Warren Commission (05 of 26): Hearings Vol. V (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (05 of 26): Hearings Vol. V (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. SPECTER. What did that examination disclose?
Mr. FRAZIER. On the inside surface of the windshield there was a
deposit of lead. This deposit was located when you look at the inside
surface of the windshield, 13-1/2 inches down from the top, 23 inches
from the left-hand side or driver's side of the windshield, and was
immediately in front of a small pattern of star-shaped cracks which
appeared in the outer layer of the laminated windshield.
Mr. DULLES. What do you mean by the "outer layer of the laminated
windshield"?
Mr. FRAZIER. The windshield is composed of two layers with a very thin
layer of plastic in between which bonds them together in the form of
safety glass. The inside layer of the glass was not broken, but the
outside layer immediately on the outside of the lead residue had a very
small pattern of cracks and there was a very minute particle of glass
missing from the outside surface.
Mr. DULLES. And the outside surface was the surface away from where the
occupants were sitting?
Mr. FRAZIER. That is correct; yes.
Mr. DULLES. And the inside surface was the surface nearest the
occupants?
Mr. FRAZIER. Yes.
Mr. SPECTER. What do those characteristics indicate as to which side of
the windshield was struck?
Mr. FRAZIER. It indicates that it could only have been struck on the
inside surface. It could not have been struck on the outside surface
because of the manner in which the glass broke and further because of
the lead residue on the inside surface. The cracks appear in the outer
layer of the glass because the glass is bent outward at the time of
impact which stretches the outer layer of the glass to the point where
these small radial or wagon spoke-wagon wheel spoke-type cracks appear
on the outer surface.
Mr. DULLES. So the pressure must have come from the inside and not from
the outside against the glass?
Mr. FRAZIER. Yes, sir; that is correct.
Mr. DULLES. As far as the car is concerned from the back to the front?
Mr. FRAZIER. Yes, sir.
Mr. DULLES. Not from outside against the glass--from the front against
the glass.
Mr. FRAZIER. That is right.
Mr. SPECTER. Was a comparison made of the lead residues on the inside
of the windshield with any of the bullet fragments recovered about
which you have heretofore testified?
Mr. FRAZIER. Yes. They were compared with the bullet fragment found on
the front seat, which in turn was compared with Commission 399. The
lead was found to be similar in composition. However, that examination
in detail was made by a spectrographer, Special Agent John F. Gallagher.
Mr. SPECTER. Was that examination made in the regular course of
examining procedures by the FBI?
Mr. FRAZIER. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And was that information made available to you through the
normal conference procedures among FBI examiners?
Mr. FRAZIER. Yes, sir. He submitted his report to me and I prepared the
formal report of the entire examination.
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