(Testimony of Kerry Wendell Thornley)
Mr. Jenner.
When things developed--
Mr. Thornley.
No; I don't think he expected things to develop within his lifetime. I am sure that he didn't. He just wanted to be on the winning side for all eternity.
Mr. Jenner.
You had the impression that that was in terms of selflessness? That he thought also in terms that Lee Harvey Oswald would be associated with this forward thinking?
Mr. Thornley.
Right. He was concerned with his image in history and I do think that is why he chose once again, once again why he chose the particular method he chose and did it in the way he did. It got him in the newspapers. It did broadcast his name out. I think he probably expected the Russians to accept him on a much higher--in a much higher capacity than they did.
I think he expected them to, in his own dreams, to invite him to take a position in their government, possibly as a technician, and I think he then felt that he could go out into the world, into the Communist world and distinguish himself and work his way up into the party, perhaps. He was definitely--
Mr. Jenner.
Did it have to be the Communist world or could it be any world
that he saw projected into the future?
Mr. Thornley.
Definitely.
Mr. Jenner.
And as you put it this, in your opinion, had become a religion with him.
Mr. Thornley.
Much more than he himself realized even though he called it his religion.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you have the impression there was a personal selflessness, that is a--I will put it in terms of disregard or rather this way--that as far as his physical person was concerned, he wasn't concerned about life in the sense that he wanted to continue to maintain life in his body?
Mr. Thornley.
No; I think he wanted physical happiness. I think this is why he didn't do something like just join the Communist Party. I believe he felt that was dangerous. I think he wanted to live comfortably. But I think if it came to a choice between the two, or to put it this way, more relevant to events that developed later, I think if it became to his mind impossible for him to have this degree of physical comfort that he expected or sought, I think he would then throw himself entirely on the other thing he also wanted, which was the image in history.
I don't think that--I think he wanted beth if he could have them. If he didn't, he wanted to die with the knowledge that, or with the idea that he was somebody.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you have the impression at any time that he, in turn, embraced a realization that he was lacking in ability to accomplish the former, that is, personal comfort and status, that is that he felt that there was a lack of ability, capacity, training, education on his part?
Mr. Thornley.
When I knew him, I don't think he had the vaguest thought in that direction. I do definitely, of course, based solely upon what I have read in the newspapers, think he came to that moment, after returning to the United States from the Soviet Union. I think he was getting panicky.
Mr. Jenner.
In our discussion you can see it is important to me to obtain your thinking, uninfluenced to the extent you can do it by subsequent events. Of course complete lack of influence is not possible, but I am seeking your views as to your state of mind prior to November 22.
Mr. Thornley.
All right. I would say that prior to November 22, I felt that he had gradually become disillusioned with the United States for many reasons, at the bottom was also his conviction, well, in fact, his disillusionment with the United States in the Far East probably contributed to some extent to his conviction that the Communists would eventually prevail, the Communist culture would eventually prevail in the world, and I then had the feeling that he certainly--I thought he would probably stay in Russia, for example, forever.
I didn't know what he was doing there. I realized from what I read at that time that he was not--he did not have Russian citizenship. He was staying there as an immigrant. I expected him probably to adjust to Russian life and that would be the last that the Western World would ever hear of Oswald.
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