Fascinating article by a man that knew Oswald and his wife in Dallas/Ft Worth in the months before Kennedy’s assassination. It’s the first time I’ve read anything personal about Oswald. He wasn’t a very likeable guy. He liked to control his wife by insisting she not learn English. Thought he was a big shot and wanted to impress his wife by doing something memorable.
But one Hell of a Marksman.
Excellent article.
This was the first time I’ve read anything about Oswald’s “normal” life after returning from Russia. Their involvement with the few Russians that lived in Dallas/Ft Worth was very interesting. Marina must have been so lonely. I found it interesting they said she spoke educated Russian. She came from a good family in Russia.
Nov 22, 1963 will always be a defining moment in my life. I was only a few months old. But coverage of that tragic day has resonated throughout my life. My senior year English teacher spent several weeks letting us read the conspiracy books and writing papers on JFK. The late 70’s were when many of the important books were written. It was just after Watergate and anything seemed possible.
Nat Geo had a JFK special last night. They pieced together 2 hours of live coverage (news bulletins) from the days JFK and Oswald were shot. It was like being home in front of the tv as the story played out. Initially there were inaccuracies and confusion in the reporting. Then gradually the whole story emerged. Just like live news stories get covered today.
Sharpshooter.*
Let’s face it, we’ve all known young 20-something jerks who thought the world sucked, knew a better way, and never ever realized all their problems were staring at them in the mirror. I went to junior high with a guy who was not only the epitome of that but looked a lot like LHO. (Maybe there are genetic connections.)
LHO grew up in a crappy household, joined the Marines, thought it sucked, fell for Communism, went AWOL and moved to Russia, found it sucked, came back, was upset that he had been given a Dishonorable Discharge and couldn’t go back into the military (or some related career - I can’t recall right off), got a cheap rifle and pistol, handed out Communist propaganda on street corners, tried to get back into Russia (which didn’t want him), tried to kill a retired general, then (probably while after John Connally) shot JFK, shot a cop, then spent two days in custody whining about how the world was unfair.
Everyone who thinks he personally might have been the nice kid next door at any point in his life, raise your hand…
- Qualified twice at this rating. CTer’s point to his “second rate” Marksman rating six months before discharge as evidence of his inability… not noting that his second Sharpshooter qualification came afterwards.
Don’t forget that he was a wife-beater, too. She’s admitted it.
Sorry, I could only get through the first three pages…he was spending all of that time re-telling what his father had said. Does he ever get around to himself and LHO?
I’m not a young man, and I can’t spend all of my time reading stuff with great titles and shit content.
Although, I am surprised that Lee was certifiable as a translator.
Jeez, man. It’s barely 5000 words. If you’re that old, don’t you remember what reading consisted of before Twitter?
I thought it was well-written and fascinating. Thanks for sharing, OP.
You kinda need the build-up to understand why a kid from Texas who was attending college in Oklahoma became so friendly with Oswald and his wife.
It’s a good read, all the way through.
Neat, especially as I’m in the middle of Stephen King’s “11-22-63”, about going back in time to stop Oswald.
Thanks.
In the Marines, Oswald was known as “Ossie Rabbit.” The image of him as a cunning conspirator with close ties to international espionage, promoted by people like Oliver Stone, is laughable.
His certification as a Russian translator shows how immersion can help someone learn a foreign language. In a situation where you have no choice but to speak it, you pick it up very quickly.
The article is well-written and fascinating!