The Three Magic Bullets

[Tony Austin]

THE THREE MAGIC BULLETS

Not long after the Warren Commission Report came out in 1964 critics started to accuse the Commission of describing one of the bullets fired by Lee Harvey Oswald as behaving in an impossible manner. The bullet seemed to have zig-zagged through space and gone through two men and broken two bones and yet it was recovered in almost pristine condition. The critics said that the Warren Commission was asking the public to believe in a 'magic bullet'

Years later, defenders of the Warren Commission such as Gerald Posner and Dale Myers came forward and told us that the critics were wrong. The bullet did not have to zig-zag through space and also it was a tough, penetrating, copper jacketed bullet and therefore it could go through human beings without breaking apart. They insisted that there was no magic bullet.

However, if we look in detail at the modern, official view of the assassination I would say that there is not one magic bullet that we are being asked to believe in but three magic bullets!

The three magic bullets are as follows:

The first bullet

From the sixth floor of the School Book Depository Oswald would have had a wonderful view of the Presidential Limousine driving through Dealey Plaza but, for some strange reason, he decided to fire his first shot when the Limousine passed behind a large leafy tree. The bullet then hit a thick tree branch. This tough penetrating projectile then separated into the jacket and the core. The jacket shot down and hit the road behind the Limousine whilst the core flew over 400 feet in the opposite direction and hit a curb near the triple underpass. A piece of concrete was then propelled off the curb and hit James Tague on the cheek.

So this single bullet managed to break apart in such a way as to give the appearance of being two separate bullets striking the ground 450 feet apart.

This is quite a neat little trick for one bullet!

The second bullet

Dale Myers recently produced a 3D computer model of the Kennedy Assassination and used it to show that a bullet fired from the sixth floor of the Book Depository could travel in a straight line and go through the bodies of Kennedy and Connally as decribed by the Warren Commission.

Some would argue that, as the bullet entered Kennedy, it would have to do a little diversion around the cervical spine to avoid colliding with it ( see Pat Speer's thread: 'why I don't believe that CE 399 transversed both Kennedy and Connally') However, this little diversion is nothing compared to the diversion the bullet would have had to take to go through Connally's right wrist as described by the Warren Commission.

Gerald Posner has an illustration in his book 'Case Closed' which shows how a single bullet could pass through the bodies of Kennedy and Connally and also through Connally's right wrist before ending its journey in Connally's left thigh.

This is done by showing Connally's right forearm being held across the upper part of his abdomen with the wrist turned so the back surface is towards the chest. The right hand is above the upper part of the left thigh. The only problem is that Dale Myers's computer model clearly shows that this is NOT the position Connally's right forearm and wrist were in at the time of the shot. The right hand and wrist were just above the upper part of the right thigh with the back surface of the wrist uppermost.

The next few frames of the Zapruder film show the right forearm rise and fall and the hand flick backwards and forewards all within a perfect vertical plane parallel to the adjacent car door. This would be impossible if Connally's arm was drawn across his chest and the wrist twisted. However, it makes perfect sense with the right hand just above the upper part of the right thigh.

So what this all means is that the second bullet went through Kennedy, then through the chest of Connally and then suddenly changed direction so that it was going horizontally and to the left. Having then arrived just above Connally's right wrist it then turned and went down through the back of the wrist and exited the front of the wrist. The bullet then turned and went left across the lap of Connally before finally turning back onto its original course and on into the left thigh.

Obviously, this was a magic 'wrist-seeking' missile!

The third bullet

Officially, the third bullet went through Kennedy's head. A post mortum xray of Kennedy's skull taken from front to back shows a fragment of this bullet. As the front and rear sections of this bullet were recovered from the floor at the front of the Limousine, this must be a fragment from the middle part of the bullet. The xray shows a disc shaped fragment 6.5mm in diameter which represents a thin slice of bullet seen end on just like a slice of baloney seen lying flat on a plate.

So this magic bullet struck Kennedy in the head and broke into three pieces. The back and front pieces managed to fly out of the front of the head but the thin middle piece came to a complete stop within the skull. This 'baloney slice' piece seen on the xray gives very convenient 'proof' that Kennedy was shot in the head with 6.5mm ammunition.

I can imagine a bullet going completely through a skull and leaving the tail end behind. I can also imagine a bullet going completely through a skull and leaving the tip inside the skull. What I cannot imagine is a bullet going completely through a skull and leaving a thin slice of the middle part of the bullet inside the skull.

Now that's magic!

So, in summary, we have three magic bullets:

(1) The break-up on a branch and double deception bullet.

(2) The wrist-seeking round and magic meandering missile.

..... and finally .....

(3) The break-up in the brain and bit-of-baloney bullet.

Should we accept the official viewpoint ( that Oswald acted alone, that he fired three shots at the President and that there was no tampering with any of the evidence in this case) and then believe that Oswald fired three magic bullets from three shots? Alternatively, should serious students of the assassination accept that there are serious problems with the official viewpoint and reject the idea of Oswald as the 'master magician'?

Edited April 26, 2008 by Tony Austin

[Thomas H. Purvis]

THE THREE MAGIC BULLETS

Not long after the Warren Commission Report came out in 1964 critics started to accuse the Commission of describing one of the bullets fired by Lee Harvey Oswald as behaving in an impossible manner. The bullet seemed to have zig-zagged through space and gone through two men and broken two bones and yet it was recovered in almost pristine condition. The critics said that the Warren Commission was asking the public to believe in a 'magic bullet'

Years later, defenders of the Warren Commission such as Gerald Posner and Dale Myers came forward and told us that the critics were wrong. The bullet did not have to zig-zag through space and also it was a tough, penetrating, copper jacketed bullet and therefore it could go through human beings without breaking apart. They insisted that there was no magic bullet.

However, if we look in detail at the modern, official view of the assassination I would say that there is not one magic bullet that we are being asked to believe in but three magic bullets!

The three magic bullets are as follows:

The first bullet

From the sixth floor of the School Book Depository Oswald would have had a wonderful view of the Presidential Limousine driving through Dealey Plaza but, for some strange reason, he decided to fire his first shot when the Limousine passed behind a large leafy tree. The bullet then hit a thick tree branch. This tough penetrating projectile then separated into the jacket and the core. The jacket shot down and hit the road behind the Limousine whilst the core flew over 400 feet in the opposite direction and hit a curb near the triple underpass. A piece of concrete was then propelled off the curb and hit James Tague on the cheek.

So this single bullet managed to break apart in such a way as to give the appearance of being two separate bullets striking the ground 450 feet apart.

This is quite a neat little trick for one bullet!

The second bullet

Dale Myers recently produced a 3D computer model of the Kennedy Assassination and used it to show that a bullet fired from the sixth floor of the Book Depository could travel in a straight line and go through the bodies of Kennedy and Connally as decribed by the Warren Commission.

Some would argue that, as the bullet entered Kennedy, it would have to do a little diversion around the cervical spine to avoid colliding with it ( see Pat Speer's thread: 'why I don't believe that CE 399 transversed both Kennedy and Connally') However, this little diversion is nothing compared to the diversion the bullet would have had to take to go through Connally's right wrist as described by the Warren Commission.

Gerald Posner has an illustration in his book 'Case Closed' which shows how a single bullet could pass through the bodies of Kennedy and Connally and also through Connally's right wrist before ending its journey in Connally's left thigh.

This is done by showing Connally's right forearm being held across the upper part of his abdomen with the wrist turned so the back surface is towards the chest. The right hand is above the upper part of the left thigh. The only problem is that Dale Myers's computer model clearly shows that this is NOT the position Connally's right forearm and wrist were in at the time of the shot. The right hand and wrist were just above the upper part of the left thigh with the back surface of the wrist uppermost.

The next few frames of the Zapruder film show the right forearm rise and fall and the hand flick backwards and forewards all within a perfect vertical plane parallel to the adjacent car door. This would be impossible if Connally's arm was drawn across his chest and the wrist twisted. However, it makes perfect sense with the right hand just above the upper part of the right thigh.

So what this all means is that the second bullet went through Kennedy, then through the chest of Connally and then suddenly changed direction so that it was going horizontally and to the left. Having then arrived just above Connally's right wrist it then turned and went down through the back of the wrist and exited the front of the wrist. The bullet then turned and went left across the lap of Connally before finally turning back onto its original course and on into the left thigh.

Obviously, this was a magic 'wrist-seeking' missile!

The third bullet

Officially, the third bullet went through Kennedy's head. A post mortum xray of Kennedy's skull taken from front to back shows a fragment of this bullet. As the front and rear sections of this bullet were recovered from the floor at the front of the Limousine, this must be a fragment from the middle part of the bullet. The xray shows a disc shaped fragment 6.5mm in diameter which represents a thin slice of bullet seen end on just like a slice of baloney seen lying flat on a plate.

So this magic bullet struck Kennedy in the head and broke into three pieces. The back and front pieces managed to fly out of the front of the head but the thin middle piece came to a complete stop within the skull. This 'baloney slice' piece seen on the xray gives very convenient 'proof' that Kennedy was shot in the head with 6.5mm ammunition.

I can imagine a bullet going completely through a skull and leaving the tail end behind. I can also imagine a bullet going completely through a skull and leaving the tip inside the skull. What I cannot imagine is a bullet going completely through a skull and leaving a thin slice of the middle part of the bullet inside the skull.

Now that's magic!

So, in summary, we have three magic bullets:

(1) The break-up on a branch and double deception bullet.

(2) The wrist-seeking round and magic meandering missile.

..... and finally .....

(3) The break-up in the brain and bit-of-baloney bullet.

Should we accept the official viewpoint ( that Oswald acted alone, that he fired three shots at the President and that there was no tampering with any of the evidence in this case) and then believe that Oswald fired three magic bullets from three shots? Alternatively, should serious students of the assassination accept that there are serious problems with the official viewpoint and reject the idea of Oswald as the 'master magician'?

In event one will concentrate their efforts on the one and only/single "Magic Bullet", the various problems associated with an understanding of the assassination become relatively simple to understand as well as place into proper perspective.

And, since neither CE399 nor the multiple bullet fragments found throughout the limousine and within the brain of JFK appear to possess any magical qualities, I would personally look elsewhere.

Politicians, not unlike magicians, can make things disappear.

Tom

[Frank Agbat]

...

Gerald Posner has an illustration in his book 'Case Closed' which shows how a single bullet could pass through the bodies of Kennedy and Connally and also through Connally's right wrist before ending its journey in Connally's left thigh.

This is done by showing Connally's right forearm being held across the upper part of his abdomen with the wrist turned so the back surface is towards the chest. The right hand is above the upper part of the left thigh. The only problem is that Dale Myers's computer model clearly shows that this is NOT the position Connally's right forearm and wrist were in at the time of the shot. The right hand and wrist were just above the upper part of the left thigh with the back surface of the wrist uppermost.

The next few frames of the Zapruder film show the right forearm rise and fall and the hand flick backwards and forewards all within a perfect vertical plane parallel to the adjacent car door. This would be impossible if Connally's arm was drawn across his chest and the wrist twisted. However, it makes perfect sense with the right hand just above the upper part of the right thigh. (my emphasis)

I did a series of posts on Lancer about a year ago, with some supporting footage from the Z-film provided by Bill Miller that shows that you have hit the nail PRECISELY on the head as to why the magic bullet is not possible. The position and orientation of JBC's shoulders, in addition to the way he was gripping the famous white Stetson, exclude the traversal of the bullet through his wrist.

My argument centers on the fact that his torso and shoulders are rotated a few degrees clockwise, relative to the position of the seat. At Z-225, his torso is turned toward Zapruder. His shoulders have comfortably followed this clockwise rotation, and his arms following his shoulders naturally. This position is favorable and consistent with his back, chest, and thigh wounds and a bullet fired from the back right of the limo and from elevation. However, the wrist wound becomes problematic.

The shoulder position is consistent with a seated position, torso turned, and the right hand resting ON or even OUTSIDE of the RIGHT thigh -- a position completely unworkable with the SBT. JBC's wrist damage did NOT occur at this time. His wrist simply wasn't in the right place. (I also believe, but have not had the time or resources to prove, that if hat and wrist were in the Dale Myers or Posner positions, we would see the hat prior to its first appearance, due to the way he is holding it in later frames.)

The secret to breaking the SBT is all in the hat, so to speak...

[Pat Speer]

An excellent summary, Tony. While the Badens, Lattmers and Posners of the world have focused on "is it possible?" those who have focused on "is it likely?" have come up with entirely different results. None of the three bullets you describe was "likely" to behave as purported in the "official" line of nonsense.

As someone who calls it as he sees it, however, I must admit I believe there are rational, non-conspiratorial explanations for some of the mysteries. Much of the confusion revolving around the Tague fragment comes from his insistence that the fragment did not come from the final shot. People incorrectly take this to mean the head shot. But, as Tom has long insisted, and as I hope to soon demonstrate, the head shot was the second of the three shots heard by most in the Plaza. As a result it seems likely that the Tague fragment was the missing piece of the bullet striking Kennedy at 313.

The other mystery which has a rational explanation is the "slice" of bullet purportedly on the back of Kennedy's head. I feel entirely confident that this "slice" was in fact the large fragment found during the autopsy above and behind Kennedy's right eye. In my online presentation, available at the link below, in the X-ray section, on the Believing is Seeing and The Fragment Fragment slides, I demonstrate the actual location of this fragment on the lateral x-ray, and explain the difficulties men have had in matching up the x-rays. I "debuted" this conclusion at JFK Lancer last year, and took my findings to an online radiology forum earlier this year, and have yet to receive any real disagreement on this point.

[Thomas H. Purvis]

An excellent summary, Tony. While the Badens, Lattmers and Posners of the world have focused on "is it possible?" those who have focused on "is it likely?" have come up with entirely different results. None of the three bullets you describe was "likely" to behave as purported in the "official" line of nonsense.

As someone who calls it as he sees it, however, I must admit I believe there are rational, non-conspiratorial explanations for some of the mysteries. Much of the confusion revolving around the Tague fragment comes from his insistence that the fragment did not come from the final shot. People incorrectly take this to mean the head shot. But, as Tom has long insisted, and as I hope to soon demonstrate, the head shot was the second of the three shots heard by most in the Plaza. As a result it seems likely that the Tague fragment was the missing piece of the bullet striking Kennedy at 313.

The other mystery which has a rational explanation is the "slice" of bullet purportedly on the back of Kennedy's head. I feel entirely confident that this "slice" was in fact the large fragment found during the autopsy above and behind Kennedy's right eye. In my online presentation, available at the link below, in the X-ray section, on the Believing is Seeing and The Fragment Fragment slides, I demonstrate the actual location of this fragment on the lateral x-ray, and explain the difficulties men have had in matching up the x-rays. I "debuted" this conclusion at JFK Lancer last year, and took my findings to an online radiology forum earlier this year, and have yet to receive any real disagreement on this point.

As most here will certainly attest, it is quite irrelevant as to what "Tom has long insisted".

What is relevant is the accurate and reliable testimony of those such as Nellie Connally, James Altgens, Kellerman; etc; etc; etc; who have in one way, shape, or form, all told us the sequencing of the shots fired.

Now!

If we want to talk the "Cowlick" entry which severely fragmented and grazed across the upper portion of the brain, then we can talk the Z312/313 shot.

However, if we want to talk the EOP entry, we must talk about the one down in front of James Altgens position, when JFK was leaning leftwards with his head rolled downward and to the left side , exposing the right rear of his neckline to the sixth floor window of the TSDB.

Of which the bullet pretty well passed through the mid-brain and exited in the frontal lobe, quite intact.

Of course, at risk of being redundant, the bullet had to pass through the edge of the coat collar, and thereafter "tunnel" upwards/(downwards) through the fleshy part of the neck from the hairline entry, prior to encountering the skull in the EOP region, prior to this passing through the mid-brain.

And then of course:

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

"I reached over & pulled him to me & tried to get us both down in the car"

"Then came a third shot"---"I did not see the third shot hit--but I felt something falling all over me. My sensation was of spent buckshot. My eyes saw bloody matter in tiny bits all over the car."

Handwritten notes of Nellie Connally, written 10 days after the assassination.

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

Mr. ALTGENS

He wasn't upright. He was at an angle but when it hit him, it seemed to have just lodged--it seemed as if he were hung up on a seat button or something like that. It knocked him just enough forward that he came right on down. There was flesh particles that flew out of the side of his head in my direction from where I was standing, so much so that it indicated to me that the shot came out of the left side of his head.

I was prepared to make a picture at the very instant the President was shot. I had refocused to 15 feet because I wanted a good closeup of the President and Mrs. Kennedy, and that's why I know that it would be right at 15 feet, because I had prefocused in that area, and I had my camera almost to my eye when it happened and that's as far as I got with my camera.

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

Edited October 20, 2006 by Thomas H. Purvis

[Thomas H. Purvis]

An excellent summary, Tony. While the Badens, Lattmers and Posners of the world have focused on "is it possible?" those who have focused on "is it likely?" have come up with entirely different results. None of the three bullets you describe was "likely" to behave as purported in the "official" line of nonsense.

As someone who calls it as he sees it, however, I must admit I believe there are rational, non-conspiratorial explanations for some of the mysteries. Much of the confusion revolving around the Tague fragment comes from his insistence that the fragment did not come from the final shot. People incorrectly take this to mean the head shot. But, as Tom has long insisted, and as I hope to soon demonstrate, the head shot was the second of the three shots heard by most in the Plaza. As a result it seems likely that the Tague fragment was the missing piece of the bullet striking Kennedy at 313.

The other mystery which has a rational explanation is the "slice" of bullet purportedly on the back of Kennedy's head. I feel entirely confident that this "slice" was in fact the large fragment found during the autopsy above and behind Kennedy's right eye. In my online presentation, available at the link below, in the X-ray section, on the Believing is Seeing and The Fragment Fragment slides, I demonstrate the actual location of this fragment on the lateral x-ray, and explain the difficulties men have had in matching up the x-rays. I "debuted" this conclusion at JFK Lancer last year, and took my findings to an online radiology forum earlier this year, and have yet to receive any real disagreement on this point.

As most here will certainly attest, it is quite irrelevant as to what "Tom has long insisted".

What is relevant is the accurate and reliable testimony of those such as Nellie Connally, James Altgens, Kellerman; etc; etc; etc; who have in one way, shape, or form, all told us the sequencing of the shots fired.

Now!

If we want to talk the "Cowlick" entry which severely fragmented and grazed across the upper portion of the brain, then we can talk the Z312/313 shot.

However, if we want to talk the EOP entry, we must talk about the one down in front of James Altgens position, when JFK was leaning leftwards with his head rolled downward and to the left side , exposing the right rear of his neckline to the sixth floor window of the TSDB.

Of which the bullet pretty well passed through the mid-brain and exited in the frontal lobe, quite intact.

Of course, at risk of being redundant, the bullet had to pass through the edge of the coat collar, and thereafter "tunnel" upwards/(downwards) through the fleshy part of the neck from the hairline entry, prior to encountering the skull in the EOP region, prior to this passing through the mid-brain.

And then of course:

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

"I reached over & pulled him to me & tried to get us both down in the car"

"Then came a third shot"---"I did not see the third shot hit--but I felt something falling all over me. My sensation was of spent buckshot. My eyes saw bloody matter in tiny bits all over the car."

Handwritten notes of Nellie Connally, written 10 days after the assassination.

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

Mr. ALTGENS

He wasn't upright. He was at an angle but when it hit him, it seemed to have just lodged--it seemed as if he were hung up on a seat button or something like that. It knocked him just enough forward that he came right on down. There was flesh particles that flew out of the side of his head in my direction from where I was standing, so much so that it indicated to me that the shot came out of the left side of his head.

I was prepared to make a picture at the very instant the President was shot. I had refocused to 15 feet because I wanted a good closeup of the President and Mrs. Kennedy, and that's why I know that it would be right at 15 feet, because I had prefocused in that area, and I had my camera almost to my eye when it happened and that's as far as I got with my camera.

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

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/exhibits/ce2112.htm

handwritten notes of SS Agent Glen Bennett

"a second shot followed immediately and hit the right rear high of the boss's head"

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

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/brehm.htm

Brehm:

BREHM said when the President was hit by the second shot, he could notice the President's hair fly up, and then roll over to his side, as Mrs. KENNEDY was apparently pulling him in that direction.

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

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/conn_n.htm

Nellie @ WC:

Mrs. CONNALLY. No, he turned away from me. I was pretending that I was him. I never again looked in the back seat of the car after my husband was shot. My concern was for him, and I remember that he turned to the right and then just slumped down into the seat, so that I reached over to pull him toward me. X was trying to get him down and me down. The jump seats were not very roomy, so that there were reports that he slid into the seat of the car, which he did not; that he fell over into my lap, which he did not.

I just pulled him over into my arms because it would have been impossible to get us really both down with me sitting and me holding him. So that I looked out, I mean as he was in my arms, I put my head down over his head so that his head and my head were right together, and all I could see, too, were the people flashing by. I didn't look back any more. The third shot that I heard I felt, it felt like spent buckshot falling all over us, and then, of course, I too could see that it was the matter, brain tissue, or whatever, just human matter, all over the car and both of us.

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

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/hudson.htm

Hudson

Mr. HUDSON -I was trying to get a good look at President Kennedy. I happened to be looking right at him when that bullet hit him - the second shot.

Mr. LIEBELER - That was when the bullet hit him in the head; is that correct?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes; it looked like it ht him somewhere along about a little bit behind the ear and a little bit above the ear.

Mr. LIEBELER - On the right-hand side or the left-hand side?

Mr. HUDSON - Right hand.

Mr. LIEBELER - How many shots did you here altogether?

Mr. HUDSON - Three.

Mr. LIEBELER - Three shots?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes, sir.

Mr. LIEBELER - Are you sure about that?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes, sir.

Mr. LIEBELER - You say that it was the second shot that hit him in the head; is that right?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes; I do believe that - I know it was.

Mr. LIEBELER - You saw him hit in the head, there wasn't any question in your mind about that, was there?

Mr. HUDSON - No, sir.

Mr. LIEBELER - And after you saw him hit in the head, did you here another shot?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes, sir.

Mr. LIEBELER - You say it was the second shot that hit him in the head?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes.

Mr. LIEBELER - What happened after the President got hit in the head, did you see what he did, what happened in the car?

Mr. HUDSON - He slumped over and Mrs. Kennedy, she climbs over in the seat with him and pulls him over.

Mr. LIEBELER - Pulled him down in the seat?

Mr. HUDSON - Pulled him over in her lap like.

Mr. LIEBELER - If you don't think the Presidentgot hit by the first shot and yoy say he got hit in the head with the second shot -

Mr. HUDSON - Yes.

Mr. LIEBELER - And if we assume that he was shot twice, you would have to say that he was hit by the third shot; isn't that right?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes.

Mr. LIEBELER - He was hit again after he got hit in the head?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes, sir.

Mr. LIEBELER - Do you think that could have been possible when Mrs. Kennedy pulled him over, do you think he could have got hit in the neck after he had been hit in the head?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes sir; I do

Mr. LIEBELER - He was still sitting far enough up in the car he could have been hit?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes, sir.

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

So!

The question IS NOT as to whether or not the WC intentionally lied to us in regards to what was or was not the second and/or third shot. This is pretty well self explanatory to most.

Especially when one takes into consideration their attempt at not even questioning Mr. James Altgens, and thereafter not printing any frames of the Z-film past Z-334, which was prior to Mr. Altgens coming into view of the film as he stood approximately 3-feet from the second yellow stripe on the curb of Elm St, almost directly across the street from Mr. Hudson's position.

The question now is the WHY? of the LIE!

And it ain't got nothing to do with no multiple assassins. (MS Swamp Rat english)

[Thomas H. Purvis]

An excellent summary, Tony. While the Badens, Lattmers and Posners of the world have focused on "is it possible?" those who have focused on "is it likely?" have come up with entirely different results. None of the three bullets you describe was "likely" to behave as purported in the "official" line of nonsense.

As someone who calls it as he sees it, however, I must admit I believe there are rational, non-conspiratorial explanations for some of the mysteries. Much of the confusion revolving around the Tague fragment comes from his insistence that the fragment did not come from the final shot. People incorrectly take this to mean the head shot. But, as Tom has long insisted, and as I hope to soon demonstrate, the head shot was the second of the three shots heard by most in the Plaza. As a result it seems likely that the Tague fragment was the missing piece of the bullet striking Kennedy at 313.

The other mystery which has a rational explanation is the "slice" of bullet purportedly on the back of Kennedy's head. I feel entirely confident that this "slice" was in fact the large fragment found during the autopsy above and behind Kennedy's right eye. In my online presentation, available at the link below, in the X-ray section, on the Believing is Seeing and The Fragment Fragment slides, I demonstrate the actual location of this fragment on the lateral x-ray, and explain the difficulties men have had in matching up the x-rays. I "debuted" this conclusion at JFK Lancer last year, and took my findings to an online radiology forum earlier this year, and have yet to receive any real disagreement on this point.

As most here will certainly attest, it is quite irrelevant as to what "Tom has long insisted".

What is relevant is the accurate and reliable testimony of those such as Nellie Connally, James Altgens, Kellerman; etc; etc; etc; who have in one way, shape, or form, all told us the sequencing of the shots fired.

Now!

If we want to talk the "Cowlick" entry which severely fragmented and grazed across the upper portion of the brain, then we can talk the Z312/313 shot.

However, if we want to talk the EOP entry, we must talk about the one down in front of James Altgens position, when JFK was leaning leftwards with his head rolled downward and to the left side , exposing the right rear of his neckline to the sixth floor window of the TSDB.

Of which the bullet pretty well passed through the mid-brain and exited in the frontal lobe, quite intact.

Of course, at risk of being redundant, the bullet had to pass through the edge of the coat collar, and thereafter "tunnel" upwards/(downwards) through the fleshy part of the neck from the hairline entry, prior to encountering the skull in the EOP region, prior to this passing through the mid-brain.

And then of course:

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

"I reached over & pulled him to me & tried to get us both down in the car"

"Then came a third shot"---"I did not see the third shot hit--but I felt something falling all over me. My sensation was of spent buckshot. My eyes saw bloody matter in tiny bits all over the car."

Handwritten notes of Nellie Connally, written 10 days after the assassination.

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

Mr. ALTGENS

He wasn't upright. He was at an angle but when it hit him, it seemed to have just lodged--it seemed as if he were hung up on a seat button or something like that. It knocked him just enough forward that he came right on down. There was flesh particles that flew out of the side of his head in my direction from where I was standing, so much so that it indicated to me that the shot came out of the left side of his head.

I was prepared to make a picture at the very instant the President was shot. I had refocused to 15 feet because I wanted a good closeup of the President and Mrs. Kennedy, and that's why I know that it would be right at 15 feet, because I had prefocused in that area, and I had my camera almost to my eye when it happened and that's as far as I got with my camera.

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

Since a few here, it would appear, are of the opinion that my purpose must be to spread hate; dissent; and general BS, I will, for the final time, give information relative to the third/last/final shot, and the WC "disappearing act" of this event.

[Thomas H. Purvis]

An excellent summary, Tony. While the Badens, Lattmers and Posners of the world have focused on "is it possible?" those who have focused on "is it likely?" have come up with entirely different results. None of the three bullets you describe was "likely" to behave as purported in the "official" line of nonsense.

As someone who calls it as he sees it, however, I must admit I believe there are rational, non-conspiratorial explanations for some of the mysteries. Much of the confusion revolving around the Tague fragment comes from his insistence that the fragment did not come from the final shot. People incorrectly take this to mean the head shot. But, as Tom has long insisted, and as I hope to soon demonstrate, the head shot was the second of the three shots heard by most in the Plaza. As a result it seems likely that the Tague fragment was the missing piece of the bullet striking Kennedy at 313.

The other mystery which has a rational explanation is the "slice" of bullet purportedly on the back of Kennedy's head. I feel entirely confident that this "slice" was in fact the large fragment found during the autopsy above and behind Kennedy's right eye. In my online presentation, available at the link below, in the X-ray section, on the Believing is Seeing and The Fragment Fragment slides, I demonstrate the actual location of this fragment on the lateral x-ray, and explain the difficulties men have had in matching up the x-rays. I "debuted" this conclusion at JFK Lancer last year, and took my findings to an online radiology forum earlier this year, and have yet to receive any real disagreement on this point.

As most here will certainly attest, it is quite irrelevant as to what "Tom has long insisted".

What is relevant is the accurate and reliable testimony of those such as Nellie Connally, James Altgens, Kellerman; etc; etc; etc; who have in one way, shape, or form, all told us the sequencing of the shots fired.

Now!

If we want to talk the "Cowlick" entry which severely fragmented and grazed across the upper portion of the brain, then we can talk the Z312/313 shot.

However, if we want to talk the EOP entry, we must talk about the one down in front of James Altgens position, when JFK was leaning leftwards with his head rolled downward and to the left side , exposing the right rear of his neckline to the sixth floor window of the TSDB.

Of which the bullet pretty well passed through the mid-brain and exited in the frontal lobe, quite intact.

Of course, at risk of being redundant, the bullet had to pass through the edge of the coat collar, and thereafter "tunnel" upwards/(downwards) through the fleshy part of the neck from the hairline entry, prior to encountering the skull in the EOP region, prior to this passing through the mid-brain.

And then of course:

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

"I reached over & pulled him to me & tried to get us both down in the car"

"Then came a third shot"---"I did not see the third shot hit--but I felt something falling all over me. My sensation was of spent buckshot. My eyes saw bloody matter in tiny bits all over the car."

Handwritten notes of Nellie Connally, written 10 days after the assassination.

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

Mr. ALTGENS

He wasn't upright. He was at an angle but when it hit him, it seemed to have just lodged--it seemed as if he were hung up on a seat button or something like that. It knocked him just enough forward that he came right on down. There was flesh particles that flew out of the side of his head in my direction from where I was standing, so much so that it indicated to me that the shot came out of the left side of his head.

I was prepared to make a picture at the very instant the President was shot. I had refocused to 15 feet because I wanted a good closeup of the President and Mrs. Kennedy, and that's why I know that it would be right at 15 feet, because I had prefocused in that area, and I had my camera almost to my eye when it happened and that's as far as I got with my camera.

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

Since a few here, it would appear, are of the opinion that my purpose must be to spread hate; dissent; and general BS, I will, for the final time, give information relative to the third/last/final shot, and the WC "disappearing act" of this event.

And, just so that too can not be accused of hiding and/or misrepresenting anything, here is a portion of the WC Survey plat which also demonstrates:

A. The impact point of the second shot/aka Z313. (located at it's 4+65 location.)

B. The now "disappearing" third shot which was in front of Mr. Altgens position (at approximately 4+96)

C. The scaled in position of Mr. Altgens.*

*Since the WC deemed that nothing past Z334 was of interest, I prefer to present ALL of the evidence and facts, and allow rational and thinking persons to decide for themselves.

Finally, for those who have interest. The little "+" mark in the street which is located just past the street elevation contour "418" is the 4+75 mark.

Mr. West and his survey crew surveyed in the street (from the control point) at exactly/equi-distant 25-foot intervals.

Therefore, when one has the entire survey, along with copies of his survey notes (which I of course also have), then there is little difficulty in understanding most of this survey work.

And, in that regards, one can also see the 5+25 survey station as well.

**Please ignore the added lines, they are merely some of my old work and have meaning only to me. And even I sometimes wonder exactly what it was that I was doing some 13 to 15 years ago.

8 + SECONDS IN DALLAS[/u]

Exactly how "original" can one be????????

Edited October 21, 2006 by Thomas H. Purvis

[Pat Speer]

Tom, is there anything explaining how the SS determined the location of the shots during their survey? It seems possible they just half-assed it, sayng well, Kennedy was shot when he came from behind the sign, and the head-shot was somewhere near the steps, so the second shot must have come somewhere in between... To my eye, the location of the car in their second shot is some distance closer to the camera than at 313.

[Thomas H. Purvis]

Tom, is there anything explaining how the SS determined the location of the shots during their survey? It seems possible they just half-assed it, sayng well, Kennedy was shot when he came from behind the sign, and the head-shot was somewhere near the steps, so the second shot must have come somewhere in between... To my eye, the location of the car in their second shot is some distance closer to the camera than at 313.

They utilized a first generation copy of the Z-film.

And, I might add, they surveyed in the impact point of ALL three shots.

There is absolutely no reference to any shot when JFK came from "behind the sign".

The first shot is platted at what would be approximately Z207/208.

The second shot is platted at the Z313 impact point, with the first yellow curb stripe in the background.

The third shot is platted at the 4+96 position, with the second yellow curb stripe in the backgound

I would also note that the Time/Life survey work of November 26, platted impact of the first shot at what would be approximately the Z205 position, and impact of the second shot at the Z313 position with the yellow curb stripe in the background.

Although most of the photo's from their work also disappeared, if one will go to the remaining few in the folder in CE 875, they will find the few remaining of the folders.

There is one difference between the manner in which the WC worked and how the SS Survey worked.

The SS utilized the rear bumper of the car as a reference, in determination of their impact point position, and the WC utilized the position of JFK.

The Wc utilized the actual location of JFK.

Nevertheless, the Z313 impact position for the SS as well as the WC survey and re-enactment are absolutely the exact same spot.

So, if they were just "winging" it, then they did so pretty well.

As I long ago stated, very little actual additional survey or survey control work was done for the WC.

Mr. West, from his work for Time/Life, and the SS which was quite intensive, for all purposes had most of the survey and survey control data required.

If one will read the beginning of CE875, it references the "moving pictures" which were also taken during the SS re-enactment and survey work of December 5, 1963.

In fact, one can see the car being brought into alignment with the 4+96 position and filmed.

To my eye, the location of the car in their second shot is some distance closer to the camera than at 313.

You lost me on that one!

If you are referencing the SS Photo album, there is a problem here in that photo's are missing.

Lastly, I would also add that the original survey plat made for the WC was also a reduced scale version (1-inch = 20 feet), same as were the SS/FBI/& Time Life.

This "first generation" copy, although it deleted the third shot impact point, still contained the first shot impact point.

Thereafter, a new large scale drawing was made, and in it, no impact points were listed and only Z-frame numbers were utilized for markings down the center of Elm St.

Therefore, in the WC final survey plat, one must determine the impact point on Elm St. based on the Z-frame platted location.

So, once again, the Survey chronology was:

11/26/63:----Time Life secures the services of Mr. West for survey and survey plat. Resulting work is first shot impact at Z204/206

Second shot impact on pavement??????????

Third shot impact when JFK is in alignment with the first yellow curb stripe.

12/5/63:------(survey work done on December 2, 3, & 4th) US Secret Service assassination re-enactment and survey, survey plat generated which demonstrates:

First shot impact at approximately Z208

Second shot impact at exact same position as Z313 of later WC survey work.

Third shot impact at approximately 4+96, approximately 30+ feet farther down Elm St.

2/7/64:-------FBI re-enactment and limited survey work.

First shot impact same as SS

Last shot impact deleted and moved in between the first shot and the Z313 head shot position.

Still three shots of impact, just that #3 was made to disappear from down in front of Altgens position and moved. Z313 became shot#3 impact, and #2 impact point appeared shortly after the Presidential Limo came out from behind the sign*

*This is of course JEH's little white lie in which he was caught due to the rifle operating time/elapsed z-frames exposed.

Although most are aware of the circumstances of how JEH's lie was found out, few are aware that he already had his "survey plat" to back it up.

When the lie fell on it's face, the survey disappeared also.

5/31/64:-----The date of the WC survey plat.

This survey plat of course shows no impact points, and merely places Z-frame numbers at positions on Elm St as dictated to the West Survey Crew by members of the WC who guided each and every phase of it.

Lastly, I will also add that I have one additional survey plat which has never been discussed.

The date of this survey plat is 6/25/64, and it clearly maintains the first shot impact point at the approximate Z208 position as #1, and it clearly maintains the impact point of the Z313 shot as #2.

And although the position of #3 is no longer marked on this survey plat, it's purpose is related to the WC survey work in which the WC did not originally inform Mr. West to remove the #1/#2 etc;, and replace these with Zframe numbers.

[Thomas H. Purvis]

Tom, is there anything explaining how the SS determined the location of the shots during their survey? It seems possible they just half-assed it, sayng well, Kennedy was shot when he came from behind the sign, and the head-shot was somewhere near the steps, so the second shot must have come somewhere in between... To my eye, the location of the car in their second shot is some distance closer to the camera than at 313.

They utilized a first generation copy of the Z-film.

And, I might add, they surveyed in the impact point of ALL three shots.

There is absolutely no reference to any shot when JFK came from "behind the sign".

The first shot is platted at what would be approximately Z207/208.

The second shot is platted at the Z313 impact point, with the first yellow curb stripe in the background.

The third shot is platted at the 4+96 position, with the second yellow curb stripe in the backgound

I would also note that the Time/Life survey work of November 26, platted impact of the first shot at what would be approximately the Z205 position, and impact of the second shot at the Z313 position with the yellow curb stripe in the background.

Although most of the photo's from their work also disappeared, if one will go to the remaining few in the folder in CE 875, they will find the few remaining of the folders.

There is one difference between the manner in which the WC worked and how the SS Survey worked.

The SS utilized the rear bumper of the car as a reference, in determination of their impact point position, and the WC utilized the position of JFK.

The Wc utilized the actual location of JFK.

Nevertheless, the Z313 impact position for the SS as well as the WC survey and re-enactment are absolutely the exact same spot.

So, if they were just "winging" it, then they did so pretty well.

As I long ago stated, very little actual additional survey or survey control work was done for the WC.

Mr. West, from his work for Time/Life, and the SS which was quite intensive, for all purposes had most of the survey and survey control data required.

If one will read the beginning of CE875, it references the "moving pictures" which were also taken during the SS re-enactment and survey work of December 5, 1963.

In fact, one can see the car being brought into alignment with the 4+96 position and filmed.

To my eye, the location of the car in their second shot is some distance closer to the camera than at 313.

You lost me on that one!

If you are referencing the SS Photo album, there is a problem here in that photo's are missing.

Lastly, I would also add that the original survey plat made for the WC was also a reduced scale version (1-inch = 20 feet), same as were the SS/FBI/& Time Life.

This "first generation" copy, although it deleted the third shot impact point, still contained the first shot impact point.

Thereafter, a new large scale drawing was made, and in it, no impact points were listed and only Z-frame numbers were utilized for markings down the center of Elm St.

Therefore, in the WC final survey plat, one must determine the impact point on Elm St. based on the Z-frame platted location.

So, once again, the Survey chronology was:

11/26/63:----Time Life secures the services of Mr. West for survey and survey plat. Resulting work is first shot impact at Z204/206

Second shot impact on pavement??????????

Third shot impact when JFK is in alignment with the first yellow curb stripe.

12/5/63:------(survey work done on December 2, 3, & 4th) US Secret Service assassination re-enactment and survey, survey plat generated which demonstrates:

First shot impact at approximately Z208

Second shot impact at exact same position as Z313 of later WC survey work.

Third shot impact at approximately 4+96, approximately 30+ feet farther down Elm St.

2/7/64:-------FBI re-enactment and limited survey work.

First shot impact same as SS

Last shot impact deleted and moved in between the first shot and the Z313 head shot position.

Still three shots of impact, just that #3 was made to disappear from down in front of Altgens position and moved. Z313 became shot#3 impact, and #2 impact point appeared shortly after the Presidential Limo came out from behind the sign*

*This is of course JEH's little white lie in which he was caught due to the rifle operating time/elapsed z-frames exposed.

Although most are aware of the circumstances of how JEH's lie was found out, few are aware that he already had his "survey plat" to back it up.

When the lie fell on it's face, the survey disappeared also.

5/31/64:-----The date of the WC survey plat.

This survey plat of course shows no impact points, and merely places Z-frame numbers at positions on Elm St as dictated to the West Survey Crew by members of the WC who guided each and every phase of it.

Lastly, I will also add that I have one additional survey plat which has never been discussed.

The date of this survey plat is 6/25/64, and it clearly maintains the first shot impact point at the approximate Z208 position as #1, and it clearly maintains the impact point of the Z313 shot as #2.

And although the position of #3 is no longer marked on this survey plat, it's purpose is related to the WC survey work in which the WC did not originally inform Mr. West to remove the #1/#2 etc;, and replace these with Zframe numbers.

Problem resolution made simple.

Boy this is so much better than the pre-internet days when one actually had to search through and read each and every item in all of the WC volumnes.

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0448b.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0449a.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0458b.htm

Only one single "guess" is allowed as to exactly why the cop in the street is standing virtually at attention in this position/location on Elm St.

(Hint, for those who are lost in rabbit holes) It has to do with 4+96.

[Thomas H. Purvis]

Tom, is there anything explaining how the SS determined the location of the shots during their survey? It seems possible they just half-assed it, sayng well, Kennedy was shot when he came from behind the sign, and the head-shot was somewhere near the steps, so the second shot must have come somewhere in between... To my eye, the location of the car in their second shot is some distance closer to the camera than at 313.

They utilized a first generation copy of the Z-film.

And, I might add, they surveyed in the impact point of ALL three shots.

There is absolutely no reference to any shot when JFK came from "behind the sign".

The first shot is platted at what would be approximately Z207/208.

The second shot is platted at the Z313 impact point, with the first yellow curb stripe in the background.

The third shot is platted at the 4+96 position, with the second yellow curb stripe in the backgound

I would also note that the Time/Life survey work of November 26, platted impact of the first shot at what would be approximately the Z205 position, and impact of the second shot at the Z313 position with the yellow curb stripe in the background.

Although most of the photo's from their work also disappeared, if one will go to the remaining few in the folder in CE 875, they will find the few remaining of the folders.

There is one difference between the manner in which the WC worked and how the SS Survey worked.

The SS utilized the rear bumper of the car as a reference, in determination of their impact point position, and the WC utilized the position of JFK.

The Wc utilized the actual location of JFK.

Nevertheless, the Z313 impact position for the SS as well as the WC survey and re-enactment are absolutely the exact same spot.

So, if they were just "winging" it, then they did so pretty well.

As I long ago stated, very little actual additional survey or survey control work was done for the WC.

Mr. West, from his work for Time/Life, and the SS which was quite intensive, for all purposes had most of the survey and survey control data required.

If one will read the beginning of CE875, it references the "moving pictures" which were also taken during the SS re-enactment and survey work of December 5, 1963.

In fact, one can see the car being brought into alignment with the 4+96 position and filmed.

To my eye, the location of the car in their second shot is some distance closer to the camera than at 313.

You lost me on that one!

If you are referencing the SS Photo album, there is a problem here in that photo's are missing.

Lastly, I would also add that the original survey plat made for the WC was also a reduced scale version (1-inch = 20 feet), same as were the SS/FBI/& Time Life.

This "first generation" copy, although it deleted the third shot impact point, still contained the first shot impact point.

Thereafter, a new large scale drawing was made, and in it, no impact points were listed and only Z-frame numbers were utilized for markings down the center of Elm St.

Therefore, in the WC final survey plat, one must determine the impact point on Elm St. based on the Z-frame platted location.

So, once again, the Survey chronology was:

11/26/63:----Time Life secures the services of Mr. West for survey and survey plat. Resulting work is first shot impact at Z204/206

Second shot impact on pavement??????????

Third shot impact when JFK is in alignment with the first yellow curb stripe.

12/5/63:------(survey work done on December 2, 3, & 4th) US Secret Service assassination re-enactment and survey, survey plat generated which demonstrates:

First shot impact at approximately Z208

Second shot impact at exact same position as Z313 of later WC survey work.

Third shot impact at approximately 4+96, approximately 30+ feet farther down Elm St.

2/7/64:-------FBI re-enactment and limited survey work.

First shot impact same as SS

Last shot impact deleted and moved in between the first shot and the Z313 head shot position.

Still three shots of impact, just that #3 was made to disappear from down in front of Altgens position and moved. Z313 became shot#3 impact, and #2 impact point appeared shortly after the Presidential Limo came out from behind the sign*

*This is of course JEH's little white lie in which he was caught due to the rifle operating time/elapsed z-frames exposed.

Although most are aware of the circumstances of how JEH's lie was found out, few are aware that he already had his "survey plat" to back it up.

When the lie fell on it's face, the survey disappeared also.

5/31/64:-----The date of the WC survey plat.

This survey plat of course shows no impact points, and merely places Z-frame numbers at positions on Elm St as dictated to the West Survey Crew by members of the WC who guided each and every phase of it.

Lastly, I will also add that I have one additional survey plat which has never been discussed.

The date of this survey plat is 6/25/64, and it clearly maintains the first shot impact point at the approximate Z208 position as #1, and it clearly maintains the impact point of the Z313 shot as #2.

And although the position of #3 is no longer marked on this survey plat, it's purpose is related to the WC survey work in which the WC did not originally inform Mr. West to remove the #1/#2 etc;, and replace these with Zframe numbers.

Problem resolution made simple.

Boy this is so much better than the pre-internet days when one actually had to search through and read each and every item in all of the WC volumnes.

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0448b.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0449a.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0458b.htm

Only one single "guess" is allowed as to exactly why the cop in the street is standing virtually at attention in this position/location on Elm St.

(Hint, for those who are lost in rabbit holes) It has to do with 4+96.

Mr. HUDSON - Yes; so right along about even with these steps, pretty close to even with this here, the last shot was fired - somewhere right along in there

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0458b.htm

Mr. LIEBELER - You say it was the second shot that hit him in the head?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes.

Mr. LIEBELER - What happened after the President got hit in the head, did you see what he did, what happened in the car?

Mr. HUDSON - He slumped over and Mrs. Kennedy, she climbs over in the seat with him and pulls him over.

Mr. LIEBELER - Pulled him down in the seat?

Mr. HUDSON - Pulled him over in her lap like.

Mr. LIEBELER - So you only saw the President hit once; is that right, sir?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes, sir; I just saw him hit once.

Mr. LIEBELER - That was in the head?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes, sir.

Mr. HUDSON ------I was trying to get a good look at President Kennedy. I happened to be looking right at him when that bullet hit him - the second shot.

Mr. LIEBELER - That was when the bullet hit him in the head; is that correct?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes; it looked like it hit him somewhere along about a little bit behind the ear and a little bit above the ear.

Mr. LIEBELER - On the right-hand side or the left-hand side?

Mr. HUDSON - Right hand.

Mr. LIEBELER - You say that it was the second shot that hit him in the head; is that right?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes; I do believe that - I know it was.

Mr. LIEBELER - You saw him hit in the head, there wasn't any question in your mind about that, was there?

Mr. HUDSON - No, sir.

Mr. LIEBELER - And after you saw him hit in the head, did you here another shot?

Mr. HUDSON - Yes, sir.

[Tony Austin]

An excellent summary, Tony. While the Badens, Lattmers and Posners of the world have focused on "is it possible?" those who have focused on "is it likely?" have come up with entirely different results. None of the three bullets you describe was "likely" to behave as purported in the "official" line of nonsense.

As someone who calls it as he sees it, however, I must admit I believe there are rational, non-conspiratorial explanations for some of the mysteries. Much of the confusion revolving around the Tague fragment comes from his insistence that the fragment did not come from the final shot. People incorrectly take this to mean the head shot. But, as Tom has long insisted, and as I hope to soon demonstrate, the head shot was the second of the three shots heard by most in the Plaza. As a result it seems likely that the Tague fragment was the missing piece of the bullet striking Kennedy at 313.

The other mystery which has a rational explanation is the "slice" of bullet purportedly on the back of Kennedy's head. I feel entirely confident that this "slice" was in fact the large fragment found during the autopsy above and behind Kennedy's right eye. In my online presentation, available at the link below, in the X-ray section, on the Believing is Seeing and The Fragment Fragment slides, I demonstrate the actual location of this fragment on the lateral x-ray, and explain the difficulties men have had in matching up the x-rays. I "debuted" this conclusion at JFK Lancer last year, and took my findings to an online radiology forum earlier this year, and have yet to receive any real disagreement on this point.

You seem to favour the idea that the injury to James Tague was caused by a fragment from the bullet that struck Kennedy in the head. However, could such a fragment have enough energy to do this? A bullet smashing through a skull and breaking apart will loose a lot of kinetic energy. The front and back ends of the bullet lost so much energy they could only reach the front part of the limousine and drop to the floor without penetrating any surfaces. The 'baloney' fragment and dozens of tiny fragments lacked the energy to exit the skull. For your idea to work, from somewhere in the middle of the bullet a fragment would have to emerge with sufficient kinetic energy to travel about 260 feet. It would have to retain enough energy to knock of a piece of concrete and impart enough energy into that fragment so that it could travel a few feet and strike Tague on the cheek with enough force to make his skin bleed.

Is it really possible for a fragment to have that much energy?

[Pat Speer]

Pat,

You seem to favour the idea that the injury to James Tague was caused by a fragment from the bullet that struck Kennedy in the head. However, could such a fragment have enough energy to do this? A bullet smashing through a skull and breaking apart will loose a lot of kinetic energy. The front and back ends of the bullet lost so much energy they could only reach the front part of the limousine and drop to the floor without penetrating any surfaces. The 'baloney' fragment and dozens of tiny fragments lacked the energy to exit the skull. For your idea to work, from somewhere in the middle of the bullet a fragment would have to emerge with sufficient kinetic energy to travel about 260 feet. It would have to retain enough energy to knock of a piece of concrete and impart enough energy into that fragment so that it could travel a few feet and strike Tague on the cheek with enough force to make his skin bleed.

Is it really possible for a fragment to have that much energy?

While I have spent much of the last year reading Sturdivan's book, and catching mistakes, I think his and Ken Rahn's work on this fragment makes sense. They are so incredibly Rahng about the NAA one should hope they'd be right about something. (There is a whole section on this fragment in Rahn's book-length defense of the NAA, available on his site.) When I realized that the bullet at 313 did not travel through Kennedy's skull, but broke up on the outside (as proven by the x-rays) and when I realized that the trajectory for the Tague fragment passed within a foot or so of the trajectory for the fragment striking the windhshield, I became convinced that they were correct. The base of the bullet found by Kellerman's door was void of lead. The fragment striking the curb by Tague was made entirely of lead, as near as can be determined. A bit of a coincidence, to my thinking.

Edited October 23, 2006 by Pat Speer

[John Dolva]

Tony: "Pat, You seem to favour the idea that the injury to James Tague was caused by a fragment from the bullet that struck Kennedy in the head. However, could such a fragment have enough energy to do this? A bullet smashing through a skull and breaking apart will loose a lot of kinetic energy. The front and back ends of the bullet lost so much energy they could only reach the front part of the limousine and drop to the floor without penetrating any surfaces. The 'baloney' fragment and dozens of tiny fragments lacked the energy to exit the skull. For your idea to work, from somewhere in the middle of the bullet a fragment would have to emerge with sufficient kinetic energy to travel about 260 feet. It would have to retain enough energy to knock of a piece of concrete and impart enough energy into that fragment so that it could travel a few feet and strike Tague on the cheek with enough force to make his skin bleed.

Is it really possible for a fragment to have that much energy?"

Pat: "While I have spent much of the last year reading Sturdivan's book, and catching mistakes, I think his and Ken Rahn's work on this fragment makes sense. They are so incredibly Rahng about the NAA one should hope they'd be right about something. (There is a whole section on this fragment in Rahn's book-length defense of the NAA, available on his site.) When I realized that the bullet at 313 did not travel through Kennedy's skull, but broke up on the outside (as proven by the x-rays) and when I realized that the trajectory for the Tague fragment passed within a foot or so of the trajectory for the fragment striking the windhshield, I became convinced that they were correct. The base of the bullet found by Kellerman's door was void of lead. The fragment striking the curb by Tague was made entirely of lead, as near as can be determined. A bit of a coincidence, to my thinking."

What is the answer to this question posed by Tony re kinetic energy? Who has looked at it in detail. Some thoughts. This fragment would have to rise over the crossbar/windscreen which is a change in direction. Energy is lost there. Then the fragnment must change direction again to move down to hit the curb. IOW the energy it has when going over the screen is low enough so it will drop sufficiently to hit the curb. And then at the curb, which it strikes at a tangent, it has enough energy to gouge a hole in the curb and send fragments some meters away sufficient to break skin.. Take something sharp outside and give the curb a whack and see how much damage you do. If the fragment had that much energy when striking the curb, would it have had such a trajectory as it must have had if it came from the head shot. Did it happen at all? It seems to be automativally assumed so. A shot from the TSBD is sometimes seen as proven by the existence of the 'Tague shot'. Walthers himself is a bit of a shady character. What irrefutable proof is there the Tague shot ever occurred? There's a mark on the curb, and there is a somewhat coached realisation of a bit of blood on a freshly shaved cheek. What else? A barely noticed sting? Very hazy contained testimony.

Edited October 23, 2006 by John Dolva