Thanks Charles, I gather it is the mark on top of the box at the bottom of the photo. This is consistent with what I think the original thoughts were regarding shooting before the reappearance of Day after 3pm.
I believe that Mooney's testimony was about a "slight crease" and Day's testimony was about something different, a "scar." The cardboard that was used in the boxes is basically constructed in three distinct layers, an outer layer, a middle layer (that is corrugated) and an inner layer. It appears to me that the "scar" was caused by a tearing of the outer layer away from the middle, corrugated layer. And the missing piece of the outer layer exposed the corrugated layer. In my opinion, this was most likely caused in handling the box, perhaps a corner of another box when stacking them, or something similar to that.
It is difficult to tell from the photos, but the elongated darkened area between the arrows that I placed in this photo could be what Mooney was describing as a "slight crease." And it would be in the proper direction for a shot down Elm Street.
I also think that it is most likely that the boxes were full of books and therefore would not crease any more than just slightly when the box was hit with a fist or the rifle. Here is a photo showing the secret service reenactment. You have to use your imagination a little to envision how the rifle was held.
In my opinion, people who thought that he would have shot as the limo approached the TSBD probably had never gone through infantry training with the USMC. A military style ambush takes into account surprise, concealment, and escape afterwards, among other things. Firing upon the approach would have been a big mistake because it would most likely have exposed his position while the secret service agents were looking in that direction. And return fire from the SS would have been the most likely result.
I don't know what you are referring to when you say the window strip. Please explain. Thanks
Sorry for the late reply Charles, have been away for a bit. Let me preface this with what I am about to write
is from memory only. I have briefly attempted to find the relevant photos/documents, I know they exist, I just cant lay my hands on them. I am sure other members (eg JohnM) will remember the debate around the wooden window strip from some time back.
We have the following information to work with;
Mooney's discovery of the SN and his thoughts that the mark on the box indicated the direction of fire by the rifle.
"I went straight across to the southeast corner of the building, and I saw all these high boxes. Of course they were stacked all the way around over there. And I squeezed between two. And the minute I squeezed between these two stacks of boxes, I had to turn myself sideways to get in there that is when I saw the expended shells and the boxes that were stacked up looked to be a rest for the weapon. And, also, there was a slight crease in the top box. Whether the recoil made the crease or it was placed there before the shots were fired, I don't know. But, anyway, there was a very slight crease in the box, where the rifle could have lain--at the same angle that the shots were fired from."
Ball then asks Mooney
Mr. BALL - Can you take this and point out about where the crease was on 509?
Now, was there anything you saw over in the corner?
Mr. MOONEY - No, sir; I didn't see anything over in the corner. I did see this one partially eaten piece of fried chicken laying
over to the right. It looked like
he was facing--
Also "to the right" of the boxes when looking out the window were the three shells. I suggest that at that time, those observing the scene, would logically believe that the assassin fired the gun in a SE direction, ie. as JFK approached.
This notion was confirmed by Day in the quote supplied earlier.
Mr. DAY. There was a scar on the top of or the top side of this box that was sitting there. I noticed that at the time.
I thought the recoil of the gun had caused that. I later decided that was in
the wrong direction. It was not the recoil of the gun but I did notice this scar on the box.
Day's movements/actions on the 22nd can be summarized as; About 1.15 arriving at the SN and performing initial analysis of the shells in the SN with Sims after Studebaker photographed the SN from 2 angles. Soon after, the rifle was at found about 1.20 or so and so Day and Studebaker were called by Fritz went to photograph that scene and Day performed initial analysis of the rifle. Day disappeared to take the rifle to the crime lab about 2pm. Studebaker returned to the SN to continue processing. Day returned to the TSBD about 3pm. in the meantime, Studebaker, as part of his activities, removed a wooden strip from a window for further processing because it was believed that the assassin might have touched it. There is documentation of arrival of a wooden strip at City Hall at 3.20pm, along with the paper wrapper, lunch bag and chicken bones and bottle. These items were transported by Montgomery and Johnson who left the building with them at 3pm. Along with the lunch contents the strip was not given to Vince Drain that night to be sent to the FBI.
The description of this strip was that it was 30" long, later descriptions of was that it was 40". How could there be this discrepancy in length? I believe the answer is that the initial impression was that of a shooter was positioned to the right of the boxes and so the strip that was removed was from the "right-side" window. There is a photo of the SN taken that afternoon that shows this "right" window with the strip removed. I believe it either broke during removal (or was already broken) and about 30" in length. After it was realized by Day that the shots were fired in a SW facing direction and the shooter was sitting to the left of the stacked boxes against the window, the "left" strip was removed intact for processing and was 40" in length.
