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

Tests Simulating President Kennedy’s Neck Wound

After reviewing the autopsy report, the Edgewood scientists simulated the portion of the President’s neck through which the bullet passed, determining it traveled through 13½ to 14½ centimeters of tissue. They constructed three blocks—one 20-percent gelatin composition and two from different animal meats—to duplicate the neck tissue. Using the assassination weapon at a range of 180 feet (later confirmed between 174.9 and 190.8 feet), Western bullets were fired through the substances, producing an average entrance velocity of 1,904 feet per second. The materials were covered with clipped animal skin to simulate human skin, and the average exit velocities were 1,779 fps from gelatin, 1,798 fps from the first meat, and 1,772 fps from the second meat. The tests concluded that the bullet lost little velocity in penetrating the President’s neck, retained most of its stability (producing only slightly elongated exit holes compared to round entry holes), and would have had substantial impact on the Presidential limousine or anyone else struck by the exiting bullet.

Tests Simulating Governor Connally’s Chest Wounds

To approximate the Governor’s chest injuries, an animal was shot with the assassination weapon using Western bullets at a distance of 210 feet (later determined to be 176.9 to 190.8 feet in the actual events). The average striking velocity of 11 shots at 210 feet was 1,929 feet per second, with an average exit velocity of 1,664 feet per second. One shot produced an injury on the animal’s rib very similar to that inflicted on Governor Connally, with the bullet traveling along the eighth left rib and causing a similar fracture pattern. The X-ray of the animal wound (Commission Exhibit No. 852) showed remarkable similarity to the Governor’s chest wound (Commission Exhibit No. 681). The bullet that produced this wound (Commission Exhibit No. 853) was flattened similarly to Commission Exhibit No. 399 found on Governor Connally’s stretcher, though the animal bullet was somewhat flatter, indicating greater speed. After passing through the animal, the bullet left an imprint on the velocity screen nearly the length of the bullet, indicating it was traveling sideways or end over end. Accounting for the Governor’s greater girth, the bullet’s velocity reduction in passing through his body was estimated at 400 feet.