Mr. Donovan.

Yes. Eight months prior to that, I worked for a bank Boston, Mass. Prior to that, I was employed by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Mr. Ely.

For how long?

Mr. Donovan.

Three years and 3 months, I think.

Mr. Ely.

And what was the rank at which you were discharged?

Mr. Donovan.

First lieutenant.

Mr. Ely.

You had had higher education before you entered the Marine Corps?

Mr. Donovan.

Prior to the Marine Corps I completed Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in 1956.

Mr. Ely.

And you received a bachelor of arts degree?

Mr. Donovan.

A bachelor of science, foreign service.

Mr. Ely.

As you undoubtedly know, Mr. Donovan, we have called you here because we think that you might be able to tell us something about the background of Lee Harvey Oswald, whom I believe you knew when you were both members of the Marine Corps.
Why don't you, in your own words, outline your contact with Oswald, and I will interrupt with questions.

Mr. Donovan.

In the spring of 1959, I returned from a tour in Japan. I was assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 9 in Santa Ann, Calif.

Mr. Ely.

Excuse me. There is something in these service records that confuses me. Is the installation at Santa Ana separate from the one at El Toro?

Mr. Donovan.

It comes under the command of El Toro, but it is, I believe, 5 miles removed.
El Toro is a jet type base. Santa Ana is still known by the title of "LTA", which stands for lighter than air, which stems from the fact that in World War II it was a blimp base. It is now a helicopter base and a radar base.
In that spring, I was the assistant operations officer and the training officer at Marine Air Control Squadron 9, and it is there that I came into contact with Oswald.

Mr. Ely.

What was your rank at this time?

Mr. Donovan.

First lieutenant.
Our function at that base was to surveil for aircraft, but basically to train both enlisted and officers for later assignment overseas. Some of my fellow officers there had served with Oswald in Japan, and as all ranks, from generals to privates probably do, they discussed their contemporaries and how to get along with them.
I was informed that Oswald was very competent, but a little bit nuts on foreign affairs.

Mr. Ely.

Who told you this?

Mr. Donovan.

Bill Trail--William Kenneth Trail is his name had served with him in Japan, and was around when Oswald underwent some court-martial proceedings, but I don't recall what they were. I don't know if my memory has been refreshed by the newspaper or if I actually knew then. I don't believe I recall. At any rate, Oswald served on my crew there, served on a lot of crews, but basically mine.

Mr. Ely.

Let me interrupt a moment to define a little more closely the relationship between you and Oswald.
Would it be a fair characterization to say that you were his commanding officer?

Mr. Donovan.

No; that is not correct. The commanding officer was a lieutenant colonel. Oswald served on a crew, a radar crew, and on that crew I was the officer in command.

Mr. Ely.

I understand. How many men were on the crew?

Mr. Donovan.

I believe that there were always about three officers and about seven enlisted men. It varied from time to time. We were supposed to have 12 enlisted men, but we were seldom up to strength.

Mr. Ely.

So Oswald would have been one of the six or seven enlisted men with whom you were in closest contact?

Mr. Donovan.

Correct. I served with him on a 4-hour watch once a day, usually five days a week--sometimes that was the morning watch, sometimes the afternoon, and sometimes it was a rather extensive night watch.
During night watch, you had to stay up until all aircraft were in. Often