occupation. He was also a part-time instructor in the Russian language at the Fort Worth Public Library. Gregory Sr. testified that he recommended Oswald to be a translator for the County of Dallas.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=146520#relPageId=14

Paul Gregory testified before the WC. His testimony can be found in Volume 9. Most of his testimony involves what Oswald told him about life in the Soviet Union. Among the interesting things he testified to was that Oswald was an admirer of JFK and that he couldn't imagine Oswald being violent.

But to your point, the Gregorys were connected to the oil industry and the government or why would the Secret Service have chosen the father to interpret over other White Russians ?

 

Hi Gil, and thanks for your comments. 

Yes, the Gregorys appear to earnest anti-communists, which is fine, but such a life-calling does lead to connections with US intel services---including ending up as translators post-JFKA. 

Paul Gregory has spent a lifetime in Russia-related topics.

Most recently:  "How to Combat Putin with Paul Gregory" a podcast the Hoover Institution. 

So...Gregory has a personal and ideological axe to grind (I happen to dislike communism also) regarding Russia, communists and LHO. 

OK, so now Gregory can get a book published on LHO, essentially a re-hash of the LHO as leftie-loser-loner and commie sympathizer guy...and no mention of LHO's likely role as a CIA asset. 

Like I say, the Deep State is not letting this one go. 

Biden is supposed to release some more docs....

[Sandy Larsen]

2 hours ago, Benjamin Cole said:

OK, fine, if that is someone's honest take on LHO, then that is their take. Many have said there was marital strife in the Oswald household, and LHO was not always a nice guy. 

 

Marina left Oswald for a few weeks and stayed with White Russian couples right around the time Paul Gregory was hanging out with Oswald. If you read the statements of the women she lived with you'll see that some were blaming the marital problems on Marina.

 

[Benjamin Cole]

36 minutes ago, Sandy Larsen said:

 

Marina left Oswald for a few weeks and stayed with White Russian couples right around the time Paul Gregory was hanging out with Oswald. If you read the statements of the women she lived with you'll see that some were blaming the marital problems on Marina.

 

I am not here to defend wife-beating, which I consider cowardly. 

That said, in Texas, in the time and place, slapping the wife happened. Marina was said to give as good as she got. 

My main point: All of the supposed shortcomings in LHO's life as seen by Gregory, taken a face value, could also portray a man (LHO) susceptible to inducements, blandishments. He needed money, he wanted to escape from his life. He wanted to go to Cuba. He wanted to be seen as a big shot (Gregory's take). 

So why, if you (Gregory) are at home watching TV on 11/22, do you assume LHO acted as a loner? Before any evidence at all is in? Why not wonder if someone put LHO up to it? Took advantage of LHO's financial straits? Pandered the LHO's need to be seen as a big shot? 

That is why I think this book is just another Deep State plug. 

[Guest]

I have not been around long enough, but has one ever tried making a chronology on the appearance of those books ?

After all those years we have Wesley, now Gregory, who's next ?  Is there a pattern ?

I did take them a long time to start writing, but it's still "hot" one way or another

[Sandy Larsen]

Paul Gregory appears to be suffering from dementia.

Consider this example. In his WC testimony Gregory said:

Mr. LIEBELER. Can you remember anything else that [Oswald] might have said about him, Mr. Khrushchev?

Mr. GREGORY. Well, he might have spoken of him several times, but that was
the general idea. And while we were on Khrushchev, whenever he would
speak about Khrushchev, Kennedy would naturally come into mind, and he
expressed admiration of Kennedy.

Both he and Marina would say, “Nice young man.” I never heard him say
anything derogatory about Kennedy. He seemed to admire the man, because
I remember they had a copy of Life magazine which was always in their
living room, and it had Kennedy’s picture on it, or I believe Kennedy or someone
else, and he always expressed what I would interpret as admiration for Kennedy.

Mr. LIEBELER. Can you recall any specific details concerning his remarks about
Kennedy or the conversation that you had with him concerning Kennedy?

Mr. GREGORY. No; just that one time, as I can remember in their apartment
that we did look at this picture of Kennedy, and Marina said, “He looks like a
nice young man.” And Lee said something, yes, he is a good leader, or some
thing, as I remember, was a positive remark about Kennedy.

Mr. LIEBELER. He never expressed any adverse feelings or made any adverse
remarks about President Kennedy in your presence?

Mr. GREQORY. No.

 

And this:

Mr. LIEDELER. Did he ever indicate to you, or did you ever form the opinion,
that he was capable of violent acts?

Mr. GREGORY. No. I didn’t think that he was capable of violent acts?

Mr. GREGORY. No. I didn’t think he was. I would say maybe I could only
picture him getting into a tight or something. Judging from the type of person
he was, if someone would insult him, I think he would get into a fight, but
as far as the major violent act, I couldn’t picture him doing.

 

Mr. LIEBELER. ...It just never occurred to you?

Mr. GREGORY. No.
 

I think it is reasonable to conclude from these statements that Gregory must have been surprised to see that Oswald was being accused of the VIOLENT crime of shooting the man he ADMIRED, Kennedy.

And yet, for his book, Gregory recalls:

“Remarkably, Lee’s actions on November 22, 1963, did not surprise me. Rather, it was as if the pieces of a puzzle were falling in place as I saw him brought handcuffed and bruised into the Dallas police station.”

 

[Guest]

That's indeed a remarkable turnaround

On the other hand, it fits nicely in the "keep them eternally confused" concept

Edited October 17, 2022 by Jean Paul Ceulemans

[Larry Hancock]

Sandy is taking this the right direction, I've recently been revisiting Oswald in 62/63 and this connection among others has been of real interest, even to how Oswald connected to Gregory in the first place (based on Oswald's own initiative and his interest in getting a job as a translator) - by the way, Gregory tested Oswald's Russian skills and even wrote him a letter of recommendation.

Very little contemporary information from 1962 or the testimony taken immediately after the assassination supports what appears to be in the book - sounds more like an old guy profiting by taking a sensational story to a publisher or just getting linked up with an editor who shaped it that way....of course sensation is the way to get publishers and books these days.

Its even possible that Oswald pushed back on the short "friendships" over basics disagreements on politics or even because one of the two were "hitting" on Marina, something Oswald had been sensitive to even in Russia.  There certainly are indications that Marina was a flirt and that some of the reported fights with Lee may have been about more than smoking or house cleaning. Probably won't find that in the book though...

 I do encourage everyone to really dig into the transcripts as Sandy has done and I think you will find they really undermine the factual and historical thrust of this new book.  

 

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Larry Hancock

[Joe Bauer]

Interesting that Gregory stated in his WC testimony that Marina told him Lee's Russian was better when he was in Russia?

Maybe because everyone there was speaking it?

Versus English here?

I agree that Lee was sensitive to other men who became close to Marina in any way perhaps looking for an opportunity to get even closer to her.

Many men are wolves like that and radiant blue-eyed Marina was physically very attractive, young, vulnerable and it seems intelligent and interesting to talk to.

It sounds as if some people ( men and women ) who got close to Marina and Lee felt Marina was short changed in her marriage to Lee.

Obviously Lee must have sensed this himself making him even more insecure about others showing interest in her.

I'll admit that even I was incredibly smitten with Marina Oswald while watching her in that famous "Marina, what do you do all day?" first interview by local newsman Eddie Barker in early 1964 shown on national TV.

I could see why Lee Oswald felt so insecure regards other men getting too close to Marina.

As far as this new book, I think if anyone reads Gregory's WC testimony they will know everything Gregory has to say about the Oswald's. No need to read a book about his testimony. 

And yes, getting a book published by even mid-level publishers is a 1 in a 1,000 shot.

And his brief time with Marina and Lee hardly seems to be worthy of a published book.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Joe Bauer

[Guest]

56 minutes ago, Larry Hancock said:

Sandy is taking this the right direction, I've recently been revisiting Oswald in 62/63 and this connection among others has been of real interest, even to how Oswald connected to Gregory in the first place (based on Oswald's own initiative and his interest in getting a job as a translator) - by the way, Gregory tested Oswald's Russian skills and even wrote him a letter of recommendation.

Very little contemporary information from 1962 or the testimony taken immediately after the assassination supports what appears to be in the book - sounds more like an old guy profiting by taking a sensational story to a publisher or just getting linked up with an editor who shaped it that way....of course sensation is the way to get publishers and books these days.

Its even possible that Oswald pushed back on the short "friendships" over basics disagreements on politics or even because one of the two were "hitting" on Marina, something Oswald had been sensitive to even in Russia.  There certainly are indications that Marina was a flirt and that some of the reported fights with Lee may have been about more than smoking or house cleaning. Probably won't find that in the book though...

 I do encourage everyone to really dig into the transcripts as Sandy has done and I think you will find they really undermine the factual and historical thrust of this new book.  

 

 

Who was introduced to whom(*) is indeed a key aspect with the Gale/Clark/Gregory/GDM and all those other connections.

In a short period of time a lot of people got to know the Oswalds  

(*) not sure on my spelling here...  ?