the enclosed application for review in Minsk but did not mail it until he returned to the United States.771

The Department of State had notified Oswald's mother that it would need $900 to make the travel arrangements for her son and daughter-in-law.772 On February 1, Oswald sent his mother a brief letter rejecting her suggestion that she try to raise money by telling the newspapers about his financial plight.773 Five days later, the Embassy Oswald wrote to his mother again on February 9, reminding her to file an affidavit of support and asking that she send him clippings from the Fort Worth newspapers about his defection to Russia, a request which he later repeated to his brother. He told her that he wanted to know what had been written about him, so that he could be "forewarned."

Oswald took Marina to the hospital on the morning of February 15. A baby girl was born at about 10 a.m.776 He had gone on to the factory where news of the birth awaited him on his arrival.777 In accordance with regular hospital practice,778 he did not see the baby until Marina left the hospital.779 He was excited by the child,780 who was named "June Lee" in accordance with the Russian custom and law that a child's second name must be the father's first name or a variation of it. He had wanted to name his child "June Marina," and protested the application of the law to her, since he had a United States passport. His diary contains the wry comment, "Po- Russki." 781 His coworkers at the factory gave the Oswalds "one summer blanket, 6 light diapers, 4 warm diapers, 2 chemises, 3 very good warm chemises, 4 very nice suits and two toys" for the baby.782 Marina came home on February 23.783

There was less urgency about the departure for the United States after June Lee was born.784 Oswald wrote to his mother,785 and brother,786 that he would probably not arrive for several months. The Embassy received a letter on March 3, in which Oswald applied for a loan of $800; 787 the Embassy replied that it was authorized to loan him only $500.788 It had in the meantime decided that his own affidavit of support for Marina would be sufficient under the circumstances.789 On March 15, he received notification from the Immigration and Naturalization Service that Marina's application for a visa had been approved.790 By March 28, he had received an affidavit of support in Marina's behalf from his mother's employer, Byron K. Phillips, 791 which he filed although it was no longer necessary to do so.792 A few days before, Marina, still on maternity leave, had quit her job. 793 Discussions with the Embassy to complete financial and travel arrangements continued in April and May.794 In a letter to Robert on April 12, Oswald wrote that only "the American side" was holding up their departure, but added that the winter being over, he didn't "really * * * want to leave until the beginning of fall, since the spring and summer * * * [in Russia] are so nice." 795