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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. V - Page 334« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Abram Chayes Resumed)

Mr. Chayes.
the restrictions, because on the basis of his past conduct, we were prepared infer that in the absence of such assurances, he might well disobey the restrictions.
Mr. Ehrlich points out to me that on May 16, 1962--this is one of several such memorandums---our security office sent to the FBI with copies to the other security agencies a memorandum on the subject of American defectors,. and their status in the U.S.S.R., and there is a summary of that which covers Oswald. This was just before he came home, I guess.
Mr. Coleman.
Will you indicate what file that is by the number?
Mr. Chayes.
This is the folder II in the numbering that we gave you, and it is document No. II-6 (4), in our number system.
Mr. Dulles.
Could you read or indicate what that says about Oswald?
Mr. Chayes.
Oh, yes; it Just summarizes his status as of that date and it says:
"Lee Oswald: It has been determined that Oswald the ex-Marine is still an American citizen. Both he and his Soviet wife now have exit permits and the Department has given approval for their travel with their infant child to the U.S.A. There is a problem with his wife, however, in that SOV in Department is trying to get a waiver of 243 (g), which requires that Oswald's wife pick up her visa for entry into the U.S.A. in Western Europe. As soon as this question has been settled, they will be free to travel."
Mr. Dulles.
May I clarify one other point?
Mr. Coleman.
May I ask him a question about that? In that file Mr. Chayes isn't there also another FBI report dated August 30, 1962, which indicates Lee Harvey Oswald was reinterviewed by the Bureau agents on August 1962, with respect to contacts he had made at the Soviet Embassy in Washington?
Mr. Chayes.
I would have to review the file itself, for the specific details as to dates and so on. I do remember that the FBI in its subsequent inquiries talked to him about his contacts with the Soviet Embassy. He had some, of course, in connection with his wife. They asked him whether he had had any other contacts with the Soviets and so on.
Mr. Coleman.
Mr. Dulles, you had a question.
Mr. Dulles.
This apparently just went to the Bureau, did it not? Did it go to the other agencies?
Mr. Chayes.
I think the----
Mr. Dulles.
Yes; it went to the CIA. Copy went to the CIA. I would like to clarify one point. It is not quite clear to me what information about Oswald was in the passport files as distinct from the Department files. I didn't realize that there was much about Oswald in the passport file itself in the absence of, what do you call it, a check----
Mr. Coleman.
A lookout card.
Mr. Dulles.
A lookout card.
Mr. Chayes.
No; the passport file, I am holding it up.
Mr. Dulles.
It is a big file.
Mr. Chayes.
It is roman numeral X and it contains in our numbering system 80 documents or something like that.
Mr. Dulles.
That was in the passport file itself?
Mr. Chayes.
In the passport file itself. A large amount of the security material is there, and of course the security file would have been pulled too whenever the passport file was reviewed.
Mr. Dulles.
Do you know whether that file was reviewed before the issuance of the passport in June 1930 or not?
Mr. Chayes.
1963.
Mr. Dulles.
I mean 1963?
Mr. Chayes.
It was not.
Mr. Dulles.
It was not?
Mr. Chayes.
It was not, because what happened then was that the Telex came in from New Orleans. The only thing that you do is go to the lookout card fie. There was no lookout card. In the absence of a lookout card, routine approval goes out and the passport was issued from the New Orleans office. If there had been a lookout card, then the lookout card would have sent them back to the file. There was no lookout card because the file as it then stood didn't have anything in it that warranted the denial of a passport, and under our then
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