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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VIII - Page 281« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Daniel Patrick Powers)

Mr. Jenner.
of those riot guns when you were on guard duty that you would keep the chamber free of slugs?
Mr. Powers.
I'm almost sure again I can't say for sure, but it seems to me that we were issued three shells, and--again, I'm not sure; it seems to me that we were not supposed to put them in the weapon or supposed to put them in the weapon and keep it out of the chamber; in other words, you jacked it into the chamber if you needed it, but your chamber itself should be kept free.
Mr. Jenner.
To avoid accidents?
Mr. Powers.
Yes; I think this was the rule because you would have to click them to get them out this way and to avoid an incident such as happened.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you boys do any maintenance work in connection with your radar scanning assignment?
Mr. Powers.
We were not trained to do it; no. They had the assigned personnel do it.
Mr. Jenner.
Do you recall anything in this connection with respect to guard duty relating to some kind of a special airplane?
Mr. Powers.
Yes, we this happened again, I think, after the rest of the squadron left to go hack to the Japanese mainland, and some of us were assigned temporary duty in Cubi Point there. I believe there were two of us, or three of us from the squadron.
Mr. Jenner.
Who were they?
Mr. Powers.
Murphy; I believe, was one of them; and Private----Private, First Class Murphy, and I don't recall the other individuals, who the other individuals were, but anyway, we were assigned there, and at this particular time, they were closely guarding a hangar. And as it developed, this was, not knowing then what it was, it was a U-2 aircraft, but this was after the rest of the squadron left, which Oswald was included in, for the mainland.
Mr. Jenner.
Oswald was included in a group that had returned to the mainland?
Mr. Powers.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Jenner.
Was Oswald still at Cubi Point when Marine Schrand was shot?
Mr. Powers.
I believe he was; yes. The whole squadron was there then, so he must have been there: yes.
Mr. Jenner.
But Schrand's guard duty was not guard duty in connection with these special airplanes of which, you now speak?
Mr. Powers.
Well, no; I don't believe so. I can't say that for sure, what it was regarding. But I don't think so. I think they were on the site guarding the equipment that he had there, and it seems to me that the Air Force moved in that particular hangar after the squadron went up. I think this is correct.
Mr. Jenner.
Was there a--did you have an assignment when you were shipped to Corregidor?
Mr. Powers.
Yes; this assignment came between when I originally flew in to Cubi Point and then the squadron went on another operation where they were preparing--after they prepared their equipment there, and we went down to Corregidor and we stayed there approximately a month or 6 Weeks at the most, and then we came back and then the people, they dropped off the four or five personnel that were on temporary duty, and then the rest of the squadron continued, on to the mainland.
Mr. Jenner.
Was Oswald part of the group that was assigned to Corregidor?
Mr. Powers.
Yes; the whole squadron was assigned to it.
Mr. Jenner.
And what did you do at Corregidor?
Mr. Powers.
We participated in a--I think it was the 3d Marine Division in the operation of military exercises.
Mr. Jenner.
The same sort of thing that you had been doing back in Cubi Point?
Mr. Powers.
Yes; with the exception now that we were plotting simulated aircraft, scanning for it.
Mr. Jenner.
Any incident occur during that period involving Oswald?
Mr. Powers.
No; nothing that I recall. Something sticks in my mind about being on mess duty, but I can't recall what the incident was. I have a picture of it in my mind.
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