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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VIII - Page 310« Previous | Next »

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

Mr. Ely.
So he could have received a higher rating than he did?
Colonel FOLSOM. This is correct.
Mr. Ely.
Finally for this document, turning to page 120, we have a rather imposing score sheet which relates Oswald's scores while he was in training at Jacksonville, Florida. Could you explain the meaning of these numbers in-sofar as you can?
Colonel FOLSOM. Well, the first column indicates the number of hours devoted to the subject. In the first instance, 37 hours to mathematics, two examinations were given, he achieved a score of 67 on the first and 54 on the second. The last--the next column indicates his average score for that subject. Twenty-five hours physics, score, 75 and 77.
Mr. Ely.
Excuse me. Do you know whether those scores you just read are on a scale of 100?
Colonel FOLSOM. I do not know. But from the mathematics I would assume they are, particularly since they say that 62 is a passing score.
Mr. Ely.
I see.
Now, getting back again to the column which is second from the right, which you say represents his average. It is his average on the previous test carried out to three digits without the decimal point.
Colonel FOLSOM. That is correct. This report was prepared on an electric accounting machine, and is a little difficult to interpret.
Mr. Ely.
Yes. But I do see that that makes sense in terms of the individual scores.
Colonel FOLSOM. Do you want to go through all of these?
Mr. Ely.
No; I don't think that will be necessary, now that you have explained the principle by which the scores are recorded.
Colonel FOLSOM. Under the heading "Indoctrination Test Scores" this is a test, an Army test battery, which in this instance was administered by the Marine Corps at a Navy installation. It consists of a reading and vocabulary, arithmetic computation, arithmetical reasoning, and pattern analysis. The "GC" is an abbreviation for "GCT".
These are raw scores.
Mr. Ely.
The ones designated RV, AC, AR, and PA?
Colonel FOLSOM. And the scores indicated are raw scores, which converted to the Marine Corps scoring on the general classification test shows that Oswald achieved a score of 105 on this test battery, and a score of 106 on the Marine Corps test batter. So the correlation is quite close.
The column headed "B" indicates year of birth. And the "G" column indicates the number of years of schooling--in this case, nine.
Mr. Ely.
All right.
Colonel, I would finally like to show you a document which has already been introduced in evidence before the Commission in connection with the testimony of Marguerite Oswald. It is, therefore, designated Exhibit 239. This exhibit is a photostatic copy.
Could you tell us, Colonel, of what it is a photostatic copy?
Colonel FOLSOM. It is a photostatic copy of the U.S. Marine Corps Scorebook for use with the U.S. Rifle, Caliber 30 M-1.
Now, this scorebook is issued to each individual at each time they are sent on the rifle range for qualification or requalification.
They are maintained by the individual and are used to provide the individual with a record of the idiosyncracies of the weapon, and the weather on the day that the entries are made. This is referred to in the Marine Corps as the zero of the rifle, because the sight settings are individual characteristics of the particular rifle used. That is, he may--this rifle may require a half a point more windage under the same wind velocity than another rifle, and that the scale by yards may require adjustment depending upon the range that is being fired.
Mr. Ely.
This book, then, is used by the individual Marine prior to his firing for record in order that he can zero his weapon so that he will do well on his record firing?
Colonel FOLSOM. This is the purpose. And it should be maintained even on the day that he fires for record.
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