Oswald's Marine Corp Rifle Scorebook

[Bill Brown]

Ended November 10, 2021 -   Sold For: $75,000

Lee Harvey Oswald’s US Marine Corps Rifle Score Book (Warren Commission Exhibit No. 239)
Lee Harvey Oswald's US Marine Corps Rifle Score Book—Exhibit 239 used as evidence in the Warren Commission Report on the Assassination of President Kennedy



https://www.rrauction.com/auctions/lot-detail/345171706200220-lee-harvey-oswalds-us-marine-corps-rifle-score-book-warren-commission-exhibit-no-239?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3LGeN545ROorycyOrCUtYxhL99CA2nDwK3IcGEx8m_OTAX9kBULLNLvkA_aem_ka62YuT10RmIlzlMHaMhyw

Description
Lee Harvey Oswald's US Marine Corps Rifle Score Book—Exhibit 239 used as evidence in the Warren Commission Report on the Assassination of President Kennedy
Lee Harvey Oswald's personally-owned and used softcover workbook entitled “U. S. Marine Corps Score Book for U. S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1 and U. S. Carbine, Caliber .30, M1A1,” 80 pages, 6" x 3.75", filled out by Oswald on the front cover in pencil with his name, “Oswald, L. H.,” rifle number, “4314215,” organization, “2060 2nd R.T.V.,” and date issued, “3 Dec. ’56.” The first few pages contain instructions for shooting and scorekeeping, with pencil notations by Oswald. The majority of the book consists of target diagrams and tables filled out in pencil by Oswald, plotting his shots on the diagrams and recording relevant details like date, elevation and wind speed/direction. Oswald also generally indicates his firing position in the upper margin, such as "kneeling," "sitting," or "prone." In total Oswald completed 32 pages throughout the month of December, with two being practice 'samples' and the rest his actual results. In very good to fine condition, with two toned tape remnants affixed to the front cover, light general soiling, and three small areas of surface loss to the back cover. Accompanied by interesting correspondence from 1969 between Marguerite Oswald and Dr. John Lattimer, a notable researcher of the Kennedy assassination, who originally purchased the score book from her; this includes one handwritten letter from Dr. Lattimer to Marguerite Oswald and four letters and envelopes from Marguerite Oswald to Dr. Lattimer, the most fascinating being one dated April 17, 1969, Ft. Worth, signed "Marguerite C. Oswald, mother of Lee Harvey Oswald," in part: “My late son’s Marine score book is in the same condition as when he left it with me…Someday soon it will be proven that a conspiracy did exist and that my son was indeed the ‘patsy.’”

On December 21, 1956, Oswald was tested for marksmanship with his rifle on five different exercises—from 200, 300 and 500 yards firing slowly and from 200 and 300 yards firing rapidly. Based on these results a Marine would be rated by a defined scoring system: over 190 points was considered a marksman, over 210 was a sharpshooter, and over 220 was considered an expert. Oswald scored 212 and was rated in the middle as a sharpshooter. For the slow test (page 5), the target was 10" tall by 10" wide. For the rapid fire test the target was 26" wide by 19" tall. A closer examination of Oswald's 200 yard rapid fire result shows he hit 8/10 bullseyes and scored 48 out of 50. An expert rating on this test would have required a minimum score of 44 points (44 points x 5 tests = 220 points required). On his next test, 300 yards in rapid fire, Oswald hit 7/10 bullseyes scoring 46 out of 50. Again an expert rating on this test would have required a result of 44. So in both tests that most closely matched the conditions in the Kennedy assassination for rapid fire shooting Oswald scored above an expert level. Additionally on his third test from 500 yards firing slowly, Oswald scored 46 out of a possible 50: again shooting above an expert level.

For the past 57 years many have claimed Oswald was a lousy shot and could not have killed Kennedy. These three test scores show otherwise. His above-expert level in three of five tests shows he was capable of assassinating President Kennedy either alone, or—if chosen by conspirators as a 'patsy'—had the appropriate background and capabilities. The Warren Commission used only one piece of physical evidence to state that Oswald was capable of assassinating President Kennedy—and it was these scorecards from December 21, 1956. These scorecards can be found in Warren Commission Volume 16, pgs. 639-679, as Commission Exhibit 239. These results enabled the Warren Commission, in their single-volume final report (pgs. 18-19), to state: "The Commission has concluded further that Oswald possessed the capability with a rifle which enabled him to commit the assassination."

An extraordinary piece of history used as a major exhibit of evidence in the Warren Commission conclusions implicating Lee Harvey Oswald to the Kennedy assassination.

[Bill Brown]

"A closer examination of Oswald's 200 yard rapid fire result shows he hit 8/10 bullseyes and scored 48 out of 50. An expert rating on this test would have required a minimum score of 44 points"

[Bill Brown]

"On his next test, 300 yards in rapid fire, Oswald hit 7/10 bullseyes scoring 46 out of 50. Again an expert rating on this test would have required a result of 44. So in both tests that most closely matched the conditions in the Kennedy assassination for rapid fire shooting Oswald scored above an expert level."

[Bill Brown]

"Additionally on his third test from 500 yards firing slowly, Oswald scored 46 out of a possible 50: again shooting above an expert level."

[Bill Brown]

"For the past 57 years many have claimed Oswald was a lousy shot and could not have killed Kennedy. These three test scores show otherwise."

[Michael Capasse]

In the last testing Oswald scored one point above the minimum for the lowest grade
(May 06,1959 MCAS El Toro CA )

Marksman Qualification = 190
Oswald Score = 191

“To become qualified as a sharpshooter the Marine Corps is of the opinion that most Marines
with a reasonable amount of adaptability to weapons firing can be, so qualified. Consequently a low marksman
qualification indicates a “rather poor shot” (Vol 19 pages 16-18)

https://jfk.boards.net/post/4438/thread

[Mitch Todd]

In the last testing Oswald scored one point above the minimum for the lowest grade
(May 06,1959 MCAS El Toro CA )

Marksman Qualification = 190
Oswald Score = 191

“To become qualified as a sharpshooter the Marine Corps is of the opinion that most Marines
with a reasonable amount of adaptability to weapons firing can be, so qualified. Consequently a low marksman
qualification indicates a “rather poor shot” (Vol 19 pages 16-18)

https://jfk.boards.net/post/4438/thread

I've pointed this out before, but once again...

The MC marksmanship qualification shooting test requires a shooter to fire 50 rounds at targets ranging out to 500 yards. Hitting the center of the target earns 5 points. Rounds that fall further away from center merit progressively fewer points, and no points are scored if the target it completely missed. In light of this, the fewest number of hits to a target to get a specific score is to divide the score by 5.

So, the way to score 191 points with the fewest hits is to hit the center 191/5 = 38.2, or hit the center 38 times and anywhere else on the target once. That's 29 hits out of 50 shots, or Oswald hitting the target 80% of the time. And that's the *minimum possible* number of hits. Oswald almost certainly scored at least 40 hits at El Toro. A 212 would require an absolute minimum of 42.2 hits, hitting the target 86% of the time.

The WC/HSCA scenario only requires two out of three hits.

[John Mytton]

In the last testing Oswald scored one point above the minimum for the lowest grade
(May 06,1959 MCAS El Toro CA )

Marksman Qualification = 190
Oswald Score = 191

“To become qualified as a sharpshooter the Marine Corps is of the opinion that most Marines
with a reasonable amount of adaptability to weapons firing can be, so qualified. Consequently a low marksman
qualification indicates a “rather poor shot” (Vol 19 pages 16-18)

https://jfk.boards.net/post/4438/thread

Let's put this "191" performance into context, shall we.

Oswald was 17 when he scored "212" and then at 19 he scored "191", so Oswald was older and more experienced yet scored less, what changed between these two events?

1. Oswald brings joy and happiness to the Marines and scores "212"
2. Oswald was court-martialed for illegal possession of a firearm.
3. Oswald was court-martialed for a second time for assaulting a superior officer.
4. Oswald spends time in the Brig and seemingly becomes disillusioned with this whole Marines thing.
5. Oswald's unit arrives in Taiwan, where he suffers a nervous breakdown and is sent back to Japan.
6. Delgado a fellow Marine describes Oswald on the firing range as not "giving a darn", seeing this as a "joke" and not being very "enthusiastic".
7. Oswald scores "191"
8. Just a few months after his "191", Oswald makes up a Bogus story about his injured Mother and is soon after released from active Duty.
9. Oswald defects to the enemy.
10. The enemy rejects Oswald, so Oswald in a rage of self harm, rips open his wrist which bleeds excessively and the wound requires a number of stitches. Oswald in his Historic Diary" describes his suicide attempt, "watch my life whirl away. I think to myself. "how easy to die" and "a sweet death""
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What do some Marine Officers say about Oswald's Marine shooting abilities.

Mr. SPECTER. Based on the tests of Mr. Oswald shown by those documents, how would you characterize his ability as a marksman?
Sergeant ZAHM. I would say in the Marine Corps he is a good shot, slightly above average, and as compared to the average male of his age throughout the civilian, throughout the United States, that he is an excellent shot.

How about the question of Oswald's capabilities to take the head shot?

Mr. SPECTER - I now show you a document marked as Commission Exhibit No. 902, which characterizes what was believed to have been the shot which struck President Kennedy in the head at a distance from rifle in window to the President of 265.3 feet, with the photograph through rifle scope identified on the document being the view which the marksman had of the President at the time the President was struck in the head, and I ask you again for an opinion as to the ease or difficulty of that shot, taking into consideration the capabilities of Mr. Oswald as a marksman, evidenced by the Marine Corps documents on him.
Major ANDERSON - I consider it to be not a particularly difficult shot at this short range, and that Oswald had full capabilities to make such a shot.

Then lastly, what was the difficulties of Oswald with his equipment of taking the Dealey Plaza shot?

Mr. SPECTER. How would you characterize that, as a difficult, not too difficult, easy, or how would you characterize that shot?
Sergeant ZAHM. With the equipment he had and with his ability, I consider it a very easy shot.



JohnM