(Testimony of Kerry Wendell Thornley)
Mr. Jenner.
You did have the impression and I think you have mentioned it several times, that he had an exaggerated, either mild or otherwise, self-esteem.
Mr. Thornley.
No; I didn't mention that that I recall. I did say that I think maintaining the persecution complex was necessary for his self-esteem and he was concerned very much with his image in history but I don't think in the sense of being secure about his self-esteem; I don't think he was either conceited, for example, egotistical, or just plain confident. I don't think--I don't have any reason to believe that he in his own eyes, had any reason to be proud of himself beyond the average, at most.
Mr. Jenner.
I wasn't thinking of self-esteem in that sense and I didn't gather from your remark that you were thinking of it in that sense either, but rather in the sense of self-esteem in his own eyes, not in the sense of accomplishment or egoism.
Mr. Thornley.
Now, I don't know. Self-esteem in one's own eyes, it seems to me, would have to be justified by some means. Some people justify it by means of their attraction to the opposite sex or by means of their standing in some country club. I think Oswald justified it by means of his recalcitrance, kind of a reverse self-esteem.
By means of his unwillingness to do what he was ordered, for example.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you have the feeling that he sought the esteem of others, not necessarily his officers, but the esteem of somebody or some group or some persons about him and in his life--
Mr. Thornley.
I think he wanted this very much but I don't think he knew how to go about getting it. He wanted it, and yet he certainly didn't--I think he would have felt he was cheating himself if he had offered them anything in exchange for it. He wanted 'it but he wanted it to come to him for no reason. He didn't want to have to earn it, I got that impression. That is a very mild impression.
Mr. Jenner.
We are dealing in a very delicate field here and I am pressing you very severely.
Mr. Thornley.
These are sometimes very gray, thin lines we have to distinguish between.
Mr. Jenner.
We are probing for motivation. Did you ever discuss with him the matter of education?
Mr. Thornley.
No.
Mr. Jenner.
His own; or education in the abstract; or the need for education in order to attain accomplishments; or any regard to whether his status in life, his personal comfort, his personal peace, could be advanced by further education?
Mr. Thornley.
No.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you ever have the feeling of any discomfort on his part or inferiority because of his limited education?
Mr. Thornley.
No. First of all, in the Marine Corps there is a prevalence of this kind of feeling among many of the enlisted men, and Oswald was exempt from it.
Mr. Jenner.
What do you mean "exempt from it"?
Mr. Thornley.
Well, he didn't, for example, have the usual bitterness toward somebody who read, well, just merely because he did read.
Mr. Jenner.
He may have felt superior because he did read, did you have that feeling?
Mr. Thornley.
Oh, yes.
Mr. Jenner.
That was a definite feeling?
Mr. Thornley.
I wouldn't say anything in my experience with him caused me to particularly notice that he felt superior because he did read. But except, yes, there is one time a friend of his, I don't know who it was, I haven't been able to recall the name at present, one morning looked over at our commanding officer who was walking by, Colonel Poindexter, an air ace in Korea--
Mr. Jenner.
A what?
Mr. Thornley.
An ace pilot in Korea, and made the comment, "There goes a mental midgit" which drew glee from Oswald, as I remember. But aside from that one particular incident--well, in any case, when he was dealing with military superiors he always felt superior to them. You got that impression. But
|
