Warren Commission (10 of 26): Hearings Vol. X (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (10 of 26): Hearings Vol. X (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
When he came in, I found this--that I was just slightly embarrassed
that I had forgotten it, and among the other duties, of course--these
things will happen, and when he sat down and introduced himself as Lee
Harvey Oswald, I asked him where his last position was, and he said,
"The Marines," and I recovered slightly, remembering that I had already
been told this and, to cover up my embarrassment slightly, I laughed
and I said, "Oh, yes."
I said, "Honorably discharged, of course," as a joke, and he said, "Oh,
yes," and we went on with other facts of the interview. I remember
him--I don't believe he gave me an address. I think he said it was just
temporary where he was staying, or something to that effect. I also
believe at the time he told me he had a wife and a child or a child
coming. I don't remember exactly about that, because I, of course--any
employer is looking for someone dependable and a family man offers
perhaps a little more dependability, needing a position, than a single
person.
So, that I think is about--I think I did ask him where--when he
mentioned the Marines, where he had served, and I believe he told
me Korea, and I didn't go into it any further. I felt reasonably
sure because he had come through the Texas Employment Commission--I
didn't even think of checking on his honorable discharge--honorable
or dishonorable or questionable discharge. I somehow had just assumed
being through a State agency, that they perhaps had a much larger
file on him, that my going into various details would just be going
over--plowing up ground again, so I just figured--I never even thought
about checking into his discharge or when he had been discharged.
I think he had been discharged sometime prior to this--I don't at
the moment remember exactly when he got out of the Marines or was
discharged, but the impression that was left with me and I suppose he
told this to Mrs. Latham--was that it had been a very recent thing,
because I recall that that's what she told me, and that's what he told
me when he came to me--when I asked him.
Mr. JENNER. That it had been very recent?
Mr. GRAEF. Oh, yes; it had been very recent, because when I asked him
about his last employment he said, "The Marines," he had just gotten
out of the Marines, and then I recovered, you know, and said, "Oh,
yes," because Louise Latham had already told me this. At any rate, he
seemed the applicant with the best chance of success that had been sent
over.
Mr. JENNER. Would you go back a little bit?
Mr. GRAEF. Certainly.
Mr. JENNER. What inquiries did you make of him with respect to your
qualifications for this position--his prior experience, if any?
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