Siebert and O'Neill Reports
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Introduction
FBI agents James Siebert and Francis Xavier O'Neill ostensibly accompanied JFK's body from the time it landed at Andrews Air Force Base, following behind the ambulance as it travelled to Bethesda, were present when the body was removed from the casket, stayed throughout the autopsy (thus ensuring that no funny business occurred), and then wrote reports about what they witnessed.
That's the official story, anyway.
Accounts of multiple casket entries, of ambulance chases, of Jerrol Custer seeing Jackie Kennedy and the entourage arrive while he was heading back and forth processing autopsy X-rays that he had already taken, raises issues of just how much they actually did see.
And then there are the reports themselves, which contain some very interesting bits, including mention of "surgery to the head" and hearing that a bullet had been found on a Parkland stretcher.
Many thanks to Michael Griffith, whose excellent sourcing in the JFK Assassination Education Forum (https://educationforum.ipbhost.com/topic/31929-debunking-the-shoring-theory-as-an-explanation-for-jfks-throat-wound/page/2/#comment-587639) led me to the report I had previously thought was long-buried, as well as a teletype whose existence I had previously been unaware of. Thanks also to whoever wrote the "The Siebert and O'Neill Report" http://22november1963.org.uk/sibert-and-oneill-report#sibert-oneill-report)%5B/size%5D) article on the 22 November 1963 site that Griffith links to, for posting the links that make the Siebert and O'Neill documents easier to find.
FBI agents James Siebert and Francis Xavier O'Neill ostensibly accompanied JFK's body from the time it landed at Andrews Air Force Base, following behind the ambulance as it travelled to Bethesda, were present when the body was removed from the casket, stayed throughout the autopsy (thus ensuring that no funny business occurred), and then wrote reports about what they witnessed.
That's the official story, anyway.
Accounts of multiple casket entries, of ambulance chases, of Jerrol Custer seeing Jackie Kennedy and the entourage arrive while he was heading back and forth processing autopsy X-rays that he had already taken, raises issues of just how much they actually did see.
And then there are the reports themselves, which contain some very interesting bits, including mention of "surgery to the head" and hearing that a bullet had been found on a Parkland stretcher.
Many thanks to Michael Griffith, whose excellent sourcing in the JFK Assassination Education Forum (https://educationforum.ipbhost.com/topic/31929-debunking-the-shoring-theory-as-an-explanation-for-jfks-throat-wound/page/2/#comment-587639) led me to the report I had previously thought was long-buried, as well as a teletype whose existence I had previously been unaware of. Thanks also to whoever wrote the "The Siebert and O'Neill Report" http://22november1963.org.uk/sibert-and-oneill-report#sibert-oneill-report)%5B/size%5D) article on the 22 November 1963 site that Griffith links to, for posting the links that make the Siebert and O'Neill documents easier to find.
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Multiple Casket Entries
Doug Horne's work uncovered that JFK's body actually arrived at the Bethesda morgue by helicopter well before the ambulance arrived from Andrews Air Force Base. See his YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=iMl3zCOXk8s for a report on his findings. It's a long video, but an interesting one, and he gives his sources. In fact, Horne found that there were three casket entries into the morgue, each one supposedly containing the body of the President, and multiple discrepancies in time indications. In summary, they were:
But since their orders were to "stay with the body," one wonders if they might have been willing to fudge their reports a bit.
And in addition to the sources Doug Horne uses to determine that Kennedy's body arrived in the morgue before Siebert and O'Neill arrived, I have one other: Jerrol Custer.
Doug Horne's work uncovered that JFK's body actually arrived at the Bethesda morgue by helicopter well before the ambulance arrived from Andrews Air Force Base. See his YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=iMl3zCOXk8s for a report on his findings. It's a long video, but an interesting one, and he gives his sources. In fact, Horne found that there were three casket entries into the morgue, each one supposedly containing the body of the President, and multiple discrepancies in time indications. In summary, they were:
- Three different casket entries into the morgue: one at 6:35 (from helicopter & black ambulance), one at 7:17 (Siebert and O'Neill's), and one at 8:00 pm (ceremonial honor guard, after chasing a decoy ambulance around the grounds).
- Differing descriptions of the type of casket, either a "plain gray/aluminum/steel/dull finish shipping/transport casket" (descriptions vary but seem to refer to the same type of generic military transport casket) for the first entry, or a "bronze ceremonial casket." for the later entries.
- Different descriptions of the body when it was taken out of the casket: "in a body bag" vs. "wrapped in sheets."
- Different vehicles involved: a helicopter and black car, a gray Navy ambulance, a gray Navy "decoy" ambulance with a different registration number.
- Three separate "casket entries into the morgue: one at 6:35pm (the helicopter/black car), another at 7:17pm (the Siebert & O'Neill entry), and a third at 8:00pm (the ceremonial honor guard entry).
But since their orders were to "stay with the body," one wonders if they might have been willing to fudge their reports a bit.
And in addition to the sources Doug Horne uses to determine that Kennedy's body arrived in the morgue before Siebert and O'Neill arrived, I have one other: Jerrol Custer.
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Jerrol Custer Sees Jacqueline Kennedy Arrive
Not mentioned in Horne's video but contributing to the conclusion that Kennedy's body was already in the morgue before Siebert and O'Neill arrived, is the ARRB testimony of Jerrol Custer:
Not mentioned in Horne's video but contributing to the conclusion that Kennedy's body was already in the morgue before Siebert and O'Neill arrived, is the ARRB testimony of Jerrol Custer:
In his ARRB Deposition, Jerrol Custer described seeing Jacqueline Kennedy's entourage arrive as he was traveling back and forth to the morgue to process X-rays. From https://history-matters.com/archive/jfk/arrb/medical_testimony/pdf/Custer_10-28-97.pdf
So the body was already in the morgue, with X-rays having already been taken, before Jacqueline Kennedy and the Dallas casket arrived in the ambulance, which Siebert and O'Neill then followed to the morgue at the back of the building.
Stick a pin in that.
Stick a pin in that.
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The Teletype
After the autopsy was completed, an unnamed person apparently sent a teletype to "Director" (presumably J. Edgar Hoover) and to the FBI's Dallas field office:
After the autopsy was completed, an unnamed person apparently sent a teletype to "Director" (presumably J. Edgar Hoover) and to the FBI's Dallas field office:
from https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=680#relPageId=1
The text is somewhat difficult to read, so I'll transcribe it:
Urgent 11-23-63 2-00. AM TRC (presumably 2:00 am Time Recording Code)
BUAGENTS (Bureau Agents) met Presidential plane on landing at Andrews AFB, MD. and accompanied motorcade in White House car to National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda where autopsy performed. Autopsy witnessed by three Secret Service agents, two BUAGENTS and attending physicians at Center.
Total boy Xray and autopsy revealed one bullet entered back of head and thereafter emerged through top of skull. Piece of skull measuring ten by six point five centimeters later flown in from Dallas hospital and X-rays Bethesda disclosed minute metal fragments in this piece where bullet emerged from skull. Two metal fragments removed from brain area, one is seven by two millimeters and the other is three by one millimeters. These two metal fragments hand carried by BU agents to FBI. Lab.
One bullet hole located just below shoulders to right of spinal column and hand probing indicated trajectory at angle of forty five to sixty degrees downward and hole of short depth with no point of exit. No bullet located in body.
Pathologists of opinion bullet worked way out of back during cardiac massage performed at Dallas. It is noted that Secret Service Agent Richard Johnson turned over to BULAB (Bureau Lab) one six point five millimeter rifle bullet, paren approx twenty five cal paren, copper alloy, full jacket, which he advised was found on stretcher in emergency room at Dallas hospital. At time it was not known if stretcher was that which had been used for President.
Secret Service has fully cooperated with BUAGENTS and advised would make photos taken of autopsy and X-rays available at BU (Bureau) Request.
Urgent 11-23-63 2-00. AM TRC (presumably 2:00 am Time Recording Code)
BUAGENTS (Bureau Agents) met Presidential plane on landing at Andrews AFB, MD. and accompanied motorcade in White House car to National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda where autopsy performed. Autopsy witnessed by three Secret Service agents, two BUAGENTS and attending physicians at Center.
Total boy Xray and autopsy revealed one bullet entered back of head and thereafter emerged through top of skull. Piece of skull measuring ten by six point five centimeters later flown in from Dallas hospital and X-rays Bethesda disclosed minute metal fragments in this piece where bullet emerged from skull. Two metal fragments removed from brain area, one is seven by two millimeters and the other is three by one millimeters. These two metal fragments hand carried by BU agents to FBI. Lab.
One bullet hole located just below shoulders to right of spinal column and hand probing indicated trajectory at angle of forty five to sixty degrees downward and hole of short depth with no point of exit. No bullet located in body.
Pathologists of opinion bullet worked way out of back during cardiac massage performed at Dallas. It is noted that Secret Service Agent Richard Johnson turned over to BULAB (Bureau Lab) one six point five millimeter rifle bullet, paren approx twenty five cal paren, copper alloy, full jacket, which he advised was found on stretcher in emergency room at Dallas hospital. At time it was not known if stretcher was that which had been used for President.
Secret Service has fully cooperated with BUAGENTS and advised would make photos taken of autopsy and X-rays available at BU (Bureau) Request.
This was not sent by Siebert and/or O'Neill--it was sent by "SAC Baltimore" (name?)--but it does mention that "two BUAGENTS" (two Bureau Agents) attended the autopsy, and that had to be Siebert and O'Neill.
Note the date and time of this teletype, stated at the top as "11-23-63" and "2-00 AM."
There is at least one error in this: the phrase "piece of skull measuring ten by six point five centimeters later flown in from Dallas hospital" cannot be true. The time indicated on this (2:00 am on 11/23/63) does not match the Harper Fragment, which was found in Dealey Plaza later in the day by Billy Harper and taken to Methodist Hospital and subsequently turned over to the FBI. Moreover, the Harper Fragment did not measure 10 X 6.5 cm. It was somewhat smaller than that.
However, there were skull fragments reportedly brought into the autopsy and described as "received as separate specimens from Dallas, Texas which in aggregate roughly approximate the dimensions of the large defect described above*. And by the "302" report (below), we get the information that the largest fragment was 10 X 6.5 cm, and that it was "retained" by Dr. Humes (probably buried with the body?). We also get the information that there was an edge on this that had a metallic smear and "exit beveling."
At any rate, there was no skull fragment brought in "from (a) Dallas Hospital" brought to D.C. before 2:00 am on 11/23/63. There was a 10 X 6.5 cm skull fragment brought in, but not from any "hospital." This was likely confusion on the part of the "SAC Baltimore."
Fragments brought into the autopsy as "separate specimens" were probably:
The Weitzman skull fragment (probably the 10X6.5 cm fragment, roughly 2.5 X 4 inches)
The Kinney and/or Landis skull fragment(s) (possibly the same fragment)
The James Young 3 "limousine" fragments (described as "one about three inches in diameter, another two inches in diameter, and the third about one to one and a half inches in diameter")
There is also a report ("JFK Horsemen") that a boy picked up a piece of skull from the street and gave it to a Secret Service man, who tossed it into the car.
Now, the problem is that the numbers just do not add up. However, when we consider that there was a willingness among Secret Service agents to movie evidence around, to create a "chain of custody" that didn't really exist, we can make it work.
Humes' 3 skull fragments were "received as separate specimens."
Young's 3 skull fragments were "from the limousine," which he mistakenly called "the Queen Mary" (which was the name of the follow-up car).
I think there was additional confusion, as well, confusing 6.5mm bullet evidence with the piece of skull, and confusing the "pointed" stretcher bullet with the Connally/Nolan bullet. After all, "SAC Baltimore" was not directly involved in any of this activity of transporting evidence, and was getting all of his information second- or third-hand. Like the old game of "telephone," something got lost in transmission from one source to another.
The 10X6.5 cm skull fragment was likely the Seymour Weitzman skull fragment, which Weitzman stated he turned over to a Secret Service agent shortly after the assassination. However, there was also the Nolan/Connally bullet (a 6.5mm bullet, at least somewhat fragmented that came from a Dallas Hospital (by way of the DPD) and the "pointed" stretcher bullet that came from a Dallas Hospital--both of which were taken to Washington, D.C. and likely turned over to the FBI lab. The "Dallas Hospital," of course, was Parkland Hospital, not Methodist Hospital (which was not yet involved as of 2:00am on 11/23/63).
Now let's look at the Sibert and O'Neill "302" Report itself.
Note the date and time of this teletype, stated at the top as "11-23-63" and "2-00 AM."
There is at least one error in this: the phrase "piece of skull measuring ten by six point five centimeters later flown in from Dallas hospital" cannot be true. The time indicated on this (2:00 am on 11/23/63) does not match the Harper Fragment, which was found in Dealey Plaza later in the day by Billy Harper and taken to Methodist Hospital and subsequently turned over to the FBI. Moreover, the Harper Fragment did not measure 10 X 6.5 cm. It was somewhat smaller than that.
However, there were skull fragments reportedly brought into the autopsy and described as "received as separate specimens from Dallas, Texas which in aggregate roughly approximate the dimensions of the large defect described above*. And by the "302" report (below), we get the information that the largest fragment was 10 X 6.5 cm, and that it was "retained" by Dr. Humes (probably buried with the body?). We also get the information that there was an edge on this that had a metallic smear and "exit beveling."
At any rate, there was no skull fragment brought in "from (a) Dallas Hospital" brought to D.C. before 2:00 am on 11/23/63. There was a 10 X 6.5 cm skull fragment brought in, but not from any "hospital." This was likely confusion on the part of the "SAC Baltimore."
Fragments brought into the autopsy as "separate specimens" were probably:
The Weitzman skull fragment (probably the 10X6.5 cm fragment, roughly 2.5 X 4 inches)
The Kinney and/or Landis skull fragment(s) (possibly the same fragment)
The James Young 3 "limousine" fragments (described as "one about three inches in diameter, another two inches in diameter, and the third about one to one and a half inches in diameter")
There is also a report ("JFK Horsemen") that a boy picked up a piece of skull from the street and gave it to a Secret Service man, who tossed it into the car.
Now, the problem is that the numbers just do not add up. However, when we consider that there was a willingness among Secret Service agents to movie evidence around, to create a "chain of custody" that didn't really exist, we can make it work.
Humes' 3 skull fragments were "received as separate specimens."
Young's 3 skull fragments were "from the limousine," which he mistakenly called "the Queen Mary" (which was the name of the follow-up car).
I think there was additional confusion, as well, confusing 6.5mm bullet evidence with the piece of skull, and confusing the "pointed" stretcher bullet with the Connally/Nolan bullet. After all, "SAC Baltimore" was not directly involved in any of this activity of transporting evidence, and was getting all of his information second- or third-hand. Like the old game of "telephone," something got lost in transmission from one source to another.
The 10X6.5 cm skull fragment was likely the Seymour Weitzman skull fragment, which Weitzman stated he turned over to a Secret Service agent shortly after the assassination. However, there was also the Nolan/Connally bullet (a 6.5mm bullet, at least somewhat fragmented that came from a Dallas Hospital (by way of the DPD) and the "pointed" stretcher bullet that came from a Dallas Hospital--both of which were taken to Washington, D.C. and likely turned over to the FBI lab. The "Dallas Hospital," of course, was Parkland Hospital, not Methodist Hospital (which was not yet involved as of 2:00am on 11/23/63).
Now let's look at the Sibert and O'Neill "302" Report itself.
The Siebert and O'Neill Report
This unsigned 302 report is attributed to Siebert and O'Neill (see bottom of page 1):
This unsigned 302 report is attributed to Siebert and O'Neill (see bottom of page 1):
From https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=625#relPageId=2