Kennedy's wounds

[John Dolva]

There appears to me to be one set of positions where the wounds of Connally and Kennedy could be the result of a single bullet.

The range of their movements would have to be limited by the length of limbs.

Here is a plot of the positions of both Kennedy and Connally (from 'Connally's wound's' topic) combined on a scaled drawing of the Limousine.

Kennedy would have to have risen up and leant forward and right with a leftward twist as if to say something to Connally, and Connally would have to have turned slightly right towards Kennedy.

This, as far as I can find out has no supporting witness evidence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John;

In my way of thinking, the first priority problem would be attempting to come up with some rational explanation as to how CE399 struck and fractured the right transverse process of the C7 vertebrae, then traversed to the apex of the right lung, then came back to exit at/about the third tracheal ring in the throat, without having ripped the vertebral column; throat tissue and muscles, and exterior skin in the anterior portion of the neck of JFK, completely to pieces.

If one can get by this obstacle, then perhaps the SBT can be "sold".

Or, at least perhaps the JFK portion of it can.

To date, I am not buying!

Tom

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/ww.../chapter3.1.htm

THE EXPLOSIVE OR TEMPORARY CAVITY IN MUSCLE

A missile entering soft tissues at a relatively high velocity produces a temporary or explosive cavity of large dimensions. The cavity, at its maximum size, has a cross-sectional diameter many times that of the permanent cavity, which remains after the temporary cavity has collapsed. The temporary cavity persists for a relatively short time, reaching its maximum size in less than a millisecond and lasting for not more than several milliseconds.

The penetration of a small high-velocity steel sphere into a large mass of butcher meat results in the formation of an initially cone-shaped cavity, very similar to the cavity formed by the same type of missile in water (pp. 152-158). Figure 74A is a microsecond roentgenogram showing the large cavity formed in butcher meat by a 4/32-inch steel sphere which struck the meat with a velocity of 2,800 f.p.s. and had penetrated a distance of 10.2 cm. when the roentgenogram was made. The sphere eventually perforated the block of meat completely, so that this roentgenogram does not show the final configuration of the temporary cavity. Its chief value lies in demonstrating the striking similarity

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

168

FIGURE 69.—Roentgenogram (No. 171) of the thigh of a cat taken immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. Note the outlines of the permanent cavity (light area) and the manner in which it has "blown out" to the femur. Also note that the femur is fractured, although it was not struck by the sphere.

of the early cavity in animal tissue and that in water, shown by the microsecond roentgenogram in figure 74B.

The greatest mass of muscle in an intact animal is the thigh. In the largest dogs used in this study, the thigh was from 6 to 9 cm. in its greatest dimension. A single microsecond roentgenogram of a thigh can show only one particular stage in the development of the temporary cavity. However, by varying the interval between the time at which the missile struck the thigh and the time at which the roentgenogram was made, it is possible to obtain a series of pictures which together will show successive stages in the development of the cavity. A series of five such microsecond roentgenograms, showing the development of the cavity in the thighs of dogs, is shown in figure 75. In each case, the thigh was struck by a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was approximately 2,800 feet per second.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

169

FIGURE 70—Spark shadowgraph of a 4/32-inch steel sphere passing into a tank of water. Note the conical-shaped temporary cavity and the backward "splash" of water at the point where the sphere entered the water.

FIGURE 71.—Photograph of a block of Plasticine showing the cavity made by the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. Compare size of cavity with size of the sphere placed in lower left of block. Note the large amount of material thrown out at the point of exit of the sphere. A similar "splash" also occurred at the point of entrance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

170

FIGURE 72.—Spark shadowgraph of a rectangular block of 20 percent gelatin gel made immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 2,800 f.p.s. The missile passed from right to left in the shadowgraph. Note the manner in which the block has expanded and the large amounts of material being thrown out at both the entrance and exit sites.

Figure 75A is a microsecond roentgenogram showing the temporary cavity 56 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. A cone-shaped cavity has formed behind the sphere, whose walls are relatively smooth. It is at this stage of development that the similarity of the temporary cavity in animal tissues and in water is the greatest.

Figure 75B shows the cavity 71 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. The sphere has emerged from the thigh and has moved several centimeters from it. The conical cavity is expanding, and its walls are becoming somewhat irregular.

The roentgenogram in figure 75C shows a cavity whose age is 139 microseconds. The sphere has now moved out of the field of the photograph to the right. The cone-shaped cavity has continued to expand, and its walls have become very irregular, probably owing to the irregular stretching and tearing of tissues being displaced by the cavity.

Figure 75D shows the cavity photographed 390 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. The cavity has expanded still more and has assumed the shape of a prolate ellipsoid. Observation of many of these cavities indicates that a cavity with this configuration is near its maximum size. The cavity shows marked irregularities on its walls, as well as strands of tissue of different densities, which can be interpreted as areas of stretched and torn tissues. The sphere which produced this cavity had an initial energy of 3.7 X 108 ergs (35 ft.-lb.) and lost approximately 85 percent of this energy in producing the cavity.

Roentgenograms made from 600 to 800 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh show that the cavity, after reaching its maximum size, col-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

171

FIGURE 73.—Spark shadowgraph of the thigh of a cat made immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. The missile passed from right to left in the shadowgraph. Note the large amount of materials being ejected at both the points of entrance and exit of the missile. Note the similarity to the gelatin block in figure 72.

lapses. Figure 75E shows a cavity whose age is 819 microseconds. The cavity has practically collapsed, and only a small rounded space remains near the center of the thigh. High-speed motion pictures of the exterior of a thigh, such as those of figure 76, show the temporary swelling, indicative of the internal formation of this cavity.

The temporary cavity in the thigh of a cat, formed by the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere with an impact velocity of 2,800 f.p.s., is shown in figure 77A. Although this cavity has not reached its maximum size and the sphere did not strike the femur directly, a fracture line has appeared in this bone. Figure 77B is a roentgenogram of this same thigh made before the shot and figure 77C a similar roentgenogram made after the shot. In this latter picture, the permanent cavity is well outlined. This type of "indirect" fracture is dealt with in greater detail on pages 200-204.

All the temporary cavities just described were photographed to show the path of the missile and the cavity in lateral view. Other microsecond roentgenograms show that the cavity formed in soft tissues by a sphere is circular

Edited August 6, 2005 by John Dolva

[John Dolva]

Hi John.

Re: JFK Back brace.

To my knowledge the brace went around kennedy's "waist only"

Hi Robin, I have read a description of the process involved in putting on the back brace and it did say it involved slings around the upper parts of his legs. However at the moment I cannot find the reference. In the process of looking for it I found a reference to a dispute about whether or not Kennedy had two braces. I had assumed he did as the photo I saw had a fairly light looking one and the photograph above seems to involvefar more material. It may be that it was in two parts. Thte actual brace with rods and a set of wrapping to put on for perhaps public appearances? Perhaps vanity? A bulkier overwrap to smooth out any protrutions from the rods? Anyway as soon as it becomes clearer on that I'll post.

Edited August 9, 2005 by John Dolva

[Robin Unger]

QUOTE:

Hi Robin, I have read a description of the process involved in putting on the back brace and it did say it involved slings around the upper parts of his legs.

You may be right there john, i remember hearing that before somewhere.

There is a photo somewhere showing kennedy wearing his back brace, i saw it about a year ago.

I think it was Richard Smith who posted it, James might have a copy in his Archive, ?

Edited August 6, 2005 by Robin Unger

[James Richards]

I think it was Richard Smith who posted it, James might have a copy in his Archive, ? (Robin Unger)

Hi Robin,

John Simkin posted the image in the Earl T. Smith thread.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=4596

Cheers,

James

[Thomas H. Purvis]

There appears to me to be one set of positions where the wounds of Connally and Kennedy could be the result of a single bullet.

The range of their movements would have to be limited by the length of limbs.

Here is a plot of the positions of both Kennedy and Connally (from 'Connally's wound's' topic) combined on a scaled drawing of the Limousine.

Kennedy would have to have risen up and leant forward and right with a leftward twist as if to say something to Connally, and Connally would have to have turned slightly right towards Kennedy.

This, as far as I can find out has no supporting witness evidence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John;

In my way of thinking, the first priority problem would be attempting to come up with some rational explanation as to how CE399 struck and fractured the right transverse process of the C7 vertebrae, then traversed to the apex of the right lung, then came back to exit at/about the third tracheal ring in the throat, without having ripped the vertebral column; throat tissue and muscles, and exterior skin in the anterior portion of the neck of JFK, completely to pieces.

If one can get by this obstacle, then perhaps the SBT can be "sold".

Or, at least perhaps the JFK portion of it can.

To date, I am not buying!

Tom

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/ww.../chapter3.1.htm

THE EXPLOSIVE OR TEMPORARY CAVITY IN MUSCLE

A missile entering soft tissues at a relatively high velocity produces a temporary or explosive cavity of large dimensions. The cavity, at its maximum size, has a cross-sectional diameter many times that of the permanent cavity, which remains after the temporary cavity has collapsed. The temporary cavity persists for a relatively short time, reaching its maximum size in less than a millisecond and lasting for not more than several milliseconds.

The penetration of a small high-velocity steel sphere into a large mass of butcher meat results in the formation of an initially cone-shaped cavity, very similar to the cavity formed by the same type of missile in water (pp. 152-158). Figure 74A is a microsecond roentgenogram showing the large cavity formed in butcher meat by a 4/32-inch steel sphere which struck the meat with a velocity of 2,800 f.p.s. and had penetrated a distance of 10.2 cm. when the roentgenogram was made. The sphere eventually perforated the block of meat completely, so that this roentgenogram does not show the final configuration of the temporary cavity. Its chief value lies in demonstrating the striking similarity

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

168

FIGURE 69.—Roentgenogram (No. 171) of the thigh of a cat taken immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. Note the outlines of the permanent cavity (light area) and the manner in which it has "blown out" to the femur. Also note that the femur is fractured, although it was not struck by the sphere.

of the early cavity in animal tissue and that in water, shown by the microsecond roentgenogram in figure 74B.

The greatest mass of muscle in an intact animal is the thigh. In the largest dogs used in this study, the thigh was from 6 to 9 cm. in its greatest dimension. A single microsecond roentgenogram of a thigh can show only one particular stage in the development of the temporary cavity. However, by varying the interval between the time at which the missile struck the thigh and the time at which the roentgenogram was made, it is possible to obtain a series of pictures which together will show successive stages in the development of the cavity. A series of five such microsecond roentgenograms, showing the development of the cavity in the thighs of dogs, is shown in figure 75. In each case, the thigh was struck by a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was approximately 2,800 feet per second.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

169

FIGURE 70—Spark shadowgraph of a 4/32-inch steel sphere passing into a tank of water. Note the conical-shaped temporary cavity and the backward "splash" of water at the point where the sphere entered the water.

FIGURE 71.—Photograph of a block of Plasticine showing the cavity made by the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. Compare size of cavity with size of the sphere placed in lower left of block. Note the large amount of material thrown out at the point of exit of the sphere. A similar "splash" also occurred at the point of entrance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

170

FIGURE 72.—Spark shadowgraph of a rectangular block of 20 percent gelatin gel made immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 2,800 f.p.s. The missile passed from right to left in the shadowgraph. Note the manner in which the block has expanded and the large amounts of material being thrown out at both the entrance and exit sites.

Figure 75A is a microsecond roentgenogram showing the temporary cavity 56 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. A cone-shaped cavity has formed behind the sphere, whose walls are relatively smooth. It is at this stage of development that the similarity of the temporary cavity in animal tissues and in water is the greatest.

Figure 75B shows the cavity 71 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. The sphere has emerged from the thigh and has moved several centimeters from it. The conical cavity is expanding, and its walls are becoming somewhat irregular.

The roentgenogram in figure 75C shows a cavity whose age is 139 microseconds. The sphere has now moved out of the field of the photograph to the right. The cone-shaped cavity has continued to expand, and its walls have become very irregular, probably owing to the irregular stretching and tearing of tissues being displaced by the cavity.

Figure 75D shows the cavity photographed 390 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. The cavity has expanded still more and has assumed the shape of a prolate ellipsoid. Observation of many of these cavities indicates that a cavity with this configuration is near its maximum size. The cavity shows marked irregularities on its walls, as well as strands of tissue of different densities, which can be interpreted as areas of stretched and torn tissues. The sphere which produced this cavity had an initial energy of 3.7 X 108 ergs (35 ft.-lb.) and lost approximately 85 percent of this energy in producing the cavity.

Roentgenograms made from 600 to 800 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh show that the cavity, after reaching its maximum size, col-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

171

FIGURE 73.—Spark shadowgraph of the thigh of a cat made immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. The missile passed from right to left in the shadowgraph. Note the large amount of materials being ejected at both the points of entrance and exit of the missile. Note the similarity to the gelatin block in figure 72.

lapses. Figure 75E shows a cavity whose age is 819 microseconds. The cavity has practically collapsed, and only a small rounded space remains near the center of the thigh. High-speed motion pictures of the exterior of a thigh, such as those of figure 76, show the temporary swelling, indicative of the internal formation of this cavity.

The temporary cavity in the thigh of a cat, formed by the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere with an impact velocity of 2,800 f.p.s., is shown in figure 77A. Although this cavity has not reached its maximum size and the sphere did not strike the femur directly, a fracture line has appeared in this bone. Figure 77B is a roentgenogram of this same thigh made before the shot and figure 77C a similar roentgenogram made after the shot. In this latter picture, the permanent cavity is well outlined. This type of "indirect" fracture is dealt with in greater detail on pages 200-204.

All the temporary cavities just described were photographed to show the path of the missile and the cavity in lateral view. Other microsecond roentgenograms show that the cavity formed in soft tissues by a sphere is circular

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep!

Sort of places the SBT into it's proper perspective, does it not?

"Wait here, I'm going home and get my dog and bring him back and see if he believes this shi*"

Attributed to Oscar Wyatt upon the hostile takeover of Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline Company by his considerably smaller company.

[Robin Unger]

I think it was Richard Smith who posted it,  James might have a copy in his Archive, ? (Robin Unger)

Hi Robin,

John Simkin posted the image in the Earl T. Smith thread.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=4596

Cheers,

James

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exellent:

Thanks James you have a good memory.

Earl T. Smith and JFK.

[John Dolva]

There appears to me to be one set of positions where the wounds of Connally and Kennedy could be the result of a single bullet.

The range of their movements would have to be limited by the length of limbs.

Here is a plot of the positions of both Kennedy and Connally (from 'Connally's wound's' topic) combined on a scaled drawing of the Limousine.

Kennedy would have to have risen up and leant forward and right with a leftward twist as if to say something to Connally, and Connally would have to have turned slightly right towards Kennedy.

This, as far as I can find out has no supporting witness evidence.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John;

In my way of thinking, the first priority problem would be attempting to come up with some rational explanation as to how CE399 struck and fractured the right transverse process of the C7 vertebrae, then traversed to the apex of the right lung, then came back to exit at/about the third tracheal ring in the throat, without having ripped the vertebral column; throat tissue and muscles, and exterior skin in the anterior portion of the neck of JFK, completely to pieces.

If one can get by this obstacle, then perhaps the SBT can be "sold".

Or, at least perhaps the JFK portion of it can.

To date, I am not buying!

Tom

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/ww.../chapter3.1.htm

THE EXPLOSIVE OR TEMPORARY CAVITY IN MUSCLE

A missile entering soft tissues at a relatively high velocity produces a temporary or explosive cavity of large dimensions. The cavity, at its maximum size, has a cross-sectional diameter many times that of the permanent cavity, which remains after the temporary cavity has collapsed. The temporary cavity persists for a relatively short time, reaching its maximum size in less than a millisecond and lasting for not more than several milliseconds.

The penetration of a small high-velocity steel sphere into a large mass of butcher meat results in the formation of an initially cone-shaped cavity, very similar to the cavity formed by the same type of missile in water (pp. 152-158). Figure 74A is a microsecond roentgenogram showing the large cavity formed in butcher meat by a 4/32-inch steel sphere which struck the meat with a velocity of 2,800 f.p.s. and had penetrated a distance of 10.2 cm. when the roentgenogram was made. The sphere eventually perforated the block of meat completely, so that this roentgenogram does not show the final configuration of the temporary cavity. Its chief value lies in demonstrating the striking similarity

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

168

FIGURE 69.—Roentgenogram (No. 171) of the thigh of a cat taken immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. Note the outlines of the permanent cavity (light area) and the manner in which it has "blown out" to the femur. Also note that the femur is fractured, although it was not struck by the sphere.

of the early cavity in animal tissue and that in water, shown by the microsecond roentgenogram in figure 74B.

The greatest mass of muscle in an intact animal is the thigh. In the largest dogs used in this study, the thigh was from 6 to 9 cm. in its greatest dimension. A single microsecond roentgenogram of a thigh can show only one particular stage in the development of the temporary cavity. However, by varying the interval between the time at which the missile struck the thigh and the time at which the roentgenogram was made, it is possible to obtain a series of pictures which together will show successive stages in the development of the cavity. A series of five such microsecond roentgenograms, showing the development of the cavity in the thighs of dogs, is shown in figure 75. In each case, the thigh was struck by a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was approximately 2,800 feet per second.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

169

FIGURE 70—Spark shadowgraph of a 4/32-inch steel sphere passing into a tank of water. Note the conical-shaped temporary cavity and the backward "splash" of water at the point where the sphere entered the water.

FIGURE 71.—Photograph of a block of Plasticine showing the cavity made by the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. Compare size of cavity with size of the sphere placed in lower left of block. Note the large amount of material thrown out at the point of exit of the sphere. A similar "splash" also occurred at the point of entrance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

170

FIGURE 72.—Spark shadowgraph of a rectangular block of 20 percent gelatin gel made immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 2,800 f.p.s. The missile passed from right to left in the shadowgraph. Note the manner in which the block has expanded and the large amounts of material being thrown out at both the entrance and exit sites.

Figure 75A is a microsecond roentgenogram showing the temporary cavity 56 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. A cone-shaped cavity has formed behind the sphere, whose walls are relatively smooth. It is at this stage of development that the similarity of the temporary cavity in animal tissues and in water is the greatest.

Figure 75B shows the cavity 71 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. The sphere has emerged from the thigh and has moved several centimeters from it. The conical cavity is expanding, and its walls are becoming somewhat irregular.

The roentgenogram in figure 75C shows a cavity whose age is 139 microseconds. The sphere has now moved out of the field of the photograph to the right. The cone-shaped cavity has continued to expand, and its walls have become very irregular, probably owing to the irregular stretching and tearing of tissues being displaced by the cavity.

Figure 75D shows the cavity photographed 390 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh. The cavity has expanded still more and has assumed the shape of a prolate ellipsoid. Observation of many of these cavities indicates that a cavity with this configuration is near its maximum size. The cavity shows marked irregularities on its walls, as well as strands of tissue of different densities, which can be interpreted as areas of stretched and torn tissues. The sphere which produced this cavity had an initial energy of 3.7 X 108 ergs (35 ft.-lb.) and lost approximately 85 percent of this energy in producing the cavity.

Roentgenograms made from 600 to 800 microseconds after the sphere struck the thigh show that the cavity, after reaching its maximum size, col-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

171

FIGURE 73.—Spark shadowgraph of the thigh of a cat made immediately after the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere whose impact velocity was 3,000 f.p.s. The missile passed from right to left in the shadowgraph. Note the large amount of materials being ejected at both the points of entrance and exit of the missile. Note the similarity to the gelatin block in figure 72.

lapses. Figure 75E shows a cavity whose age is 819 microseconds. The cavity has practically collapsed, and only a small rounded space remains near the center of the thigh. High-speed motion pictures of the exterior of a thigh, such as those of figure 76, show the temporary swelling, indicative of the internal formation of this cavity.

The temporary cavity in the thigh of a cat, formed by the passage of a 4/32-inch steel sphere with an impact velocity of 2,800 f.p.s., is shown in figure 77A. Although this cavity has not reached its maximum size and the sphere did not strike the femur directly, a fracture line has appeared in this bone. Figure 77B is a roentgenogram of this same thigh made before the shot and figure 77C a similar roentgenogram made after the shot. In this latter picture, the permanent cavity is well outlined. This type of "indirect" fracture is dealt with in greater detail on pages 200-204.

All the temporary cavities just described were photographed to show the path of the missile and the cavity in lateral view. Other microsecond roentgenograms show that the cavity formed in soft tissues by a sphere is circular

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep!

Sort of places the SBT into it's proper perspective, does it not?

"Wait here, I'm going home and get my dog and bring him back and see if he believes this shi*"

Attributed to Oscar Wyatt upon the hostile takeover of Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline Company by his considerably smaller company.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes , It's interesting that the US ARMY had very extensive high speed films and roentgen and detailed autopsy information as early as 1945. 1920 frames per second, with extremely detailed analysis and descriptions covering a wide range of wound ballistic aspects. And Alvarez 'discovered' it all years later?

This website contains a wealth of relevant information on wound ballistics.

http://history.amedd.army.mil/

In the above post quotes from 'mechanisms of wounding'

There are many images referred to in post that are on this site, (note:some links lead to somewhat gruesome one's)

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT, UNITED STATES ARMY

WOUND BALLISTICS

Prepared and published under the direction of

Lieutenant General LEONARD D. HEATON

The Surgeon General, United States Army

Editor in Chief

Colonel JAMES BOYD COATES, Jr., MC

Editor for Wound Ballistics

Major JAMES C. BEYER, MC

OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

WASHINGTON, D.C., 1962

Contents

FOREWORD

PREFACE

Chapter:

I. Enemy Ordnance Materiel (Maj. James C. Beyer, MC, Maj. James K. Arima, MSC, and Doris W. Johnson)

Japanese Ordnance

German Ordnance

Causative Agents of Battle Casualties in World War II

North Korean Forces Ordnance Materiel

II. Ballistic Characteristics of Wounding Agents (Maj. Ralph W. French, MAC, USA (Ret.), and Brig. Gen. George R. Callender, USA (Ret.)

Physical Aspects of the Missile Casualty

Physical Aspects of the Missile

The Wound as a Physical Entity

III. Mechanism of Wounding (E. Newton Harvey, Ph. D., J. Howard McMillen, Ph. D., Elmer G. Butler, Ph. D., and William O. Puckett, Ph. D.)

Historical Note

Methods Used in Studying Wounding

Underwater Ballistics as a Guide to the Wounding Mechanism

The Wound Track or Permanent Cavity in Muscle

The Explosive or Temporary Cavity in Muscle

The Explosive or Temporary Cavity in Abdomen, Thorax, and Head

Movements Following Collapse of the Explosive Cavity

Nature and Extent of Damage Around the Wound Track

Damage to Bone by High-Velocity Missiles

Damage to Blood Vessels and Nerves Near Wound Track

Pressure Changes Accompanying the Passage of Missiles

Retardation of Missiles by Soft Tissue and Tissuelike Substances

Penetration of Missiles Into Soft Tissue and Bone

Casualties in Relation to Missile Mass and Velocity

IV. Casualty Survey—New Georgia and Burma Campaigns (James E. T. Hopkins, M.D.)

New Georgia Campaign

Burma Campaign

Analysis of Casualties

Causative Agents

Circumstances of Wounding

Disposition of Casualties

Influence of Protective Armor

U.S. Casualties Caused by U.S. Missiles

Conclusions

V. Study on Wound Ballistics—Bougainville Campaign (Ashley W. Oughterson, M.D., Harry C. Hull, M.D., Francis A. Sutherland, M.D., and Daniel J. Greiner, M.D.)

Factors Peculiar to the Bougainville Campaign

Bougainville Campaign During Survey Period (15 Feb.-21 Apr. 1944)

Disposition of Battle Casualties and Anatomic Distribution of Wounds

The Different Weapons Causing Battle Casualties

Treatment of the Wounded

Morbid Anatomy

Circumstances and Protective Measures

Summary

Conclusions

VI. Examination of 1,000 American Casualties Killed in Italy (William W. Tribby, M.D.)

Purpose of Study

Methods of Study

Statistical Studies

Case Reports

VII. Study of Fifth U.S. Army Hospital Battle Casualty Deaths (Howard E. Snyder, M.D., and James W. Culbertson, M.D.)

Region, Type, and Distribution of Wounds

Causes of Death

Special Studies on Intra-Abdominal Wounds

Cases in Which the Immediate Cause of Death was Shock

Pigment Nephropathy in Battle Casualties

VIII. Casualty Survey, Cassino, Italy (Allan Palmer, M.D.)

Medical Facilities and Evacuation of Casualties

Analysis of Casualties

IX. Survey of Battle Casualties, Eighth Air Force, June, July, and August 1944 (Allan Palmer, M.D.)

Collection of Data

Analysis of Battle Casualties

Casualties Due to Flak

Casualties Due to Secondary Missiles

Casualties Due to Missiles From Enemy Fighter Aircraft

KIA Casualties—June Through November 1944

Summary and Conclusions

X. Directional Density of Flak Fragments and Burst Patterns at High Altitudes (Allan Palmer, M.D.)

German 88 mm. High Explosive Antiaircraft Shell

Aircraft Battle Damage Data

General Conclusions

XI. Personnel Protective Armor (Maj. James C. Beyer, MC, William F. Enos, M.D., and Col. Robert H. Holmes, MC)

Helmet Development

Helmet Design

Body Armor

XII. Wound Ballistics and Body Armor in Korea (Carl M. Herget, Ph. D., Capt. George B. Coe, Ord Corps, and Maj. James C. Beyer, MC)

Battle Casualty Survey—November1950

Joint Army-Navy Body Armor Field Test, 14 June-13 October 1951

Army Body Armor Test Team, February-July 1952

Medical Study of KIA Casualties

Lower Torso Armor

Improvised Armor for Special Purposes

APPENDIXES

A. Casualties, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry, 37th Division

B. Casualties, 1st Battalion, 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)

C. Casualties, 3d Battalion, 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional)

D. Principal and Associated Wounds

E. Combined Wound Groups

F. Detailed Observations on Wound Groups

G. Bomb Incident

H. Comparison of World War II Missile Casualty Data

I. Medical Program for the Study of Wounds and Wounding

[John Dolva]

When looking at the head wound I think it is important to consider the 'THE EXPLOSIVE OR TEMPORARY CAVITY' as referred to above.

The interpretation of xrays is a job for professionals so I can only guess here guided by a bit of reading.

When looking at a small part of the side xray I can see three areas that appear to repeat. From back to front, a larger round apparently bevelled area with fracture raidiating from it, a smaller one less distinct but still with bevel and rays, and a smaller still one with bevelled fragments and rays that are clearer and appear to be lead fragments.

I thought it might be interesting to superimpose them to see what I get.

When doing so and rotating them, and placing the smaller circle (right area) at bottom, the middle one on top of that and the left on top, the degree of rotation lines up the occiput protuberance as if the top one is now the outel level of the skull and the middle the inner and the lower the inner fragments projected inwards. Also a faint hole just above each of these becomes more distinct.

Bearing in mind the 'explosive etc' it seems to me a bullet that enters the skull from the front top ( which here is pointing south (left) would cause such fargmentation of the wound, as the 'blowback' lifts and separates the fragmented bone plates and brain tissue.

Further this force would then extend towards the right wall of the skull blowing that out. A fargment perhaps exits throat.

Most of the blood supply to the brain is carried up near the ear, perhaps explaining the greater degree ofd redness in this direction and brainmatter and skull bone upwards and towards the direction of first impact.

When looking at the site referred to above, it seems to me inconceivable that there was so little ejecta at a rear entry. This explosiveness peaks and fades VERY quickly and in all the experiments on that site forms a cone that expands and contreacts at the point of entry, not exit.

Once a closed system is punctured any pressure in that system will exit through the nearest available exit. Not hang around and wait for a secondary one, just like bullets do not hang around and wait before proceeding.

Edited August 9, 2005 by John Dolva

[John Dolva]

With regards to the positions of Connally and Kennedy at the time of the headshot.

A scrutiny of the moorman photo, the corresponding muchmore frame and zf313, while they all can't show exactly the very same moment, they all serve to indicate that the position of Kennedy that I arrived at (see post #1, this topic) is correct.

As the imprint of the stamp from the back brace shows when Kennedys body was thrown against the back rest of his seat occurred after the head shot it's not hard to deduce the position prior to this. In all these photos the position of Connally is shown to be to the right of Kennedy and with his head more upright and turned more to the right. The top of Kennedys head is turned towards the south south west.

Kennedys body is kept upright and stiff by the back brace. His head at the moment of impact moves into a more upright position, or towards his right shoulder, where it encounters the shoulder and is deflected front down, it rebounds and the car accelerates and moves into a more westward direction of travel.

As the car has been decelerating since the sign and moving on a downward slope and Kennedy is still alive his body naturally is braced against this deceleration. (try to drink a full cup of water while in passenger seat in car that is just gently negotiating suburbia. The automatic reactions of the body against accelerations - decelerations and turns is quite significant) However as his head is hit he essentially dies. His body is now subject to little restraint and moves according to easily defined forces.

The shot from the left has pushed him into the seat which rebounds.*

The car stops decelerating.

The car starts accelerating.

Jackie is restraining him towards herself.

'Back and to the left' caused by a shot from the left.

edit: the deceleration of the Limousine also causes the body to depress the seat springs.

Edited August 9, 2005 by John Dolva

[John Dolva]

When looking at the head wound I think it is important to consider the 'THE EXPLOSIVE OR TEMPORARY CAVITY' as referred to above.

The interpretation of xrays is a job for professionals so I can only guess here guided by a bit of reading.

When looking at a small part of the side xray I can see three areas that appear to repeat. From back to front, a larger round apparently bevelled area with fracture raidiating from it, a smaller one less distinct but still with bevel and rays, and a smaller still one with bevelled fragments and rays that are clearer and appear to be lead fragments.

I thought it might be interesting to superimpose them to see what I get.

When doing so and rotating them, and placing the smaller circle (right area) at bottom, the middle one on top of that and the left on top, the degree of rotation lines up the occiput protuberance as if the top one is now the outel level of the skull and the middle the inner and the lower the inner fragments projected inwards. Also a faint hole just above each of these becomes more distinct.

Bearing in mind the 'explosive etc' it seems to me a bullet that enters the skull from the front top ( which here is pointing south (left) would cause such fargmentation of the wound, as the 'blowback' lifts and separates the fragmented bone plates and brain tissue.

Further this force would then extend towards the right wall of the skull blowing that out. A fargment perhaps exits throat.

Most of the blood supply to the brain is carried up near the ear, perhaps explaining the greater degree ofd redness in this direction and brainmatter and skull bone upwards and towards the direction of first impact.

When looking at the site referred to above, it seems to me inconceivable that there was so little ejecta at a rear entry. This explosiveness peaks and fades VERY quickly and in all the experiments on that site forms a cone that expands and contracts at the point of entry, not exit.

Once a closed system is punctured any pressure in that system will exit through the nearest available exit. Not hang around and wait for a secondary one, just like bullets do not hang around and wait before proceeding.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Since posting the above I've done a bit more reading and should add the following.

This explosive force tends to peak after the passage of the missile. The temporary cavity formed is generally 27 times the size of the missile. It tends to form as a conical cavity with the point in the direction of the travel of the missile. The extensive fragmentation of bone and the pulping of tissue caused by this pulsed expansion peaks after the passage of the missile.

The fact that most of the material ejected from Kennedy's head was to his left and up indicates to me that the focal point or point of origin of the explosive impulse was centered to the front of his head.

This is further complicated by exterior ballistics. A bullet that appears to be level, pointing in one direction may actually have a considerable force on it that is counteracted by the spin. In striking Kennedys head, this may , depending on which time of the cyclical yaw behaviour of the bullet, result in a bullet that within three inches of penetration is at right angles to the path and may also have returned to the straight ahead position within another three inches and exit through a small hole again. So the analysis is complicated further by the fact that entry and exit holes may have little bearing on the wound ballistics. However there is a reported hole in the back of the head, obvious damage to areas to the front and reported extensive damage to the front right hemisphere of the brain.

I have also read of conflicting reports of damage to the floor of the brainpan at the back and extrusion of the brain from there through the right side of the head.

[John Dolva]

Further with regards to the movements and the reasons for it as described in post 24 is the indication that it is not just his head that moves back and to the left as the deceleration ends and the acceleration starts, his right arm pivots up, his upper body follows the head supporting the observation as outlined. His whole body is thrown back and to the left.

[John Dolva]

Using further information from the Muchmore topic.

Kennedy's body movements are the result of multiple factors.

A full description of all these movements, starting from a few meters before the headshot till a few meters after, is:

Kennedy has already been shot in the back.

His bottom remains largely in the same place. He does not slide left or right.

He leans towards Jackie. This is aided/caused obviously by their connection as man and woman, (I have speculated previously that if he had been fully conscious he would have sought to distance himself while forcing her down and throwing himself over her). However, he is rapidly loosing blood and while entering this last foggy world consciousness tends to recede to the lower, deeper more primitive regions of the brain.

Further, she IS fully conscious, perhaps approaching that time when a human in extreem stress acquires an almost 'superhuman' clarity and strength. Time slows and is often remembered after as a kind of slow motion dream. Her hand is on his arm pulling him towards her, her voice, presence, familiarity, smell even, compels him to obey the move towards her.

Meanwhile:: The limousine is on a slight downward slope. It is slowing down, decelerating. Yet he doesn't fall towards the front of the Limousine. Why?

It's like riding a bike. Once you know how, you don't forget. If we didn't learn how to react to the continual stop, start, right , left, up, down that goes with riding in a car we'd be flopping around like a mound of jelly.

He is naturally braced against a forward motion.

However this is not all that's happening.

Underneath him is a car seat. The seat has springs in it.

[it would be a custom built seat. Designed for comfort, support, stability and the possibility to sit anywhere along its length. The differential bell housing would protrude into the middle of the seat so the springs here would be shorter but in balance so a dignitary can sit here in comfort with the President and not have to wonder about beeing given the worst seat.]

As the Limousine is decelerating his muscles are compensating to keep him from tumbling forward while the seat springs are being depressed and deformed forward.

This leaning towards Jackie continues right up to about 1/46th of a second before being struck in the head by a bullet fired (distance(d)/2000+) seconds earlier from .......

He is still alive, and then he is dead. Ther are still residual nerve reactions but within a few meters its over. His body becomes subject without interference to all the natural forces that, say a ball in the backseat, or perhaps a bucket of water on the floor, or a full cup in the hand, is under in a car that's in motion.

Objects in motion tend to continue in said motion until acted on by an outside force. Muscle control as an outside force is over. The springs are depressed. Jackies hand is on his arm pulling him towards her.

The car moves to the right. (actually continues and increases a rightwards movement as can be seen by earlier observations)

The car starightens up again AND accelerates.

The depressed springs now rebound.

His body is pushed upwards while the car twists counter clockwise under him (he is sitting just forward of the rear axel.

His previous motion imparted by a slow forward movement continues.

The car that surrounds him accelerates.

When the back of the seat reaches where Kennedy's body is it 'catches' him and imparts its motion to him. His head, swivelling on his neck continues in its slow forward movement until it hits the top back of the seat and is pulled with the rest of the body forward with the force now imparted to it by the Limousine.

A camera panning along with this scene records it. The resultant film is projected onto a stationary screen.

The Limousine is moving.

The screen should move too to properly see motion as it was.

This is the value of the technique as I have here demonstrated. Against a background created by the entire film, individual moving objects can be isolated to see precicely how they moved in time AND space.

This image is a combination of views immediatel before the headshot.

I've tried to orient Kennedy's head to roughly in the position it would have had at the time of the shot if viewed from the top. It is actually slightly more downward tilted and the exact rotation is not quite right. His face is facing south south west.

[John Dolva]

My viewing of the Muchmore film bears out an earlier observation here illustrated by cutouts from zframes. When Kennedys head is shot it moves from where the top of the head is pointing south south west then tilts north west and rebounds. The knockdown power of a rifle would be sufficient to cause this movement.

If you tilt your head towards a raised right shoulder, when you encounter the shoulder structure the head moves forward if you want to continue the tilt.

His head movement is consistent with a shot from the left.

[John Dolva]

Robin from other post:

This may be of some interest:

(IMG:http://members.aol.com/DRoberdeau/JFK/HARTMANbulletFURROWStoOAKES1992.gif)

(IMG:http://216.122.129.112/dc/user_files/4294.jpg)

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Interesting, Robin. Long grooves, as if from a shallow shot.

Edited August 12, 2005 by John Dolva

[Robin Unger]

Robin from other post:

This may be of some interest:

............................................................

Interesting, Robin. Long grooves, as if from a shallow shot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John.

Yeh, i was just looking at the pic above, and noticed that at least one of the grooves seemed to point to your Post Office area.