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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. II - Page 357« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Comdr. James J. Humes)

Mr. Specter.
fracture lines extend out from it in a quite irregular fashion, but it was approximately 13 cm.
Mr. Mccloy.
This red that is marked on 388 on the base of the skull, is that seepage or what?
Commander HUMES. No, sir; that is to depict the musculature at the base of the neck.
Mr. Mccloy.
I see.
Commander HUMES. That is not taken to depict the blood, sir.
Mr. Specter.
On the reconstruction of the three portions of the scalp which you described-----
Commander HUMES. Skull, sir.
Mr. Specter.
Skull, which enabled you to reconstruct a point of exit of the bullet, will you state at this point of the record that size of opening or exit path of the bullet?
Commander HUMES. As I mentioned previously, at one angle of this largest pyramidal shaped fragments of bone which came as a separate specimen, we had the portion of the perimeter of a roughly what we would judge to have been a roughly circular wound of exit. Judging from that portion of the perimeter which was available to us, we would have judged the diameter of that wound to be between 2.5 and 3 cm.
Mr. Specter.
Doctor Humes, have you now described the major characteristics and features of the wounds to the late President's head?
Commander HUMES. I believe that I have, sir.
Mr. Specter.
All right. Will you now turn your attention, please to the wound which is noted on 385 and 386 being at the--
Mr. Mccloy.
Before we leave that, could I ask a question?
When you talk about dumdum bullets, do you include the ordinary type of soft nose sporting bullets, maybe this is something that Colonel Finck would be more expert on, but was that, was the bullet, could it possibly have been a sporting type of hunting bullet that has a soft nose but is still somewhat firm?
Commander HUMES. From the characteristics of this wound, Mr. McCloy, would believe that it must have had a very firm head rather than a soft head.
Mr. Mccloy.
Steel jacketed, would you say, copper jacketed bullet?
Commander HUMES. I believe more likely a jacketed bullet because of the regular outline which was present.
Mr. Mccloy.
All right.
Mr. Dulles.
Could I ask a question?
The Chairman.
Mr. Dulles.
Mr. Dulles.
Believing that we know the type of bullet that was usable in this gun, would this be the type of wound that might result from that kind of a bullet?
Commander HUMES. I believe so, sir.
Mr. Dulles.
If my question is clear--
Commander HUMES. Yes, sir; it is.
Mr. Dulles.
We think we know what the bullet is. we may be wrong but we think we know what it was, is this wound consistent with that type of bullet?
Commander HUMES. Quite consistent, sir.
Mr. Mccloy.
There is no evidence of any keyholing of the bullet before it hit, before the point of impact?
Commander HUMES. I don't exactly follow your question.
Mr. Mccloy.
Was the bullet moving in a direct line or had it begun to tumble?
Commander HUMES. To tumble?
That is a difficult question to answer. I have the opinion, however, that it was more likely moving in a direct line. You will note that the wound in the posterior portion of the occiput on Exhibit 388 is somewhat longer than the other missile wound which we have not yet discussed in the low neck. We believe that rather than due to a tumbling effect, this is explainable on the fact that this missile struck the skin and skull at a more tangential angle than did the other missile, and, therefore, produced a more elongated defect, sir.
Senator COOPER. May I ask a question there? Perhaps you have done this,
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