NSA and the assassination of JFK

[Jim Root]

I thought it might be interesting to hear from the forum about how the National Security Agency fits into your thoughts and theories about the assassination of JFK.

Please be brief and specific, naming names if possible and events or operations that you believe might be of interest in this research.

As most of you may know my research into the assassination follows trails that go back to pre WWII events and careers so do not be afraid to mention stray facts or coincidences from these early periods.

Thanks for your help.

Jim Root

[Antti Hynonen]

Jim,

There's another thread on the forum that has touched upon this issue. Also the thread regarding the CIA and John Simkin's JFK pages contains information regarding this.

I will try and locate the thread, and PM it to you. Perhaps it is of interest to you.

[Shanet Clark]

Jim,

First, the NSA is the crucial pivotal agency in any joint project, because it has military and civilian aspects and a high level of communications and counter intelligence clearance. It "knows" things that are unavailable to the FBI, CIA and WHite House. It uses an international task to operate on US soil. It was probably subject to direct and covert tasking by Admiral Lemnitzer and General Taylor of the Joint Chiefs. It would have had tapes, taps, bugs, snaps and transcripts on the JFK concerning ELLEN ROMESCH, MARY MEYER, backchannel to Havana, backchannel to Moscow, recreational drug use, gambling, infidelity, etc.,...

The cryptological and mathmatical signals research actually served as a cover for behavioural and political efforts, sanctions, programs were run with very little oversight by the Senate Intelligence Subcommittee chairman Richard Russell.

The nature of these civilian/military research operations are not fully known, but it is quite possible that the Atsugi Japan military base saw a National Security Agency program working in tamdem with MK ULTRA on the recruitment and training of false defectors.

Marshall Carter, an aide to General George C. Marshall (Sect. of State) was in command of the NSA during the assassination and like KARAMESSINES and FITZGERALD was elevated to a DDI position at CIA in the mid 1960's.

I see an EXECUTIVE ACTION or SANCTION, sponsored by the Joint Chiefs, spearheaded by ONI, with the complicity of the other Military Intelligence agencies, such as the NSA. The CIA was a junior partner, and the FBI almost completely out of the loop. If there was a conspiracy (and of course there was) the NSA, being a wiretapping and code-breaking agency, WOULD HAVE KNOWN IN ADVANCE, and this is one more compelling piece of evidence pointing to a real military coup, or security clearance "wet job"...............

[Robin Unger]

NSA documents i downloaded from the NSA Reading room

http://www.geocities.com/quaneeri3/jfk105.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/quaneeri3/jfk112.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/quaneeri3/jfk110.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/quaneeri3/jfk136.jpg

Edited April 2, 2005 by Robin Unger

[Shanet Clark]

More specifically, a crypto-analyst with the signals unit in Japan, JOHN HURT, may have had some early contact with OSWALD, and OSWALD may have seen JOHN HURT as his "core" government agency contact, as we discussed...

The material concerning a Sgt. DINKIN in Germany, doing signals intelligence in work in 1963, who predicted the JFK assassination, also sheds light on the structural relationship of NSA to the Kennedy assassination plans, event and cover-up. If Sgt. DINKIN knew of the ambush in advance, after listening to international signals traffic (apparently between Europe and Algeria) then the higher ups should have had equal or better advance knowledge. Same with the Mexico City "Oswald" approach to the KGB/SOVIET EMBASSY. If it happened, then this agency should have known and acted to prevent the assassination. Same is true of all international traffic, the communications records of BRAY and BENDIX, the THRESHER file, should have alerted this agency, and of course the material from OSWALD to John Tower and John Connally, the nature of DEMORENSCHILDTs interest in Marina and Lee, all this was in the signals/military bailiwick//

The elevation of CARTER, KARAMESSINES and FITZGERALD is very troubling, as they seem to be found loyal in the 1963-64 period and promoted specifically because of their knowledge of the assassination, they were placed in AD positions in order to cover up the events of 1963 and assist in the unification of joint agency operations in the VIETNAM WAR.

Structurally, Marshall Carter was in a position to explain much of the Kennedy assassination communication record, but chose not to, which I find indicting, in a similar manner to Mr. Helms approach to the 1963 record.

[Jim Root]

Over the last several weeks/months I have successfully located information surrounding Japanese linguist John B. Hurt. I understand full well that he may have no other association to the assassination than the unusual coincidence that his name cooresponds to the name of a person Oswald apparently tried to contact while in custody after the assassination.

My best lead was provided by a Historian with the National Security Agency and has led me to some people with a more indepth knowledge of this J B Hurt. What has become interesting is that it seems my emails are being monitored. Each email, when sent, receives this message (the XXXXXXXXXXXX are mine to protect this source from being overloaded with additional inquires):

Your message with Subject: Re: XXXXXXXX Genealogy Question

could not be delivered to the following recipients:

XXXXXXXXXXXX.net

Please do not resend your original message.

Delivery attempts will continue to be made for 5 day(s).

What is interesting is that each time the messages are then delivered after a several day delay and I receive responses to my queries.

I now know that this John Hurt continued to work for the NSA until August 1963 when he retired (died 1966, age 62) and relocated to New York. Apart from JFK research would the fact that he was working for the NSA 42 years ago generate interest in watching who was researching this man?

Jim Root

[Mark Stapleton]

Jim,

First, the NSA is the crucial pivotal agency in any joint project, because it has military and civilian aspects and a high level of communications and counter intelligence clearance.  It "knows" things that are unavailable to the FBI, CIA and WHite House.  It uses an international task to operate on US soil. It was probably subject to direct and covert tasking by Admiral Lemnitzer and General Taylor of the Joint Chiefs. It would have had tapes, taps, bugs, snaps and transcripts on the JFK concerning ELLEN ROMESCH, MARY MEYER, backchannel to Havana, backchannel to Moscow, recreational drug use, gambling, infidelity, etc.,...

The cryptological and mathmatical signals research actually served as a cover for behavioural and political efforts, sanctions, programs were run with very little oversight by the Senate Intelligence Subcommittee chairman Richard Russell.

The nature of these civilian/military research operations are not fully known, but it is quite possible that the Atsugi Japan military base saw a National Security Agency program working in tamdem with MK ULTRA on the recruitment and training of false defectors.

Marshall Carter, an aide to General George C. Marshall (Sect. of State) was in command of the NSA during the assassination and like KARAMESSINES and FITZGERALD was elevated to a DDI position at CIA in the mid 1960's.

I see an EXECUTIVE ACTION or SANCTION, sponsored by the Joint Chiefs, spearheaded by ONI, with the complicity of the other Military Intelligence agencies, such as the NSA.  The CIA was a junior partner, and the FBI almost completely out of the loop.  If there was a conspiracy (and of course there was) the NSA, being a wiretapping and code-breaking agency, WOULD HAVE KNOWN IN ADVANCE, and this is one more compelling piece of evidence pointing to a real military coup, or security clearance "wet job"...............

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shanet,

Thank you for the very informative overview of the NSA and its role in the intelligence community. Your comments are supported by David Wise and Thomas B Ross in "Invisible Government" (1964) which I've just read. Have you read this?

Your assassination scenario has started to look quite interesting to me. The elevation of General Carter after the assassination is telling, although the book mentions that Carter was Deputy Director to Dulles at the CIA at the time of the assassination but was promoted to Director of the NSA in 1965. It doesn't mention Karamessines or Fitzgerald.

[Jim Root]

Mark

I can never pass up an opportunity to imput MAj. Gen. Edwin Walker into a string on this forum.

Marshall Sylvester Carter was a classmate of Edwin Walker's at West Point 1927 - 1931. They attended the Accademy the same four years that Maxwell Taylor was a language instructor. This group of cadets seem to have followed the dynamic rise of Taylor into the most powerful positions in the US Military.

Coincidence?

Jim Root

[Mark Stapleton]

Mark

I can never pass up an opportunity to imput MAj. Gen. Edwin Walker into a string  on this forum.

Marshall Sylvester Carter was a classmate of Edwin Walker's at West Point 1927 - 1931.  They attended the Accademy the same four years that Maxwell Taylor was a language instructor.  This group of cadets seem to have followed the dynamic rise of Taylor into the most powerful positions in the US Military.

Coincidence?

Jim Root

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

JFK researchers who reject the LNT are always being asked to believe in incredible coincidences but it looks like more than coincidence to me. Of course Major General Walker also has the strong Texas connection and his views on JFK were well known among his peers.

The NSA is worthy of strong focus. Given its extraordinary secrecy provisions, research of this shadowy agency is not easy, as you are discovering. I note that a tie in with John Beltram Hurt is beginning to emerge as per your reseach on that thread. Great researching, Jim. Two quick questions; Did Major General Walker leave the USA shortly before the assassination and "hole out" overseas for a while as I've read elsewhere and was General Maxwell Taylor a personal friend of JFK's as I've also read elsewhere?

[Stan Wilbourne]

Mark, RFK named one of his sons after Taylor -- for whatever that's worth.

I, too, find Shanet's theory of the assassination very compelling. I lean to the view that JFK was killed by a firing squad in Dealey Plaza for what was viewed by those most powerful as acts of treason: the back channel talks with both Cuba and the Soviet Union. Kennedy's dangerous affairs and possible drug use just fueled the motivation. LBJ brought all the forces together and reaped the reward.

I enjoy your posts, by the way.

[Jim Root]

Mark

At the time the assassination of JFK was being broadcast nationwitde it is my understanding the General Walker was traveling on an airplane toward Shreveport, LA. When the pilot announced the news Walker is said to have made his presence on the plane apparent to other passengers on board.

At least two possibilities exist to explain this behavior:

A. The obvious. It provided him with the perfect alibi.

B. The less obvious, fear. As a constant critic of Kennedy's Walker could see himself as a suspect in the assassination and realized that he would in fact be a subject of interest when assassination conspiracies were investigated.

I tend to believe "B" because I see General Walker as being in a position to believe that there was a conspiracy to kill Kennedy (based upon his particular military backround) and that he might be being "set up" within this conspiracy. It is my belief that the events surrounding the next 24 hours of his life seem to support this position (but eveything is open to interpretation).

At exactly 7:00 AM the morning following the assassination Walker received a telephone call from a German newspaper. (Please see my prvious string on this event) That newspaper published a story about Wednesday of the next week that said Oswald had shot at Walker 7 months before the assassinatation of Kennedy. It is my belief that by tying himself to Oswald, Walker was buying himself a life insurance policy.

The oddity about the phone call at 7:00 AM is that Walker had been on a speaking tour and was not at his home in Dallas but instead was staying at the Captain Shreve Hotel in Shreveport, LA. How did the newpaper know to contact him there at exactly 7:00 AM? Did Walker recognize the now captured Oswald whose picture was on every television station? I like to point out that Walker was traveling in Europe at exactly the same time that Oswald was "defecting" to Russia (see my paper "Serindipity" in JFK On line Seminars within this Forum).

In answer to your next question dealing with the relationship between Taylor and Kennedy:

General Taylor had resigned as Army Chief of Staff during the Eisenhower Administration. He wrote a book (The Uncertain Trumpet) that was critical of what he perceived as Eisenhower's dismantling of the military strength of the US at the same time that the Soviets were increasing their strength. His critical speaches, papers, interviews, etc. of the Eisenhower/Nixon Administration folded right in with the Kennedy campaign strategy of 1960 (coupled with the U-2 incident an election strategy that worked in a close campaign).

After the Bay of Pigs, Kennedy brought Taylor in, first as an advisor, then as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Just before the assassination it seems that Kennedy was distancing himself from the counsel of General Taylor (Suggest you read and research the book "Seven Days in May," a best selling novel at the time of the attempt on the life of Edwin Walker).

On the Arlington National Cemetery Website we find that Maxwell Taylor was faced with four great crisis as Army Chief of Staff. The first was known as the First Straits of Taiwan Crisis. Taylor sent General Walker to be the advisor to Chiang Kai-Shek during the successful handling of this crisis. The fourth challenge to the Army and Taylor as Chief of Staff was the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. Once again Taylor seems to have choosen his former student and point man Edwin Walker to handle and successfully calm the situation.

Perhaps more important than the relationship of Kennedy to Taylor is the relationship of Maj. Gen. Edwin Walker to General Maxwell Taylor!

Jim Root

[Mark Stapleton]

Mark, RFK named one of his sons after Taylor -- for whatever that's worth.

I, too, find Shanet's theory of the assassination very compelling.  I lean to the view that JFK was killed by a firing squad in Dealey Plaza for what was viewed by those most powerful as acts of treason: the back channel talks with both Cuba and the Soviet Union.  Kennedy's dangerous affairs and possible drug use just fueled the motivation.  LBJ brought all the forces together and reaped the reward.

I enjoy your posts, by the way.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Stan,

Thanks for the nice comments. Yes, I'm starting to come around to your assassination scenario, although I believe a Texas oil connection is in there as well. People like Clint Murchison and H. L. Hunt would have happily lent all the resources at their disposal to the cause ie. money and influence. Dallas was their "home ground" and the DPD, the Mayor and the D.A. were all there to follow orders with canine ferocity and dog-like obedience. There's a famous picture of JFK delivering his final speech outside the hotel in Fort Worth on the morning of November 22. Looking on is LBJ in a white trench coat with a knowing expression on his face that, for me, says it all. Maybe James or Robin will post it.

[Mark Stapleton]

Mark

At the time the assassination of JFK was being broadcast nationwitde it is my understanding the General Walker was traveling on an airplane toward Shreveport, LA.  When the pilot announced the news Walker is said to have made his presence on the plane apparent to other passengers on board.

At least two possibilities exist to explain this behavior:

A.  The obvious.  It provided him with the perfect alibi.

B.  The less obvious, fear.  As a constant critic of Kennedy's Walker could see himself as a suspect in the assassination and realized that he would in fact be a subject of interest when assassination conspiracies were investigated.

I tend to believe "B" because I see General Walker as being in a position to believe that there was a conspiracy to kill Kennedy (based upon his particular military backround) and that he might be being "set up" within this conspiracy.  It is my belief that the events surrounding the next 24 hours of his life seem to support this position (but eveything is open to interpretation).

At exactly 7:00 AM the morning following the assassination Walker received a telephone call from a German newspaper.  (Please see my prvious string on this event)  That newspaper published a story about Wednesday of the next week that said Oswald had shot at Walker 7 months before the assassinatation of Kennedy.  It is my belief that by tying himself to Oswald, Walker was buying himself a life insurance policy.

The oddity about the phone call at 7:00 AM is that Walker had been on a speaking tour and was not at his home in Dallas but instead was staying at the Captain Shreve Hotel in Shreveport, LA.  How did the newpaper know to contact him there at exactly 7:00 AM?  Did Walker recognize the now captured Oswald whose picture was on every television station?  I like to point out that Walker was traveling in Europe at exactly the same time that Oswald was "defecting" to Russia (see my paper "Serindipity" in JFK On line Seminars within this Forum).

In answer to your next question dealing with the relationship between Taylor and Kennedy:

General Taylor had resigned as Army Chief of Staff during the Eisenhower Administration.  He wrote a book (The Uncertain Trumpet) that was critical of what he perceived as Eisenhower's dismantling of the military strength of the US at the same time that the Soviets were increasing their strength.  His critical speaches, papers, interviews, etc. of the Eisenhower/Nixon Administration folded right in with the Kennedy campaign strategy of 1960 (coupled with the U-2 incident an election strategy that worked in a close campaign).

After the Bay of Pigs, Kennedy brought Taylor in, first as an advisor, then as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Just before the assassination it seems that Kennedy was distancing himself from the counsel of General Taylor (Suggest you read and research the book "Seven Days in May," a best selling novel at the time of the attempt on the life of Edwin Walker).

On the Arlington National Cemetery Website we find that Maxwell Taylor was faced with four great crisis as Army Chief of Staff.  The first was known as the First Straits of Taiwan Crisis.  Taylor sent General Walker to be the advisor to Chiang Kai-Shek during the successful handling of this crisis.  The fourth challenge to the Army and Taylor as Chief of Staff was the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Once again Taylor seems to have choosen his former student and point man Edwin Walker to handle and successfully calm the situation.

Perhaps more important than the relationship of Kennedy to Taylor is the relationship of Maj. Gen. Edwin Walker to General Maxwell Taylor!

Jim Root

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jim,

Thank you for that reply. I've just read your thread "Serendipity" in the seminars section and it answers many questions on both General Taylor and Major General Walker. Perhaps one of the reasons for JFK's initial approval of Taylor was because he had had such a spectacular falling out with the previous administration. As head of the JCS at the time of the assassination, it's hard to imagine him not being aware, and thus condoning or even planning the assassination. Also, I consider his predecessor, Lyman Lemnitzer, to be a "person of interest". Do you think a retired JCS chief would have more capacity or less capacity to involve himself in such a thing?

[Stan Wilbourne]

gone

Edited March 6, 2010 by Stan Wilbourne

[Jim Root]

Mark and Stan

Thank you for the questions and imput. Fletcher Knebel, one of the two authors of Seven Days in May was a friend of Kennedy's. The book is a futuristic stroy about a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs who attempts to take over the government (edwin Walker's name is mentioned in the novel). Was this book a look into kennedy's worst fears? Interesting question. The movie was scheduled to be released shortly after Kennedy was assassinated........

When I look at Taylor there are at least six things that bug me about his possible involvement.

1. His relationship with Walker that extended back to 1927.

2. His possible ability to control the selection of the motorcade route through General Chester Clifton (whose first CO after graduation from West Point was Edwin Walker).

3. His potential pre-knowledge of an intelligence mission surrounding the downing of Francis Gary Powers U-2 that would have involved Oswald.

4. His dramatic rise to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Kennedy (reward?) after a very close election battle where he supported Kennedy and may have sabatoged Nixon.

5. His repeated use of Walker for the most sensitive jobs (Taiwan, Little Rock, and perhaps Oswald's defection to Russia).

6. The only man on the planet that could have known that Oswald may have been the person with a reason to shoot at Walker in April, 1963.

Food for thought.

Jim Root