From a CD of the White House Audio Tapes of Air Force One
MEMORANDUM
October 17, 1995
To: Jeremy Gunn
From: Doug Horne
Subject: Air Force One Audiotapes from November 22, 1963
1. "As directed, Joan Zimmerman and I visited Archives II to listen to audio recordings
of the November 22, 1963 Air Force One tapes."
-snip-
4. "Joan Zimmerman and I took voluminous notes, noting the many occasions when
spoken word on the tapes is not accounted for on the LBJ transcript. We also took notes
in an attempt to expand on areas of the "transcript" which are only summations of
conversations (vice verbatim accounts), and attempted to correct occasional inaccuracies
found in the LBJ "transcript."
-snip-
B. "Onboard Air Force One on the return flight to Washington, Secret Service Agent
Kellerman, and later General Ted Clifton (Military Aide to the President) make it clear
that their desire is for an ambulance and limousine to take President Kennedy's body to
Walter Reed General Hospital for autopsy"..under guard...," as specified by General
Clifton. Gerald Behn, Head of the White House Secret Service Detail, counters that a
Helicoptor has been arranged to take the President's body to the National Naval Medical
Center at Bethesda for autopsy, and all other personnel will be choppered to the
South Grounds of the White House. Ultimately, the President's physician, Admiral
George Burley (on Air Force One), sides with Gerald Behn (at the White House) in
support of a Bethesda autopsy and persuades the Surgeon General of the Army,
Gneral Heaton (in Washington) to cancel arrangements for a Walter Reed autopsy."
"Once it becomes clear that Bethesda is to be the site, two things happen:
First, both Admiral Burkley and General Clifton insist that the President's body be transported to
Bethesda by ambulance(vice helicoptor), even though Gerald Behn at the White House
informs General Clifton that President Kennedy's Naval Aide, CAPT Shepard, has
assured him that it will be no problem for the helicoptor to carry the heavy casket;
second, even though Admiral Burkley and General Clifton insist on ambulance
transport of JFK's body to Bethesda, Gerald Behn at the White House subsequently
orders Roy Kellerman: "You accompany the body aboard the helicopter,"
-snip-
(2) "An Air Force document titled: "Historical Highlights of Andrews Air Force Base, 1942-1989" states
that "...the body of the slain President was removed to Walter Reed General
Hospital...," which further fuels the controversy over the movements of the President's
body after Air Force One landed at Andrews."
-snip-
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http://www.whitehousetapes.netPresidential Recordings Program, Miller Center of Public Affairs,
University of Virginia"The full text of the entire volume of annotated transcripts of the LBJ recordings from November 22 to November 30, 1962,
is available here. It includes the complete set of Air Force One calls enroute from Dallas to Washington. The volume was
edited by former Miller Center scholar Max Holland."-----------------------