CHAPTER I

Summary and Conclusions


The assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy on November 22, 1963,
was a cruel and shocking act of violence directed against a man, a
family, a nation, and against all mankind. A young and vigorous leader
whose years of public and private life stretched before him was the
victim of the fourth Presidential assassination in the history of a
country dedicated to the concepts of reasoned argument and peaceful
political change. This Commission was created on November 29, 1963,
in recognition of the right of people everywhere to full and truthful
knowledge concerning these events. This report endeavors to fulfill
that right and to appraise this tragedy by the light of reason and the
standard of fairness. It has been prepared with a deep awareness of
the Commission’s responsibility to present to the American people an
objective report of the facts relating to the assassination.


NARRATIVE OF EVENTS

At 11:40 a.m., c.s.t., on Friday, November 22, 1963, President John
F. Kennedy, Mrs. Kennedy, and their party arrived at Love Field,
Dallas, Tex. Behind them was the first day of a Texas trip planned
5 months before by the President, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson,
and John B. Connally, Jr., Governor of Texas. After leaving the White
House on Thursday morning, the President had flown initially to San
Antonio where Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson joined the party and
the President dedicated new research facilities at the U.S. Air Force
School of Aerospace Medicine. Following a testimonial dinner in Houston
for U.S. Representative Albert Thomas, the President flew to Fort Worth
where he spent the night and spoke at a large breakfast gathering on
Friday.

Planned for later that day were a motorcade through downtown Dallas,
a luncheon speech at the Trade Mart, and a flight to Austin where
the President would attend a reception and speak at a Democratic
fundraising dinner. From Austin he would proceed to the Texas ranch of
the Vice President. Evident on this trip were the varied roles which
an American President performs--Head of State, Chief Executive, party
leader, and, in this instance, prospective candidate for reelection.

The Dallas motorcade, it was hoped, would evoke a demonstration of the
President’s personal popularity in a city which he had lost in the 1960
election. Once it had been decided that the trip to Texas would span 2
days, those responsible for planning, primarily Governor Connally and
Kenneth O’Donnell, a special assistant to the President, agreed that
a motorcade through Dallas would be desirable. The Secret Service was
told on November 8 that 45 minutes had been allotted to a motorcade
procession from Love Field to the site of a luncheon planned by Dallas
business and civic leaders in honor of the President. After considering
the facilities and security problems of several buildings, the Trade
Mart was chosen as the luncheon site. Given this selection, and in
accordance with the customary practice of affording the greatest number
of people an opportunity to see the President, the motorcade route
selected was a natural one. The route was approved by the local host
committee and White House representatives on November 18 and publicized
in the local papers starting on November 19. This advance publicity
made it clear that the motorcade would leave Main Street and pass the
intersection of Elm and Houston Streets as it proceeded to the Trade
Mart by way of the Stemmons Freeway.

By midmorning of November 22, clearing skies in Dallas dispelled the
threat of rain and the President greeted the crowds from his open
limousine without the “bubbletop,” which was at that time a plastic
shield furnishing protection only against inclement weather. To the
left of the President in the rear seat was Mrs. Kennedy. In the jump
seats were Governor Connally, who was in front of the President, and
Mrs. Connally at the Governor’s left. Agent William R. Greer of the
Secret Service was driving, and Agent Roy H. Kellerman was sitting to
his right.

Directly behind the Presidential limousine was an open “followup” car
with eight Secret Service agents, two in the front seat, two in the
rear, and two on each running board. These agents, in accordance with
normal Secret Service procedures, were instructed to scan the crowds,
the roofs, and windows of buildings, overpasses, and crossings for
signs of trouble. Behind the “followup” car was the Vice-Presidential
car carrying the Vice President and Mrs.