Post-Discharge Return to Fort Worth
After his discharge from the Marines, Oswald went directly to Fort Worth, arriving by September 14, 1959. He told his mother he intended to work on a ship or in the “export-import business,” explaining that a ship would pay “big money” compared to the roughly $30 per week he could earn locally. During his brief stay, Oswald registered his dependency discharge and entry into the Marine Reserve at the Fort Worth Selective Service Board, visited his brother Robert and his family, and gave his mother $100. Three days after arriving, he left for New Orleans.
New Orleans Travel and European Freighter Booking
On September 17, 1959, Oswald visited Travel Consultants, Inc. in New Orleans, where he completed a “Passenger Immigration Questionnaire” listing his occupation as “shipping export agent” and stating he would be abroad for two months on a pleasure trip. He booked passage on the freighter SS Marion Lykes, scheduled to sail September 18 from New Orleans to Le Havre, France, for $220.75. That evening, he registered at the Liberty Hotel.
Voyage Aboard the SS Marion Lykes
The Marion Lykes did not depart until the early morning of September 20. Before sailing, Oswald wrote his mother a letter informing her of his European trip, asking her to remember that his “values are very different” from those of his family, and stating that she “could hardly be expected to understand” his plans. The ship carried only four passengers. Oswald shared a cabin with Billy Joe Lord, a young high school graduate headed to France for further education; Lord recalled amicable religious arguments in which Oswald defended atheism, and noted that Oswald was “standoffish” but discussed his background, mentioning his mother’s low wages and his interest in possibly studying in Sweden or Switzerland. The two other passengers, Lt. Col. and Mrs. George B. Church, Jr., also found Oswald unfriendly and observed some bitterness about his mother’s difficulties. No one aboard suspected that he intended to defect to Russia.
European Transit and Soviet Visa Application in Helsinki
Oswald disembarked at Le Havre on October 8, traveled to England the same day, and arrived on October 9. He told English customs officials in Southampton that he had $700 and planned to stay in the United Kingdom for one week before going to school in Switzerland. On the same day, however, he flew to Helsinki, Finland, where he registered at the Torni Hotel before moving to the Klaus Kurki Hotel. Oswald likely applied for a Soviet visa at the Russian consulate on October 12, his first business day in Helsinki. The visa was issued October 14, valid until October 20, and permitted one trip of no more than six days to the Soviet Union. He also purchased ten Soviet “tourist vouchers” at $30 each, then departed Helsinki by train on October 15, crossed the Finnish-Soviet border at Vainikkala, and arrived in Moscow on October 16.
Moscow Arrival and Defection Announcement
Oswald was met at the Moscow railroad station by an Intourist representative and taken to the Hotel Berlin, where he registered as a student. The same day, he met Rima Shirokova, the Intourist guide assigned to him, with whom he went sightseeing the next day. Almost immediately, Oswald told Rima that he wanted to leave the United States and become a Soviet citizen. She reported his statement to Intourist headquarters, which notified the “Passport and Visa Office” (likely the Visa and Registration Department of the MVD). Rima was instructed to help Oswald prepare a letter to the Supreme Soviet requesting citizenship, which he mailed that same day. Although Rima was reportedly “flabbergasted” by the defection announcement, she agreed to help, and gave Oswald a copy of Dostoevsky’s “The Idiot” for his 20th birthday with an inscription wishing his dreams to come true.
Soviet Citizenship Application and Visa Expiration
On October 19, Oswald was probably interviewed in his hotel room by a man named Lev Setyayev, who identified himself as a Radio Moscow reporter but was likely also acting for the KGB. Two years later, Oswald told American Embassy officials that he had made only routine, apolitical comments to Setyayev, but the interview may have been an attempt by the KGB to assess him or elicit compromising statements; the interview was apparently never broadcast. On October 20, Rima informed Oswald that the “Pass. and Visa Dept.” wished to see him, and the following morning he was interviewed by an official regarding his citizenship application. The official offered little information and no encouragement, saying only that he would check whether the visa could be extended. Oswald returned to the Hotel Berlin, but that afternoon was notified that his visa had expired and that he had to leave Moscow within two hours.
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.