(Testimony of Clinton J. , Special Agent, Secret Service Hill)
Mr. Specter.
How about Special Agent Landis?
Mr. Hill.
I do not know.
Mr. Specter.
What is your normal procedure for action in the event the President's car is stopped, as it did in that event?
Mr. Hill.
Special Agent McIntyre would normally jump off the car and run to the forward portion of the left-and side of the car; Special Agent Landis would move to the right-hand forward portion of the automobile.
Mr. Specter.
Did anything else which was unusual occur en route from Love Field to the downtown area of Dallas?
Mr. Hill.
Before we hit Main Street?
Mr. Specter.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Hill.
Not that I recall.
Mr. Specter.
Did you have any occasion to leave the President's followup car at any time?
Mr. Hill.
When we finally did reach Main Street, the crowds had built up to a point where they were surging into the street. We had motorcycles running adjacent to both the Presidential automobile and the followup car, as well as in front of the Presidential automobile, and because of the crowds in the street, the President's driver, Special Agent Greer, was running the car more to the left-hand side of the street more than he was to the right to keep the President as far away from the crowd as possible, and because of this the motorcycles on the left-hand side could not get past the crowd and alongside the car, and they were forced to drop back. I jumped from the followup car, ran up and got on top of the rear portion of the Presidential automobile to be close to Mrs. Kennedy in the event that someone attempted to grab her from the crowd or throw something in the car.
Mr. Specter.
When you say the rear portion of the automobile, can you, by referring to Commission Exhibit No. 345, heretofore identified as the President's automobile, specify by penciled "X" where you stood?
Mr. Hill.
Yes, sir [indicating].
Mr. Specter.
Will you describe for the record just what area it is back there on which you stood?
Mr. Hill.
That is a step built into the rear bumper of the automobile, and on top of the rear trunk there is a handguard which you grab for and hang onto when you are standing up.
Mr. Specter.
Are identical objects of those descriptions existing on each side of the President's car?
Mr. Hill.
Yes, sir; they do.
Mr. Specter.
Did you have any other occasion en route from Love Field to downtown Dallas to leave the followup car and mount that portion of the President's car?
Mr. Hill.
I did the same thing approximately four times.
Mr. Specter.
What are the standard regulations and practices, if any, governing such an action on your pert?
Mr. Hill.
It is left to the agent's discretion more or less to move to that particular position when he feels that there is a danger to the President; to place himself as close to the President or the First Lady as my case was, as possible, which I did.
Mr. Specter.
Are those practices specified in any written documents of the Secret Service?
Mr. Hill.
No; they are not.
Mr. Specter.
Now, had there been any instruction or comment about your performance of that type of a duty with respect to anything that President Kennedy himself had said in the period immediately preceding the trip to Texas?
Mr. Hill.
Yes, sir; there was. The preceding Monday, the President was on a trip in Tampa, Fla., and he requested that the agents not ride on either of those two steps.
Mr. Specter.
And to whom did the President make that request?
Mr. Hill.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Boring.
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