How did the “Andy Anderson OO on Oswald” document fall through the CIAs net?

[Gerry Down]

The infamous “Andy Anderson OO on Oswald” document, dated Dec 3^rd 1963, was composed by Birch O’Neal of C/I SIG. Here is the document for reference:

LINK: https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/2021/docid-32404366.pdf 

Significant corroboration that Anderson was involved in a debrief of Oswald came by way of Donald Deselyna when he stated on the 1993 PBS Frontline documentary “Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?” that the contact report on a former Marine who had worked at the Minsk radio factory was “signed off by a CIA officer by the name of Anderson”. However to the best of my knowledge, this was the first time that Deselyna mentioned the name “Anderson” in connection with the contact report he had seen. This is problematic because Frontline had been trying for a year to get Deselyna to do that interview which opens up the possibility that as part of that effort, they mentioned to him the “Andy Anderson OO on Oswald” document and then Deselyna incorporated the name “Anderson” into his account. I could be wrong about that but I have not seen Deselyna mention the name “Anderson” prior to the 1993 PBS interview.

Leaving that aside, with regard to the “Andy Anderson OO on Oswald” document, for someone to put on paper the name “Andy Anderson” in connection to Oswald, are we to deduce from that that whoever wrote those words were not aware that the CIA was trying to hide the fact that it had made some contact with LHO? The words “Andy Anderson OO on Oswald” could mean:

“Andy Anderson, of the Office of Operations, was involved in a debrief of Oswald – go ask Anderson”

Or

“Someone should check with Andy Anderson of the Office of Operations to see if his office was ever involved in a debrief of Oswald.”

We don't know if Birch O Neill actually wrote those hand written words on he back of the document. They possibly could just as easily have been written, without Birch O Neals knowledge, by someone like Jane Roman who was not aware the CIA were trying to conceal the fact it had debriefed Oswald. And this then is possibly how this document fell through the cracks of the CIA and out to the public.

What do you think?

[Bill Simpich]

If you put the document you are referring to into a mirror - or just click below - you will see....

"Ask Ashcraft - OO on Oswald." (bleed-through on upper right corner of the 12/3/63 Alvarado document)  Here is a better copy.

Not impossible that it says "E. M. Ashcraft - OO on Oswald", because he was the "Chief, Contact Division, OO" in 1963.

OO stands for "Office of Origin".  Ashcraft was chief of the Domestic Contact Division.

Give credit where it's due - Joan Mellen is the one who figured this out.  From Joan's essay "Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?":

 

This signature, revealing who ordered the debriefing of Oswald, in fact belongs to one E. M. Ashcraft, Chief of the Contact Division. He and Robert Crowley, OSB/CI (Domestic Contacts Division, Operational Support Branch, Counter Intelligence), were on the same level. (Note:  Crowley was the one who followed the Webster case from day one)

Eleanor Reed’s overall boss would have been David Murphy, Chief of the Soviet Russia Division. Robert Crowley may have just about left 00/OSB (Operational Support Branch) where he was replaced by George S. Musulin by the time Oswald returned from the Soviet Union in June of 1962.

This is how it might have worked. Ashcraft would have called Thomas Casasin or Richard L. Winch or Donald E. Poole at SR6. This person in turn would have talked to Rudy Balaban (SR6 Research). Balaban, code name “Valentino,” would have consulted with Reed, who then called OS, the Office of Security, requesting permission to debrief Oswald. OS would pass the request on to Personnel Security Division, who would give a green light or a red light. On occasion Balaban and Reed would do debriefings together...

 

[Gerry Down]

36 minutes ago, Bill Simpich said:

If you put the document you are referring to into a mirror - or just click below - you will see....

"Ask Ashcraft - OO on Oswald." (bleed-through on upper right corner of the 12/3/63 Alvarado document)  Here is a better copy.

Not impossible that it says "E. M. Ashcraft - OO on Oswald", because he was the "Chief, Contact Division, OO" in 1963.

OO stands for "Office of Origin".  Ashcraft was chief of the Domestic Contact Division.

Give credit where it's due - Joan Mellen is the one who figured this out.  From Joan's essay "Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?":

 

This signature, revealing who ordered the debriefing of Oswald, in fact belongs to one E. M. Ashcraft, Chief of the Contact Division. He and Robert Crowley, OSB/CI (Domestic Contacts Division, Operational Support Branch, Counter Intelligence), were on the same level. (Note:  Crowley was the one who followed the Webster case from day one)

Eleanor Reed’s overall boss would have been David Murphy, Chief of the Soviet Russia Division. Robert Crowley may have just about left 00/OSB (Operational Support Branch) where he was replaced by George S. Musulin by the time Oswald returned from the Soviet Union in June of 1962.

This is how it might have worked. Ashcraft would have called Thomas Casasin or Richard L. Winch or Donald E. Poole at SR6. This person in turn would have talked to Rudy Balaban (SR6 Research). Balaban, code name “Valentino,” would have consulted with Reed, who then called OS, the Office of Security, requesting permission to debrief Oswald. OS would pass the request on to Personnel Security Division, who would give a green light or a red light. On occasion Balaban and Reed would do debriefings together...

 

Thanks Bill, must go through this in detail...