JFK Assassination System
Identification Form
Date:
10/14/20
Agency Information
AGENCY: HSCA
RECORD NUMBER:
180-10078-10492
RECORD SERIES : NUMBERED FILES
AGENCY FILE NUMBER:
009441
Document Information
ORIGINATOR:
HSCA
FROM:
CALL, RICHARD DENNIS
TO:
TITLE:
DATE:
PAGES:
06/06/1978
6
SUBJECTS:
DOCUMENT TYPE:
CLASSIFICATION:
RESTRICTIONS:
CURRENT STATUS:
DATE OF LAST REVIEW:
OPENING CRITERIA:
CALL; RICHARD, DENNIS
OSWALD, LEE HARVEY; PRE-RUSSIAN PERIOD
MILITARY SERVICE
SUMMARY
Unclassified
3
Redact
11/20/1997
COMMENTS:
173-6. Box 173.
v9.1
NW 88326 Docld:32248434 Page 1
Released under the John F. Kennedy
Assassination Records Collection Act of
1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Case#:NW
88326 Date: 2025
KENNEDY
INVESTIGATION INTERVIEW SCHEDULE.
009441
1.
Identifying Information:
Name
BEN RICHARD DENNIS CAll Date 6-6-78
Address Box 623A- Route #5 Place
FLEMINGTON, 1. JERSEY
City/State FLEMINGTON, 77, JERSEY Telephone 201-782-7832
Date of Birth 1-6-38
Social Security 162-32-1053
2. Physical Description:
Height
Weight
Ethnic Group White SALE
M or S MARRIED
Spouse
Children
1 dAather
Color Eyes
Hair
Special Characteristics
3. Personal History:
a.
Present Employment: CollEGE PROFESSOR
Address
Telephone
FLAMINGTON, N. PERSEY
Criminal Record
b.
1.
2.
Arrests
Convictions
7.
4.
Additional Personal Information:
a.
Relative(s):
Name
Address
b. Area frequented:
c. Remarks:
Investigator
NW 88326 Docld:32248434 Page 2 Date
Clarice July
6-6-78
Form #4-B
KENNEDY
SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS
Name Richard Dennis Call
Date
June 6, 1978 Time 4:00 p.m..
Residence
Address Box #23623 A, Route 5, Fleming- Place
ton, New Jersey 08822
Interview: Mr. Call stated that in 1959 he was in the United
he was
States Marine Corps and stationed at El Toro Bay Marine Air
Station in Santa Anita, California. He stated that at the time
a Sergeant in the Marine Corps and that his Marine
military speciality was aeronautical electronics operator.
stated that Lee Harvey Oswald was under his immediate supervi-
sion.
He
Call stated that his duties and that of his unit was
to track aircraft on a radar scope.
He further advised that his
unit at that time only worked two or three days out of a week.
He stated further that Lee Harvey Oswald's specific duties
involved sitting in front of a large radar screen that con-
stantly scanned certain areas for aircraft. Once the aircraft
was spotted, it was his duty to track the aircraft until it
had cleared the area. Call further continued and stated that
his unit had security clearance and he described this level of
clearance as being "confidential. He indicated that the secur-
ity clearance was necessary due to the nature of the work that
"
his unit was doing and also because of the type of radar equip-
Interviewer Signature
Clarence
Typed Signature Clarence Day
Dday
NW 88326 Docld:32248434 Page 3
Date transcribed 6-23-78
By:
br
Form #4-A
Richard Dennis Call
Page 2.
ment the unit used. Mr. Call stated that he was Oswald's
immediate supervisor.
He was not a close friend of Lee Harvey
Oswald but the interest they shared was mainly the game of
chess. Oswald would play chess with him quite often. He
described Oswald as being quiet. He didn't talk very much.
During any conversation that went on, the other person had to
solicit it from him. He described him as being a loner, stay-
ing off to himself, not having very many friends or having
very much contact with other people in the unit. In his
words, Mr. Call described Oswald as being "an oddball."
stated that he had never gone off the base or socialized off
the base with Lee Harvey Oswald. He knew of no civilian or
military personnel who he was particularly friendly with.
Call
In regards to whether or not Mr. Call knew that LHO
was studying a foreign language, Mr. Call stated that LHO was
studying the Russian language. He had many books and he pur-
chased Russian records, that is, records of music. Mr. Call
could not recall the title of the books but he did state that
LHO subscribed to two Russian periodicals, or newspapers. He
stated that the two newspapers were the two most popular Russian
newspapers in circulation in the United States today. Mr. Call
recalled a particular record that he owned that was in Russian.
The name of the record he said was "Russian Fireworks." He said
that LHO enjoyed listening to the Russian music that he owned,
that is, Mr. Calls. Mr. Call recalled to memory that on occasions
NW 88326 Docld:32248434 Page 4
Richard Dennis Call Interview
Page 3.
Mr.
he would be playing Russian music in his quarters and if
LHO heard the music he would respond to where he was and re-
ply "Did you call?" Mr. Call stated that it was common know-
ledge in his unit that LHO was studying the Russian language and
that he was very interested in the Russian way of life.
Call knew of no persons that Oswald was studying Russian with.
He stated that LHO also had a security clearance, the same
security clearance as everyone else in the unit. Call was not
sure of what particular training LHO had had; however, he did
indicate that LHO had had training in the use of radar track-
ing equipment. He stated that LHO was a very tight person
with money.
He never knew him to have an over-abundance of
money. Call stated that he had no knowledge of any military
personnel who LHO had close contact with, with the exception
of a lieutenant by the name of Donavan who he used to play
chess with. He also played chess with a Marine by the name
not
% of Botello. Call stated that he did/know Botello's full name,
but he believed he was a major in the Marine Corps, that at
the present time Botello is a judge in the state of California.
although he isn't certain of which state. As far as LHO's
interests--personal or professional--were concerned, Call
stated that he had no knowledge except that LHO was very in-
terested in the Russian way of life. He was extremely interested
in trying to learn to speak the Russian language, so much so
that it became a joke in the unit. Instead of calling LHO
NW 88326 Docld:32248434 Page 5
Richard Dennis Call Interview
Page 4.
"Lee" themen in the unit would call him either "Comrade" or
"Oswaldovitch."
Lee would show his interest in the Russian
way of life by, on occasion, when he was playing chess, if he
was asked which men he wanted out of the set of red and black
men, LHO would say "the Reds always.' Mr. Call knew of no
"
particular military program that LHO was interested in.
How-
ever, he did state that in 1959 he, LHO, and another Marine
named Delgado, all qualified on the rifle range. He considered
LHO a very good shot with a rifle: LHO qualified with a
score of 212. He stated that he shot right alongside LHO
during their qualification.
This witness knew of no organiza-
tions or informal groups that LHO belonged to. Mr. Call stated
that LHO had never spoken to him about the U-2 program. Call
further continued and stated that at that time he didn't know
what the U-2 program was, that is, Mr. Call didn't know what
the U-2 program was. Mr. Call stated that he knew that LHO
had shot himself in the arm, or that he had been shot in the
arm, that he heard from other men in the unit that Oswald had
shot himself in the arm. Call did not know the particulars of
the incident. Call stated that he did not know that LHO had
a family until 1959 when he was about to be discharged from
the service. LHO came to him and told him that his mother was
ill and that he was getting a hardship discharge from the ser-
vice. Call stated that before this time, LHO during the entire
NW 88326 Docld:32248434 Page 6
Richard Dennis Call Interview
Page 5.
time he knew him, had never spoken of any member of his fam-
ily. Call indicated that he was quite shocked to learn that
LHO was getting out on a hardship discharge. Call further
stated that prior to his discharge from the Marine Corps, LHO
told him that he had been accepted to study at a university
in Switzerland. Mr. Call knew of no long extensive periods
of time that LHO was separated from the unit while he was
under his command. When asked if he, Mr. Call, had been ques-
tioned by any federal agency after the assassination, Mr. Call
responded that about a week after the assassination of President
Kennedy, he was interviewed by agents of the FBI. He does
not recall the agents' names. Mr. Call further stated that
about a year ago, he was contacted and interviewed by Edward Jay
Epstein, the author of the book entitled, "The Legend of Lee
Harvey Oswald." Mr. Call described LHO as being a person who
was very discontent with the conditions in the United States at
that time. Mr. Call stated that he had never heard LHO make
a threat against the President or any other official of the
United States.
NW 88326 Docld:32248434 Page 7