(Testimony of Winston G. , Accompanied By Fred B. Smith, Lawson)
Mr. Stern.
which might present a vantage point overlooking the place where the President was to land and be received?
Mr. Lawson.
No, sir.
Mr. Stern.
Were there such overlooking places?
Mr. Lawson.
There wouldn't have been except in a certain wing way up to the right of where he landed, quite a ways away. There wasn't any building directly in front on the side where he would come off the plane and walk down. There would be a building to his right at the very end of a wing that came out, and there was police on that. The crowd behind the fences would go over to the customs building, and no one would be able to see out of this one-story customs building. And behind that was the air cargo building where a policeman was requested on top. The police were then also requested all the way along our exit route along the parking lots and the runways as we went out of the airport and the motorcycle escort vehicles were waiting down closer to where we made our exit, again because of the room factor.
Mr. Stern.
Did you confer with Air Force representatives who had responsibility for the President's plane and the Vice President's plane?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir. I learned that they had been in for a general meeting of their own the morning of the 13th that I had not been aware of, but because of the Presidential trips the week before he came to Dallas, he went to Maryland and he went to New York and he went to a couple places in Florida, they were not able to send someone out to help with setting up the airport as soon as was usual.
And because of a personal problem, the one that was to arrive on Wednesday morning, didn't arrive until Wednesday evening. I was quite certain that the area that we were being provided by the local airport was not going to be sufficient for our motorcade formation, the parking of three jet planes and so forth. But being a layman, I couldn't really impress them that this was so. But when the Air Force people did come in, they agreed that as set up it would not work, and Mr. Sorrels and the assistant airport director were able to get some extra space from a couple of companies nearby there, and it was able to be worked out, still really not enough room but it was adequate.
Mr. Stern.
Ultimate responsibility for determining those arrangements--whether those arrangements are adequate is with the Air Force, is that right?
Mr. Lawson.
I don't really believe 1 understand your question. Would you make it again please?
Mr. Stern.
You were concerned that the arrangements were not adequate.
Mr. Lawson.
Yes.
Mr. Stern.
But you had to have the Air Force recommendation to straighten things out with the local authorities?
Mr. Lawson.
Well, I know the size of the planes because I have the dimensions of them that I take with me on a trip, and other things, and also from past experience. However, they make measurements and they know their own FAA rules, Air Force rules as to how close you can park jet planes to one another, what the turning radiuses are and so forth, so I was certain that the room that we had been provided wasn't enough, but I was also quite certain that when the Air Force got there, they would bear me out, which was true.
Mr. Stern.
If the Air Force is satisfied with the arrangements though, is that the end of it?
Mr. Lawson.
Only for certain things. They would say if they definitely had enough room to park, how they would be parked, how they would come in, how they would go out and so forth. But again final security responsibility would be up to us. If it is an area where you can't possibly fit the press area in, the motorcade can't line up, the people can't come out without creating a lot of confusion so that you can't tell what is going on, then it delves into security, because the more confusion you have the worse off you are security-wise.
Mr. Stern.
I think we might touch briefly on press arrangements. Will you tell us, if you know, how the final arrangements for the President's visit were announced, and particularly the motorcade route.
Mr. Lawson.
I know from reading in the paper how it was announced, but I do not know who announced it. I believe it appeared in the Tuesday morning paper. That would have been the 19th I believe. There was quite a bit of
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