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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VIII - Page 306« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Allison G. , Lt. Col, Usmc Folsom)

Mr. Ely.
TOP OF PAGE 306 IS CUT OFF.

awarded his final MOS, he was awarded an MOS, that is a Military Occupational Specialty, of 6400. Do you know, Colonel, what that stands for?
Colonel FOLSOM. It is a basic MOS in aviation electronics, I believe.

Mr. Ely.
Now, we have an entry at the bottom of page 5 of this exhibit which was later crossed out. Could you explain to us the meaning of that entry?
Colonel FOLSOM. Yes. This is an entry that is additional information as to promotion status on transfer to a new organization. This entry shows that Oswald achieved a composite score for the second 1958 testing period of 113. The reason it was deleted was due to his reduction from the rank of private first class to private pursuant to sentence of a summary court-martial.
Mr. Ely.
Is there any way of evaluating his score of 113?
Colonel FOLSOM. It would be very difficult to reconstruct it. It is a composition of conduct and proficiency markings, time in service, and time in grade. And promotions are based on cutting scores established by Headquarters Marine Corps, which are promulgated to the field, and individuals holding the cutting score or higher may be promoted by their local organizations.
Mr. Ely.
But the cutting score which is promulgated varies from time to time?
Colonel FOLSOM. It fluctuates. Well, it does not fluctuate--it is controlled by a staff agency at Headquarters, Marine Corps, to fulfill the needs of the Marine Corps by--in the varying grades.
Mr. Ely.
Turning our attention now to page 6 of the exhibit, I notice here in the section labeled "Allotments" that toward the end of Oswald's Marine Corps career his mother received two allotments. These two allotments are designated differently in terms of purpose--one being given a "Q" designation and the other being given a "D" designation.
Can you explain what the difference is?
Colonel FOLSOM The "Q" allotment is one where a portion of it is provided by the Government, and the other portion by the individual. It is a dependency allotment.
The "D" allotment, I believe, is an additional voluntary contribution.
Mr. Ely.
The "D" allotment is one that the individual marine decides to send out of his pay?
Colonel FOLSOM. That is correct.
Mr. Ely.
Immediately below the allotment section is the record of Oswald's firing of various weapons. We would like you to explain some of the abbreviations found in this record.
Under the column "Course" we see that at one point he fired the M-1 Rifle on a so-called "A" course, and, too, he fired it on a "B" course. Could you tell us what the difference is between those two courses?
Colonel FOLSOM. Yes; the "A" course is the standard marksmanship qualification course used by the Marine Corps for the M-1 Rifle. The "B" course is a shorter course-by that, less rounds of ammunition are fired.
Mr. Ely.
But both of these courses are such that one can record a score?
Colonel FOLSOM. Yes; there are scores and adjective designations as a result of the scores.
In the case of the "A" course, Oswald obtained a score of 212 which would, under regulations in effect at that time, have made him a sharpshooter. However, the score of 212 was erroneously designated with the abbreviation "MM" for marksman.
When he fired the "B" course, he is rated "MM" or marksman, and this is a correct designation in accordance with the score fired.
Mr. Ely.
Am I correct in stating that when he fired the "A" course he would have been still in basic training at San Diego?
Colonel FOLSOM. Yes.
Mr. Ely.
This was on the 21st of December 1958. Did you mention what the minimum score for sharpshooter would have been at that point?
Colonel FOLSOM. It would have been 210.
Mr. Ely.
In other words, he was two points over the minimum for sharpshooter and the designation "MM" on his record was an error?
Colonel FOLSOM. That is correct.
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