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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VII - Page 495« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Phillip L. Willis)

Mr. Willis.
course, I had the camera looking through the viewfinder to try to get another picture of him before he went out of range. I moved as far as I could within that 3 seconds.
Mr. Liebeler.
So you are not able to tell us exactly where you were when you took the picture that we have here as Hudson Exhibit No. 1, but it was a little bit farther on down Elm Street, still on the grassy area described by Elm and Main Street; is that correct?
Mr. Willis.
Yes, sir; I can verify that where I was going back to Life magazine again, because this picture No. 2 on page 4 of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Edition of Life, there is a tree in the background. The only tree in that immediate vicinity on that side of the street. And the shadow of that tree is shown in slide No. 5 that I took, which would show my position.
Mr. Liebeler.
Yes. I see you would have to study just from where the sun was coming, but it could be determined where you were standing, and we could also apparently determine it by lining it up with across the street?
Mr. Willis.
Off the record. Let me say this. You see in No. 1 shot where I am shown, you can see this shadow on the ground from this tree. This little bush--there is the shadow from the tree. This tree is on the ground, so if you look in my picture here, you can see the shadow in that picture. So you see that I did move down approximately this far.
Mr. Liebeler.
All right. Now, you are certain that the first shot was fired at approximately the time or shortly at approximately the time you took the picture that has been marked Hudson Exhibit No. 1; is that right?
Mr. Willis.
I am positive.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you remember hearing the shot?
Mr. Willis.
Absolutely. I, having been in World War II, and being a deer hunter hobbyist, I would recognize a high-powered rifle immediately.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you recognize this as a high-powered rifle?
Mr. Willis.
Absolutely.
Mr. Liebeler.
And you heard it just about the time you took the picture that has been marked?
Mr. Willis.
That's right.
Mr. Liebeler.
Prior to the time you took the picture, which is marked Hudson Exhibit No. 1?
Mr. Willis.
Absolutely.
Mr. Liebeler.
How many shots were fired altogether, Mr. Willis?
Mr. Willis.
Three shots.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you have any question about that at all?
Mr. Willis.
No, sir.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you follow the car down Elm Street after you took the picture, which we have marked Hudson Exhibit No. 1?
Mr. Willis.
I proceeded down the street and didn't take any other pictures instantly, because the three shots were fired approximately about 2 seconds apart, and I knew my little daughters were running along beside the Presidential car, and I was immediately concerned about them, and I was screaming for them to come back, and they didn't hear me. But I was concerned about them immediately, because I knew something tragic had happened, and the shots didn't ring out long like a rifle shot that is fired into midair in a distance. I knew it hit something, and it couldn't have been a firecracker or anything like that, so it impressed me, I remember, and after I found my daughters, I saw they were heading back toward their mother.
Mr. Liebeler.
Where was she?
Mr. Willis.
She was back in the crowd looking through this concrete structure. How do you refer to that?
Mr. Liebeler.
Well, your wife was back closer toward the intersection of Main Street and Houston Street?
Mr. Willis.
No; it is a very short distance when you stand in here. No; that is the one across the street--no; here she was. She was in between Main and Elm Streets, but real near Elm Street. In fact, she was only a few feet back from my daughters. She wasn't more than 40 feet from where the President was hit.
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