Warren Commission (02 of 26): Hearings Vol. II (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (02 of 26): Hearings Vol. II (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. SPECTER. Now, had there been any instruction or comment about
your performance of that type of a duty with respect to anything that
President Kennedy himself had said in the period immediately preceding
the trip to Texas?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; there was. The preceding Monday, the President was
on a trip in Tampa, Fla., and he requested that the agents not ride on
either of those two steps.
Mr. SPECTER. And to whom did the President make that request?
Mr. HILL. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Boring.
Mr. SPECTER. Was Assistant Special Agent in Charge Boring the
individual in charge of that trip to Florida?
Mr. HILL. He was riding in the Presidential automobile on that trip in
Florida, and I presume that he was. I was not along.
Mr. SPECTER. Well, on that occasion would he have been in a position
comparable to that occupied by Special Agent Kellerman on this trip to
Texas?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; the same position.
Mr. SPECTER. And Special Agent Boring informed you of that instruction
by President Kennedy?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; he did.
Mr. SPECTER. Did he make it a point to inform other special agents of
that same instruction?
Mr. HILL. I believe that he did, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And, as a result of what President Kennedy said to him,
did he instruct you to observe that Presidential admonition?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. How, if at all, did that instruction of President Kennedy
affect your action and--your action in safeguarding him on this trip to
Dallas?
Mr. HILL. We did not ride on the rear portions of the automobile. I did
on those four occasions because the motorcycles had to drop back and
there was no protection on the left-hand side of the car.
Mr. SPECTER. When the President's automobile was proceeding in downtown
Dallas, what was the ordinary speed of the automobile, based on your
best estimate?
Mr. HILL. We were running approximately 12 to 15 miles per hour, I
would say.
Mr. SPECTER. I show you a document which we have marked as Commission
Exhibit No. 354, which is an aerial photograph identical with the
photograph already marked as Commission Exhibit No. 347.
(The photograph referred to was marked Exhibit No. 354 for
identification.)
Mr. SPECTER. I ask you if, referring only to Exhibit 354, you are able
to identify what that scene is.
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; I am.
Mr. SPECTER. Are you able to indicate the route which the President's
motorcade followed through that area?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; I am.
Mr. SPECTER. And what does that scene depict--what city is it?
Mr. HILL. That is Dallas, Tex. It shows Main Street, Houston Street,
and Elm Street.
Mr. SPECTER. Will you write on the picture itself where Main Street is?
Would you now write, as best you can, which street is Houston Street?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And would you now write which street is Elm?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
(At this point, Representative Ford entered the hearing room.)
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