180-10147-10176
1
2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
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The CIA has publicly stated that it never interviewed bee
Hervey Oswald. Hunuous allegations have anser over the years
since Jusident Kennedy's assassination that swild wither had
been in should have been debriefed by the LIA upre suture.
- from the Soviet Union since he appeared to be in a position to
unusual duration
provide useful reformation due to the agity of his ex-
response
desce and employment there. The claim that no records_wxist
which indicate a debriefing of swield se stimulated speculation.
that Oswald may ilave had some weed of agency relationslip
witter because the contact was not reported through moral.
als or use the LTAunicated with Oswald in other
obviated (?)
manser which albureted the recessity for a routine deousping.
alleviated/?
The HSCA attempted to determine: 1) whetter Oswald was, in fact, interviewed
the CIA upon his retain from the Soviet Union; 2) whether there is an
official report of the interview if one vai condicted; and 3) tho
actuality/
would not have been intewreved if that was in fituality. He case
на
wly bsweld
RETURN TO CIA
Background Use Only
* Do Not Reproduce
10147-10/74
Se response to the Warren Commission's request of
....
Joke & Melone, Director of the leatral Intelligence Agency, submitted
an affidavit stating
that the CIA had had no relationship
The affidavit,
- If ary
-kied with Yee Howey liswald. He then
"dated 18 May 1964,
soede
that "the Agency
never contacted hin, uteriewed him,
talked with him on received on sobiected any reports or information
from him, or communicated with hin, devectly or indirectly, i
(7017 (66)
你
15 ribus any other manner. Mr. Melonie tatimony before the lessen com--
13-456
x May 14, 1964 gart
The same
live i mission puts the same assertion as to the Agency's lack of contact
Specifically
with Iswald the When Melone was asked whether the CIA had had
any contact with Oswald during his stay in the Soviet Union.
Melone replied, "No, not to my knowledge, nor to the knowledge
of lose who would have been in a prection to have make sull
(ware Cassie Hyori 5H 123).
record also
scording to any 
word we love. He eles 
mesponded
Contact, nor
regatively to the question of whether the CIA that
my personal contact
with biswald suberquest to wire seturs to the United States. (Ibid.)
-2-
was it
435
it, or
it ast
in responsion
Whiten
partially
7
Melon's Affidavit vel society intrigated by the appearance of
An article on 23 February 1964 in the Northern Duginia Sun which
made the following allegation:
Alleged sets "State Depectment records slow that Oswald, ind several
meetings will the ITA repusentative in the 1.5. Inbassy in Moscow.
During this period, the assassin was sucking to uxounces his itizenship.
One State Department cable, No. 234, dated November 2, 1959, reports that
Oswald was interviewed by the CIA and other embassy officials "(CIA FOTA BH-
The IIA memosade uppiting this
spacing the retin
ment #109-786).
ation both internally ret
ex
to the Nassen bonission advises that this allegation is stally unfounded.
теже
(Ibid. end CIA FOIA Document #610-263). The trusts explain that to
reference to the State Department "cable" is essoneous and that the brunet
to wheel the article was referring is and subtedly a State Department
"despatch" No. 234, whill was dated 2 November 1959 from the U.S. inbasiy
in Moscow (Did)) (not a new paragraph)
( decording to the internal memorandum, the desipated contained no state-
next in inference tat licked ε. Snyder, who was the Seed Secretary of the
M
1
11. S. imbassy in Moscow and the rely puson mentioned by mane
LIA FUTH
the despater, ded any CIA connection = 7:
However, the memorandum rekaowledged that bolt Sayder and Edward.
4. Freers, the State Department official who signed the despated, had
had some past connection with the Agency. Snyder had been imployed
by the CIA for less than one year in 1950 when the resigned in order
the CIA's
to assume a position with the State Departed ava
records indicate the nature of
pl explayed by the distry of Agency interest in
really il
Freers, he was never actually employed by the CIA. (this)
-4-
1
The record of the central Intelligence Agency throughout the years
is consistent with the position that
As
stated
to the Warren Commission
that the CIA never interviewed the Hawey Oswald. I a trbuary
1972 letter from Bernard Fensterwald to the Assistant Director of
the CIA requests may records pertaining to a debueping of
Луны
Dewald
Jehalf of the CTA follming his returs from the Soviet
Union This requent for information contrary to the Agency's previously
putation of
stated position appears to in generated by a statement made by.
Richard Helms on 14 April 1971 before the American Society of Devipaper
Editors that if the is a chance that if a private citing a travelling
broad has required foreign information that can be useful to the
American policymaker
we are
ustainly going to try to interview
(CIAL FOIA LUL # 961-927-A6).
as
dia ftheasterwald uites Oswald is appearing to the such a person.
It There follows an exchange of litters Actween Funeteweld and
Angus M. Thuermer who was the Assistant to the Sevector of the CIA
in which theermer refers Freasterwald to the testimony of Melone end
Helmes before the Warren Commission. Thurmer states that "the
betemory
is still reled; therefore the information you request does not inst "(CA FON
4147962-927
ANI
There is When Fensterwald responds to this answer with a requent for.
Theermeis own position with respect to the records rather than "conclu-
sions based
upon.
нити
statements of persons.
of persons other than yourself" Thermer
unds the vacharge by stating that his previous response was
"A simple declarative statement on the west possible exterity that
the Agency
. the information sought by you in your clatter of February 9th dres.
never had any contact with Iswild and that, therefore,
twist and never did it. (CIH FOTH CO #370-927-AP).
In April of 1978, the HSCA requested that the OTA provide a state-
ment as to whitter Lee Hawey Oswald was wer contacted, spokes to
or interviewed by any one directly or indirectly representing the CIA-
The Geary responded in the same manier it had weed in responding to.
sciper requests from other sources, by way of referring
the Committee
to the testemory of Helms and the Cone before the Warren Commission and to Melone
affidavit diaging ray Agency contact with swale 
Sister wing the ten-
6
A 25 November 1963 CIA Memorandum (may located in wha's
-Bon file a CIA FOTA gr435 1759/4") is the only dreumented evidence
of any CIA
interest in interviewing.
If thomas B. Casevil.
The menandien written
interwearing. Iswald. The wetter of the memes
stated: "As soon as I had heard_swald's
name, I recalled that is theef of the 6 Branch I had discussed
in Summer
sometime
the then 1960 - with the then Chief and Depecty Chief of the 6 Revere
Section the laying on of intervieurs through euruerify or other suitable
_channels at the moment I don't recall if this was discussed while
were in route to this country or if it was.
Oswald and his family
after their anival! (CIA FUIA Locuiment #435-173-4).
the
[lasania) was interviewed by your Sen Half
on August 17,1978.
HSCA
In this interview, he stated that he worked as theef of the 6 Bracel
Staff Int of IA Explayer,
5/17/73,
from Eptember 1960 until his reassignment in September 1962.
2/44"
advised that the function of the 6 Brasel was to amass information
from defectors concerning details scout Soviet life which wild
then be used to assist persons working inside the Soviet Union (Ibid.)
The 6 Branch also relied upon the CIA's Contacts Division and
the FBT as sources of this type of information, as well es
collecting
information from the State Department and the press excerning
Americans in the Soviet Union (Ibid., p4)
During this interview (Casoria' ) reselection of the discussion
. mentioned in the 25 November. 1963 mems was that it took place
(Ibid., p.4)
during the last days of his tenure with the 6 Brace. This would
-have placed the discussion sometime in July 1962. He stated that the
date listed for the discussion in the mems must have been erron-
lous is he was
..travelling
with his family between arregamento
_in the summer of 1960 and did not begin his assignment with
the 6 Branch until September of that year (Ibid., pp. 4-5)
(Casasia) stated that at the time the Oswald use was desiressed,
The assured that Oswald must have been sent not of the Soviet
opy)
Union by the KBB. Therefore, werewing caution, he did not attempt.
8
ہونے کا
to debrief Oswald that suggested that Oswield be deriefed by xTrump).
which represented the Office of Operations, an office which debriefed.
persons through, it's contacts Division or "other suitable channels"
by
which he meant the FST or the Immigration and Naturalization.
(Ibid., pp. isted that
.4-5),
Service. He did not he did not believe that this had been done at
What time because ach type of information would have us
: routinely.
such a detueping det
passed on to the CIA and to this section of such a
-Ibiilyp-st
occurred / Welativer information be had on Dswalk at the time was in
the form of State Department dispateles. (Ibid.)
In the memorandum (asasia) states that he told his subredinates
smetting to the effect of "Don't push too chard to get the information
(STA FOJA Document I 435-173-A).
we need, because this individual looks odd. "He explained in the
interview that this statement reflected the CIA's assessment of
Oswald Dared in the unusual facts that Oswald was permetted
by
the Soviets to remain in the USSR and was further permitted to marry
a Soviet alizea (HSCA Stof Ja of IA Employee, 5/17|13,7_5.).
I stated that his interest in Oswald is expressed in the
memorandum was
just
a lead and that it was not unusual that there
(Ibid. 29)
And bees as follow-up regarding a debriefing of Oswald file wrote
no meme at the time of the discussion as it was not usstomary to write
rinos
regarding leads that were deserved and subsequently lifte
lismissed as
required theeva ay inimportante (Ibid.)
هم

Walter P. Haltigan; the
person
to when
(a)/25
25 November 1963
wief of
letter was writtes was this employed by the LIA .
- (HSCA Staff Interview of ETA Employee, 6/13/73, p.1.) (Haltigen regollection come in
the Soviet section of the Paris station, p
MB34....
n
newnew with HSCH staff mention that becalive of the nature of
(lisasin) position under (nox-official) cover. (leaves) frequently.
[Ind
I wrote informal menos such as the one in FOIA #435-173.A. which
1 were the passed on through the use of nut-outs to the fares station). [I ind.
These memoranda would there be forwarded to CIA Headquarters.
N. generally by Heligan
Clempull who served.
Lowever, in this particular instance, Robert G..
manne
(Categor) unived and fowarded
was in the Arpital
under
the memorandum to Headquarters (ad Hattigen).
In an
(Ibid.)
(\haltigan) isprised the general agency opinions that had the LIA
wished to contact a returning defector, it would have done so
through
-10-
1
1. the Contacts. Diversion of the
Heffaffice of Operations but that it was not standard operating.
retaining defectors.
procedure to interview & because this job fell within the FBI's.
jurisdiction. (Ibid., p.2).
TM hours)
G.
also told
#HSCH
fr lasasial/stated that the LIA led a specific intrust in thank
it was
the known that the ity contained some type of special design plaats
that may have involved aviation, nuclear energy or bacteriological
Fies: A State Txterricar of CTA Employee, pp.5-6). (Cassia)
Hunk
warfare / barequently, although he did not see that WHO was.
-he sclived that-
working in any type of security facility anyone would have been in
the area of those plants would love idees of interest to the Agency. (Ibid., p.6).
However, even with the presence of the design plants, Mise was
- not identified as a security or military punity-
alla. (Ibid.).
(lesssia) believed that the LTA maintained a large volume of
Ibid.)
information on the Brinck radio factory in which Dswild worked, This
information was stred in the Office of liveared and Repotting this flet.
was constructed by exsted IT caps another former CIA employee,
(Donald Deceely a
03
(Impl
who worked in the Foulga bocuments Suvision
in the Soviet March of the estate of sligence in 1962.
із
*
BR
told the HSCA that the specifically willed vllecting uttleigerce
recalled
regarding the thurst Redis Plant. (HS) = Tatervite) of CIA employer al
93
claims that,
P.)
Se fact, Perisly wrong the summer of 1962. be reviewed
e contact report from upunctatives of the CIA's Dew York field
office who interviewed a former Marise who had worked it the
Mrack Radio Plant following is depetion to the USSR (ED.) Leu
Denialyje felieves may have bee Oswald, lad. When living
with his family in Minsk. (Ibid. (Directly) advised to bonnettee that
plist,
the contact report was filed.
in a une craining the Deask Redio Plast
which should be retrievable from the sedustrial Registry Branel, whack was
the component of the Office of Central Reference. (ii)
The HSCA requested that the CIA provide the Committee both the above
described contect report and the volume of natural concerning the Musk
Radio Flat Elb II
A www
to tuments in the wound in
* Radis Plectravested that no sued contect report rested in that file.
Cottide kane kept of chala
Jrk &
#612.623).
14
-15
3
BR
1
The file review did indicate that in 1975, Daniel Schon had
made a similar request and was reformed by the CIA that no suck
uportulated. (Ibid.)
-
14-
The Select Committee on assassinations requested that the central.
Satelligence Agency provide a written statement indicating whether
the CIA
whether, from 1958. 1963, interviewed on debriefed returning American
defectors to the Soviet Union as a matter of standard operating
- (USCA Car to CIA, 4/5/78)
procedure of The Agency
was also requested to inducts the creun-
stances under which an interview would be initiated if such inter-
views were not conducted as standard operating procedure... (Ibid.)
The Agency's response indicated that the Counterintelligence Staff
reviewed the files of 117 persons who had "defected" to the USSR
Setween 1958 and 1963 and who had subsequently returned to the lacted
LIA Mandwin B. Hugh Twar to Special Assistant to fific for External Oversight, 4/20/78).
States. // This review revealed that only ten of the 117 individuals had
by my
component
wellin the CIA
been contacted, and that the CIA And no
to procedure for the systematic.
(Ibid.) the agency maintained that
debriefing of such persons, sestra, the tontacts that were initiated ap
peared to be saved on opportunity and urcumetence" (Ibid.).
Another memorandum explained that the CIA had no standard...
operating procedure with suspect to debuffing returning American defectors.
16
6161
as the Agency
relied
up th
the FBI for reporting the results of interviews
.. may have conducted in connection with its responsibility for internal
(CIA Pomeranicizers, Tovar to Special Asst. to this for External Oversight, 5/25/78)..
security matters of The Agency further stated that there were no meuels M
regulations fa the period of 1958-1963 whill specifically adds the set
jeet of American defectors (Ibid.)
In fact, the tea persons with whom the CIA admitted levery.
had contact did not stretly meet the specific requirements as reques-
ted in the H.SCA's request. Seves of the the individuels had not actually.
..defected to the usse
during the period 1958-1963, but had resided.
LOTA Peard from Tovar, 4/20/75/
there for at least the years prior to 1958. Three of the the individuals
-(Ibid.)
rettined to the United States and were subsequently debriefed after 1963.
The CIA employee who conducted the researed in preperation for the
Agency's response told the HSCA that the requeriments be had utilized in er
at this conclusions ided been somewhat broader than tose requested.
личку
in order to include all those persons regarded as defectors who were residing..
The Soviet Union during the time period in question, retter then just these it's
actually deficted at that time. (ASEA 1/21/75):
17
ما
The House Select Committle on assassinations conducted a
review of defectors' files in order to determine whetter defectors
Other Han Oswald were
-routinely debriefed upon their return to the
United States. The Committee requested that the CIA provide a
list of persons travelling to the Soviet Union during the period from.
1958 to 1963, including both visitors and those persons considered by
the Agency to the "defectors":"
HELIA
In response,
was provided a computer listing of 380 individuals extitled "..S..
• Rewons. Who Have or May Have Defected to the USSR Between 1958-1963"
Mischunt k_27Tamary I Revis, E. Hugh Tover to S.A. to EEO ) The Agency
U.3. persons,
stated that this listing reprevented underducation, recluding
3.U.S. eitigeas
1
some non
of allegiance to the United States,
• Who owed some measure of allegiance.
ted
was had wether defected by shown some intention of defecting to the
witter
in bith babie
USSR you the requested time period. I say to the
As this list was compiled from a more detailed computer program
18
Like
Tennyson's
goos
Brooks
به نام
बोलला
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on American defectors, & more detailed description concerning.
Individuals was
7. Hese
requested and provided in an expanded version of
the riginal list. This machine listing included the followery infor-
I available
nation where wadably for each individual: name, date and place
Kan
of burth, 201 file number, arrival in Soviet Union, departure
Soviet Union, employment in Soviet Union, most current address,
and other miscellaneous information compiled from the individual's.
201 file and for third agency documents regarding this individual.
и
E
* Expand Copte hest & Ul. S. Persons.
The Committee compiled a list of persons who appeared from
the information available in the Agesey's expanded text, to be U.S.
etizers bork in the United States, was defected or attempted to defect
to the Soveet Union between the years of 1958 and 1963 and who re-
In addition,
turned to the United States within the same period of time. Moon-
the committee included.
claded in the dust win individuals from an October 1960 State
Department
request for
#tese
)
ad information from the CIA regarding persons whom
they considered to the defectors to the Soviet Union or Sovet bloe countries..
135 latoni me table lumiisijo te Kimil)
-18-
1
The HSCA requested files or soraty - nice individuals who fit the
above descubre criteria and the CIA provided files in eventy- light individuals
in
as
when they maintained records. Et 201
files.
were swiewed as well
any exciting Domestic Contact Devision files regarding these persons.
The HSCA. file review revealed that, in the case of six of the sedividuals, there
is no indication that they over returned to the Warted States. In some of
these cases, the files crtained a uport for a source who shrewed on spoke with
the subject and then reported the intact to the CIA, but there is no indece
of direct contact with day of these persons on the part of the CTA
Le regard to the otter treaty - tos defectors, the file
shown that
review actos
there is no record of CIA citact with lighter of then again four of those.
Miends.
-files contain a reports by a serees who edvised the Agerry of their watect Enter.
One file regarding a former military perse watains a report of a desurfing
conducted by military inteligence.
The excunctures of the CIA's writect with the four remaining repetare
differed is will use the file of one individual reflects that he had
20

been luring in the 1155K since 1933 and returned to the United
actually been living
41964
29
States in 1962. He was debriefed by a LIH office wig (sepertaent of)
(Defense over after applying for employment in response to a surpaper at-
of
purtesinent (tie) Another returning defector, Herold bettysell,
was
2. rawittingly
interviewed by a
-10
by a CTA) is the area unday) in top..
leges up his departure from the Soviet Union is route to the United States.
While boynelle file indicates that the agency considered it desciable
that a full and waterbled devriefing by the CIA and FBST. the caducted
and Angleton wrote to the FOST suggesting a joint desurfing,
there is no
widence in fotrynell's 200 file nor in any DCD documents which suggest
further intact on the part of the LIA.
More extensive debriefings were conducted of the other two defectors. Robert E.
bety, a prestis expert with the Reed Development Corporation whose.
defection to the Soviet Union in 1959 was lighly publicized, returned to the
:-
is the
United States in June of 1962. ("Hebate led been employed is
Soviet Union at the dexingeed Sensitific Institute of Pytechnic Plastics
21
है
\BR
Shortly after his return to the United States, Nebster was debriefed in this
lox teritory by presentatives from the CIA's Office of Operations and
in conjunction with upitsentatives
SR/6 from the air Free. It was decided that a more votensive
debulfing
was in rider and Nebater was subsequently brought to the Washington,
D. C. area where he was
breed for a period of two weeks. The debuefing.
reports include a chronology of Websters life and the CIA's resessment of
Six as well as a large body of reformation regarding life in the Soviet
Union, Weheter's work the end rographic information on persons the
Ill not during it's residence thei
Likewise dicus Riccrdelle who had lived in the Soviet Union for
nearly four years, was contacted for purposes of debriefing stay ofte
his uttern to the United States plate June of 1963. His initial debriefing
included such subjects as this motivation to defect to the USSR be well
as well as retuities engaged in during his Moscow stay, relection
-
from Mosew to Kiev and pesual aspects of life sued is residue cottvis
and costs. Fikile the CIA felt it was unfeauble to lebeef Recuerdele
22
21
More
thoroughly see to this current states of attempting to regain U.S.
etizenship, the dytacy expressed in interest in
on suck topres
is that
eliciting.
more
information
+ of living, nidical wre, consumer goods, lighways,
hasspretation and restructions upon travel within Kiev.
It heones clear from the review of files on these defectors that deteifing.
by the CIA
of defectors (was, in fact, somewhat of a randon occurs. However, in
the instaness in which the agency did eksose to debrief retaining an
defectors, the sgevey appeared to be interested in topics of general interest
regarding life in itaic areas of the Soviet theism. In this regard, to persona.
who were desurfed were similar to swald in that they deputed and returned.
Witten
call
tothe the same general time period and plica spent it's time in the Sovest
Union in areas of interest to the CIA..
23
It appears, from is unanuation of all wailable materials,
that Yee
Howey I
Oswald was not intererieved by the CTA following
his return to the United States from the Soviet Union although
persons in a branel of the Soviet Russia Division expressed an
I swald, they never followed up on this interest.
interest in interviewing
There is also no indication that the
Collections Aweso
of the affece
of Operations interewed Oswald.
While the CIA did conduct inteviews of some tourists who
the
visited the Soviet Union during this period 1959-1963 as well as the
American citizens who defected to the Soviet Union and the released to
the United States, there was no standard policy to interview all persons.
in wither istegory. Thus, the fact that Oswald was not interviewed
was: more the rule thee the exception according to procedures followed_
the CIA at that point in time.
Was
by t
HSCA
Oswald's
citizens
leaving
program probably
Concentrali
Nlvin, there
USSR
of time
E
mamy Su vict
& debreting
2425-
Mon