(Testimony of Mrs. Marguerite Oswald Resumed)
Mrs. Oswald.
anything like that. And the children were always more or less home. And particularly Lee. Lee would go to the movies, and things like that. He was a normal boy. But when he was home, he was most happy. And I am of this disposition.
He could keep himself occupied--reading and when he watched a football game on television, he would have the score pad, and things of that sort. And so he was quite happy in his own way.
Now, here is something very important.
While in New Orleans, in order to go to Arlington Heights school, which is one of the ritziest schools in New Orleans, all the wealthy people go there, and we happened to live in the vicinity--Lee wanted a two-wheel bicycle, sir, and I bought him one. So when school opened, Lee went to school on a two-wheel bicycle. Can you picture this. A 16 1/2-year-old boy going to school on a bicycle, when all the other children had their own cars? Just picture this. My children never did want anything, and particularly Lee.
Mr. Rankin.
How did he get along with his brothers?
Mrs. Oswald.
Well, now, at this time he didn't know too much about his brothers. John Edward had been in the service since age 17, so it has been a number of years, other than leaves. And Robert had just finished his 3-year hitch. So you see the brothers have had nothing to do with Lee since age 13 actually--otherwise than visits. Because when Robert came back, then Lee
joined the Marines.
Now, this is the U.S. Marine Corps acceptance. And it says "I am very pleased to notify you that your son, Lee Harvey Oswald, has successfully passed the mental, moral,. and physical examinations," and so forth. My son was a marine. And I understand a very important marine.
He was in electronics. I have read--one of the marines that was with him said when he defected to Russia they had to change the system. He must have had a real responsible position, if Lee defected to Russia, and all the systems had to be changed. I don't know if this is correct. But this man made the statement, sir.
Mr. Rankin.
Did he have any courts-martial that you knew about while he was in the Marines?
Mrs. Oswald.
I did not know until what came out in the paper. And I have discussed that with several high officials, marines, and so on and so forth. A lot of men, they tell me, carry a gun. And if you did curse an officer, that is done sometimes, too--that is not anything criminal. I mean we all get provoked at some particular time. I am not taking up for the boy. I don't know what happened. But I know I myself would be guilty of that, if someone pushed me, that I may curse him. And I am sure it is done quite often. And I understand that Lee slashed his wrist. I find that from the paper.
Mr. Rankin.
Did you know anything about that? How that happened?
Mrs. Oswald.
No, sir---otherwise than what I know in the paper. I do not know, sir.
Mr. Rankin.
What about a man that was killed, that was one of his buddies in the Marines?
Did you ever know anything about that?
Mrs. Oswald.
No. This is the first time I have heard about that. I haven't even read that in the paper. I did not know about that. If I can help you in any way--his picture in the Marines--there are names of the men on the back. I do not know what they mean. But the names of the men are on the back of picture, sir.
The Chairman.
When was it that he slashed his wrist--in the Marine Corps?
Mrs. Oswald.
I understand when he was in Moscow--is that correct? I do not know otherwise from what I read in the paper. These things, how could I know.
Representative Ford.
May I see that picture?
Mr. Rankin.
In the Soviet Union?
Mrs. Oswald.
Yes. And that is why, too, it has been stated that he was possibly an agent, to show, when the Russians would not give him citizenship, he slashed his wrist, to show that he did not want to return back to the United States, and forced the Russians to keep him there. That has been stated.
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