Mr. Liebeler.

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give here will be the truth, the whore truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mrs. Ray.

I do.

Mr. Liebeler.

My name is Wesley J. Liebeler. I am a member of the legal staff of the President's Commission investigating the assassination of President Kennedy. Staff members have been authorized to take the testimony of witnesses by the Commission pursuant to authority granted to the Commission by Executive Order 11130 dated November 29, 1963, and Joint Resolution of Congress No. 137.
I believe Mr. Rankin sent you a letter last week?

Mrs. Ray.

Yes; and I read it and have your name, too.

Mr. Liebeler.

He sent with that letter copies of the Executive order and the joint resolution as well as copies of the rules and procedure governing the taking of testimony of witnesses. Did you receive that letter and copies of such documents?

Mrs. Ray.

Yes.

Mr. Liebeler.

Mr. Ray previously mentioned that the letter was routed to the wrong post office box and you did not get it until Sunday.

Mrs. Ray.

Monday.

Mr. Liebeler.

Under the rules of the Commission each witness is entitled to 3 days' notice before he has to testify and I suppose technically since you did not get the letter until Monday you do not have to testify today or you can waive that notice, and I presume you are willing to go ahead with the questioning at this time; is that correct?

Mrs. Ray.

Yes.

Mr. Liebeler.

We want to inquire of you today, Mrs. Ray, concerning the events at a party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Declan P. Ford which was held in Dallas in December 1962, as the events at that party related to or involved Lee Harvey Oswald. We also want to question you about meetings and/or parties that you went to at other places in Dallas during the period shortly after December 28, 1962. Before we get into that, would you state your full name for the record?

Mrs. Ray.

Me?

Mr. Liebeler.

Yes; what is your full name?

Mrs. Ray.

Natalie.

Mr. Liebeler.

And you last name is----

Mrs. Ray.

Ray.

Mr. Liebeler.

R-a-y [spelling]?

Mrs. Ray.

R-a-y [spelling].

Mr. Liebeler.

What is your residence?

Mrs. Ray.

Route 3, Detroit, Tex.--here, you mean?

Mr. Liebeler.

Yes. Where were you born?

Mrs. Ray.

Russia.

Mr. Liebeler.

Where in Russia?

Mrs. Ray.

Stalingrad.

Mr. Liebeler.

Approximately when were you born?

Mrs. Ray.

In 1922, May 1922

Mr. Liebeler.

When did you leave Stalingrad?

Mrs. Ray.

Let me see, in 1943, in time war; Germans come and taken over Stalingrad and pick me up and send to Germany.

Mr. Liebeler.

When 'the German troops reached Stalingrad they picked you up and other Russian people?

Mrs. Ray.

Yeah; lots of Russians and they send us to Germany in camp, in concentration camp, labor camp, I guess, more.

Mr. Liebeler.

How long were you in Germany?

Mrs. Ray.

I been there until I come to America, 1946.

Mr. Liebeler.

How did it come about that you came to the United States; what were the circumstances of your coming here?

Mrs. Ray.

Well, I met' my husband was town of Wiesbaden being liberated by Americans and that's the first time we ever saw American people and then they taken us out and tell us to wait until they able to send us to Russia.