Question for Jim Root

[Mark Knight]

Jim Root wrote, on the "WHO KILLED JFK?" thread:

11) That within hours of the assassination of JFK, Walker made contact with a German newpaper, while staying in a Shreveport, LA hotel, that then printed the story that Oswald had shot at him. This story ran days before the FBI developed that same lead and received information about the incident from Marina Oswald.

This is something I've questioned for some time. Since Dallas police hadn't arrested anyone for shooting at Walker, how did Walker know that Oswald did it...unless it was an intentional miss, and Walker knew about it beforehand? If I was I math student, I'm sure this would mean that 2 + 2 + x = 6...and that for Walker to arrive at the value of x [i.e., that Oswald was the shooter], he'd have to know the entire equation.

Or am I missing something?

I just don't see how Walker could have "deduced" that Oswald was the shooter at Walker's home a few months before, based upon the known evidence...and at the time Walker spoke with the German newspaper, the FBI didn't know, and Marina hadn't announced it. For Walker to come to this conclusion, he needed to have information that simply wasn't available to investigators at the time.

Or am I missing something here?

This alone makes me think that the idea that Oswald shot at Walker either (1) is a false lead, or (2) occurred, but with the idea of advancing Oswald's identity as a left-wing nut, and was done with Walker's knowledge, if not necessarily his approval.

Edited September 26, 2005 by Mark Knight

[Jim Root]

Mark

“I just don't see how Walker could have "deduced" that Oswald was the shooter at Walker's home a few months before, based upon the known evidence...and at the time Walker spoke with the German newspaper, the FBI didn't know, and Marina hadn't announced it. For Walker to come to this conclusion, he needed to have information that simply wasn't available to investigators at the time.”

Mark, if Walker did know he must have had information that never became available to the “public” at that time or since. Notice that I did not use the term “investigators,” as you did, nor did I use the term “Warren Commissioners.”

I have studied Walker’s life for years. I have been to his home county (Kerr) and home town (Center Point) in Texas on several occasions. I have had the opportunity to speak with numerous persons that were acquainted with either him or his family while in Texas. I have had the opportunity to contact and exchange information over the internet with many former soldiers who served under Walker and family members of those soldiers who recounted times when Walker visited in their homes. I have also heard many second hand stories from children of deceased “Force” members that had related information that was family war lore.

In addition to the personal accounts that I have collected, I have researched Walker’s life through historical records, newspaper accounts and archived collections of associates. His military career has been of particular interest from the beginning because the Warren Commission apparently avoided that subject:

“Mr. Liebeler.

I don't think we have to indicate a great deal of your background for the record, since I think we all know who you are,…” Excerpt from the Warren Commission Testimony of Edwin Walker

An objective view of the reality of Walker’s life shows a man who was fiercely loyal to his country and devoted to duty, whatever the assignment. For example when Walker was assigned to command the Third Regiment of the First Special Services Force just days before they deployed for the ”Kiska mission,” Walker had to be “jump” qualified. Without any training whatsoever he had an instructor strap a parachute on his back, he got on an airplane, receiving only the instructions that could be provided while the airplane gained altitude and he then jumped with this very limited training. Upon landing his only comment was, jump qualified, “check.” My point, if given an assignment by a commanding officer, Walker would immediately jump and accomplish that assignment!

Another point to be considered when evaluating Walker’s actions is who he was associated with. According to the most easily attainable information on Walker you would think he is nothing more than a “right wing” nut. While I review the historical information that I have gathered, it is my belief that this title is a convenient cover story for a very complex soldier that was deeply involved in Military Intelligence beginning in the early 1930’s.

For example his career places him in association with: John J. McCloy, Maxwell Taylor, Gordon A. Blake, Marshall S. Carter, Chester Clifton, William Colby, Clifton Carter and William Colby (to name a few). With this list alone one might begin to speculate on why the Warren Commission did not want to go into Walker’s “background.”

Looking at Walker’s “right wing” label further we find that the timing of his apparent move into the far right movement is associated with Oswalds first attempt to return to the United States from Russia. Within days of the State Departments decision that Oswald had not renounced his citizenship and therefore would be allowed to return to the US, Walker embarks upon his "pro blue" program. This, in itself, might be considered coincidence but I associate other information that is transmitted to and from the State Department in association with Oswald and find that the number of coincidences leads me to believe that they may not be coincidences at all.

For example the US Embassy in Helsinki sends two messages to the State Department about the ease with which a person can enter the Soviet Union via the Soviet Embassy in Helsinki. These two messages coincide with the movements of Oswald toward that Soviet Embassy. September 4, 1959 is the date of one message. It is also the day that Oswald is told that he will receive an early discharge from the Marines and applies for his passport, listing Helsinki as a possible destination. The second message is dated October 9, 1959. It goes into details on what is needed for the traveler to attain entry into Russia via the Soviet Embassy in Helsinki. Oswald followed these exact direction and gained easy entrance into Russia despite the fact that he did not visit the US Embassy and that the information in the October 9th note remained classified until the HSCA hearings.

Couple this information with additional known facts. Walker was traveling toward Augsburg, Germany at this same time. The Warren Commission was either unwilling or unable to ascertain how Oswald traveled from London to Helsinki. Oswald would have been able to get to Helsinki via Paris both cheaper and faster if he had chosen (But he would have arrived in Helsinki on Oct. 9th, the day before the information from the State Department could have been passed to him).

Two major coincidences, Oswald and Walker were both traveling in Europe simultaneously at a point and time that the Warren Commission could not seem to pinpoint Oswalds movements and both Oswald and Walker underwent a change of life simultaneously (Oswald wishing to leave the Soviet Union, Walker engaging in an activity that would lead to his resignation from the military).

But the coincidences do not stop there. Both men end up in Dallas. Oswald reportedly stalks Walker. Walker gets shot at purportedly by the Oswald. The major accuser of Oswald is his wife. Police reports are filed. Within two months of the assassination attempt on Walker, John J. McCloy sends a letter to Walker. Walker has become an enemy of Kennedy. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas where both men live. Oswald is arrested for the crime. Oswalds picture is on every television screen in America. Walker is in Shreveport, LA. and one can assume he saw the face of Lee Harvey Oswald on the television set in his room at the Captain Shreve Hotel.

By coincidence a German writer happens to know exactly what city and state Walker is in and at what hotel he is staying and he even has the phone number for that hotel. This writer calls Walker at exactly 7:00 am in the morning on the 24th of November (or around 10:00 pm German time). He conducts the first of two interviews that leads to two stories that are printed the following Wednesday (before the FBI is onto the same story) that accuses Oswald of being the person who attempted to assassinate Walker.

Oswald is then killed the next day and Walker denies that he provided any of the information that was in the German publications story.

My scenario is quite simple. It suggests and I believe that I am on very firm ground in this, that Walker was up to his neck in Military Intelligence work throughout his career. It is my belief that the Warren Commission is sketchy about Oswald’s travels from London to Helsinki because he did in fact have contact with a sensitive named person and that Oswald was on some sort of mission designed and controlled by the intelligence community when he entered Russia. It is my belief that it is more than coincidental that Walker was traveling in this same area at the same time Oswald. I also believe that my (along with Antti Hynoonen’s) research has proven that Oswald could have followed a route to Helsinki that could also be used by a person on the way to Augsburg (via Hamburg) and that that route would allow Oswald to arrive on the same plane in Helsinki that travelers from London would have arrived on as well.

Continuing along this line of reasoning and coincidences, it is my belief that Walker was unaware of the fact that Oswald had returned to the US (even Oswald was surprised by the lack of publicity that event generated).

If Walker had met Oswald on October 10, 1959 (not knowing his name only knowing that he was to pass information to him) and if Walker was unaware of the fact that Oswald had returned to the US and if Walker was not in the “loop” of the assassination conspirators and if Walker then saw Oswalds picture on the TV screen….Would Walker recognize Oswald and panic? Would Walker know that there was obviously a conspiracy to assassinate the President that would have been hatched at the highest levels of the intelligence community? Would Walker feel that he could be identified by Oswald as his intelligence contact when he went to Russia? Would Walker think, even for just a moment, that there was the possibility that he would be the “fall guy” in the assassination of JFK if Oswald lived to tell his story? Would Walker, the political enemy of Kennedy and a leader within the “far right” movement in America, be the fall guy if Oswald had lived? Would Walker feel that his life was in danger? Would Walker realize that Oswald was the one person who was in Dallas at the time of the assassination attempt on his life that would have a motive to kill him?

Would Walker, as a normal human being might, provide the information to the German periodical that wasin fact printed for no other reason than Walker's own self preservation?

Now check the timing of the creation of the Warren Commission that took the authority for the investigation away from the Dallas Police. In another coincidence, does it coincide with the knowledge that this German news article was about to break? Were the conspirators about to be thrown a curve when this story broke? If Oswald had been used as an agent of the US and if he lived to identify Walker as his contact when he entered Russia, would this lead directly to the conspirators? Was the McCloy Walker letter a plant to tie Walker to the conspirators and keep him silent?

Did Walker just plain panic when he saw the face of Lee Harvey Oswald on the television screen? Did he have a legitimate reason to panic?

Would the conspirators wish, hope and pray that no one would ever believe that Oswald was the man that shot at Walker on April 10, 1963 and that this piece of history would just disappear, as it has?

Would the Warren Commission coverup Walker's military background? YES

Jim Root

[Mark Knight]

Jim, I've been following your posts regarding the research you and Antti have been doing, and I believe you've come up with a possible Oswald-Walker connection. And there's no doubt that Walker and Oswald were both involved with Military Intelligence, Walker's involvement a lot deeper of course.

I guess what I'm wondering comes down to several questions:

IF Oswald was the guy who shot at Walker, was he "freelancing," or was he doing it on someone's orders?

If under orders, whose?

If the Walker attempt WAS done by Oswald under orders from MI, and if MI also informed Walker the name of the person assigned to the job, was this not then indicative of a split in the intelligence community...UNLESS Oswald was also ORDERED to MISS, and only send Walker a message?

If freelancing, why? That is, what grudge did he carry against Walker, ESPECIALLY if Walker was instrumental in getting him into the USSR?

If Oswald was freelancing, and Walker discovered his identity, why was this not reported to authorities and Oswald not jailed for attempted murder? Walker surely couldn't guarantee that Oswald wouldn't try again, if he was operating independently of his intel connections, could he? If Oswald had tried again, could Walker guarantee he'd miss again?

And if Oswald actually tried to take out Walker, ASSUMING he'd try again, why WOULDN'T Walker have him arrested? Wouldn't Walker be as able, thru his mil intel connections, to paint Oswald as a psychotic, just as the Warren Commission attempted to do, and taint any testimony Oswald might give regarding a previous connection to Walker?

The idea that Walker might have panicked at the thought of his being connected to Oswald, and thereby to the JFK assassination, just doesn't sell me 100%. Walker was a GENERAL [prior to his resignation], not some lower-level operative. Panic just doesn't fit the Walker persona, IMHO...UNLESS Walker KNEW that MI was involved. In THAT case, Walker was already politically "on the wrong side of the fence," and knew he'd be an ideal "patsy." If Walker merely SUSPECTED MI involvement, his actions become even MORE suspect.

Which brings me back to my initial thought...Unless Walker was involved, his actions are illogical. If Walker WAS involved, his actions make PERFECT sense. But to assume that Walker WASN'T involved in the assassination, his actions in regards to Oswald don't make any sense at all.

Walker's actions are more along the lines of having received a call telling him that Oswlad's going down, and "You're next!"...but that would be pure speculation on my part.

Edited September 28, 2005 by Mark Knight

[Jim Root]

Mark

I appreciate the fact that this thread requires that I think and put into words those thoughts in a logical manner that can be understood. Please bare with me as I attempt to simply summerize 11 years worth of research into a small space and in a limited amout of time. Please continue with the questions and I will continue to add the needed information that is necessary (assuming that I have it) to answer.

It is my belief that Walker was not a party to the assassination plot, assuming that there was an assassination plot. But I do believe it is highly plausible that Walker was involved in passing information to Oswald as he "defected" to the Soviet Union. Realize that this was in 1959, four years before the assassination of JFK and more than a year before the election of JFK to the Presidency.

I also believe that Oswald was not aware of who he was working for when he "defected" to the Soviet Union. I have discussed this numerous times and have made reference to Angleton's "Orchid Man" type character. Moving on....

Walker would be, perhaps, the only person that Oswald could identify upon his return the US that was of signifigence within the US intelligence community. If Oswald were not a recruited and trained agent but rather a "fly" moving from Orchid to Orchid, the use of Walker may have been a major error in the original plan to move Oswald into Russia. But, on the other had, the use of a three star general to transmit information to Oswald, even if in a covert manner, would suggest that the Oswald's "mission" was conducted as a result of decisions made at the highest levels of intelligence (that would require the highest level of security).

Then a funny thing happened. Oswald the socialist decides to return to the US. Can you imagine the scramble that would take place to protect the operation? First, if he returned he might identify Walker, a three star general, as the man who assissted him into Russia. If for instance Oswald had provided the Soviets with the information necessary to shoot down Francis Gary Powers on May 1, 1960, "right wing" members of the military establishment could be accused of sabatoging the Paris Summit (they were in fact accused of that). In order to protect themselves Walker would have to become that "right wing nut" (plausible deniablity).

Walker himself would need to know none of this. He was the man who always accepted his assignment and "jumped" when told to do so. I believe that Walker was given a "new" assignment, infiltrate and spy on an ever more radical right wing movement in America. This would not be the first time that Walker may have "spied" on Americans while on American soil. An interesting sidebar: It was illegal for the military to spy on US citizens. By resigning from the military and not collecting his pension this "silly law" could be leagally sidesteped.

Walker may never have known that Oswald had returned to the US until he saw his picture on TV. Then Walker would easily see that 2 + 2 did in fact equal 4! He would be as surprised as anyone else but he would know more than most and could easily speculate on the rest.

Oswald would return to the US. He was very much aware of the U-2 incident and the failure of the Paris Peace conference. Oswald would speak of this during his presentation at Spring Hill College shortly after the attempt on the life of Walker had occured. Did Oswald display "motive" at that time? Does Oswald's "flight" from Dallas to New Orleans suggest guilt? I believe it could which suggests a "freelancing" Oswald.

While Marina Oswald was questioned by the Warren Commission she was asked what books Lee was reading at that time. She was unable to identify any books because she barley spoke or read any English. On the best seller list was "Seven Days in May," a futuristic book about a right wing plot to overtake the US Government that involves a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Walkers name is mentioned in the book as a person who was involved in a similar movement way back in the 60's. Did Walker read this book with that provocative title? Did he then staulk Walker, order a rifle and attack the man that he knew had helped him into the Soviet Union?

From what I know about Walker he never lost control while under hostle fire in combat. I believe that is a very different type of panic than the type of panic that might have occured if Walker were to realize that the people he trusted the most, that he had loyally served while serving his coutnry had assassinated the President of the United States.

What led me to finally believe that there was in fact a conspiracy if this point. There was, perhaps, only one man who would have known these three pieces of information: Walker had been shot at in Dallas. Oswald was in Dallas when Walker was shot at. Walker had been involved in passing information to Oswald while Oswald was traveling to Russia. That person would have already anticipated something like this happening and would be the same person that had Walker "infiltrate" the far right. That same person would also then have access to the fact that Oswald was working in the TSBD and that person could then have routed the motorcade past that building. That person would be General Maxwell Taylor. Taylor the man who was a mentor to Walker from the time he entered West Point. Taylor the man that called on Waker during the Straits of Taiwan Crisis. Taylor the man that called upon Walker during the crisis in Little Rock. Taylor the man who assigned Walker to pass information to Oswald whild Oswald travelled to the Soviet Union?

Taylors association to McCloy and the McCloy note to Walker (five months before the assassination) suggests that McCloy would have been involved as well and the planning occured over several months.

I will leave others to speculate on the details of November 22, 1963.

Jim Root

Edited September 27, 2005 by Jim Root

[Mark Knight]

Jim, I suppose the Maxwell Taylor/John McCloy connection to Walker is what makes this make sense. Without that, either the actions of Oswald make no sense, or the actions of Walker make no sense...or perhaps, absent the Taylor/McCloy factor vis-a-vis those two possibly being the ONLY ones totally in the know, then NEITHER the actions of Oswald NOR those of Walker make sense.

This was the link I was seeking to see. It was implied, but I really don't think it was spelled out before as well as you did so here.

Thanks, Jim...if any other questions come to mind, I'll be back.

[At this point, if Gerry Hemming has anything to add re: Walker and McCloy or Taylor, I'd be much obliged, as ol' Hoss Cartwright might have said, to see what he has to say. Or am I chasing smoke here, Gerry?]

Edited September 28, 2005 by Mark Knight