would eventually prevail.413 He was surprised by the decision but expected Oswald to adjust to Russian life and remain in Russia permanently.

Another marine, Nelson Delgado, met Oswald soon after the latter arrived at El Toro.415 They were about the same age and had similar interests; Oswald enjoyed trying to speak Spanish with Delgado, who spoke it fluently.416 Delgado regarded him as a "complete believer that our way of government was not quite right," but did not think he was a Communist.417 Their discussions were concerned more with Cuba than Russia.418 They both favored the Castro government and talked--"dreaming," Delgado said--about joining the Cuban Army or Government and perhaps leading expeditions to other Caribbean islands to "free them too." 419 Oswald told Delgado that he was in touch with Cuban diplomatic. officials in this count; which Delgado at first, took to be "one of his * * * lies," 420 but later believed.421

Oswald's interest in Russia and developing ideological attachment to theoretical communism apparently dominated his stay at El Toro. He was still withdrawn from most of his fellows, although his special interests appear to have made him stand out more there than he had at other posts and to have given him a source for conversation which he had hitherto lacked.422 According to several of the witnesses, names like "Ozzie Rabbit" still clung to him; 423 others recalled no nickname or only shortened versions of his real name.424 His reading acquired direction; books like "Das Kapital" and Orwell's "Animal Farm" and "1984" are mentioned in the testimony concerning this period.

played chess; 426 according to one of his opponents he chose the red pieces, expressing a preference for the "Red Army." 427 He listened to classical music.428 For a short time, he played on the squadron football team.429 According to Donovan, who coached the team, Oswald was not very good; he lacked team spirit and often tried to call the plays, which was not his job.430 Delgado thought Oswald was a mediocre player.431 Donovan did not know whether Oswald quit or was thrown off the team.432 He spent most of his weekends alone, as he had at Keesler, and did not leave the post as often as the other men.433 Delgado once rode with him on the train to Los Angeles but separated from him there; Oswald returned to the base after one night.434 Delgado recalls that. on another weekend Oswald accepted his invitation to go to Tijuana; they stayed there for one night.435

At the end of January 1959 and at the end of July, Oswald was given his semiannual ratings, scoring 4.0 in conduct both times, and 4.0 and 4.2 in proficiency.436 (The July ratings were repeated in September, when he was transferred from MACS-9 in preparation for his discharge.)437 On March 9, he was promoted as of March 1, to the rank of private, first class, for the second time.438 He took a series of high school level general educational development tests on March 23 and received an overall rating of "satisfactory." His best scores, in the 76th and 79th U.S. percentiles, were in English composition and physical sciences; his worst was English literature, in which he placed in the 34th percentile.439