Warren Commission (11 of 26): Hearings Vol. XI (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (11 of 26): Hearings Vol. XI (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. THORNLEY. I wouldn't say anything in my experience with him caused
me to particularly notice that he felt superior because he did read.
But except, yes, there is one time a friend of his, I don't know who
it was, I haven't been able to recall the name at present, one morning
looked over at our commanding officer who was walking by, Colonel
Poindexter, an air ace in Korea----
Mr. JENNER. A what?
Mr. THORNLEY. An ace pilot in Korea, and made the comment, "There goes
a mental midgit" which drew glee from Oswald, as I remember. But aside
from that one particular incident--well, in any case, when he was
dealing with military superiors he always felt superior to them. You
got that impression. But dealing with the other marines who maybe did
have an education or did not have an education, I didn't get any, ever
get any impression one way or the other that he had a tendency to react
to this.
Mr. JENNER. As between yourself and him, your association, what was
your feeling? Did he regard himself as compatible with you and you with
him?
Mr. THORNLEY. Yes; definitely. I didn't get any idea that he was--I
thought his education was about the same as my own which certainly
isn't spectacular by any means. I thought he might have had a year of
college. I knew he had--I figured he had graduated from high school. It
never occurred to me to think any more about it. I did, as I mentioned
before, notice once in a while that he had gaps in his knowledge, but
many people do, in fact all of us do, I am sure, in some fields.
But in Oswald's case they perhaps had an unusual pattern to them or
something that made me notice them, perhaps. Perhaps he was better
read, for example, on Marxist economics than any other school of
economics, things like this. But that was the extent of it.
Mr. JENNER. Was there in your kicking around with him in your
discussions--was there ever any discussion of your past, of his past,
his life?
Mr. THORNLEY. None whatsoever. This I am almost certain of. I had no
idea, for example, that he was from Texas or where he was from. At that
time I don't recall him having a Texas accent, either. I had no idea
that his father had died when he was young. I had no idea about his
family, anything along this line and I don't think I ever discussed my
past with him.
Mr. JENNER. Was any mention ever made of his attendance at or even the
name of the Albert Schweitzer College?
Mr. THORNLEY. No.
Mr. JENNER. No discussions about any plans of his or possibility of his
seeking further education of any kind or character when he was mustered
out of the Marines?
Mr. THORNLEY. None whatsoever. For one thing we were not close enough
friends to have any personal interests in each other. I looked upon
him as somebody to argue with, another atheist--therefore, without the
problem of religion between us--and to argue philosophy and politics
about, and I think he looked upon me in about the same light.
Mr. JENNER. What was your dexterity with Marine weapons?
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