‘ - seth Af AY ; Ba ‘ nett nee - | HW 53320 ‘Docla:32392931 | Page 2. 25 July 1978 MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD Subject: LIONION Photographic Operation; . :» Targeted Against Cuban Consulate SUMMARY Available records show that the VLS-2, an automatic camerandevice, was in process of being installed at the LIONION basehouse on 27 September 1963. This device was to be used with the K-100 16 mm. movie camera or the Robot Star 35 mm. still camera. These systems were aimed at the gate of the Cuban Consulate. The first test pictures were sent to Headquarters as attachments to HMMA~22433 on 7 November 1963. One of the attachments, (A), shows the VLS-2 coverage of the Consulate gate. Obvious in this photograph is a sign indicating the hours of the Consulate . (for visas). The hours are 10:00 to 2:00, Monday through Friday. The date this test photograph was taken is un- known. A later monthly report for 1 - 31 December 1963, (HMMA-22726), discusses the installation of a SEQUENCE camera on 17 December 1963 with hours of operation against the Consulate 0900 to 1400, office hours of the Consulate. Subsequent monthly reports confirm that the SEQUENCE camera was indeed the Pulse Camera. The record, then, shows: A. The Pulse Camera was installed, for the first time, on 17 December 1963. B. No coverage. of the Consulate existed prior to 27 September 1963 when the VLS-2 and K-100 or Robot Star systems were being in- stalled during the morning. DISCUSSION HSCA Researchers, Dan Hardway and Ed Lopez, reviewed Agency files on the following dates: 26 May 1978 22. June 1978 5 July 1978 20 July 1978 21 July 1978
peice ethene eda armas ee ns BW. 53320 - Consu These files contain materials cited in the SUMMARY, includ- ing sample photographs of the Consulate gate using the K-100 and Robot Starr systems triggered by the VLS-2. These systems are readily identifiable by nature of the resultant prints. The K-100 is 16 mm. format and is so ‘marked on the reverse side of the print (although misidenti- fied as Attachment A to HMMA-22433 when it should have been Attachment B). The Robot Star is 35 mm. format. None of © these prints, which were sent to Headquarters as test results on 7 November 1963, has the distinctive mark of the Pulse Camera in the lower left corner. The Pulse Camera recorded a time-date image in the lower left corner from an internal Accutron movement. This can be seen in a sample picture sent to Headquarters.on 22 June 1965 (HMMA- 26414), entitled Details of LIONION Pulse: Camera Operation. This report confirms, too, that the Pulse Camera did not begin operation until "mid-December 1963." "INFERENCES The Warren Commission record concludes, from Duran testimony, that Oswald visited the Cuban Consulate some- time after arriving in Mexico City on the morning of 27 September 1963. . That same morning, across the street at LIERODE basehouse, the new trigger device and K-100/ Robot Star systems were in process of being installed. If the installations were to have gone smoothly, the systems =~ .may have been tested against the target at the very moment when Oswald is supposed to have appeared. However, the record of that morning’s!’ efforts shows that the K- 100° ‘had a malfunctioning part which had to be remachined, It is possible that this installation, begun in the morning, may have \taken well. into the afternoon to complete because (1) this was a new installation in a new room of the base- house and (2) the technicians experienced problems with the equipment. The ultimate setup would have been tested on the target when it was complete. But the Consulate officially closed at 1400 hours, after which there would: have been few, if any, targets (at the gate) for test purposes. It may have been likely, then, that the instal- lation, when completed, was not tested against actual (and available) targets until the opening of business Monday morning, 30 September. Oswald is not known to have visited the Consulate after Saturday, 28 September. The LIONION photographic site did not operate on Saturdays. I conclude that the probability of having taken a. photograph of Oswald during his visit(s) to the Cuban ate on 27 September 1963 is remote. Docld: 32392931 Page 3.
/ AW 5353920 ace ee Wild SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION The files reveal the following supplemental in- formation: A. LITAMIL 7, LITAMIL 9, penetrations of the Cuban Embassy, were aware of and assisted in the production of LIONION. HSCA re- searchers have reviewed this item. LIONION 1. and 2 were terminated 1 November 1972. The termination report assumed that they were either doubled, or their operation was being monitored, oo LIONION 1 and 2 intended to resettle in Madrid on 1 September 1972. HSCA researchers have had access to this item. Seventy volumes (5 packages) of LIONION pro- duction from late 1961 through December 1968 were sent to Record Center, 12 August 1969 to Headquarters with a recommendation that they be forwarded to Records Center for retention of 10 years from date of information. (Thus, the earlier production may have been destroyed!) ‘This item is HMMA-37684. Unknown i€ HSCA has seen. Photographs of Pulse Camera in operating posi- tion sent to Headquarters as Enclosure 3, HMMA-22881, 13 February-1964. Location of - Enclosure or HMMA-22881 unknown to undersigned. Unknown if HSCA has seen. Photographs taken using Pulse Camera were sent to Headquarters as HMMA-22836, 31 January 1964. ' Location of photographs unknown to undersigned. Unknown if HSCA has seen. Pulse Camera removed for reconditioning during May 1964. . ALL equipment removed from LIONION basehouse on ~ 26-27 September 1964 for 6-8 weeks as precaution. after release of Warren Commission Report. DocId: 32392931 . Page 4
eee tad a \ lvoe I. LIONION basehouse partially reactivated, 25 November 1964 with only coverage of the Embassy gate....Pulse Camera to be installed in near future. Rodger S. Gabrielson (HW 53320 Docld:32392931 Page 5 | tec gamer enna times ne manent areas tiie i aaameemranar ten merical inte anf ATR nt: NA ne ee ar AA nr geen tenet