Erasing the Past to Protect a Fairytale

505  The origin of the bullets


Related:
*    You Get Around Town
86  Army intelligence records on Fort Hood arms theft
90  ATF Files on Masen/Nonte case
401 FBI Miami files on Masen

Erasing the Past...Discussions


        “The Commission's rationale seems to be that since Oswald used the bullets to shoot the President,
    it is entitled to assume that he obtained and possessed them. And since he obtained and possessed them,
        obviously he used them to shoot the President.”



Early press coverage from Dallas reported that police officials expected to trace the assassin's purchase of ammunition. According to a story in The New York Times on November 24, 1963:

Officers starting a canvass of... outlets observed that the odd-sized ammunition—a little smaller than ordinary.30-caliber—might provide an important clue. The assassination, they said, involved excellent marksmanship that could only have come from regular practice recently, and this in turn would have required sizable quantities of the special ammunition.

Later, serious objections were raised against the official theory of the crime, on the ground that ammunition for the alleged assassination rifle had not been manufactured since World War II and was notoriously unreliable and of poor quality. When the Warren Report appeared, it presented no evidence that Oswald had purchased ammunition for this rifle (or for the revolver, for that matter), or evidence that Oswald had "excellent marksmanship," or evidence that he had engaged in "regular practice" with the rifle before the assassination.

(...)

Clearly it is necessary to the Commission's conclusions to establish Oswald's purchase and possession of the ammunition. But the Report is silent. The Hearings, however, reveal that Marina Oswald told the FBI on December 16, 1963 that "Oswald did not have any ammunition for the rifle to her knowledge in either Dallas or New Orleans, and he did not speak of buying ammunition." [Italics added] (CE 1403) Yet when Marina Oswald was shown a 6.5 mm. cartridge during her testimony before the Commission on February 3, 1964, she then stated that it "seemed larger than Oswald's" and, on further questioning, that she had seen ammunition in a box "in New Orleans and on Neely Street." (IH 119) (...)

That Oswald had possession of the alleged murder ammunition is, of course, implicit in the Report. But the evidence is preponderant against that inference because (1) Marina Oswald's testimony is unsupported and unreliable, and (2) the Commission has adduced no proof of purchase and omitted from its Report the negative evidence on that point.

(...)

Both the Dallas police and the FBI made unsuccessful attempts to establish Oswald's purchase of 6.5 rifle ammunition. Dallas Detective F. M. Turner made inquiries at the Irving Sports Shop and learned that ammunition of that type was not sold there. (7H 226) In March 1964 the FBI conducted a canvass of retail shops in the Dallas-Irving area without success. (CE 2694) The canvass turned up only two dealers who had ever handled Western Cartridge Company 6.5 mm. ammunition; both were certain that they had never seen Oswald or sold ammunition to him. One of the shops had moved into Dallas from another location (Carrollton, Texas) on November 1, 1963. Consequently, the other shop was the sole source from which Oswald could have purchased the ammunition in Dallas. The owner, Mr. Masen, had purchased "about ten boxes... early 1963," he told the FBI, and some of the cartridges had been reloaded with a soft hunting bullet. (CE 2694) Since Masen did not sell ammunition to Oswald and since he did not purchase any by mail order, where did Oswald obtain the box of ammunition that his wife testified was in his possession when they lived on Neely Street?


The Western Cartridge Company manufactures small arms and ammunitions. The company faced union activity and strikes
in 1941 and 1942, at a time when it held $8.5 million in defense contracts. Civil rights activist Clarence M. Mitchell noted in
1944 that the company did not hire African-American workers. Franklin Roosevelt's Committee on Fair Employment Practice
had held hearings and tried to have the company hire black workers in 1943, but the community, owners and white
employees refused. (Wikipedia, 6-15-21)

Although the Report says nothing about Oswald's purchase and possession of the rifle ammunition, the Hearings manifest the Commission's anxiety about the abortive efforts to establish such a link. Questions put to FBI weapons expert Cortlandt Cunningham (3H 479) and to the owner of the Irving Sports Shop, Charles Greener (11H 253), indicate that the Commission even considered the possibility that Oswald had resorted to hand-loading his ammunition but had to abandon that notion as untenable because of the bulk and expense of the required equipment. FBI Expert Cunningham described hand-loading as "nothing more than taking components and by means of a press [making] your own cartridges." (3H 479) He confirmed that no evidence had been found in this case to suggest hand-loading and said, moreover, that the equipment needed for hand-loading was bulky and could not have been overlooked in the search of Oswald's personal effects. (3H 479) Further devastating the Commission's conclusions is the fact that no rifle ammunition was found on Oswald's person at his arrest or among his possessions in Dallas or Irving, which were searched and seized the same day. (CE 2003) Ammunition is not sold by the dozen, like eggs, but in substantial quantity, generally in boxes of about a hundred. The same mail-order advertisement for Klein's Sporting Goods from which Oswald is said to have ordered the assassination rifle also offers Mauser ammunition in boxes of 130.

But only four 6.5 mm. cartridges enter into the Commission's case: three shells found at the sixth-floor window of the Book Depository, and one live bullet ejected from the rifle found on the same floor. The Commission insists that Oswald obtained, possessed, and loaded these four cartridges into the rifle and fired three at the President and the Governor, but it offers no evidence of such The Rifle Ammunition for the Murder Rifle 115 purchase or, possession of the four cartridges or of the larger supply of ammunition in which they were presumably obtained.

The Commission's rationale seems to be that since Oswald used the bullets to shoot the President, it is entitled to assume that he obtained and possessed them. And since he obtained and possessed them, obviously he used them to shoot the President.

(Sylvia Meagher, Accessories after the fact, p. 112-115)


In an effort to locate a source of supply of the 6.5 M/M Mannlicher-Carcano, Western Cartridge Company, ammunition where Lee Harvey Oswald purchased ammunition for his Carcano rifle, a telephone canvass was made of all places of business in the Dallas and Irving area listed in the current Dallas-Irving Classified Section of the telephone directories under listings of ammunition, guns, hardware stores, pawn shops, department stores, discount stores, sporting goods stores, and Army and Navy surplus stores. This telephone contact was made with each such place located and each person contacted was questioned as to whether he had ever handled the 6.5 MM Mannlicher Carcano, Western Cartridge Company, ammunition, and if he knew of any source handling this type ammunition. Only the two following listed places were located as a result of this telephone canvass:

John Thomas Masen, Owner, Masen's Gun Shop, 7402 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas;

John H. Brinegar, Owner, The Gun Shop, 11448 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas.


11448 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, more recently.

On March 26, 1964, Mr. John Thomas Masen, owner ; Masen's Gun Shop, 7402 Harry Hines Boulevard, telephone number FL 7-4758, residence address 3023 Mayhew, telephone number BR 9-5525, advised he purchased about ten boxes of 6.5 M/M Mannlicher-Carcano, Western Cartridge Company, ammunition from Johnny Brinegar in early 1963 and that he sold these ten boxes to individuals. He stated he was not able to recall the identity of any persons to whom he sold this ammunition. He claimed he sold this ammunition with a military load. He advised if he had sold more than a box or two to any one person he would have remembered the sale. Mr. Masen stated he purchased another ten boxes of this same type ammunition from Brinegar, date not recalled, but possibly during the summer of 1963. He claimed this ammunition was being used principally for deer hunting and he pulled the bullets in the last batch and reloaded it with a hunting-type bullet (lead nose). He advised he used a Herter's Bullet Puller in changing these bullets. He stated he had only two boxes of this ammunition at present. Mr. Masen claimed he had never seen Lee Harvey Oswald, had no recollection of his ever having come to his place of business, and he had never sold any of this ammunition to Oswald.

Mr. Masen stated he has operated Masen's Gun Shop at this location alone since 1961.

Mr. Masen volunteered that he put himself through college by working as a gunsmith; that he attended Sul Ross College, Alpine, Texas Arlington State College, Arlington, Texas; University of Houston, Houston, Texas; and Monterrey University, Monterrey, Mexico. He claimed he spoke Spanish fluently.

Mr. Masen stated that during the summer of 1963 he made an extensive vacation trip to Mexico, visiting friends in various places, including the "Mendoza Brothers," Guadalajara, Mexico, who owned an arms manufacturing plant.

On March 26, 1964, Mr. John H. Brinegar, owner, The Gun Shop, 11448 Harry Hines Boulevard, telephone CH 7-2600, advised he purchased one case of 6.5 M/M Mannlicher-Carcano, Western Cartridge Company, ammunition from the Century Arms Company, Alexandria, West Virginia, in 1962 after seeing it advertised, as he recalled, for $45 per 1000 rounds.

Mr. Brinegar stated he sold about ten boxes of this ammunition to John Masen, owner, Masen's Gun Shop, in early 1963 and traded him another ten boxes later, possibly during the summer, 1963, He advised he had six boxes of this ammunition left at present.

Mr. Brinegar stated he "pulled the bullets from some of this ammunition and reloaded with a hunting load (soft nose) and others he sold with the military load.

Mr. Brinegar stated he did not know Lee Harvey Oswald, had no recollection of ever seeing him, and did not believe he had sold him any of this type ammunition. Mr. Brinegar stated he has operated his gun shop alone for about thirty years in Dallas County. He advised that for years his place of business was located on Valley View Road, three-quarters of a mile west of Farmers Branch, Texas, mailing address Post Office Box 149, Carrollton, Texas, until November 1, 1963, when he moved to his present address. He stated he had his own rifle range at the Valley View Road address, but closed this range January 1, 1963.

Mr. Brinegar stated the 6.5 M/M rifle was rather common in the Dallas area and he felt that the larger gun dealers, pawn shops, sporting goods, and H. L. Green Company stores would have handled the 6.5 M/M Mannlichar-Carcano, Western Cartridge Company, ammunition, as he recalled seeing ads for this 6.5 ammunition. He explained that there were a number of different 6.5 M/M types of ammunition, but that only the ammunition manufactured by the Italians said the 6.5 M/M Mannlicher-Carcano could be used in the Italian Carcano rifle.

On March 26, 1964, two boxes, 20 rounds each, of 6.5 M/M Mannnlicher-Carcano, Western Cartridge Company, ammunition were obtained for forwarding to the laboratory of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. One box loaded with a hunting load (soft nose) was obtained from John Thomas Masen, and the other, which was a military load, was obtained from John H. Brinegar.

On March 25, 1964, Mr. Richard C. Lopez, 4427 McKinney Avenue, Apartment A, employed as a salesman, Moors Ehles Company, Inc., 407 North Ervay Street, Dallas, advised he formerly was employed by the H. L. Green Company. He stated he worked first! as a stock clerk and was later made a salesman in the Gun Department in October or November, 1963, exact date not recalled. He advised that at that time Al Yeargan was the manager of the Gun Department at R. L. Green Company. He stated to his knowledge, H. L. Green Company never did handle any 6.5 M/M Mannlicher-Carcano, Western Cartridge Company, ammunition. Lopez stated the store did handle the Carcano rifle and a 6.5 Italian ammunition for the gun. He advised as he recalled, the base of the shell casing had "SIM" or "SMI" stamped on it and that all of the ammunition was of a military load.

Lopez stated he did not know Lee Harvey Oswald and was unable to identify his photograph as a person visiting the H. L. Green Gun Department while he was employed there.

On March 25, 1964, Mr. Albert C. Yeargan, Jr., also known as Al, 1922 Mayflower, employed as a salesman for Smitty's Sporting Goods, 114 West Jefferson Avenue, telephone WA 6-9845, Dallas, Texas, stated he was employed as manager of the fourth floor, H. L. Green Company, which included the Gun Department on April 20, 1963, and that he left this employment March 13, 1964. Mr. Yeargan stated the Italian Carcano rifles were in stock when he was employed. He advised that all of the ammunition for these rifles was Italian military ammunition that was obtained with the purchase of the rifles; however, the bullets had been reloaded with a hunting load (soft load).



He stated the rifles and the ammunition, as he recalled, were purchased from the Crescent Firearms Company in Connecticut. Yeargan stated as he remembered on the primer end of the shell case there was stamped "939." Mr. Yeargan advised the H. L. Green Company never handled any of the 6.5 M/M Mannlicher-Carcano, Western Cartridge Company, ammunition.

(Warren Commission, Volume XXVI: CE 2694)

507 What Joseph Milteer knew


See also:
223 Tampa Police Department files on 11-18-63 JFK threat

Erasing the Past...Discussions

Joseph Milteer (1902‐1974), of Quitman, GA, was a racist right‐wing extremist activist who hated President Kennedy insanely and spent his life combating the Civil Rights movement. On Nov. 9, 1963, 13 days before the Kennedy assassination, Milteer had a lengthy conversation in a Miami, FL apartment with a childhood friend, Willie Somersett, in the course of which Milteer told Somersett about a plot that was afoot to assassinate JFK. Unknown to Milteer, Somersett, a secret informant for local Miami police, was surreptitiously tape‐recording the conversation. In that conversation Milteer confided that the killing of Kennedy “was in the working;” that the president could be killed “[f]rom an office building with a high‐powered rifle;” that the rifle could be “disassemble[d]” to get it into the building; and that “[t]hey will pick up somebody within hours afterward, if anything like that would happen, just to throw the public off.” (...)


(Image from: HSCA Volume VI: IV. Conspiracy Questions - B. Photograph Authentication - 3. Forensic Anthropological Issues)

Miami police promptly notified the Secret Service and the FBI of Milteer’s remarks, giving them transcripts of the recorded conversation. The Secret Service and the FBI both quickly opened files on the matter, hastily investigated Milteer and within a few days—and prior to the assassination—closed those files. Five full days after the JFK assassination, on Nov. 27, 1963, the FBI interviewed Milteer. The FBI’s official report of that interview is one and one‐half pages long, consisting of six terse paragraphs, only one of which relates to the assassination. Shockingly, during the interview Milteer was not interrogated about his previously recorded statements to Somersett regarding plans to murder the president. Milteer was not even asked the vital question of what he knew of or had heard about any plots against President Kennedy. Unlike many other witnesses, Milteer was not asked where he was on Nov. 22, 1963. There is no mention of Joseph Milteer in the Warren Report or the 26 volumes of exhibits published by the Warren Commission.

(...)

The reason Milteer was not questioned about his recorded conversation with Somersett concerning a plot to assassinate JFK? Because the interrogator, Don Adams, had not been told about Milteer’s conversation with Somersett! In 1963 Adams was unaware of that conversation: “I did not know of the Nov. 9, 1963 tape recording until 1993… Here I am, the case agent of the investigation involving Milteer, and I am never informed by anyone in the FBI about the tape recording or the direct threat. Obviously, this information was purposefully kept from me in total violation of the strictest Bureau rules… When I was assigned to the Milteer investigation… I should have been informed of the threat against the president that was recorded on Nov. 9.”

(Donald E. Wilkes jr., The Georgian Who Knew a Sniper Would Kill JFK, 2013)

509 Identity of one rather tall girl walking into TSBD



    At the end of Fischer's affidavit, a very strange remark appears which I 
do not believe has ever been properly investigated, He said:


    "I do remember one particular thing that happened just at the time I
    saw a man up there. There was a girl walked in the Texas School 
    Book Depository Building, a rather tall girl, and looked to me like she
    might be an employee of that building. She was walking in while
    everybody else had been coming out."

    That, as they say, is another story. Perhaps someone, somewhere, can
throw some light on it and perhaps put a name to this female and suggest
what she was doing. 

(Ian Griggs, Which side would have called Ronald B. Fisher..., 1995)  

511 Gene Daniels’ photographs taken inside Oswald’s room at 1026 North Beckley


Related:
  73 Several Jim McCammon photo(s) and negatives
399 Curtain rods

Gene Daniels, Black Star photographer, took a total of 260 black and white, 35 mm still photos during the Nov 22-24 period. A few of these were taken the afternoon and evening of Nov. 22 and the rest on Nov. 23 & 24. There are scenes at Dealey Plaza, TSBD, Sheriffs office, police station, police press conferences, Oswald's rooming house and room, Oswald's public appearances, and views of Elm Street from Dal Tex Bld through telescopic sight.

(Weisberg collection Item 8)


CBS footage taken shortly after the assassination in 1963 shows the room where Oswald stayed

Daniels, like many freelance photographers of the period, used the Black Star Photographic Agency, New York City, for the marketing and distribution of his work. I have been given to understand that Daniels’ nine photographs taken inside Oswald’s room at 1026 North Beckley have been suppressed, possibly by Black Star, and remain unpublished.*

*Information from The Collector’s Archive, Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada

(Ian Griggs, No Case To Answer, 1st edition, p. 207)