(Testimony of Prof. Revilo Pendleton Oliver)
Mr. Jenner.
Yes; but not President Kennedy's.
Mr. Oliver.
But it turned out to be that.
Mr. Jenner.
The only point I am making, Doctor, is that you will notice in the article that what Captain Cloy says is not what you state in your speech he said, but rather that before the assassination his special unit had been rehearsing for the anticipated possible funeral of President Hoover who was then ill.
Mr. Oliver.
That is right. He said, "We were in a state of readiness and had just finished a funeral rehearsal because there was grave concern for President Hoover's health".
Mr. Jenner.
That is not rehearsal for a funeral of President Kennedy a week in advance either of the funeral or of the assassination, is it?
Mr. Oliver.
Capt. Richard C. Cloy states that the conduct of the President's funeral is in accordance with orders that cover 160 pages. He implies----
Mr. Jenner.
Those are standing orders.
Mr. Oliver.
Presumably, and he implies that all funerals are conducted in the same way. And he goes on to speak of difficulties that his men encountered and how they performed, and that although his command was ready for the state funeral, the actual site of the burial was not known until the day before the ceremony, and so on. The point I was making was that the show was a rehearsed show, and I do not believe that I say that on--
Mr. Jenner.
I think if you will read it again, sir, there is a clear implication, if not express statement on your part, that his unit began to rehearse for the funeral a week ahead. Would you read that sentence again, or that series of clauses?
Mr. Oliver.
Yes; "The headquarters detachment of our Army under orders from McNamara's office began to rehearse for the funeral more than a week before the assassination."
Mr. Jenner.
Yes; now, that clear implication is that the unit was rehearsing for President Kennedy's funeral because they knew there was going to be a funeral.
Mr. Oliver.
Oh, no; that is not the implication. I certainly would not imply that the unit knew it, because Cloy states specifically that they did not. They were told that it was a rehearsal for the anticipated demise of President Hoover.
Mr. Jenner.
Is it in your implication then, sir, in your speech, that somebody else or some agency, somebody else connected with the Government of the United States or some agency of the Government of the United States, including the Army, Navy, Air Corps, Marines, wherever they may be, anticipated the assassination of the President a week in advance and directed the unit to begin preparing for the funeral?
Mr. Oliver.
No; that is not my implication. If you raise a question it would be an interesting one for you to investigate; yes.
Mr. Jenner.
Well, we wish to investigate anything that you readily seek to imply, and to some, at least, and frankly to me, that sentence that you have Just read carries the clear implication that President Kennedy's assassination was anticipated by somebody in the Government service or Government-connected, and the unit Captain Cloy's unit was told to begin rehearsing for a funeral, the pretext being the funeral or possible funeral of President Hoover, whereas those who directed it had specifically in mind the assassination of President Kennedy, is that what you intended to imply?
Mr. Oliver.
That is not what I intended to imply in this passage here.
But it is certainly an inference that could be drawn from the facts; yes, I mean it is a possibility.
Mr. Jenner.
In fairness to yourself and others possibly involved, Doctor, what did you intend to imply ?
Mr. Oliver.
I was primarily concerned in making the point that the viewers suffered an illusion. That they had assumed this horse belonged to Mrs. Kennedy, whereas he certainly did not. I further intended to imply there was no conceivable connection between Mrs Kennedy and the horse, since she can't ever have ridden it if nobody rode it.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you intend to imply by that statement that the assassination
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