GARRISON AND THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION: WILLIAM CLARENS WOOD JR., ALIAS WILLIAM BOXLEY.
Originator: CIA
From: PRATT, DONOVAN E., DC/CI/R&A
To: OGC, CIA
Document date: 1969-01-03 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32398285

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Date: 01/24/05

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : CIA

RECORD NUMBER

:104-10104-10435

RECORD

SERIES

: JFK

AGENCY FILE

NUMBER

80T01357A

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

AGENCY ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM : PRATT, DONOVAN E., DC/CI/R&A

TO

: OGC,

CIA

TITLE : GARRISON AND THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION: WILLIAM

CLARENS WOOD JR., ALIAS WILLIAM BOXLEY.

DATE

PAGES

: 01/03/1969

: 8

SUBJECTS

: WOOD, WILLIAM

BOXLEY, WILLIAM

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET

RESTRICTIONS

: 1A 1B

CURRENT STATUS

RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 07/30/93

COMMENTS

JFK37

: F16: 1993.07.30.14:01:42:000062 : ROUTING

SHEET AND MEMO

Released under the John F. Kennedy

issassination Records Collection Act o

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Case#:NV

55924 Date: 10-26-2021

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

104-10104-10435

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104-10104-10435

L-UNCLASSIFIED

SUBJECT: (Optional)

FROM:

Raymond G. Rocca

C/CI/R&A

TO: (Officer designation, room number, and

building)

1.

General Counsel

7D01 :

0g6 690016

3.

NAL

GUL ONLY

CONI

_ATIAL

69-0016

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OFFICER'S

INITIALS

RECEIVED

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DO NO PEAIEELIDO

DATE

3 VAN 1969

COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom

to. whom.

Draw a line across column after each comment.)

File.

Harris

OGC SUB JECT:

KENNEDY ASSASSINA TICN

GARRISON

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13

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FORM

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610 USE PRONOUS

EDITIONS

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CONFIDENTIAL

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UNCLASSIFIED

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A 5 JAN 1969

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: Garricon and the Kennedy Assassination:

William Clarens WOOD Jr., alias William BOXLEY,

201-334272

Reference: CI/R&A Memorandum No. 9, Subject: Garrison

and the Kennedy Assassination, 5 June 1968, paragraph 19c

A. Summary

William Clarens WOOD Jr. was employed by CIA as a contract

instructor in clandestine operations from March 1951 when he arrived

in Saipan, until March 1952, when he had a nervous breakdown resulting

from family problems and alcoholiem. Sent back to Headquarters,

he served as an instructor in OTR from May 1958 to January 1953,

when his resignation was requested, again because of heavy drinking.

During or before July 1968 Garrison, who knew that WOOD had been a

CLA employee, hired him as an investigator assigned to Garrieon's

"investigation" of the Kennedy assassination. In December 1968, however,

Garzison'e office announced that WOOD had been fired because it had been

ascertained that he was then active as a CIA 'operative". Later in

December WOOD made two telephone calls to his former chief in Saipan,

requesting contact and instructions. The case is being referred to the FBI.

B. Summary of Earlier Events

1. William Clarens WOOD Jr., born 17 August 1920 in Shreveport,

Louisiana, was approved in November 1944 for overseas employment

by Oss in an assignment as a newspaperman (printing chief in a Central

Pacific operation). This approval was withdrawn on 23 December 1944,

however, because of non-concurrence by OG/AAF. He was then assigned

to combat infantry duty in the Southwest Pacific; he was not used by OSS.

In February 1945 be visited the Honolulu Office of OSS and claimed that

GROUP 1

SECRETL

Excloded troat aurematic

downgrading and

deglassificatien

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ad been recruited by OSS while he was attending infantry echool

• Fort Benning in October 1944. He stated that his services were to

have been used to originate and conduct radio programs in the CBI

theater, that he had been investigated by Dunn and Bradetreet, and that

in the course of a long distance telephone call to the OSS Personnel

Procurement Office he had been told that OSS could not use him at that

time but that he should keep in touch. The interviewing officer in

Honolulu commented in his report to Security Officer, OSS Headquarters,

that the Dunn and Bradstreet leak should be noted and that WOOD

certainly knew more about OSS than any other potential recruit whom the

interviewer had ever seen.

2. On 13 December 1930 Subject was given a Covert Security

Clearance for use as a staff agent and was aseigned to Saipan as Chief

Instructor of Clandestine Operations. He arrived at his post in March

1951, and two months later his dependents were issued travel clearances

to join him. In March 1952 he suffered a nervous breakdown and was

returned to Agency Headquarters for medical observation. The medical

conclusion was that the breakcown had resulted from family troubles and

overindulgence in alcohol. In May 1952 WOOD was assigned to OTR

as an instructor in the Operations Course. In October 1952 his status

was converted to that of a staff employee, and he was assigned to OTR

ao a GS-11 instructor.

3. In December 1952 an Agency guard found WOOD lying on a

sidewalk near Temporary Eye Building. He was bleeding from the

mouth. There was no evidence of foul play. At his own request he was

taken to Emergency Hoopital. In January 1953 he failed to report for

duty. Agancy represeratives went to his residence, the Lafayette Hotel,

and found him under the influence of alcohol. He was requested to report

for duty the next day, but the hotel doctor had him removed to Gallinger

, Hospital because of continued intosication. Subject's resignation was

requested on 19 January 1953 and became effective 27 January 1953.

4. On l1 July 1953 Subject telephoned the Security Office from

Dallas, Texas. He said that he would undergo brain surgery on 13 July

at Baylor Hospital, Dallas. He asked that an Agency representative

be present. Arrangements were made to ensure that anything WOOD

said under anaesthesta would remain confidential. WOOD was given

sodium pentothol, but no surgery (except a spinal tap) was performed.

In his hospital room, to which he had been returned from the operating

room, WOOD said that be had served overseas with the ClA and had

SLOT

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sean many people killed. "The CIA are a bunch of dirty cut-throats.

and I wouldn't be a bit aurprised if they sont one of their men to cut

mine.

They think they are smart, but one of these days in the near

future I will show them who is the smartest. They have about 100

G3-14's welking around with their heads shaped like egge... . I have

been a failure but aftor I get well I am going to go back to school and

get nay degree and fight the CIA with everything that I can."

5.

A report of 30 April 1957 from tbe FBI office in Dallas, Texas,

noted that Subject had telephoned from Midland, Texas, to a Chinese

Antelligence officer in Formosa.

WOOD said that be had formerly been

employed by the CIA. He offered to holp the officer "with things I know".

He then telephoned Lubbock, Tesas, and spoke to a person believed to

be his wife. He told ber that he had spoken with Chiang Kal-Chek's chief

of intelligence and that "if thie thing goes through", she and the baby

would receive from $700 to $1000 a mouth.

6. In Fobruary 1967 the Domestic Contact Service in Dallas

requested clearanco to use Subject and reported that he had not had a

driak in zine and a half years. On 3 March 1967 derogatory FBI informa-

tios and the information that WOOD was agaia drinking heavily weze

forwarded to the DCS, which then dropped hita as a potential source.

7. On 18 January 1968 Ron OSTROW of the Los Angeles Times

called the A/DCI and relayed a Los Angeles query about a former CIA

agent, William BOXLEY, who was an investigator for Jim Garrioon.

The A/DCI replied, "no comment. "

8. In April 1968 Peul ROTHERMEL, lecurity officer for Hunt

01l Company, Texas, said that he had bees visited by a Bill WOOD who

was conducting investigations in Dallas for Jim Garrison under the alias

of BiLL BOXIEY. WOOD was making inquiries about the CIA and its

operations. It was further reported that WOOD was well kaown in

Houston and that ble connection with Garrison was no Eccret.

9. On L2 July 1968 the Now York Times (p. C35) carried an article

headlined "Garzison Claims Foreign Spy Link". The article includes

the following:

"Over the telephone, Mr. Garricon also introduced an

investigator for hie office, Bill Boxley, as a fortner

3

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Central Intelligence Agency instructor in the 'clandestine

operations department'. He said he had found Mi. Boxley

while seeking a 'man who had been with the intelligence

agency but still cared about the United States.'

*Mr. Boxley then said his real name was William C.

Wood; he was forty-eight years old, originally from Texas;

he had worked 10 years ab a newspaper reporter -- last

on The Denver Post trora 1948 to 1950; he had been with the

intelligence agency two to five years in the 1950's overseas

and in Washington and had 'used as many as 10 different

nares in operations with the agency'. "

10.

The basic facts about WOOD were provided to the FBI by

CSCI 316/02725-68 of 15 July 1968. Additional relevant information

was requested. The Bureau replied on 18 July 1968 that the "Berkeley

Barb"', published by the Underground Press' Syndicate, had stated in

its issue of 29 December 1967 -- 4 January 1968 that Bill BOXLEY,

an investigator for Garrison, had verified a Mafia plot to kill Garrison.

11. The New Orleans Times-Picayune of 10 December 1968

carried the following:

"The office of Orleans Parish District Attorney Jim

Garrison Monday announced the removal of a raember of

the staff investigating the assassination of President John

F. Kennedy because of alleged involvement with the CIA.

" "Williar Boxley was fired after evidence recently

developed by the Dietrict Attorney's stalf indicated current

activity by him as an operative of the Central Intelligence

Agency, ' the office said.

"Boxley's initial service with the CIA was in Washington,

D. C., where he served for years as an active agent for 'what

was then termed the Department of Covert Activity', according

to the office.

"The office said federal intelligence efforte to interfere

with the investigation into President Kennedy's assassination

have been occurring since the beginning of the inquiry'."

SECIDI

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12. The New Orleans Times-Picayune of 12. December 1968

included the following item:

"Garrison also commented on William Boxley,

an investigator he fired on Monday because, Garrison

said, he was an operative of the Central Intelligence

Agency.

" "He was not only a CIA agent, ' said the DA, ' but

he was one on & very high level'. Asited what proof his

office developed, Carrison said it concerned material

that Boxley had put in written form.

"Boxley, contacted in Austin, Tex., told the

Times-Picäyune on Wednesday that he has not been

involved with the CIA or any federal agency since 1952.

"He said ho believed Garrison 'has been genuinely

inteled' about his CIA involvement, adding: 'I am sure

he belteves as strongly in this (bis alleged CIA involvement)

as he once believed in me." Boxley said he would cooperate

completely with Garrison'e office in returning to it material

he still has in his posseasion.

Boxley said the only written material he ever provided

Garrison'e office was a description of how various intelligence

agencies eperate.

Boxley said he was 'really sad' over his firing by

Garrison, but added that he belleved no one could convince

Garrison that he was not an agent of the CLA."

C. Current Developmente

13.

On 27 December 1968 Dr. Stephen Aldrich of DD/S and T

informed the Office of Security that at 1600 hours on 27 December he

had received a telephone call from Subject, who had been his subordipate

ia Saipan. CI/R&A called Dr. Aldrich, who supplied the following

additional information:

5

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8.

WOOD said that be was calling from a pay

phone in a Sears Roebuck store in Dallas. He provided

a home telephone number, which we have not been able

to verify, and he believes that this telephone is bugged.

b. WOOD had found the telephone number of

Dr. Aldrich in the directory. Hie only previous call was

made in 1966, when he requested a recommendation for

a newspaper job for which he wad applying. Dr. Aldrich

referred him to Pezeonnel.

€, Subject told Dr. Aldrich on 27 December that

he had information which he urgently wanted to communicate

tO CIA. He sounded upset.

14. G/CI/R&A advised Dr. Aldrich that it Subject telephoned

again, he should be told that his call had been referred to the proper

authorities. Because of the information reported above, there was

a possibility of provocation.

15. In the mid-afternoon of 28 December 1968 Subject again

telephoned Dr. Aldrich from an unknown location. He asked wbether

someone would be in touch with him. Ds. Aldrich said that Subject's

information had beea relayed to those responsible and that he had no

information about future contact. Subject said that he was not trying

to involve Dr. Aldrich but that he did have information to relay.

He

sounded less frightened than on his previous call. He suggested that

whoever called or visited him should identify himself by reterring to

information held in common (i.e., to Saipan in 1951-1952). Out of a

job, WOOD had received two or three offers of employment but was not

sure of the identities of the prospective employers and feared

provocation, presumably from Garrison's office. Apparently he believes

that the FBl is monitoring bie home telephone.

16. It is our intent to ask the Bureau to relay this information

to its office in Dallas and to instruct an FBI representative to call

upon Subject and request elucidation, because such information

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09664-0016

as Subject may have, if any, is within the Bureau's jurisdiction

rather than that of this Agency.

Donovan E. Pratt

DC/CI/R&A

Distribution:

Orig - DCI

1 - DDP

1 • Executive-Comptroller

1 - General Gounsel

1 - A/DOI

1 - Office of Security

1 - Director, Domestic Contact Service

1 - C/CI, DC/CI

1 - RID/Fites, 201-834272

1 - CI/REA chrono

1 - DP Garrison file

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