Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

KAPITEL VI.

Chapter VI examines Oswald’s activities and circumstances during his time in the Soviet Union and his eventual departure. The chapter addresses his hunting club membership, his marriage to Marina Prusakova, his request to return to the United States, and the process by which the Oswalds obtained Soviet exit permission. Throughout, the Commission assesses whether these circumstances suggest covert Soviet direction or special treatment, concluding that the available evidence does not support such inferences.

Oswald’s Hunting Club Membership in the Soviet Union

Oswald’s membership in a hunting club while residing in the Soviet Union drew particular Commission interest. A Russian émigré testified that gun ownership for pleasure was impermissible in the USSR, raising suspicions about Oswald’s participation. However, the Commission’s investigation found that hunting societies were common and frequently sponsored by factories, as was the case with Oswald’s club. The CIA confirmed that hunting societies were popular, and that Soviet citizens and foreigners were permitted to own shotguns without joining a society provided the weapons were registered at the local militia office.

Soviet Hunting Society Policies and Gun Ownership Rules

CIA experts examined Oswald’s club membership certificate and gun permit and determined that their terms and numbers were consistent with other information the CIA possessed about Soviet practices. This examination supported the conclusion that Oswald’s documents were ordinary and unremarkable in form.

Marina Oswald’s Testimony on Oswald’s Hunting Activity

Marina Oswald testified that her husband went hunting only once during their marriage. However, Oswald joined the Byelorussian Society of Hunters and Fishermen in the summer of 1960, before their April 30, 1961 marriage, suggesting he could have been more active as a bachelor. Oswald openly discussed his hunting club membership with friends after returning to the United States, mentioned it in a speech at a Jesuit Seminary in Mobile, Alabama in summer 1962, corresponded with his brother Robert about it, and retained his membership certificate and gun permit until his death.

Assessment of Hunting Club Membership as Covert Training

Given Oswald’s open and repeated references to his hunting club membership in multiple contexts, the Commission concluded it was unlikely that the membership was contrived to conceal secret training. The lack of secrecy surrounding the activity undermined any theory of covert purpose.

CIA Intelligence on Soviet Secret Training Facilities

The CIA informed the Commission that it possessed considerable information on the location of secret Soviet training institutions and that no such institution existed in or near Minsk during the period Oswald resided there. This further supported the conclusion that the hunting club membership was not cover for espionage training.

Oswald’s Marriage to Marina Prusakova

Oswald’s marriage to Marina Prusakova on April 30, 1961 warranted consideration. A foreigner living in Russia could not marry without Soviet governmental permission. The Commission observed that it seemed unlikely Soviet authorities would have permitted Oswald to marry and take his wife to the United States if they were contemplating using him alone as an agent, as a Russian wife would likely increase American security surveillance, make him more conspicuous as “an ex-Russian,” and decrease his mobility. Marina’s lack of English training and ignorance of the United States would also have made her unsuitable as a member of an “agent team” sent on a dangerous foreign enterprise.

Soviet Marriage Permit Requirements for Foreign Residents

Soviet law required that a foreigner residing in Russia obtain governmental permission before marrying. This requirement was a significant barrier and control point exercised by Soviet authorities over foreign residents.

Soviet Rationale for Allowing Marina to Emigrate to the U.S.

The Soviet rationale for permitting Marina to emigrate to the United States with Oswald was not established through direct evidence, but the Commission inferred from the circumstances that allowing the marriage and emigration suggested Oswald was not being used as a covert agent by Soviet authorities, since the presence of a Russian wife would only complicate any such operation.

Marina Oswald’s Suitability as a Soviet Agent

Marina Oswald’s lack of English training and her complete ignorance of United States customs would scarcely have recommended her to the Soviet authorities as a suitable member of an agent team to be sent to the United States on a difficult and dangerous foreign enterprise. Her profile was inconsistent with that of a trained operative.