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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. II - Page 365« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Comdr. James J. Humes)

Mr. Specter.
Commission Exhibits Nos. 393 being the coat worn by the President, 394 being the shirt, and 395 being the President's tie, and at this time move for their admission into evidence.
The Chairman.
It may be admitted.
(The articles of clothing referred to were marked Commission Exhibits Nos. 393, 394 and 395 for identification, and received in evidence.)
Mr. Specter.
Taking 393 at the start, Doctor Humes, will you describe for the record what hole, if any, is observable in the back of that garment which would be at or about the spot you have described as being the point of entry on the President's back or lower neck.
Commander HUMES. Yes, sir. This exhibit is a grey suit coat stated to have been worn by the President on the day of his death. Situated to the right of the midline high in the back portion of the coat is a defect, one margin of which is semicircular.
Situated above it just below the collar is an additional defect. It is our opinion that the lower of these defects corresponds essentially with the point of entrance of the missile at Point C on Exhibit 385.
Mr. Specter.
Would it be accurate to state that the hole which you have identified as being the point of entry is approximately 6 inches below the top of the collar, and 2 inches to the right of the middle seam of the coat?
Commander HUMES. That is approximately correct, sir. This defect, I might say, continues on through the material.
Attached to this garment is the memorandum which states that one half of the area around the hole which was presented had been removed by experts, I believe, at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and also that a control area was taken from under the collar, so it is my interpretation that this defect at the top of this garment is the control area taken by the Bureau, and that the reason the lower defect is not more circle or oval in outline is because a portion of that defect has been removed apparently for physical examinations.
Mr. Specter.
Now, does the one which you have described as the entry of the bullet go all the way through?
Commander HUMES. Yes, sir; it goes through both layers.
Mr. Specter.
How about the upper one of the collar you have described, does that go all the way through?
Commander HUMES. Yes, sir; it goes all the way through. It is not--wait a minute, excuse me it is not so clearly a puncture wound as the one below.
Mr. Specter.
Does the upper one go all the way through in the same course?
Commander HUMES. No.
Mr. Specter.
Through the inner side as it went through the outer side?
Commander HUMES. No, in an irregular fashion.
Mr. Specter.
Will you take Commission Exhibit 394 and describe what that is. first of all, please?
Commander HUMES. This is the shirt, blood-stained shirt, purportedly worn by the President on the day of his assassination. When viewed from behind at a point which corresponds essentially with the point of defect on the jacket, one sees an irregularly oval defect.
When viewed anteriorly, with the top button buttoned, two additional defects are seen. Of course, with the shirt buttoned, the fly front of the shirt causes two layers of cloth to be present in this location, and that there is a defect in the inner layer of cloth and a corresponding defect in the outer layer of the cloth.
Mr. Specter.
Is there any observable indication from the fibers on the front side of the shirt to indicate in which direction a missile might have passed through those two tears?
Commander HUMES. From an examination of these defects at this point, it would appear that the missile traversed these two layers from within to the exterior.
Mr. Specter.
Would it be accurate to state that the hole in the back of the shirt is approximately 6 inches below the top of the collar and 2 inches to the right of the middle seam of the shirt?
Commander HUMES. That is approximately correct, sir.
Mr. Specter.
Now, how, if at all, do the holes in the shirt and coat conform
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