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THE JFK CASE: THE TWELVE WHO BUILT THE OSWALD LEGEND (Part 5: The Double Dangle)

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Message Bill Simpich
Next time:Â After Oswald finally makes it back to Texas, he mixes it up with the White Russians.

Endnotes:Â (Thanks and a tip of the hat to Peter Dale Scott, Larry Hancock, Greg Parker, Stewart Wexler, and many others for their research that made this article possible.)

Robert said that after a three day visit, Lee had left Fort Worth for New Orleans and to resume his former employment in the import-export business Memo of SA John Fain re interview with Robert Oswald, p. 2, 5/6/60, Russ Holmes Work File / NARA Record Number: 104-10428-10253.

Lee had told her during his visit the previous September that he was thinking of going to Cuba:
 Id., re interview with Marguerite Oswald, p. 4.

Mrs. Oswald had also just recently received a letter from the Albert Schweitzer College in Switzerland saying that they were expecting him on April 20, 1960:Â Id., re interview with Marguerite Oswald, pp. 5-6.

The clue may be in Marguerite's supposed description of Lee to Fain:Â "5' 10", 165 lbs., light brown and wavy hair, blue eyes":Â Â Id., re interview with Marguerite Oswald, p. 7.

Here's Webster 's job application to the Rand Development Corporation in 1957: Five feet ten, 166, blond hair, blue eyes Employment application of Robert Edward Webster to Rand Development Corporation, 1957, FBI - HSCA Subject Files, W - X / FBI - HSCA Subject File: Robert Edward Webster / NARA Record Number: 124-10197-10416. Â

It's also well documented that Webster's hair was slightly wavy:Â See photo of Webster with AP article, reproduced in The Fourth Decade, Volume 2, Issue 5, p. 60; Webster personal record questionnaire, Part 1, page 6, item 34.

Oswald also had slightly wavy hair:Â Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 24, Exhibit 1981, Oswald autopsy report, p. 1.
Â
Oswald's height was generally described as 5 feet, 9 inches, as seen in this photo, though Oswald exaggerated his height to 5 feet, 11 inches starting with the Switzerland college in March 1959 until his return from the Soviet Union: Application to Albert Schweitzer College, p. 2, 3/4/59, Exhibit 228; Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 16, p. 622.
Â
Oswald seemed to favor the 5'11" description when dealing with government officials, probably to stay consistent with his earlier statements. Â Nowhere else is Oswald's height described as 5' 10", except in a critical memo about an Oswald sighting in Mexico City shortly before the assassination where Egerter wrote the draft

Oswald's actual weight in the 1956-1963 period varied between 131-136 pounds: Â Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 19, pp. 615 (10/56, at time of enlistment) 131 pounds; Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 22, p. 828, Exhibit 1413 (police station, after arrest 8/9/63) 136 pounds; Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 17, p. 308, Exhibit 657-A (11/25/63, day after death) 131 poundsÂ

Even in 1963, when a young man of 23 would be expected to have "filled out", Oswald would report his weight at 140-150, probably to maximize his chances for employment:
  Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 23, p. 752, Exhibit 1950, 10/4/63 job application thru JOBCO, "140 pounds"; Id., p. 752, Exhibit 1945, April or May 1963 job application at Goldring's department store, "150 pounds"
Â
No one ever estimated Oswald's weight at greater than 150...:Â Â Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 24, Exhibit 1981, Oswald autopsy report, p. 1.

...except Fain and (as we will see) Egerter: Â Fain:Â Memo of SA John Fain re interview with Marguerite Oswald, p. 7, 5/6/60, Russ Holmes Work File / NARA Record Number: 104-10428-10253; Egerter:Â

When FBI agent Quigley saw him in jail in New Orleans in August, 1963, he estimated his weight at 140 Report of SA John Quigley, 8/15/63, Oswald 201 File, Vol 1, Folder 2, p. 73.
Â
Oswald reported his weight in Dallas at the time of his arrest as 140 and his eyes as blue-gray:Â Â Report of Manning Clements, 11/23/63, Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 24, p. 22.

Although the autopsy surgeons estimated his weight at 150:Â Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 24, Exhibit 1981, Oswald autopsy report, p. 1.

Oswald's actual weight the day after his death was 131:Â Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 17, p. 308, Exhibit 657-A.
Â
Oswald described his eyes as gray, but government officials often described them as blue:Â Â Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 24, p. 22
Â
 "Gray": Warren Commission Exhibit 1951, Oswald's application for employment through A-1 employment service, 5/6/63; Oswald's application to work at Goldring's Department Store, April or May 1963; and note Oswald's passport, 6/25/63; Â
Â
 "Blue": Donabedian Ex. 1, Volume 19, p. 615, Oswald's Marine Corps medical exam, p. 2; Warren Commission Hearings, Volume 24, Exhibit 1981, Oswald autopsy report, p. 1; Oswald's Selective Service card, Fort Worth, Texas, 9/14/59.

Although the Warren Report tilts Oswald's weight numbers to try to get closer to the 165 number, it remains consistent with this analysis:Â Warren Report, p. 144.

On one occasion,
Marina even confused Webster with Oswald:   Report of James Hosty and Jack Pedden re interview with Katya Ford, 11/24/63, p. 2; Commission Document 5, p. 259.

Rand has a "201 number" Memo by Ann Egerter, 5/12/60, Reel 17, Folder U - Robert Edward Webster, p. 47, HSCA Segregated CIA Collection (microfilm - reel 17: Ruiz - Webster) / NARA Record Number: 1994.05.09.11:03:47:690005.

Analysis report cover sheet Rand prepared for the Domestic Contacts division after Webster's return :Â Analysis report filed by James H. Rand, 7/19/62, Reel 17, Folder S - Robert Edward Webster, p. 35, HSCA Segregated CIA Collection (microfilm - reel 17: Ruiz - Webster) / NARA Record Number: 1994.05.09.11:02:28:290005.

Hallett was mistaking Webster for Oswald:
 Assassination Records Review Board final report, 1999, p. 86.

Webster disappeared on 9/10/59:Â CIA memo re Robert Edward Webster, 6/20/75, HSCA Segregated CIA Collection, Box 50 , NARA Record Number: 1993.08.14.09:37:45:870028.

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Bill Simpich is a civil rights attorney and an antiwar activist in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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