Page 90 of The 9th Man

The supervisor of each of the off-duty agents who visited the Press Club or the Cellar Coffee House advised, in the course of the Secret Service investigation of these events, that each agent reported for duty on time, with full possession of his mental and physical capabilities and entirely ready for the performance of his assigned duties. Chief Rowley testified that, as a result of the investigation he ordered, he was satisfied that each of the agents performed his duties in an entirely satisfactory manner, and that their conduct the night before did not impede their actions on duty or in the slightest way prevent them from taking any action that might have averted the tragedy. However, Chief Rowley did not condone the action of the off-duty agents, particularly since it violated a regulation of the Secret Service, which strictly prohibits the use of liquor while on travel assignment status. The regulations provide further that “violation or slight disregard” of these provisions will be cause for removal from the Service.

Chief Rowley testified that under ordinary circumstances he would have taken disciplinary action against those agents who had been drinking in clear violation of the regulation. However, he felt that any disciplinary action might have given rise to an inference that the violation of the regulation had contributed to the tragic events of November 22. Since he was convinced that this was not the case, he believed that it would be unfair to the agents and their families to take explicit disciplinary measures. He felt that each agent recognized the seriousness of the infraction and that there was no danger of a repetition.

The Commission recognizes that the responsibilities of members of the White House detail of the Secret Service are arduous. They work long, hard hours, under very great strain, and must travel frequently. It might seem harsh to circumscribe their opportunities for relaxation. Yet their role of protecting the President is so important to the well being of the country that it is reasonable to expect them to meet very high standards of personal conduct, so that nothing can interfere with their bringing to their task the finest qualities and maximum resources of mind and body. This is the salutary goal to which the Secret Service regulation is directed, when it absolutely forbids drinking by any agent accompanying the President on a trip. Nor is this goal served when agents remain out until early morning hours, and lose the opportunity to get a reasonable amount of sleep. It is conceivable that those men who had little sleep, and who had consumed alcoholic beverages, even in limited quantities, might have been more alert in the Dallas motorcade if they had retired promptly in Fort Worth. However, there is no evidence that these men failed to take any action in Dallas within their power that would have averted the tragedy. As will be seen, the instantaneous and heroic response to the assassination by some of the agents concerned was in the finest tradition of Government service.

43

LUKE POSSESSED A LANDSLIDE OF QUESTIONS.

Finally, some clarity was forming.

Repeat and recycle.

The best way to learn anything.

He read back over theCOMMISSIONfile and knew exactly what it was. An excerpt from the Warren Commission Report.

Seven days after the assassination, Lyndon Johnson appointed six men to investigate the death of John Kennedy. A senator, three members of the House, a former CIA director, and a former president of the World Bank, all led by the chief justice of the United States, Earl Warren. They worked for the next ten months, listening to the testimony of 552 witnesses and amassing thirty-one hundred exhibits. In September 1964 they published an 888-page report that concluded Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald and that Oswald acted entirely alone. It also concluded that Jack Ruby acted alone when he killed Oswald two days later. Far from quelling controversy, though, the commission’s report had been a lightning rod for criticism.

Which had not abated in the ensuing decades.

His phone chimed. Marcia.

He welcomed the break.

“I’ve put together a biography for Ray Simmons. It’s all public archive stuff, but it covers his FBI years pretty well. You should have it in your inbox now.”

He checked. “It’s here. You’re the best, Marcia.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“A group of rhinoceroses is known as a crash.”

“Is that true?”

“’Night, Marcia.”

He disconnected, then opened the attached bio file and started reading about Simmons. From 1959 until 1964 he worked in the Dallas FBI field office. And, as Sue explained, he was a trained marksman and gunsmith. He also participated in firing tests on Oswald’s rifle, conducted by the Warren Commission. No mention was made of the subsequent test conducted by CBS News. But that was understandable given it was a nongovernment action.

He had some answers.

But he also had new questions. Who was David Eckstein?

He clicked on the fifth file from the drive markedPERSONAL NOTES AS PROVIDED TO DE.

—Had an established reputation as a gunsmith, ballistic expert, and marksman.

—Test happened in 1967 at H. P. White Ballistics Laboratory in Maryland.

—H. P. was the largest independent weapons tester in the country. Had numerous indoor and outdoor ranges. Conducted controlled tests for firearms companies and law enforcement.

—Test conducted in basement range.

—Had a rifle there identical to Oswald’s, equipped with a sling and four-power scope mounted slightly off center to the left.

—Idea was to ascertain if the make and model of rifle could fire three times within 5.6 seconds and strike the target.

—Familiar with the rifle. A true antique from World War II. Unwieldy. The bolt action stiff and hard to operate. Requires the user to slam the bolt hard with the heel of your hand in order to drive a shell into the chamber.

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