104-10331-10237 ao - - December 3, 1993 Memorandum for the Director, . : Center for Studies in Intelligence, | Central Intelligence Agency be i HAS NO OBIECTON TOL Attn: Mr. John Pereira _ RELEASE = OF HON AND/OR FAX: 703-243-8343 | INTHIS Do cuna NT ORMATION Subject: CIA Files on Lee Harvey Oswald This is to acknowledge muy. telecon: | yestérday with Dave Gries-and. with J ohn Pereira re issue of whether Oswald was ever debriefed by. the Agency, and to respond to J ohn’ s request for documents which’ may having beuring, onthis — issue. .. First, a » point of order. It is my ‘belief and the belief of the Agency. personnel with whom [have discussed this matter, that your files should not contain the infamous “debrief.” It strains credibility that the Agency would purposely persist in. saying there was no debrief when in fact it had a copy of it somewhere in its. extensive -- if sometimes sloppy--- -- records system. It - would have been found by. 1993. The issue i is not whether you have it now; rather od, is ¢ whether ie occurred i in the past and ¥ was’ destroyed. ‘We. can all il talk, theorize and s argue over what it mightn mean. later. For now the task's hand is simply | to take all. necessary steps t to find out. I urge extreme caution in ‘stating flatly. that there: ‘was no debrief. until such, ‘Steps 7 have: been: thoroughly: exhausted. Iv was as surprised: to, find « out after: the . : typographical side when he ‘typed "1960" ‘instead o of 1962", the USCA foolishly dismissed the veracity. of’ this: ‘entire document. - TAA UHC IAT CGGT TA caad sFOT STAT 7 CORD TINA pore ee saRE TO
13-00000 Res ais Fe Blend ais to ~~ [attach a copy of CIA document number 287-690, memo for record, dated 3 December 1963, by Mr. Birch D. O'Neal, Chief, CI/SIG, Subject: Lee Harvey Oswald. O'Neal's memo is about polygraphing Alvarado, but it is the _Teverse handwriting in the upper right hand corner that is pertinent to the issue at hand: That handwriting appears to be: “ Andy Anderson OO on Oswald. . Trefer you to Mr. a CIA employee in the Contacts Division in 1962, who told the HSCA in 1978 that he read Anderson's debrief and described its contents to his HSCA interlocutors. He will tell you today what he has been saying for 30 years./ oes not have a book and shuns any publicity - it took FRONTLINE almost a year to get him to agree to an interview on the record. He says what he says not for any personal gain because there is none, there is only disrepute. He says it because he remembers reading the debrief. If I were you, I would first have a long talk with Then I would find all surviving members of CD/OO/Suppert Branch. It did not take us long to — figure out that this branch interfaced with the ficld offices of the Contacts Division. While this will not tum up a Piece of paper, I think you will find some answers there. As an aside: a Mr. Roe F. Anderson was listed in the CIRA obit this summer, and his son Richard called me after the FRONTLINE documentary aired, and confirmed his father, a Navy officer, had worked for the CIA. I doubt if this is our Anderson, but you might check all the same. I would appreciate a note stating what you find out. aie Sincerely, — “Dr. J ohn M. Newman 1019 Summer Hill Drive, Odenton MD, 21113 | - FAX (home): 410-672-7251; (H) 301-621-0576; (W) 410-859-6131.
13-00000 Liner @T C6at Ca coag Sbcate2 TAL > "SN SNOHd . “HEMOC NOMEN REPRODUCED AT. THE RATIONAL ARCHIVES 2S Novenber 1963 “ey ~~. SUBJECT: Mr, Lee Harvey Oswald x0 . REST -—_ ; i. It makes Little difference now, but ee at one time an OI interest in Oswald. As. soon as I had heard OswslB’s name, I recalled £1992 that as Chief of the 6 Branch I had discussed: ~- sometime in. Summer.1960 -- GQ? on Of interview(s) through or other suitable channels, At. the moment I don't recall 1£ this was discussed while Oswald and his family were en route to our country of Af it: was after ‘their. ‘arvivel, with the then Chief: and va Chief ofthe 6 Research. Section the laydng _ ae «if rencnber thet. Oswald's unusual behavior ta the USSR had struck me from the moment I had read the ‘first Sicte. dispatch, on him, and I told my subordinates something amounting to “Don't push too hard to get the. information we need, because this individual looks odd," We were particularly interested in the Of Oswatd aight, provide on thf Minsk. factory in which ho had been employed, on certain sections of the city itself, and of courge we sought the usual BI that might. help. develap target "personality dossiers. wy 3. TI was phasing into my sanane : | at tho timo.. Thus, I would have left our country shortly after: ‘Oswald's artival. I do not know what action Seveloped thereafter: : 4 Addendum . 4g As an afterthought,’ r recall also. t at increasingly intorosted in watching develo a) _ dn the course of our ‘bio: ond: research w rk the «numb of "Soviet | The ame up somothing™ like two dozen” S - ablist Li 2€ some of these women and the. KGB 3st nth eloping trend wo hud come across. ° Oswald's wife would actually accompeny L. ‘t6..4 uu countr : ; Out -of ‘interest in. Oswald's own expert: dé in. Us that. we -showa 1 operational, - intelligence interest in the; farvé “$ ory ne ‘ Se ts APPROVED FOR RELEASE CA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM Ret: ne e wr. Ce mee mete ee 2 ee eee cee eee et eet ns at te a ll eo sae oe 8 = wo &
13-00000 rad EO Mee on | Seay we Geiak Css weees 62H Gbbds EGS G WETERES TRAVWES & V ae ¢ MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD | a y SUBTECT : Lee Harvey OSWALD b oF ALVARAMO er yansy RE A ser? At 2010 hours on 3 Deceaver, Mr. Papich of the FBI advised that the Bureau had received a cable last nigit from tha Legal Attache in Mexico City who is in toueh with our representative. there. He stated : that our representative hed been informed by | of the. sem ™ adeured our repre- - interview in a ! sentative that. Alvarado would be available. for" Nicaragua at the United States deaired. : Me. Papich stated that the Bureau arduld Libe . to have him subjected to a polygraph examination by this Agency. and would’ appreciate receiving word &s scon as possible as to whether ve wil] handle the matter since if we will not handle it the FEI. a ee ‘to. csereine vhat other. ‘stepo might be taken ‘to s¢qe that thia ia : advise would check into tha inatter, ‘thet J — 287-090» : 4 Birch” ‘Da. O'Neall” ang ee 278 vous wa . Cet, cx/sxo - sppngven FOR pELEase 4992 CIA HIST CRICAL REaey PROGRA | . 3, pec G>. Do \- 28493 Wier sal £6et ca sad Sreaize tal 2 CON SNOHd “EE OL AeUTTaN : wo
13-00000 Tad LASPIAT S66T CAC Geratet TAS : “AN SNOH December 3, 1993 Memorandum for the Director; Center for Studies in Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency Attn: Mr. John Pereira FAX: 703-243-8343 Subject: CIA Files on Lee Harvey Oswald : This is to acknowledge my telecon yesterday with’Dave Gries and with John Pereira re issue of whether Oswald was ever debriefed by the Agency, and to respond to John's request for documents which may having bearing on this issue. First, a , point of order. It is my belief and the belief of the Agency personnel with whom I have discussed this matter, that your files should not contain the infamous “debrief.” It strains credibility that the Agency would purposely persist in saying there was no debrief when in fact it had a copy of it somewhere in its extensive -- if sometimes sloppy -- records system. It | would have been found by 1993. The issue is not whether you have it now; rather it is whether ue occurred i in the past and was destroyed. . We can all talk, theorize and argue over what it might mean later. For now © the task at hand i is simply to take all necessary steps to find out. I urge ‘extreme caution in stating flatly that there was no debrief until such steps - have been thoroughly exhausted. I was. surprised to find out after the. FRONTLINE documentary aired, for example, that there will be some new pieces on this subject i in: r the not too distant future, | I attach a copy of CIA document number 435-1734, attachment, memo dated 25 November 1963, by a"T.B.C.", whom I believe might be one Mr. ‘Tom Comier, possibly : a former head of SR6 Branch, Soviet Russia. Division, _ at the time Lée Harvey Oswald retumed to the US in the Summer of. 1962. T.B.C. stated he discussed the laying on of interviews with Oswald, either ‘while he was en route. or after his arrival. Because T.B.C. made a typographical error when he typed "1960" instead of "1962", the LISCA foolishly dismissed the veracity of this entire document. “LE MOP NHLIMSN 1 wou 4
13-00000 Ae) WHAP IAT SEAT © 93q GPFATe! TAL 2 PN ANMHA T attach a copy of CIA decument number 287-690, memo for record, dated 3 December 1963, by Mr. Birch BD. O'Neal, Chief, CI/SIG, Subject: Lee Harvey Oswald. O'Neal's memo is about polygraphing Alvarado, but it is the reverse handwriting in the upper right hand comer that is pertinent to the issue at hand. That handwriting appears to be: “Andy Anderson OO on Oswald. " I refer you to Mr Pa CIA employee in the Contacts - Division in 1962, who told the HSCA in 1978 that he read Anderson's debriof and described its contents to his HSCA interlocutors.. He will tell you today what he has been saying for 30 years. oes not have a book and shuns any publicity -- it took FRONTLINE almost a year to get him to agree to an interview on the record. He says what he says not for any personal gain because there is none, there is only disrepute. He says it because he remembers reading the debrief. If I were you, I would first have a long talk with Don) Then I would find all surviving members of CD/OO/Support Branch. It did not take us long to figure out that this branch interfaced with the ficld officcs of the Contacts Division. While this will not tum up a piece of paper, I think you will find some answers there. As an aside: a Mr. Roe F. Anderson was listed in the CIRA obit this summer, and his son Richard called me after the FRONTLINE documentary aired, and confirmed his father, a Navy officer, had worked for the CIA. I doubt if this is our Anderson, but you might check all the same. I would appreciate a note stating what you find out. Sincerely, " Dr. John M. Newman 1019 Summer Hill Drive, Odenton MD, 21113 FAX (home): 410-672-7251; (H) 301-621-0576; (W) 410-859-6131
13-00000 f@d a? Addendum , ‘interest in Oswald's own: oxperies é in the U SSR, that we showed operat ional; intelligence interest in the/farve story. . wt | ? T.B.C. HOSP :@T Seat ca“saq SPEMZLTAS 2 “ON SNOHd “HUMOD NYEIMSN 2 O43 25 November 1963. SUBJECT: Mr. Lee Harvey Oswald / APPROVED FoR | £1997 | | | arvey 0 FOR RELEASE | mo: Sr CA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROCRAM | 1. It makos little difference now, but ee at one time an 1 OI interest in Oswald. As soon as I had heard OswalB's name, I recalled a that as Chief of the 6 Branch I had discussed ~- sometime in Summer.1960 ~~ Gp . with the then Chief and Deputy Chief of “the 6 Research Section the laydng res on of interview(s) through or other suitable channels, At the moment I don't recall if this was discussed while Oswald and his family were en route to our country (of If it was after. their arrival, ae =f rencnber that Oswald's unusual behavior in the USSR had struck me from the moment I had read the first State. dispatch on him, and I told my subordinates something amounting to "Don't push too hard to get the information we need, because this individual looks odd," } We were particularly interested in the OT Oswatd might provide on thg Minsk factory in which ho had been employed, on certain sections of the city itself, and of course we sought the usual BI that might help develop target personality. dassiers. fale 3. I was phasing into my Se ee | at tho timo, Thus, I would have left our country shortly after Oswakd*s aréival. I do not know what action developed thereafter, e 4, As an afterthought, I recall also that at the time ‘T wae becoming increasingly interested in watching develop a pattern. that we hadj discovered in the course of our bio and research work in 6: the, number of Soviet women marrying foreigners, being permitted to leave ‘the USSR, then eventually divorcing their spouses and settling down abroad without “‘yeturning “home! , The Ss case was among the first of. these, and we eventually turned - up somothing like two dozen. similar cases. | Wo established links between - somo of these women and the KGB. J became’ interested in the developing trend wo hud come across. It was partly out of curiosity to learn if ~~ Oswald's wife would actually accompeny him to our country, partly ‘out’ of. . e- : &
13-00000 . REPRUUUULGY Cb BELG beds BUTE Ee Mande Tow ¢ t wt - . g - 7 . Ws . 3 December 1963 “© MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD , y _ SUBJECT: Lae Harvey OSWALD b oF ALVARADO | + et EE tg ‘ Oo o EE Rogues? al ale AG 2010 hours on 3 December, Mr. Papich of the FBI. advised that the Bureau had received a cable last night from the Legal Attaché in Mexico City who 1a in toueh with our representative there. He atated — See: that our representative had, been informed by: ofthe Sex ™ Niceraguan Intelligence Service thatt LVARADO told him, that he recanted his original story becdusé of fear of physical harm; thet Alvarado/was being deported: from Mexico to Micara on 4 December 1: 3\ and would be ac aaa: aaaured our repre~-- sentative that Alvarado vould be availablé™ for interview in Nicaragua if the United States deaired. : Mr. Papich statad that the Bureau would Lie to have him eubjected to a polygraph exaniination by this Agency end would appreciate | receiving word @s scon aa possible as to whether ve wil] handle the matter since if we will not handle. it the FBI will ‘have to determing what other steps , might be taken to sea that this is done. I advised Mr. Papich that I would check into the matter, that I dia not knew vhethor wa bad availablyo at this time a polygraph operator whe could proporly handle this matter but in any évent I would let hin mow wacther, this can be done. | | - “Thesemead Nernker 2° OU! 287-690 on FORA Revfawe fore “fay: SAG ae a6 - APPROVED FoR RELEASE 1992 CHA HIST CRICAL REVI PROGRA 3 pec6 201-784 AN3 : ° . . ; . A rad Weer al feet Cal ad Greatze tac > CEN SANOHd L.4OL NELIMSN 2 WS