Propinquity:

[Greg Parker]

LHO is moved to NYC just prior to 13th birthday at a time when the army is studying 13 to 17 year olds in relation to being able to identify "types" most likely to be influenced by Communist propaganda and susceptible to defection during any later military career. Study concludes boys from the Southern states, without male role models, having overbearing mothers, and living in lower socio-economic circumstances are the high risk group, and that joining organizations such as scouts, YMCA, CAP etc is an effective way of grounding them in American values and giving them the moral fiber to withstand taking the path of some of the Korean POWs (the catalysts for this study). Oswald becomes a truant just after turning 13, and thereafter is referred to Youth House where false background data on lack of father figures in his life is put on record. Also referred to Big Brothers and YMCA.

The NYC move also comes in the middle of state and federal committee interest in Communists in the ranks of NYC teachers. Robert Morris was at the forefront of such investigations and ran a student spy ring as part of his Communist busting efforts. Did any teachers at NYC schools attended by Oswald lose their jobs over alleged CP ties either while he was at those schools, or shortly after he left them?

Another subcommittee at this time was also gathering data on students - the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency. It held two hearings in NYC soon after Oswald's departure for NO - the purpose of the hearings being to establish links between comic books and delinquent behavior. One of the star witnesses was Dr Harris Peck. Peck was in charge of the Family Court Clinic. Oswald was referred to this clinic as a last resort, but he was taken out of the state before the appointment could be met. His file, which had been sent by Parole Officer, John Carro, to the clinic in anticipation of the appointment, was eventually returned to Carro, but was now missing a chronology.

John Pic, who, according to Marguerite, had invited her and Lee to New York, was with the Port Security Unit (PSU). The PSU had been set up to deal with subversion on the waterfronts, and in doing so, worked with the FBI, ONI and the informants of those agencies. In effect, Lee's first contact with someone involved in clandestine work was right then and there, and that contact was with his own brother. US Naval historians now admit that more people lost their livelihoods as a result of the PSU anti-subversion program than in any other similar program, and that many of those people were guilty of no wrong-doing. Did any neighbors or parents of classmates of young Lee (at least those who worked on the waterfront) lose their jobs whilst Oswald was living in the area or attending their kids' schools?

[William Kelly]

LHO is moved to NYC just prior to 13th birthday at a time when the army is studying 13 to 17 year olds in relation to being able to identify "types" most likely to be influenced by Communist propaganda and susceptible to defection during any later military career. Study concludes boys from the Southern states, without male role models, having overbearing mothers, and living in lower socio-economic circumstances are the high risk group, and that joining organizations such as scouts, YMCA, CAP etc is an effective way of grounding them in American values and giving them the moral fiber to withstand taking the path of some of the Korean POWs (the catalysts for this study). Oswald becomes a truant just after turning 13, and thereafter is referred to Youth House where false background data on lack of father figures in his life is put on record. Also referred to Big Brothers and YMCA.

The NYC move also comes in the middle of state and federal committee interest in Communists in the ranks of NYC teachers. Robert Morris was at the forefront of such investigations and ran a student spy ring as part of his Communist busting efforts. Did any teachers at NYC schools attended by Oswald lose their jobs over alleged CP ties either while he was at those schools, or shortly after he left them?

Another subcommittee at this time was also gathering data on students - the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency. It held two hearings in NYC soon after Oswald's departure for NO - the purpose of the hearings being to establish links between comic books and delinquent behavior. One of the star witnesses was Dr Harris Peck. Peck was in charge of the Family Court Clinic. Oswald was referred to this clinic as a last resort, but he was taken out of the state before the appointment could be met. His file, which had been sent by Parole Officer, John Carro, to the clinic in anticipation of the appointment, was eventually returned to Carro, but was now missing a chronology.

John Pic, who, according to Marguerite, had invited her and Lee to New York, was with the Port Security Unit (PSU). The PSU had been set up to deal with subversion on the waterfronts, and in doing so, worked with the FBI, ONI and the informants of those agencies. In effect, Lee's first contact with someone involved in clandestine work was right then and there, and that contact was with his own brother. US Naval historians now admit that more people lost their livelihoods as a result of the PSU anti-subversion program than in any other similar program, and that many of those people were guilty of no wrong-doing. Did any neighbors or parents of classmates of young Lee (at least those who worked on the waterfront) lose their jobs whilst Oswald was living in the area or attending their kids' schools?

Greg, your implication that LHO fit the profile of those students in the study, and was targeted and recruited into a special program is supported by the fact that while under Dr. Hartzogs observation LHO was given the Minnesotta Multiphasic Personality Invitory test.

In an interview with the London Sunday Times, Lt. Commander Narut, USN said that test by the Navy to identify potential assassins. Narut said those who tested a passive-aggressive personality were sought out for the program. According to Posner, Hartzog's test indicated Oswald had a passive-aggressive personality.

As for Pic working on port security in the Coast Guard in NYC, that was the unit that a decade earlier, worked with ONI and the Mafia to secure the port of New York/New Jersey, the first of such cooperation between the mob and the intelligence agencies. Also working on that operation during WWII were Guy Bannister and William Harvey.

After leaving the Coast Guard, and NYC, Pic enlisted in the Air Force and was statikoned at Lackland AFB in Texas at the time of the assassination.

BK

[Scott Deitche]

As for Pic working on port security in the Coast Guard in NYC, that was the unit that a decade earlier, worked with ONI and the Mafia to secure the port of New York/New Jersey, the first of such cooperation between the mob and the intelligence agencies. Also working on that operation during WWII were Guy Bannister and William Harvey.

The main dock guy for the mob from 52-54 was Albert Anastasia, who succeeded VIncent Mangano, after Mangano dissappeared in 1951. Anastasia of course tried to pry his way into Cuba, while at the same time was being outflanked in a powerplay by Vito Genovese.

[Greg Parker]

Greg, your implication that LHO fit the profile of those students in the study, and was targeted and recruited into a special program is supported by the fact that while under Dr. Hartzogs observation LHO was given the Minnesotta Multiphasic Personality Invitory test.

In an interview with the London Sunday Times, Lt. Commander Narut, USN said that test by the Navy to identify potential assassins. Narut said those who tested a passive-aggressive personality were sought out for the program. According to Posner, Hartzog's test indicated Oswald had a passive-aggressive personality.

As for Pic working on port security in the Coast Guard in NYC, that was the unit that a decade earlier, worked with ONI and the Mafia to secure the port of New York/New Jersey, the first of such cooperation between the mob and the intelligence agencies. Also working on that operation during WWII were Guy Bannister and William Harvey.

After leaving the Coast Guard, and NYC, Pic enlisted in the Air Force and was statikoned at Lackland AFB in Texas at the time of the assassination.

BK

Bill, I've been searching for evidence that Hartogs administered any tests at all let alone the MMPI - however, re-reading your comment, I see you only indicate an "observation" of it by Hartogs. As I initially believed, any testing would be conducted by a psychologist - not a psychiatrist, so I'm glad we're on the same page there. However, I can't find any indication that the YH psychologist, Irving Sokolow administered it either. His report indicates only the Wechsler IQ test, the Monroe Silent Reading Test and Human Figure Drawing. The latter assessment tool may have aided Hartogs' in his assessnment of "passive-aggressive". Not saying the MMPI was not administered by someone - can you recall your source for this?

The "passive-aggressive" label itself does not indicate a propensity for violence. That's a common misunderstanding. The emphasis is on the "passive" with any aggression usually directed at self. I think as Narut used the term, he may have been broadening its definition to include similar Personality Disorders - sufferers of which might pass Assassins School without too much effort. Or... it may be (as Bowart indicates) that Passive-Aggressives are somehow predisposed to react in certain ways to certain stimuli, and make better assassins with that conditioning than others.

But to your main point - yes - I think the YH report and assessments helped LHO "fit" the needed profile - though I do wonder what assessment was used. On the face of it at least, the report Hartogs was sure he wrote (until confronted with the one the WC had), and the one the press and officials in NYC thought he wrote - would seem the better choice - the one indicating "traits of dangerousness". The MMPI btw, is more accurate in identifying this type of person than it at identifying passive-aggressives. All the more reason to have a source for this test, as it probably indicates Hartogs DID write two different assessments. If he did, it begs the question: what happened to the other one?

On the matter of Pic and the Port Security Unit, you're right on. However, up until the outbreak of the Korean War, they were voluntary units - known then as the Coast Guard Reserve. As a result of Korea, Truman enacted Public Law 679 which made the PSU professional, and directed all of it's efforts against subversion.

Some choice quotes from Naval History Magazine, Feb 2002:

The port security mission dates to the beginning of the 20th century, but the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 presented a different challenge. President Harry S. Truman directed the U.S. Coast Guard not only to increase its patrols of the nation's harbors, but also to eliminate risks from suspected communist merchant seamen and waterfront workers. The number of those "weeded out" probably was greater than the toll of victims in any other loyalty or security program of the day. Yet this aspect of the Coast Guard Port Security Program attracted little attention at the time and receives little attention to this day.

In July 1950, maritime employers and the non-communist maritime unions attended a conference in Washington to address "questions of national security," specifically, ways to prevent communists from remaining active in the U.S. Merchant Marine. The ILWU and Marine Cooks and Stewards claimed the objective of this conference was to crush them. (In fact, three anticommunist locals of the ILWU attended the conference and signed the agreement.) All agreed to a plan whereby the Coast Guard would determine, on the basis of information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Office of Naval Intelligence, who in the Merchant Marine were security risks.

The Coast Guard did not employ its own investigators in this program, nor did it attempt to verify information that may have been reported by other agencies. The Marine Inspection officer was then notified of the Coast Guards decision and either prepared validated documents or a form letter of rejection. While awaiting clearance, the applicant could not sail in any restricted ship unless he could get a "trip letter" from the local Coast Guard Marine Inspection office.

Neither the Coast Guard, which enforced the program, nor the seamen and waterfront workers who were affected by it, knew the sources of derogatory information. The FBI argued that "informers" had to be kept anonymous. Its officers objected to confronting the appellant with the informer on the grounds that it would prevent ordinary citizens from giving information, and result in trouble and embarrassment for those who were required to testify.

I don't really understand why Pic's work for the PSU - especially given LHO was living with him part of that time - seems to be of interest to so few unless spook connections 6 times removed are seen as more fertile grounds.

In fact, Pic's entire military career is crowded with possibilities. Prior to PSU, he was sent to the US Naval Training Station, Bainbridge, Maryland. This was Jan to Apr, 1952. From WWII through to Korea and beyond, military base after military base was struck with outbreaks of autoimmune diseases (refer to The Commission on Streptococcal and Staphylococcal Diseases which ran from 1941 to 1973 as part of the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board - AFEB). The Training Station in Bainbridge was in the middle of such an epidemic when Pic was sent there. What the hell was causing these out-breaks and why were they seemingly only hitting military bases?

Skipping forward to Willford Hall at Lackland where he was NCO in charge of the "special pathology unit". Lackland was named in the 1990s by the DoD as having participated in Human Radiation Experiments. Same went for at least one of the previous hospitals he worked at - Portsmouth.