Mr. Jenner.

You were then 21 years of age?

Mr. Thornley.

About; yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Tell me about what your occupation and activity had been up to the time you enlisted in the Marines.

Mr. Thornley.

Well, the year before I was a student at the University of Southern California, and before that I was a student at California High School in Whittier, Calif.

Mr. Jenner.

I take it then that you are a native Californian?

Mr. Thornley.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you receive your degree?

Mr. Thornley.

No. I was--I completed my freshman year and then I went on active duty to serve my 2- year obligation in the Marine Reserve.

Mr. Jenner.

You did not return to college after you were mustered out of the Marines?

Mr. Thornley.

No, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Was your discharge honorable?

Mr. Thornley.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Where were you based when you first met Lee Harvey Oswald?

Mr. Thornley.

At a subsidiary of E1 Toro Marine Base, referred to as LTA, Santa Aria, Calif., or just outside of Santa Ana.

Mr. Jenner.

What was your rank at that time?

Mr. Thornley.

At that time I was acting corporal.

Mr. Jenner.

What was your assignment then?

Mr. Thornley.

I was an aviation electronics operator. I was working in an aircraft control center reading radarscopes and keeping track of ingoing and outgoing flights.

Mr. Jenner.

What was Lee Harvey Oswald's assignment and activity service-wise at that period?

Mr. Thornley.

At that time his assignments and activities were primary janitorial. He was--he had lost his clearance previously, and if I remember, he was assigned to make the coffee, mow the lawn, swab down decks, and things of this nature.

Mr. Jenner.

What were the circumstances as you learned of them, or knew of them at the time, as to how or why he lost his clearance as you put it.

Mr. Thornley.

Well, I asked somebody, and I was told, and I don't remember who told me, it was a general rumor, general scuttlebutt at the time, that he had poured beer over a staff NCO's head in an enlisted club in Japan, and had been put in the brig for that, and having been put in the brig would automatically lose his clearance to work in the electronics control center.

Mr. Jenner.

I was going to ask you what losing clearance meant. You have indicated that--or would you state it more specifically.

Mr. Thornley.

Well, that meant in a practical sense, that meant that he was not permitted to enter certain areas wherein the equipment, in this case equipment, was kept; that we would not want other unauthorized persons to have knowledge of. And on occasion information, I imagine, would also come to the man who was cleared, in the process of his work, that he would be expected to keep to himself.

Mr. Jenner.

I assume you had clearance?

Mr. Thornley.

Yes, sir; I was, I think, cleared for confidential at the time.

Mr. Jenner.

Cleared for confidential. I was about to ask you what level of clearance was involved.

Mr. Thornley.

I believe it was just confidential to work there at E1 Toro on that particular equipment.

Mr. Jenner.

That is the clearance about which you speak when you talk about Oswald having lost it?

Mr. Thornley.

Oswald, I believe, had a higher clearance. This is also Just based upon rumor. I believe he at one time worked in the security files, it is the S & C files, somewhere either at LTA or at E1 Toro.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you ever work in the security files?

Mr. Thornley.

No, Sir.

Mr. Jenner.

And that was a level of clearance

Mr. Thornley.

Probably a secret clearance would be required.