Reunion with Robert Oswald in Fort Worth
Oswald had originally indicated that he and his family would stay with his mother in Vernon, Texas, but his decision to stay with Robert in Fort Worth was prompted by his brother’s earlier letter. On an “Intake Interview” form for the welfare department he listed only his brother as a relative. Robert, his wife, and their children met Lee, Marina, and baby June Lee at Love Field in Dallas. Robert testified that Lee was noticeably balder and somewhat thinner than in 1959, had acquired “something of an accent,” but was otherwise “the same boy.” Lee seemed disappointed that no newspaper reporters appeared, though he later sought to avoid publicity. Robert drove the family to his home at 7313 Davenport Street. For a few days Lee seemed tense, but the brothers got along well, observing a tacit agreement not to discuss politics. Lee told Robert he hoped to have his undesirable Marine discharge corrected. Robert and his wife “took to Marina and June,” and Marina helped in the household while resting and caring for the baby. Apart from a trip to the library, Marina testified that Lee spent about a week “merely talking.”
Oswald’s Manuscript Typing and Russian Proficiency Verification
On June 18, four days after arriving in Fort Worth, Oswald visited the office of Mrs. Pauline Virginia Bates, a public stenographer whose name he had found in the telephone directory, and asked her to type his manuscript of Soviet impressions from his “scraps of paper.” Intrigued, she agreed to a reduced rate of $1 per page or $2 an hour. Over three days she spent eight hours typing while Oswald remained in her office, helping with the notes and translating the Russian portions. He collected his materials after each session and on June 20 paid her $10 for ten completed pages, refusing her offer to postpone payment. On June 19, Oswald called Peter Gregory, a Siberian-born petroleum engineer who taught Russian at the Fort Worth Public Library, requesting a letter attesting to his Russian ability for interpreter or translator work. Gregory had Oswald read from a randomly opened Russian book in his office; Oswald read well, and Gregory provided the letter. They had lunch and discussed Oswald’s life in the Soviet Union, but, according to Gregory, nothing was said about publishing the manuscript. About a week later, Gregory and his college-student son Paul visited the Oswalds at Robert’s home, and Paul arranged to take conversational Russian lessons from Marina during the summer.
First Fort Worth FBI Interview with Oswald
On June 26, Oswald was interviewed by FBI agents in Fort Worth. One agent described him as tense, “drawn up,” arrogant, and “a little insolent.” Oswald declined to say why he had gone to Russia, stating he refused to “relive the past.” He denied attempting to obtain Soviet citizenship, being approached by Soviet officials about his Marine experience, or offering them such information. Noting that Marina’s Soviet passport required her to register her address with the Soviet Embassy in Washington, Oswald said he planned to contact the embassy within a few days and promised to notify the FBI if approached by Soviet agents. He told Robert the interview had been “just fine.”
Second Fort Worth FBI Interview with Oswald
On August 16 the FBI again interviewed Oswald, this time in the back seat of a car in front of his home. The session covered substantially the same material as the first. Oswald again denied making any deal with Soviet representatives, protested his undesirable Marine discharge, and confirmed that his wife was registered at the Soviet Embassy. He continued to refuse to discuss why he had gone to the Soviet Union but was less hostile than in the earlier interview. According to Marina, however, he was very upset by the FBI’s interest in him.
Oswalds’ Fort Worth Residency and Employment
The Oswalds remained with Robert for about a month. During that time Oswald’s mother moved from Crowell, Texas, to Fort Worth, and sometime in July the family moved into her apartment at 1501 West Seventh Street. Mrs. Oswald testified that she and Marina and Lee got along well during what she described as “a very happy month,” and that she helped Marina with the house and baby and aided Lee in seeking employment. Marina testified, however, that Lee did not get along well with his mother and decided after several weeks to move to their own apartment. Oswald did not file a change-of-address card when they moved to West Seventh Street, suggesting he may have planned a short stay there. Around mid-August, the Oswalds moved to a one-bedroom furnished apartment at 2703 Mercedes Street, paying $59.50 in advance for one month. In the third week of July, Oswald obtained a job as a sheet metal worker at the Louv-R-Pak Division of the Leslie Welding Company, a manufacturer of louvers and ventilators, referred by the Texas Employment Commission. On his application he falsely claimed prior experience as a sheet metal worker and machinist in the Marines and an honorable discharge. He worked eight or nine hours a day at $1.25 an hour, was regarded as a good but uncommunicative employee, and remained with the company until October, when he quit. The Mercedes Street apartment was later described as “decrepit” and poorly furnished, without telephone service, and the family was observed to have little food, poor clothing, and at first no bed for the baby.
The original text of this work is in the public domain. This page focuses on a guided summary article, reading notes, selected quotes, and visual learning materials for educational purposes.