(Testimony of Peter Paul Gregory)
Mr. Liebeler.
Yes.
Mr. Gregory.
No. She called me on the phone once.
Mr. Liebeler.
Called on the telephone?
Mr. Gregory.
Yes. But I have never met her.
Mr. Liebeler.
What was the conversation between you and her?
Mr. Gregory.
She asked me if I would tutor her in writing letters in Russian. If I remember, she mentioned that she either was going to write to the Soviet Embassy or Soviet Union, something like that, but I told her I was just too busy, I have no time for that. In fact, I didn't want to have anything to do with that sort of--I didn't want to write letters to the Soviet Union or to the Embassy or anybody else.
Representative Ford.
How long have you taught Russian, Mr. Gregory?
Mr. Gregory.
In the library?
Representative Ford.
Yes.
Mr. Gregory.
For approximately 3 or 4 years from 10 to 20 weeks a year.
Representative Ford.
Have you taught Russian in any other area or capacity?
Mr. Gregory.
Yes, sir; I taught Russian a couple of years ago, not more than 2 years ago, at Carswell Air Force Base at Fort Worth, where I had a class of officers and men in the Russian language. With the result that two out of my class passed the Russian examination, and the rest flunked.
Representative Ford.
How long would you estimate it would normally take for a person of average intelligence to learn to speak and write Russian as fluently as Oswald did?
Mr. Gregory.
If he lived in this country or in that country? That would make a lot of difference.
Representative Ford.
Well, let's take this country first.
Mr. Gregory.
This country. That would depend again on the effort put out by the particular individual. If he were in earnest I would think he could do it in about 4 years.
Representative Ford.
That is an ordinary person living in the United States?
Mr. Gregory.
Living in the United States.
Representative Ford.
Who made--
Mr. Gregory.
Going to study Russia, say at the university, normal load, maybe 4 hours a week, plus homework, it would take about 4 years. If he lived in the country--
Representative Ford.
In the Soviet Union?
Mr. Gregory.
In the Soviet Union, he probably could do it in 2 or 3 years.
Representative Ford.
Did Oswald tell you when he first visited you that he had learned to speak Russian, where?
Mr. Gregory.
In the Soviet Union.
Representative Ford.
He never gave you any indication he had learned or studied prior to going to the Soviet Union?
Mr. Gregory.
No, sir.
Mr. Liebeler.
I have about one or two more questions.
Did you discuss at any time with Marina Oswald the conversation that she had with Lee Oswald after the assassination?
Mr. Gregory.
Would you mind to state that again?
Mr. Liebeler.
Yes.
Marina Oswald spoke with Lee after the assassination, when he was in the jail.
Mr. Gregory.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did she tell you about that?
Mr. Gregory.
Well, I don't remember whether it was Marina or whether it was Marguerite Oswald, I don't remember now; they did go to see him in the jail in the city of Dallas, and it must have been Marguerite because she was bragging what a wonderful son he is because he looked at the little girl, June, she is 2 years old, and he said, "You have got to buy her a new pair of shoes," I remember that. It must have been Marguerite because she used that as an illustration of what a wonderful boy he was.
Mr. Liebeler.
Other than that, you have no information as to what transpired at that time, happened at that time?
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