Oswald's babies - a genuine enigma for LNers and CTers alike

[Lance Payette]

Oswald’s babies are a genuine enigma for both LNers and CTers. The most plausible explanation, I believe, is a CT one. I can fit the babies into an LN narrative, but not easily. I’m surprised CTers don’t focus more on genuine puzzles like this instead of the silliness they love.

June was born on February 15, 1962. On the day of the JFKA, she was 21 months old.

Rachel was born on October 20, 1963. She was 33 days old – 33 days!

Buell Frazier told the WC that Oswald’s kids were the only topic that would get him talking. On a video not long after the JFKA he said, “He liked children very much. That is one of the things that I could get Lee to talk about. The children of the neighborhood, all of them at one time or another seemed to find their way up to the Paine house, where Lee lived, to play with him and his daughter.”

In New Orleans, Ruth Paine observed Oswald playing with June, and Marina told Ruth that his love of June was the strongest bond in their marriage. Ruth later said on video, “He would play with his children and with mine at the house on weekends. He seemed concerned about his little girls—very much so.” Marina likewise told the WC that he “loved children very much.”

Pat Hall, granddaughter of the owner of the rooming house on Beckley (Gladys Johnson), described Oswald playing with her brothers and intervening in a wrestling match between them to say, “Boys, let me tell you something: You gotta care for and love each other.”

When Ruth arrived home the afternoon before the JFKA, Oswald was playing with June on the lawn. That evening, Marina told the WC, he reminded her to get shoes for June and told her to get anything she and the children needed. There was not the slightest indication he might be saying good-bye forever.

And then he went off and killed the President? Anyone planning to shoot JFK from a 6th floor window of the TSBD could not realistically hope to walk out alive and get on a bus (even though he did). Death at the scene was likely, and execution was a certainty if caught. In other words, it was a near-certainty he would be leaving little June and tiny Rachel without a father.

How do we explain this?

One explanation, CT fans, is that he was a true patsy. He had no idea he would be part of any assassination. He had no idea he might be leaving his babies without a father. A very clean and tidy explanation, I’ll have to admit, except for all the evidence pointing to him as the assassin or at least heavily involved.

What do LNers have to offer? Well, the Walker note in April, when June was 14 months old and Marina was pregnant with Rachel, has a sentence beginning “If I am alive and taken prisoner …,” from which we can surmise that he wasn’t adverse at that time to leaving his children without a father – and this was when his marriage was still intact, the Mexico City fiasco hadn’t yet occurred, etc., etc. This is probably the strongest LN argument.

I’ve read literally everything there is to read about Oswald. I think I “know” him as well as he can be known. I can articulate a pretty convincing downward spiral that might have left him feeling hopeless on November 21 and 22. And yet, the “babies thing” still haunts me.

If the LN scenario is correct, there has to have been a quirk in his psychology that overrode his love for his children and the despair about leaving them without a father. My best guess is that (1) for all the reasons I can articulate, he was at his lowest ebb that week in November; (2) his conviction (or perhaps delusion) that he was someone who should be taken seriously and would one day have a place in history must have been the single greatest driving force in his life; and (3) JFK’s motorcade route must have truly seemed like the universe speaking to him at last. But still, the “babies thing” makes me uncomfortable.

[John Mytton]

I don't believe that Oswald was particularly sane, he was extremely arrogant and thought himself to be more intelligent that he actually was.
For a start who in their right mind defects to the enemy at the height of the Cold War and then slashes his wrist when he doesn't get his own way?
Oswald bought the rifle with the explicit purpose to assassinate General Walker.
Oswald had trouble keeping a job because he lacked the focus to be competent, his mind was elsewhere, he was dreaming of greatness.
In the workplace he seemingly never had many friendly interactions with his work mates.

Mr. LIEBELER - Did these absences of his occur pretty much all the time, or did it get worse as he stayed there?
Mr. Le BLANC - Well, toward the last it begin to get pretty regular, and that is when I think they decided to let him go. And another thing I recall: He had this habit, every time he would walk past you he would just [demonstrating] just like a-kid playing cowboys or something--you know, he used his finger like a gun. He would go, "Pow" and I used to look at him, and I said, "Boy, what a crackpot this guy is!"
Mr. LIEBELER - That is what you thought?
Mr. Le BLANC - Yes. Right off the bat I said, "This is a crackpot"; right off.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did he seem to just use his fingers like that, as a gun, as a joke, you mean, or----
Mr. Le BLANC - Well, I didn't know what to think of it, you know, because he--on quite a number of times he would do that, you know. If you would walk past him, he would do that.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did he smile or laugh, or what?
Mr. Le BLANC - No. When he would do it, he wouldn't even crack a smile. That is what used to get me. If somebody would be doing something in a joking .manner, at least they would smile, but he was one that very seldom would talk or would smile either, and that is why I could never figure him out.

There were occasions from time to time when I was unable to locate Oswald in and about the premises and learned that he was in the habit of absenting himself from the premises without leave and visiting a service station establishment adjacent to the Reily Coffee Company known as Alba's Crescent City Garage. Furthermore, Oswald had become quite indifferent to the performance of his duties. I spoke with him from time to time about his absences and his indifferences, all to no avail. Ultimately I recommended to my superiors that Oswald be discharged. My request was granted and he was discharged on July 19, 1963.
Emmett Charles Barbe, Jr. of New Orleans

Mr. GRAEF. His record, as all this has brought out was--adding up to where he was not a desirable employee. His relationships with other employees had reached the point where no one that I know of was really friendly or liked him. His work as we progressed into the more intricate details of our production, didn't improve and it began to be evident after all the training that we had given up to this point that now that he was in a position where he should be able to produce jobs, actually he was not able to do so, and after a reasonable----
Mr. JENNER. Was there ever any thought in your mind as to his ability ultimately to be able to do so?
Mr. GRAEF. Yes; I reached the opinion that he would not have--he would never be the kind of an employee that I was looking for, giving him every chance, you can make a mistake on one job or two jobs, and you always feel like you must--"Let's try it one more time," and this was my thought, because after all, there had been several months passed where we had brought him up to this point and I feel we gave him every chance or tried to give him every chance to make a success, and still he was falling down and making these mistakes--sizing errors-- and camerawork.

Mr. BALL. Did you get acquainted with him after he was there?
Mr. NORMAN. No. Just knew his name. I mean, you know, he wouldn't talk to anybody so I didn't
Mr. BALL. He didn't talk to anybody?
Mr. NORMAN. No.

I shared a room with Oswald for approximately two months prior to his discharge. He was unusual in that he generally would not speak unless spoken to and his answers were always brief. He seldom associated with others.
AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES ANTHONY BOTELHO

I recall that Oswald was often in trouble for failure to adhere to rules and regulations and gave the impression of disliking any kind of authority.
AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN RENE HEINDEL

He claimed to be named after Robert E. Lee, whom he characterized as the greatest man in history.
    Although Oswald engaged in several fights--one of them with a Robert Demurs--I have no recollection as to how good a fighter he was.
    Oswald did not choose to associate with his fellow Marines, nor did they choose to associate with him. He often responded to the orders of his superiors with insolent remarks.
AFFIDAVIT OF PETER FRANCIS CONNOR

I once asked Oswald why he did not go out in the evening like the other men. He replied that he was saving his money, making some statement to the effect that one day he would do something which would make him famous. In retrospect, it is my belief--although he said nothing to this effect--that he had his trip to Russia in mind when he made this statement.
AFFIDAVIT OF MACK OSBORNE

Mr. POWERS. I think that he was an individual that found it hard to come in close relationship to any one individual, and I don't say that he was one that did try to avoid it, but it seems like almost he was always striving for a relationship, but whenever he did come, he would get into the group or something that his---that his--just his general personality would alienate the group against him.

Mr. JENNER. What about his relationships, camaraderie with others on base?
Mr. THORNLEY. Almost nil.
Mr. JENNER. Almost nil.
Mr. THORNLEY. Yes, he got along--
Mr. JENNER. Enlarge on that please.
Mr. THORNLEY. He got along with very few people.

    Oswald did not often associate with his fellow Marines. Although I know of no general explanation for this, I personally stayed away from Oswald because I had heard a rumor to the effect that he was homosexual.
....
He was a person who was never satisfied with any event or situation. He was quietly sarcastic.
AFFIDAVIT OF DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY, JR.

   Oswald was self-contained and withdrawn. He complained about orders he had received from superiors, but followed them.
    Although Oswald did not normally expound to me his political or ideological views, I am of the opinion that he was generally in sympathy with Castro.
    One night in the barracks in Japan, I heard a shot in an adjoining cubicle. I rushed into the cubicle to find Oswald sitting on a foot locker looking at a wound in his arm. When I asked what had happened, Oswald very unemotionally replied, "I believe I shot myself". Oswald was at that time in possession of a small calibre pistol which he was not authorized to possess.
...
His temperament was such that he would push companions to the verge of fighting him, but seldom, if ever, actually took the step of engaging in a fight.
AFFIDAVIT OF PAUL EDWARD MURPHY

Oswald often complained about the Marine Corps; he seemed to me to resent all military authority. He also seemed narrow-minded, refusing to listen to the views of others.
AFFIDAVIT OF ALLEN D. GRAF

Mr. ELY. Did it seem that he was normal to you with regard to mixing with his peers?
Mr. DONOVAN. No; he did not share a common interest with them.

Mr. LIEBELER - Did Oswald generally impress you as a loud or boisterous person?
Mr. WULF - Well, he impressed me as a boy who could get violent over communism, who, if you did not agree with his belief, he would argue with you violently over it.

Mr. JENNER. She thought he exhibited fits of temper?
Mrs. BOUDREAUX. Yes. She said he was a, I mean, a bad child; that's what she said.

Mr. De MOHRENSCHILDT. In my opinion, if Lee Oswald did kill the President, this might be the reason for it, that he was insanely jealous of an extraordinarily successful man, who was young, attractive, had a beautiful wife, had all the money in the world, and was a world figure. And poor Oswald was just the opposite. He had nothing. He had a bit.chy wife, had no money, was a miserable failure in everything he did.

Mr. LIEBELER - Do you think based on your knowledge of Oswald that he was - capable of committing an act such as he was charged to have committed?
Mr. CLARK - Definitely; I think he would have done this to President Kennedy - or anyone else if he felt that it would make him infamous.

Mr. LIEBELER - Were you surprised when you heard that Oswald had been arrested in connection with the assassination?
Mr. HALL - Not at all.
Mr. LIEBELER - You weren't surprised?
Mr. HALL - No.

Mr. LIEBELER - Is there any other reason other than the fact Oswald was at that building that made you think of him when you heard that building mentioned in connection with the assassination?
Mr. PAINE - Well, yes; Oswald, of course, stands--he is a black sheep in society;

Mr. BALL - Why did you tell him you wouldn't rent to him any more?
Mrs. BLEDSOE - Because I didn't like him.
Mr. BALL - Why?
Mrs. BLEDSOE - I didn't like his attitude.

ERNST TITOVETS: Will you tell us about your last killing?
LEE HARVEY OSWALD: Well, it was a young girl under a bridge. She came in carrying a loaf of bread, and I just cut her throat from ear to ear.
ERNST TITOVETS: What for?
LEE HARVEY OSWALD: Well, I wanted the loaf of bread, of course. [laughter]

I think that Oswald grew resentful of Marina as his violent outbursts showed, knew he could never be a useful provider and his place in history was his true ambition.
Oswald realized that he never had a hope of reconciling with Marina and knew that his children would be better off if he wasn't there and prophetically this turned out to be true.

JohnM

[Richard Smith]

Assassinating the president as Oswald did is not a rational act.  We can't expect Oswald to have behaved rationally or to have acted in the same ways as a normal people.  He may have loved his kids.  I'm sure the hijackers on 9/11 loved their families but they went ahead with the act. Some people are wired differently.  They do things most of us would never contemplate both on moral and personal grounds.  Oswald knew it was wrong and that many people would suffer including himself and his family, but he did it just the same. 

[Lance Payette]

I hate the term "Lone Nut" because I think Oswald was anything but a nut. Highly complex, disturbed, angry, erratic, etc., but not a "nut" in any conventional sense. "Lone Assassin" - fine.

What troubles me especially are (1) the babies, (2) his almost desperate efforts to reconcile with Marina the day before, and (3) his complete lack of any indication that this might be good-bye. We'll never know exactly what passed between him and Marina that afternoon and evening, but I have to believe it was some Last Straw. I also have to believe that the need to be taken seriously and achieve the importance he thought he deserved must have been the driving psychological factor. But then we bump up against the obvious question, "Then why did he adamantly deny any involvement?" My theory, especially after his effort to contact Abt, is that he realized a trial could be months of Marxist Theater that would cement his place in history.

I'm not such a LN zealot that I can't admit I find some issues like this troubling for the LN narrative.

[Charles Collins]

I hate the term "Lone Nut" because I think Oswald was anything but a nut. Highly complex, disturbed, angry, erratic, etc., but not a "nut" in any conventional sense. "Lone Assassin" - fine.

What troubles me especially are (1) the babies, (2) his almost desperate efforts to reconcile with Marina the day before, and (3) his complete lack of any indication that this might be good-bye. We'll never know exactly what passed between him and Marina that afternoon and evening, but I have to believe it was some Last Straw. I also have to believe that the need to be taken seriously and achieve the importance he thought he deserved must have been the driving psychological factor. But then we bump up against the obvious question, "Then why did he adamantly deny any involvement?" My theory, especially after his effort to contact Abt, is that he realized a trial could be months of Marxist Theater that would cement his place in history.

I'm not such a LN zealot that I can't admit I find some issues like this troubling for the LN narrative.

I think it is quite possible that LHO genuinely enjoyed spending time with children. However, that aspect of his personality doesn’t trouble me at all. It seems to me that LHO was neglected by his mother when he was young. And he never knew his father. Often people tend to feel a need to somehow make up for what they believe might have been lacking in their childhoods. Going to church is an example of this that I see quite a bit. The ones who were made to go to church as kids often don’t attend church very much as adults. And the ones who rarely if ever attended church as kids end up being some of the most regular attendees as adults.

As far as his “efforts” to reconcile with Marina goes, I have doubts that they were genuine. Marina tells the WC (when she was testifying about the Nixon coming to town incident) that LHO often abused her mentally. I think LHO had already made up his mind that he was going to shoot at JFK. Getting his rifle the only reasonable justification that I can see for the Thursday evening visit to Ruth Paine’s house. In other words, I think any reconciliation efforts could have waited until another day, but if he was going to make an attempt to shoot JFK, he couldn’t wait until a later date to get his rifle. And based on what Marina testified about LHO mentally abusing her, I think his reconciliation “efforts” could have been designed only to make her regret not being more receptive.

Finally, I think that his lack of an indication that this might be good-bye was just being prudent. The last thing he would have wanted would have been for her to guess that he was going to make an attempt to shoot JFK before JFK actually came through Dealey Plaza. LHO didn’t want to discuss the JFK visit when Marina and Ruth brought the subject up on Thursday evening. Feigning indifference was probably his way of trying to avoid having them realize that JFK was going to be coming right by the building where LHO worked. If they had realized that on Thursday evening, it might have occurred to Marina that LHO might try to shoot JFK and tried to stop him beforehand.

[Lance Payette]

Yes, the reconciliation efforts certainly could have waited, so we have to believe that getting the rifle was the primary purpose. I guess the question is, were those efforts sincere, meaning he hadn't made a firm and final decision to shoot JFK, or were they just window dressing? Marina seemed to think they were sincere and even wondered if the JFKA would have occurred if she'd said OK, and that's always been my feeling - i.e., he was floating a sincere trial balloon and her rejection was the last straw. But if he had firmly decided he was going to shoot JFK before the visit to the Paine home, then presumably neither the babies nor Marina would have stood in the way.

As I suggested above, the Walker note ("If I'm alive ...") seems to strongly support that nothing would get in his way. In fact, the Walker attempt is quite telling. Would Oswald have fulfilled his destiny and become an important historical figure by killing ... Gen. Walker? Walker was scarcely a figure of the magnitude of JFK - not well-known to most people at the time and destined to become a footnote in history himself (surprisingly, he lived until 1993). Whereas I can see how Oswald might have thought that killing JFK would help him gain entry into Cuba, killing Walker seems almost pointless. Yet Oswald was willing to risk everything, including his family and his own life, to take a shot at him - at a time when Marina was pregnant with Rachel. In comparison, as I said, JFK passing in front of his window must truly have seemed like the Universe saying, "This is your destiny."

Just thinking out loud here. Probably my favorite aspect of the JFKA is to engage in thought exercises as what Oswald was actually doing and thinking from the week or so before the assassination through his death at the hands of Ruby.

[Steve M. Galbraith]

Yes, the reconciliation efforts certainly could have waited, so we have to believe that getting the rifle was the primary purpose. I guess the question is, were those efforts sincere, meaning he hadn't made a firm and final decision to shoot JFK, or were they just window dressing? Marina seemed to think they were sincere and even wondered if the JFKA would have occurred if she'd said OK, and that's always been my feeling - i.e., he was floating a sincere trial balloon and her rejection was the last straw. But if he had firmly decided he was going to shoot JFK before the visit to the Paine home, then presumably neither the babies nor Marina would have stood in the way.

As I suggested above, the Walker note ("If I'm alive ...") seems to strongly support that nothing would get in his way. In fact, the Walker attempt is quite telling. Would Oswald have fulfilled his destiny and become an important historical figure by killing ... Gen. Walker? Walker was scarcely a figure of the magnitude of JFK - not well-known to most people at the time and destined to become a footnote in history himself (surprisingly, he lived until 1993). Whereas I can see how Oswald might have thought that killing JFK would help him gain entry into Cuba, killing Walker seems almost pointless. Yet Oswald was willing to risk everything, including his family and his own life, to take a shot at him - at a time when Marina was pregnant with Rachel. In comparison, as I said, JFK passing in front of his window must truly have seemed like the Universe saying, "This is your destiny."

Just thinking out loud here. Probably my favorite aspect of the JFKA is to engage in thought exercises as what Oswald was actually doing and thinking from the week or so before the assassination through his death at the hands of Ruby.

Evidence of his willingness to abandon his family: The defection to the USSR where he leaves his family behind, including a sick, elderly mother (but then wants their help when he decides to return); the Walker attempt; the attempted defection to Cuba (he told Marina that once that he got there that they could find a way later to get together; gee, thanks "Mr. Father of the Year"); his agitation/protesting on behalf of Castro when they had no money; finally Dallas. He was quite willing to throw people overboard - including his wife and children - for his own selfish interests.

[David Von Pein]

If the LN scenario is correct, there has to have been a quirk in his psychology that overrode his love for his children and the despair about leaving them without a father. My best guess is that (1) for all the reasons I can articulate, he was at his lowest ebb that week in November; (2) his conviction (or perhaps delusion) that he was someone who should be taken seriously and would one day have a place in history must have been the single greatest driving force in his life; and (3) JFK’s motorcade route must have truly seemed like the universe speaking to him at last. But still, the “babies thing” makes me uncomfortable.

My two cents....

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"Lee Harvey Oswald was a first-rate, bona fide kook. And he killed President John F. Kennedy, by himself, when he was afforded the perfect opportunity on November 22, 1963.

Knowing Oswald (who we know for an absolute fact had murder in his veins, via the attempt on General Edwin Walker's life 7 months earlier), it would probably have been criminal (from Oswald's POV) to have allowed such a golden opportunity to pass him by when the President of the country he hated conveniently drove right by the Texas School Book Depository at 11 MPH.

How often does a chance like that drive by your workplace doorstep (in an open-top convertible, no less)? It's almost as if Oswald was daring HIMSELF to take those shots at the President."

-- David V.P.; September 11, 2007

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More of my thoughts here:

jfk-archives.blogspot.com/2013/01/Oswald's Decision To Shoot JFK