Mr. Mcvickar.

I think item 4 is more or less canceled out by the fact that my memory was inaccurate as to how long he had stayed in Moscow. I think that my paragraph 4 is based on my inaccurate memory that he was there for only about a week, but if he was there for much longer than that, I think that is vitiated.

Mr. Coleman.

Assuming that he did stay the longer length of time then, I take it you don't think there is any particular significance in the fact that he was able to remain in the Soviet Union?

Mr. Mcvickar.

No; I think that the length of time that he apparently was in Moscow was sufficient for them to make any bureaucratic decision.

Mr. Coleman.

And in paragraph No. 5 you indicated that he seemed to be surprisingly competent and determined about what he was doing, considering his age and experience.
Could you indicate for the Commission just what he did which led you to that conclusion?

Mr. Mcvickar.

Well, that goes back to my comment of a few minutes ago. I think his bearing and attitude was unusually confident in a very far away country where the way of doing things is very different from what it is in the United States, and considering presumably he hadn't traveled very much before, and he was very young. I think the word "competent" refers to what seems to be a rather efficiently organized chain of events which began, as I understand it, when he first applied for a passport in the United States in Los Angeles, on September 4, until his apparent appearance in Moscow about October 16, where he applied for Soviet citizenship. And it seems to me, just offhand I would say, that is a fairly well organized movement considering also that apparently he went by ship from New Orleans to Helsinki--that is what I understand--and was determined, as was very evident in everything he said when he was in the office, was determined to do what he was doing.

Mr. Coleman.

In paragraph No. 8 of the memorandum you place some significance in the fact that he was permitted to belong to a rifle club and practice target shooting while in Minsk.
First, from where did you get that information?

Mr. Mcvickar.

I apologize for that in a way. That is complete speculation, and the rifle club was something I read about in the newspaper. I cannot be very accurate about the rifle club business, and I point out in that note that it is not related to my contact with him.

Mr. Coleman.

Do you think it would be unusual from your knowledge of life in the Soviet Union that people would belong to a rifle club and that they could practice target shooting?

Mr. Mcvickar.

Yes; I would say so; yes.

Representative Ford.

In other words, if it was a fact?

Mr. Mcvickar.

If it was a fact.

Representative Ford.

That he belonged to a rifle club and did shooting it would be unusual?
Mr. McVICKAR It would seem to me, yes, particularly for a foreigner, but unusual in any case, I think.

Mr. Dulles.

But you did not hear that either from Oswald or from his wife whom you saw later, I believe.

Mr. Mcvickar.

No; I did not. It is unrelated to anything except what I heard about the case, and I don't know really about this. I just remember reading about it in the paper, that is all.

Mr. Coleman.

After November 17, 1959, you had no more contact with Oswald until some time in July 1961, is that correct?

Mr. Mcvickar.

Yes; that is right, and I believe that I didn't have any contact with him in July of 1961. I believe I only had contact with his wife.

Mr. Coleman.

Do you speak Russian?

Mr. Mcvickar.

Yes; or I did.

Mr. Coleman.

When did his wife come in in July of 1961?

Mr. Mcvickar.

Well, as I recall, and as I say, my memory here was completely refreshed by the record, and I see that I have some notes in the file that are undated, but that they were used evidently to write a communication to the