Oswald takes MATs Flight to Defect?

MATS flight from McGuire to Germany – October 1959 w/ Lee Oswald, USMC

In September 1978, a chief investigator for the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) had an assistant contact Louisea Steenbarger – of Peru, Indiana, to see what information she wanted to relay in regards to their investigation of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

The assistant made the phone call and talked to Louise Steenbarger and wrote this report:

KENNEDY
OUTSIDE CONTACT REPORT
DATE 9-26-78 TIME

I.                    Identifying Information: Name Louise Steenbarger Telphone 317-172-1771Address 128 East Sixth Street, Peru, Indiana Type of Contact – x Telephone ___ Person

II.                 Summary of   Contact:

Pursuant to Cliff Fenton’s request, I called Mrs. Steenbarger because she contacted the Committee to give information.

Mrs. Steenbarger related the following:

In Mid-October 1959 her husband, Maurice Eugene Steenbarger, was stationed with the Air Force in Phalsbourg France. He husband was a civilian auditor with the Auditor General. At that time she left her home in Marion, Indiana with her eight year old son, David (dob 11/29/51) to join her husband in France. Her travel was arranged through the military and she was issued travel orders. She left from Bunker Hill Base (now called Garisson) in Indiana and flew to MacGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. MacGuire was the point of departure for military transport flights were called MATS.

On the airplane her son sat in the window seat and she sat in the middle. The man sitting in the aisle seat said his name was Lee Oswald; she doesn’t remember him using a middle name. He seemed tense and didn’t say much; he gripped the arms of the seat so tightly that his knuckles were white. She thought he was merely afraid of flying. He was quite taciturn and actually seemed hostile when she tried to talk to him.

The young man relaxed after they had a meal. He seemed to her like he had a lot of pent-up emotion. He said he had served in Japan and the Philippines. He was wearing a Marine Corps uniform. He said he had fallen in love with a Japanese girl and had been imprisoned in either Japan or the Philippines because he wanted to marry her. He said he was being shipped to Germany by the military; the departure had been so hastily arranged that he had not even been able to see his mother.

Mrs. Steenbarger described the man as having light to sand hair, light eyes, with sharpshooter medals on his uniform, a name plate saying “Lee Oswald” and a slight Southern accent.

He said his father was named Robert E. Lee Oswald. He talked about putting down the American system. He said he was being shipped to Germany because they needed him right away and that he had a skill he could use there, but she doesn’t recall if he specified what skill.

The plane landed in Preswick in Scotland. Mrs. Steenbarger and her son deplaned to use the restroom. Oswald said he was ill. He stood at a distance and seemed to be watching her coldly and suspiciously. After that, he didn’t speak to her any more.

When they got back on the plane the man named Oswald sat across the isle from her and her son and a couple of rows up. Another man in nice civilian clothing sat next to her. He let a cigarette dangle on the armrest but appeared distracted and did not smoke it. There may have been other civilians on the plane, but she is not sure.

The man named Oswald told her that he was still under surveillance from his trouble with the military police. The man sitting next to her after Oswald moved behaved oddly that she wondered if he was in fact the person who was watching Oswald.

Their plane landed at either Rhine/Maine or Frnakfurt.  That was the last time she saw the man named Oswald. She did not notice how he left the airfield.

Mrs. Steenbarger offered that her travel arrangements and possibly a manifest of that flight could be gotten from the Air Force. She provided the following vital statistics on her and her husband:

Lola Louise Steenbarger

Dob 3/19/23

SS#

Maurice Eugene Steenbarger

Dob 10/5/16

S$#

Civil Service Retirement #CSA 1718774

Began work with Auditor General in 1955

III.               Recommended Follow-up (If any):

Request from Air Force travel manifest for flight taken by Mrs. Steenbarger to see if Oswald’s name appears.

Signature Surell Brady Surell Brady

OSWALD CHRONOLOGY – 1958-1959

October 24, 1956 – Oswald enters the USMC

Feb '58 Oswald rotated back to U.S. and assigned to MAC 9 in Santa Ana Ca        

June 20,  '58 - Oswald into brig for 45 days for barroom altercation with Sgt.

November 19, 1958 to December 22, 1958 LHO gets 30 days leave

December 1958 – September 1959 – While LHO stationed in California, he has one date with “Rose” – ex-airline hostess who speaks Russian and who is Henry J. (“Beezer”) Rouseeelle’s aunt. Rousselle is in USMC and from coastal Louisiana town. (CD 129:1-3)

December 1958 – Oswald has one month leave from USMC (16:337; CD 6:455)

December 28 1958 until September 1959 – LHO stationed at El Toro, Sana Anna (MACS 9 – radar team of 10)

1959 - DPD Lt. George Butler says a Marine buddy tells of Oswald making mysterious trips while stationed in California in 1959.

Feb   '59 Oswald takes proficiency test in Russian from Marines

                                  

Mar  '59 Oswald applies to Albert Schwitzer College...claims Russian proficiency.

April – June 1959 – Oswald becomes acquainted with a fellow Marine named Kerry W. Thornley at the California base. Thornley’s father is a Whittier, California, photoengraver. Thornley is a New Orleans writer (in 1963) whose unpublished novel has an Oswald-like central character. Thornley says he was a ‘leftist’ in 1959 and a ‘rightest’ in 1963. He knew nothing of Schewitzer College. Thornley goes to California from New Orleans in May 1963 and  returns to New Orleans through Mexico in September 1963.

June 6, 1959 – Saturday – Oswald writes to his brother Robert that he knows what he’s going to do when he gets out of USMC. (16:824) USMC friend of LHO recalls he had Russian language records and mentions going to Schweitzer College between 12/58 and  9/59.  Oswald tells mother of his plans to attend Albert Schweitzer College.

June 19, 1959 – Oswald sends $25 deposit to Schewitzer College for future enrollment (Spring 1960)

July 1959 – Oswald is told of his mother’s injury.

               

Aug ’59 Gladys Davis will later report to FBI that her husband and a Cuban known to her as “Mexicano” introduced Oswald to her at her home in Miami

August 1959 – 17 (Monday) – Oswald requests a dependency discharge from the USMC because of  his mother’s injury. Robert says that Oswald is due to be discharged on December 8, 1959 on his regular tour. LHO on 30 days leave from LUMC, El Toro from 11./19/58 until – LHO was in Fort Worth when mother injured!!)  letter of  8/17 a fraud.

September 1959 – Oswald stationed at El Toro Naval Air Station, San Diego since Dec. 28, 1958

Sept 4 '59 Oswald passport application references DOD card issued on Sept 11!! and carries same officers signature, who does not recall sighing either.

September 4 1959 (Friday) Oswald gets letter from the USMC saying that he is to be discharged on September 11, 1959. He takes this letter and applies for a passport in Los Angeles. He states o this application that he is  in the export business and that he is planning a four-month trip to attend A. Schweitzer (sic) College in Switzerland and the University of Turku in Finland, with tourist trips to Switzerland, Finland, Cuba, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany and Russia. He plans to leave from New Orleans about September 21, 1959. This application was received in Washington on September 9, and granted on September 10.

Sept 11 ' 59 Oswald receives DOD ID card with same photo as later seen on phony "Alek Hidell" Selective Service card....card sometimes issued to civilians requiring ID overseas; same as issued to Gary Powers by CIA

Sept 11 '59 Oswald given hardship discharge based on Mothers injury.....this is clearly a case of misrepresentation on his part as he already plans to go overseas.

September 10 1959 (Thursday) Oswald receives passport #1733242 in Los Angeles.

September 11, 1959 (Friday) Oswald is released by the USMC at El Toro, California, so that he can care for his injured mother in Fort Worth. Oswald receives $219.20 severance and travel pay. He is obligated to serve in the USMCR until December 8, 1962.

September 11, 1959 LHO issued Dept. of Defense “Unifovored Services Identificaiton and Privileges Card #4271617, DD form 1173, 1 January 57. Oswald’s photo from this card used on Hidell’s fake Sel. Serv. Reg. card.

September 12, 13, 14 -1959 (Sat-Mon) Oswald stays with his mother in Fort Worth. He mentions that he may go to Cuba. He goes hunting with Robert.

September 14, 1959 (Monday) Oswald registers with his Fort Worth draft board. Address: 3124 W. 5^th, Ft. Worth Why?

September 14, 1959 Oswald withdraws $203 balance from Fort Worth Bank.

Oswald give mother $100. She believes Oswald saved $1600 from USMC pay.

September 16, 1959 – Oswald is at the Liberty Hotel, New Orleans. Signs passenger immigration D-32 questionnaire in New Orleans.

September 16, 1959 – (Thursday) Oswald books passage on “Marion Lykes” through Travel Consultants, International Trade Mart

September 19, 1959 – (Saturday) Oswald writes to Mother telling her that their ways are different.

September 20, 1959 – (Sunday) Ship leaves New Orleans

October 5, 1959 – (Monday)  - Marion Lykes – arrives at LaRochelle, France.

October 1959 – this is the first month on a calendar handwritten in Oswald’s notebook.

October 8, 1959 (Thursday) Oswald’s passport is stamped as entered at LeHarve.

October 9, 1959 (Friday) Oswald’s passport is stamped as embarked at London airport.

October 10, 1959 – Oswald arrives in Helsinki – Torni Hotel.

October 11, 1959 (Sunday) – Oswald moves to Klaus Kurki Hotel, Helsinki.

October 14, 1959 (Wednesday) Oswald gets USSR visa.

October 15, 1959 (Thursday) Oswald arrives in USSR via Finland

Jack Valenti Memo to LBJ on AF1 Transcript

MEMORANDUM   [undecipherable handwritten notes and numbers in the top right hand corner]

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

LBJ RESPONSE IN BOLD 

August 31, 1965

9:10 pm – Tuesday

MR. PRESIDENT

Eunice Shrive and Bill Manchester have both called me.

Subject: The book on the four days of the assassination written by Manchester and approved of by the Kennedy family.

The book is almost complete.

What is needed to finish it is:

a.       The transcript of air radio traffic between Air Force One and Andrews during the flight back. I have read it. Nothing of great political import.  [Hand written notation by LBJ]  Don’t have it

b.      Notes transcribed by Homer Thornberry and Cliff Carter. Dorothy Territo has these notes. I have not read them. [Handwritten notation by LBJ] above “b”] Don’t have them.

Mrs. Shriver is anxious that Manchester have this material made available to her. [Handwritten notation by LBJ] I’m not under any obligation to Manchester

ACTION RECOMMENDED:

1.      That Abe Fortas read over the notes, and the Air Force One traffic. [Handwritten by LBJ] No

2.      I will call Manchester back and say we are now checking to see if this material is releasable. [Handwritten note by LBJ] No

3.      After Fortas has read the material, we will determine what final action will take. [sic]

Is this procedure okay with you:  YES______   NO________ [Very large check next to NO]

Jack Valenti

LBJ Library 

ONI Document Series III

ONI Document Series III

This package, received in the mails like the last two, is the smallest, only a few dozen pages on four subjects – which I placed in chronological order. Some are on subjects other than ONI but most ONI. 

Copies of the entire documents are posted on line at http://jfkcountercoup2.blogspot.com 

1)      March 21, 1960 Memo from Chief TSD/Security CIA Re: Hugh C. McDonald and marketing his “Identi-kit”

2)      November 23, 1963 ONI Memos on Oswald subject file shared w/ Directors of DIA and SS (2 p)
]JFKCountercoup2: DIA Receives ONI Oswald File

3)      December 3 1963 ONI Memo on the fact that Capt. Donovan, USMC w/ Oswald (1 p) JFKCountercoup2: Donovan Oswald's USMC Officer
JFKCountercoup2: Secret Service Receives Oswald ONI File

4)      August 31, 1968 Memo from Jack Valenti to President LBJ regarding AF1 Radio transcript (1p)

5)      September 16, 1997 ARRB meeting w/ Fred J. Reaves, Jr. (1 summary,  4 numbered handwritten notes, 5 p. samples from Reeve’s personnel file establishing his bonifides, including pay stubs and special Navy Intelligence school at Monterey and stationed at San Diego.) JFKCountercoup2: ARRB Meeting Report w/ONI Investigator Reeves

6)      Undated handwritten notes of unidentified federal investigator (9 p) labeled “Historical Naval District Stuff” that I have typed out and will post as an appendix to this analysis.  JFKCountercoup2: Notes on Oswald's Military Files

7)      August 23 (Sat) 1997? Handwritten notes on lined paper of Personal Background – James Frederick Reeves, Jr. (6/23/17) (5 p.) including names and contacts of other officers who saw the Oswald ONI file, plus 3 pages of handwritten notes labeled “Special Interest This Inquiry” (numbered p. 2-3-4), on lined paper, and ends with a synopsis and conclusion that Oswald killed JFK at the behest of New Orleans mob boss Carlos Marcello. JFKCountercoup2: Special Interest Report - ONI Investigator Fred Reeves

8)      September 16, 1997 hand printed note by unidentified ARRB staff member Re: Fred Reeves Interviewed and notes “Ed Walz – Friend of Both DeMohrenschildt and Reeves,” plus unused envelop and empty page w/ Walden Oil Company letterhead. (3 pages)  JFKCountercoup2: USAF Col. Edward J. Walz

[BK: Doug Horne may be able to identify the author of the ARRB staff meeting notes]

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS

1)      Hugh McDonald and the CIA. McDonald is the author of a series of pulp paperback books that claim to identify the man misidentified as Oswald leaving the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City as “Saul,” and blaming the assassination on the Soviets and LBJ. He was a security assistant to US Senator Barry Goldwater when he ran for president and according to this memo, a close associate of the Technical Services and Security Division of the CIA. So whatever he says can be clearly viewed as Disinformation. [BK: I have yet to retype this one page document because I think it is the least interesting but will get around to it.]

2)      Early (8:30 am) on the morning after the assassination, the Director of ONI (Adml. Rufus Taylor) shares a subject file with the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (Gen. Carroll). This file is labeled: “OSWALD, Lee Harvey, ex-PFC, USMCR, 1653230 (U),” and was viewed for one hour by Gen. Carroll. There is a note that this file was previously seen by Mr. McNAUGHTON of the office of the General Counsel. The same file is identified as an “Office of Naval Intelligence dossier” in a separate memo dated the same day from the Secret Service acknowledging receipt and the fact that “this file will be promptly returned to the Director of Naval Intelligence (OP-921D).” So on the day after the assassination the Director of ONI had a file on Oswald, and shared it with others, but didn’t let them keep it. Paul Hoch obtained this documents through a FOIA request in the 70s, and notes that Taylor ordered a file “to be prepared” to share with others, as if the newly prepared file would be different that the file itself, and also references three different files.

So despite the fact that according to the ARRB Final Report and ARRB internal memos that they could find no assassination records whatsoever from the office of the Director of ONI (Adml. Taylor), these two documents clearly prove that the Director of ONI had a subject file on Oswald that was shared with the Director of DIA and the Secret Service on the day after the assassination. The one assassination related document that originated with ONI and is signed by Adml. Taylor, found among the records of another agency, clearly indicates that the Director of ONI did indeed have a file on Oswald, as well as undercover ONI informants on the ground in Dallas, two who did electronic work for Jack Ruby at the Carousel Club.

3)      The 2 December 1963 memo now refers to subject OSWALD as “(Deceased),” and notes that Capt. John Donovan (USMCR) was Oswald’s commander for nine months and could be a source of information on him, includes contact info for Donovan.

4)      The ARRB Meeting Report is a summary of the highlights of what Fred Reeves had to say, especially the facts that a) Reeves was a career Navy Intelligence officer who was personally ordered to investigate Oswald after his defection in 1959 by Adml. Taylor; b) ONI Washington ran the investigation; c) directions were sent to the field by OPNAV forms 5520-152 forms and responses were sent back via OPNAV forms 5520-119 – aka “119s.;” and that while he did not personally write them, 8 to 10 “119” reports crossed his desk and he read them. Reeves also gave them the names and contact numbers for three other former officers who knew of the Oswald investigations and turned over copies of ONI records obtained under the FOIA in the 1970s. This interview was also audio recorded and that tape should be transcribed. There are a dozen or so pages of handwritten notes made by the ARRB staff at the meeting – Horne, Combs, Goslee, one of which includes the names and addresses of three officers who would know more about the Oswald ONI file – Capt. Jack Johnson, Sherman Bliss and Winston Kuehl, with their contact numbers that still might be good if they are still alive.

5)      Handprinted note “Fred Reeves interviewed on 9/16/97 12-15 “119” Reports seen in 1959-1960 on defector Oswald. Ed Walz – Friend of BOTH DEMOHRENSCHILDT & REEVES –  Was virulently anti-JFK. “Hated Him”. Business partner w/DEM. Walz also told Reeves DEM was “sleeping w/ MARINA.”

Now this is rather incredible, but probably true – that Reeves, besides being the ONI NIS officer officially investigating Oswald’s defection and post-assassination, was also a friend of Lt. Col. Ed Walz, one of DeMohrenschildt’s many business partners in the oil business. And as it turns out, Lt. Col. Walz is connected to some others people and places we are familiar with.  The photo copy of Walz’s Walden Oil Company gives a Dallas address – Penthouse, Reserve Loan Life Building, Dallas (that I haven’t checked out yet), but Walz has Philadelphia connections worth elaboration. That Walz told Reeves DEM was sleeping with Marina is belittled by other open source facts - US Air Force Lt. Col. Edward J. Walz, of Philadelphia, is the uncle of Dr. Wynne “Dee Dee” Sharples, George deMohrenschildt’s second wife, the daughter of a Colorado Oil man.

     Listed as past Commander (1945-47) of the 449 Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron, (McDill AFB, Florida), Lt. Col. Ed J. Walz formed the Walden Oil Company with deMohrenschildt in the 1950s, when he was married to Sharples.

     Sharples and deMohrenschildt had a child who was handicapped so they founded and supported a systic fibrosis foundation that also had the support of the President and Mrs. Kennedy. After divorcing deMohrenscildt Dr. Sharples became a trustee of Temple University and was recently living in Florida (though I think she has since passed away).

    Is there anything sinster about Reeves knowing one of deMohrenschildt’s many business partners? I don’t think so, but it does call for a closer look at Dr. Sharples, to see if she relates to any of the other Philadelphia connections, and Lt. Col. Walz, as he does have the association of being past commander of the flying squadron stationed at McDill AF Base, which JFK visited a week before he was killed.

JFK Monument American U. June 10, 2014

Please Join Us at the JFK Monument at American University at 12 noon on June 10, 2014

 John Judge at the JFK Memoral at American Univeristy 

Marilyn Tenenoff writes:

On June 10, John Judge will make an appearance by audio at American University in Washington, DC.   Supporters of COPA and the Museum of Hidden History will gather on that day, at noon, to commemorate the 51st anniversary of a groundbreaking speech made by President John F. Kennedy, and also to honor the life and work of John Judge.  The event will feature an audio recording of John reading a portion of President Kennedy's speech.

                     JFK Gives "Peace Speech" at Graduation Commencement at American University 

                                                                       June 10, 1963

The American University speech, titled A Strategy of Peace, was a commencement address delivered by President John F. Kennedy at the American University in Washington, D.C., on June 10, 1963.

In the speech, Kennedy announced his agreement to negotiations "toward early agreement on a comprehensive test ban treaty" (which resulted in the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty) and also announced, for the purpose of showing "good faith and solemn convictions," his decision to unilaterally suspend all US atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons as long as all other nations would do the same. The speech was unusual in its peaceful outreach to the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, and is remembered as one of Kennedy’s finest and most important speeches. (excerpt from Wikipedia)

The first appendix of Marty Schotz's  History Will Not Absolve Us is the text of the address.  Dave Ratcliffe took that text and made it reflect the words actually spoken by President Kennedy along with a film box and audio player at the top of the file.  A server redirect is at http://ratical.org/JFK061063.html.

There is a plaque at American University which commemorates President Kennedy's speech.  It is at the southern end of Reeves Field, which you can see on the left edge of this map of the campus.  

Please join Randy Benson and others in front of the plaque at noon on June 10 for this annual event.

For Directions please see: 

http://www.american.edu/aumaps/upload/campus_map.pdf

Bill Kelly