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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VII - Page 496« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Phillip L. Willis)

Mr. Liebeler.
So she was toward the triple underpass from the concrete structure on Dealey Plaza?
Mr. Willis.
She was inside the concrete structure looking through an opening.
Mr. Liebeler.
Looking toward the triple underpass?
Mr. Willis.
Toward the Texas School Book Depository where she had a clear view, and there were surprisingly few people there at that time---at that moment--and none in between her and the street to block her vision.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you actually observe the President when he was hit in head?
Mr. Willis.
No, sir; I did not. I couldn't see that well, and I was more concerned about the shots coming from that building. The minute the third shot was fired, I screamed, hoping the policeman would hear me, to ring that building because it had to come from there. Being directly across the street from the building, made it much more clear to those standing there than the people who were on the side of the street where the building was.
Mr. Liebeler.
So you thought you had picked out a particular building at the time when you heard shots?
Mr. Willis.
Absolutely.
Mr. Liebeler.
What building was that?
Mr. Willis.
The Texas School Book Depository Building.
Mr. Liebeler.
You were pretty sure?
Mr. Willis.
I felt certain. I even looked for smoke, and I knew it came from high up.
Mr. Liebeler.
How did you know that?
Mr. Willis.
I even observed the clock on top of the building, it was 12:33 when I looked up there.
Mr. Liebeler.
The clock on top of the School Book Depository?
Mr. Willis.
There is a Hertz sign on top of the building, and it alternates the time of day and the temperature, and when I looked up, it was 12:33, and the temperature was 68 degrees, as shown in my slide on No. 12.
Mr. Liebeler.
So you did not actually observe the President at the time he was hit in the head?
Mr. Willis.
No, sir; I was just taking a picture of him, and the presidential party in the car come through my viewfinder and my camera. But my little daughter ran back and said, "Oh, Daddy, they have shot our President. His whole head blew up, and it looked like a red halo."
Mr. Liebeler.
Which one? Is this the girl that is here today?
Mr. Willis.
The little one was the one that made that remark. My youngest daughter, Rosemary. The one that is with me today also saw it, and she went back and told her mother the same thing. And her mother said, "Yes; I saw it."
Mr. Liebeler.
Now, did you see anything hitting in the street along the President's car as it went down Elm Street?
Mr. Willis.
No, sir; I did not.
Mr. Liebeler.
You say there were three shots fired? You heard three shots fired?
Mr. Willis.
Yes.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you think that the President had been hit by the first shot?
Mr. Willis.
I didn't really know, sir.
Mr. Liebeler.
You couldn't tell whether he was hit by the first shot? You couldn't tell whether he had been hit by the first shot or the second shot or the third shot, or by how many shots he had been hit?
Mr. Willis.
No, sir; except this one thing might be worthy of mention. When I took slide No. 4, the President was smiling and waving and looking straight ahead, and Mrs. Kennedy was likewise smiling and facing more to my side of the street. When the first shot was fired, her head seemed to just snap in that direction, and he more or less faced the other side of the street and leaned forward, which caused me to wonder, although I could not see anything positively. It did cause me to wonder.
Mr. Liebeler.
You say that the President looked toward his left; is that correct? Toward the side of Elm Street that you are standing on, or which way?
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