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HILL,
CLINT Volume II TESTIMONY
OF
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. Hill, would you state your full name for the record,
please?
Mr. HILL.
Mr. SPECTER. How old are you, sir?
Mr. HILL. Thirty-two.
Mr. SPECTER. What is your educational background?
Mr. HILL. I went to secondary educational high school in Washburn, N. Dak.,
and then went on to
Mr. SPECTER. What year were you graduated?
Mr. HILL. 1954.
Mr. SPECTER. What have you done since the time of graduation from
college, Mr. Hill?
Mr. HILL. I went into the Army in 1954; remained in the Army until 1957.
Then I couldn't determine what I wanted to do, whether to go to law school or
not, and I took a couple of odd jobs. I worked for a finance company at one
time. Then I went to work for the
Mr. SPECTER. You have been with the Secret Service since September 1958
to the present time?
Mr. HILL. Yes; I have.
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Mr. SPECTER. Will you outline for the Commission your duties with the
Secret Service during your tenure there?
Mr. HILL. I entered the Secret Service in
Mr. SPECTER. Now, were you assigned to duties on the trip of President
Kennedy to
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; I was.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you have any special duty assigned to you at that time?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. In connection with the trip?
Mr. HILL I was responsible for the protection of Mrs. Kennedy.
Mr. SPECTER. And, in a general way, what does that sort of an assignment
involve?
Mr. HILL. I tried to remain as close to her at all times as possible, and
in this particular trip that meant being with the President because all of their
doings on this trip were together rather than separate. I would go over her
schedule to make sure she knows what she is expected to do; discuss it with her;
remain in her general area all the time; protect her from any danger.
Mr. SPECTER. Would you tell us, in a general way, what were the
activities of the President and Mrs. Kennedy on the morning of Friday, November
22, before they arrived in
Mr. HILL. I went to the fifth floor, I believe it was, where the
President and Mrs. Kennedy were staying in the Texas Hotel in
It was raining outside, I recall. About 9:25 I received word from Special
Agent Duncan that the President requested Mrs. Kennedy to come to the mezzanine,
where a breakfast was being held in his honor, and where he was about to speak.
I went in and advised Mrs. Kennedy of this, and took her down to where the
President was speaking; remained with her adjacent to the head table in this
particular area during the speech; and accompanied she and the President back up
to the, I believe it was, the fifth floor of the hotel, their residential area;
remained on that floor until we left, went downstairs, got into the motorcade,
and departed the hotel for the airport to leave Fort Worth for Dallas.
We were airborne approximately 11:20, I believe, in Air Force 1. I was in
the aft compartment, which is part of the residential compartment, and we
arrived in
Mr. SPECTER. Would you describe, in a general way, what the President and
Mrs. Kennedy did upon arrival in
Mr. HILL. They debarked the rear ramp of the aircraft first, followed by
Governor and Mrs. Connally, various Congressmen and Senators. And Special Agent
in Charge Kellerman and myself went down the rap. There was a small reception
committee at the foot of the ramp, and somebody gave Mrs. Kennedy some red
roses, I recall. I walked immediately to the followup car and placed my topcoat,
which is a raincoat, and small envelope containing some information concerning
the Dallas stop in the followup car, returning to where the President and Mrs.
Kennedy were at that time greeting a crippled lady in a wheelchair.
Mr. SPECTER. What do you estimate the size of the crowd to have been at
Mr. HILL. At the airport?
Mr. SPECTER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HILL. It is rather difficult to say. They were behind a chain-link
fence, not on the airport ramp itself, and they were jammed up against the fence
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placards, and many young people in the crowd. I would say there were probably
2,000 people there.
Mr. SPECTER. At approximately what time did the motorcade depart from
Love Field to
Mr. HILL. Approximately 11:55.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you know approximately how many automobiles there were in
the motorcade?
Mr. HILL. No, sir; I do not.
Mr. SPECTER. In which car in the motorcade were you positioned?
Mr. HILL. I was working the followup car, which is the car immediately
behind the Presidential car.
Mr. SPECTER. And how many cars are there ahead of the followup car, then,
in the entire motorcade?
Mr. HILL. There was a lead car ahead of the President's car, the
President's car, then this particular followup car.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you know whether there was any car in advance of the car
termed the lead car?
Mr. HILL. There could have been a pilot car, but I am not sure.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, approximately how far in front of the President's car
did the lead car stay during the course of the motorcade?
Mr. HILL. I would say a half block, maybe.
Mr. SPECTER. And how far was the President's car in front of the
President's followup car during the course of the motorcade?
Mr. HILL. Approximately 5 feet.
Mr. SPECTER. Is there some well-established practice as to the spacing
between the President's car and the President's followup car?
Mr. HILL. It would depend upon speed. We attempt to stay as close to the
President's car as practical. At high rates of speed it is rather difficult to
stay close because of the danger involved. Slow speeds, the followup car stays
as close as possible so that the agents on the followup car can get to the
Presidential car as quickly as possible.
Mr. SPECTER. What was the first car to the rear of the President's
followup car?
Mr. HILL. The Vice-Presidential automobile.
Mr. SPECTER. What car was immediately behind the Vice President's
automobile?
Mr. HILL. The Vice-Presidential followup car.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you know what cars in the
Mr. HILL. Well, I couldn't say which car any individual rode in after
that particular automobile, but I could say they were occupied by members of the
staff, both President Kennedy's and Vice President Johnson's; Congressmen and
Senators who were on this particular trip; newspaper personnel who were on this
trip.
Mr. SPECTER. Would you identify the occupants of
the President's followup car and indicate where each was in the automobile.
Mr. HILL. The
car itself was driven by Special Agent Sam Kinney, and Assistant to the Special
Agent in Charge Emory Roberts was riding in the right front seat. I was assigned
to work the left running board of the automobile, the forward portion of that
running board. McIntyre was assigned to work the rear portion of the left
running board. Special Agent John Ready was assigned the forward portion of the
right running board; Special Agent Paul Landis was assigned the rear portion of
the right running board. There were two jump seats, and they were occupied by
two Presidential aides, Mr. O'Donnell and Mr. Powers. Mr. Powers was sitting on
the right-hand side; Mr. O'Donnell on the left. The rear seat was occupied, left
rear by Special Agent Hickey, right rear, Special Agent Bennett.
Mr. SPECTER. How were the agents armed at that time?
Mr. HILL. All the agents were armed with their hand weapons.
Mr. SPECTER. And is there any weapon in the automobile in addition to the
hand weapons?
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Mr. HILL. Yes. There is an AR-15, which is an automatic rifle, and a
shotgun.
Mr. SPECTER. And where is the AR-15 kept?
Mr. HILL. Between the two agents in the rear seat.
Mr. SPECTER. How about the shotgun; where is that kept?
Mr. HILL. In a compartment immediately in front of the jump seats.
Mr. SPECTER. Is the President's followup car a specially constructed
automobile.
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; it is.
Mr. SPECTER. And what is the make and model and general description of
that vehicle?
Mr. HILL. It is a 1955 Cadillac, nine-passenger touring sedan. It is a
convertible type.
Mr. SPECTER. Was that automobile flown in specially from
Mr. HILL. Yes; it was, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you know how that automobile was transported to
Mr. HILL. Generally, it is flown in a C-130 by the Air Force. I am not
sure how on this particular occasion.
Mr. SPECTER. Will you describe, in a general way, the composition of the
crowds en route from Love Field down to the center of
Mr. HILL. Well, when we left Love Field, we went away from the crowd to
get to the exit point at Love Field, and there were no crowds at all, and then
we, departing Love Field, found the crowds were sporadic. There were people here
and there. Some places they had built up and other places they were thinned out.
The speed of the motorcade was adjusted accordingly. Whenever there were large
groups of people, the motorcade slowed down to give the people an opportunity to
view the President. When there were not many people along the side of the
street, we speeded up. We didn't really hit the crowds until we hit
Mr. SPECTER. What is your best estimate of the
maximum speed of the automobile from the time you left Love Field until the time
you arrived at downtown
Mr. HILL. I
would say we never ran any faster than 25 to 30 miles per hour.
Mr. SPECTER.
What is your best estimate of the minimum speed during this same interval?
Mr. HILL.
Twelve to fifteen miles per hour. We did stop.
Mr. SPECTER. On
what occasion did you stop?
Mr. HILL.
Between Love Field and
Mr. SPECTER. Did the President disembark from his automobile at that
time?
Mr. HILL. No; he remained in his seat.
Mr. SPECTER. At that time what action, if any, did you take?
Mr. HILL. I jumped from the followup car and ran up to the left rear
portion of the automobile with my back toward Mrs. Kennedy viewing those persons
on the left-hand side of the street.
Mr. SPECTER. What action was taken by any other Secret Service agent
which you observed at that time?
Mr. HILL. Special Agent Ready, who was working the forward portion of the
right running board, did the same thing, only on the President's side, placed
his back toward the car, and viewed the people facing the President. Assistant
in Charge Kellerman opened the door of the President's car and stepped out on
the street.
Mr. SPECTER. What action was taken by Special Agent McIntyre, if you
know?
Mr. HILL. I do not know.
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Mr. SPECTER. How about Special Agent Landis?
Mr. HILL. I do not know.
Mr. SPECTER. What is your normal procedure for action in the event the
President's car is stopped, as it did in that event?
Mr. HILL. Special Agent McIntyre would normally jump off the car and run
to the forward portion of the left-and side of the car; Special Agent Landis
would move to the right-hand forward portion of the automobile.
Mr. SPECTER. Did anything else which was unusual occur en route from Love
Field to the downtown area of
Mr. HILL. Before we hit
Mr. SPECTER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HILL. Not that I recall.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you have any occasion to leave the President's followup
car at any time?
Mr. HILL. When we finally did reach
Mr. SPECTER. When you say the rear portion of the automobile, can you, by
referring to Commission Exhibit No. 345, heretofore identified as the
President's automobile, specify by penciled "X" where you stood?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir [indicating].
Mr. SPECTER. Will you describe for the record just what area it is back
there on which you stood?
Mr. HILL. That is a step built into the rear bumper of the automobile,
and on top of the rear trunk there is a handguard which you grab for and hang
onto when you are standing up.
Mr. SPECTER. Are identical objects of those descriptions existing on each
side of the President's car?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; they do.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you have any other occasion en route from Love Field to
downtown
Mr. HILL. I did the same thing approximately four times.
Mr. SPECTER. What are the standard regulations and practices, if any,
governing such an action on your pert?
Mr. HILL. It is left to the agent's discretion more or less to move to
that particular position when he feels that there is a danger to the President;
to place himself as close to the President or the First Lady as my ease was, as
possible, which I did.
Mr. SPECTER. Are those practices specified in any written documents of
the Secret Service?
Mr. HILL. No; they are not.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, had there been any instruction or comment about your
performance of that type of a duty with respect to anything that President
Kennedy himself had said in the period immediately preceding the trip to
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; there was. The preceding Monday, the President was on
a trip in
Mr. SPECTER. And to whom did the President make that request?
Mr. HILL. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Boring.
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Mr. SPECTER. Was Assistant Special Agent in Charge Boring the individual
in charge of that trip to
Mr. HILL. He was riding in the Presidential automobile on that trip in
Mr. SPECTER. Well, on that occasion would he have been in a position
comparable to that occupied by Special Agent Kellerman on this trip to
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; the same position.
Mr. SPECTER. And Special Agent Boring informed you of that instruction by
President Kennedy?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; he did.
Mr. SPECTER. Did he make it a point to inform other special agents of
that same instruction?
Mr. HILL. I believe that he did, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And, as a result of what President Kennedy said to him, did
he instruct you to observe that Presidential admonition?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. How, if at all, did that instruction of President Kennedy
affect your action and--your action in safeguarding him on this trip to
Mr. HILL. We did not ride on the rear portions of the automobile. I did
on those four occasions because the motorcycles had to drop back and there was
no protection on the left-hand side of the car.
Mr. SPECTER. When the President's automobile was
proceeding in downtown
Mr. HILL. We
were running approximately 12 to 15 miles per hour, I would say.
Mr. SPECTER. I show you a document which we have marked as Commission
Exhibit No. 354, which is an aerial photograph identical with the photograph
already marked as Commission Exhibit No. 347.
(The photograph referred to was marked Exhibit No. 354 for
identification.)
Mr. SPECTER. I ask you if, referring only to Exhibit 354, you are able to
identify what that scene is.
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; I am.
Mr. SPECTER. Are you able to indicate the route which the President's
motorcade followed through that area?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; I am.
Mr. SPECTER. And what does that scene depict--what city is it?
Mr. HILL. That is
Mr. SPECTER. Will you write on the picture itself where Would
you now write, as best you can, which street is
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And would you now write which street is Elm?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
(At this point, Representative Ford entered the hearing room.)
Mr. SPECTER. Now, would you indicate, if you know, which is a generally
northerly direction on that picture?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. All right. What was the condition of the crowd as the
motorcade made a right-hand turn off of
Mr. HILL. The crowd was very large on
Mr. SPECTER. And what is your best estimate as to the speed of the
President's car at the time it made the right hand turn onto
Mr. HILL. In the curve?
Mr. SPECTER. The speed--in the curve itself; yes.
Mr. HILL. We
were running generally 12 to 15 miles per hour. I would say that in the curve we
perhaps slowed to maybe 10 miles per hour.
Mr. SPECTER. And how far behind the President's car was the Presidential
followup car as the turn was made onto
Mr. HILL. Four to five feet, at the most.
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Mr. SPECTER. I show you a photograph of a building which has already been
marked as Commission Exhibit No. 348, and ask you if at this time you can
identify what that building is.
Mr. HILL. I believe I can, sir; yes.
Mr. SPECTER. And what building is it?
Mr. HILL. It is the
Mr. SPECTER. Now, does that building appear on the Commission Exhibit No.
354?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; it does.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you have any occasion to notice the
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir. It was immediately in front of us and to our left.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you notice anything unusual about it?
Mr. HILL. Nothing more unusual than any other building along the way.
Mr. SPECTER. What is your general practice, if
any, in observing such buildings along the route of a Presidential motorcade?
Mr. HILL. We
scan the buildings and look specifically for open windows, for people hanging
out, and there had been, on almost every building along the way, people hanging
out, windows open.
Mr. SPECTER. And did you observe, as you recollect at this moment, any
open windows in the
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; there were.
Mr. SPECTER. Are you able to recollect specifically which windows were
open at this time?
Mr. HILL. No, sir; I cannot.
Mr. SPECTER. What was the condition of the crowd along the streets, if
any, along
Mr. HILL. On the left-hand side of the street, which is the side I was
on, the crowd was very thin. And it was a general park area. There were people
scattered throughout the entire park.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, what is your best estimate of
the speed of the President's automobile as it turned left off of
Mr. HILL. We
were running still 12 to 15 miles per hour, but in the curve I believe we slowed
down maybe to 10, maybe to 9.
Mr. SPECTER. How far back of the President's automobile was the
Presidential followup car when the President's followup car had just
straightened out on
Mr. HILL. Approximately 5 feet.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, as the motorcade proceeded at
that point, tell us what happened.
Mr. HILL. Well,
as we came out of the curve, and began to straighten up, I was viewing the area
which looked to be a park. There were people scattered throughout the entire
park. And I heard a noise from my right rear, which to me seemed to be a
firecracker. I immediately looked to my right and, in so doing, my eyes had to
cross the Presidential limousine and I saw President Kennedy grab at himself and
lurch forward and to the left.
Mr. SPECTER.
Why don't you just proceed, in narrative form, to tell us?
Representative
BOGGS. This was the first shot?
Mr. HILL. This
is the first sound that I heard; yes, sir. I jumped from the car, realizing that
something was wrong, ran to the Presidential limousine. Just about as I reached
it, there was another sound, which was different than the first sound. I think I
described it in my statement as though someone was shooting a revolver into a
hard object--it seemed to have some type of an echo. I put my right foot, I
believe it was, on the left rear step of the automobile, and I had a hold of the
handgrip with my hand, when the car lurched forward. I lost my footing and I had
to run about three or four more steps before I could get back up in the car.
Between the time I originally grabbed the
handhold and until I was up on the car, Mrs. Kennedy--the second noise that I
heard had removed a portion of the President's head, and he had slumped
noticeably to his left. Mrs. Kennedy had jumped up from the seat and was, it
appeared to me, reaching for something
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coming
off the right rear bumper of the car, the right rear tail, when she noticed that
I was trying to climb on the car. She turned toward me and I grabbed her and put
her back in the back seat, crawled up on top of the back seat and lay there.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, referring to Commission Exhibit No. 354, would you mark
an "X", as best you can, at the spot where the President's automobile
was at the time the first shot occurred?
Mr. HILL. Approximately there.
Mr. SPECTER. And would you mark a "Y" at the approximate
position where the President's car was at the second shot you have described?
What is your best estimate of the speed of the President's car at the precise
time of the first shot, Mr. Hill?
Mr. HILL. We were running between 12 to 15 miles per hour, but no faster
than 15 miles per hour.
Mr. SPECTER. How many shots have you described that you heard?
Mr. HILL. Two.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you hear any more than two shots?
Mr. HILL. No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And what is your best estimate of the speed of the
President's automobile at the time of the second shot?
Mr. HILL. Approximately the same speed as that of the first--although at
the time that I jumped on the car, the car had surged forward. The President at
that time had been shot in the head.
Mr. SPECTER. When, in relationship to the second shot, did the car
accelerate that is, the President's car?
Mr. HILL. Almost simultaneously.
Mr. SPECTER. You testified just a moment ago that
the President grabbed at himself immediately after the first noise which you
described as sounding like a firecracker.
Mr. HILL. Yes,
sir.
Mr. SPECTER.
Would you tell us with more particularity in what way he grabbed at himself?
Mr. HILL. He
grabbed in this general area.
Mr. SPECTER.
You are indicating that your right hand is coming up to your--to the throat?
Mr. HILL. Yes,
sir.
Mr. SPECTER.
And the left hand crosses right under the right hand.
Mr. HALT. To
the chest area.
Mr. SPECTER. To
the chest area. Was there any movement of the President's head or shoulders
immediately after the first shot, that you recollect?
Mr. HILL. Yes,
sir. Immediately when I saw him, he was like this, and going left and forward.
Mr. SPECTER.
Indicating a little fall to the left front.
Mr. HILL. Yes,
sir.
Representative
BOGGS. This was after a head wound?
Mr. HILL. No,
sir.
Representative
BOGGS. Before the head wound?
Mr. HILL. Yes,
sir; this was the first shot.
Mr. SPECTER.
Now, what is your best estimate on the timespan between the first
firecracker-type noise you heard and the second shot which you have described?
Mr. HILL.
Approximately 5 seconds.
Mr. SPECTER.
Now, did the impact on the President's head occur simultaneously, before, or
after the second noise which you have described?
Mr. HILL.
Almost simultaneously.
Representative
FORD. Did you see the President put his hands to his throat and chest while you
were still on the followup car, or after you had left it?
Mr. HILL. As I
was leaving. And that is one of the reasons I jumped, because I saw him grab
himself and pitch forward and to the left. I knew something was wrong.
Representative
FORD. It was 5 seconds from the firecracker noise that you think you got to the
automobile?
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Mr. HILL. Until
I reached the handhold, had placed my foot on the left rear step.
Mr. SPECTER. When, in relationship to the second
shot, did Mrs. Kennedy move out of the rear seat?
Mr. HILL. Just
after it.
Mr. SPECTER.
You say that it appeared that she was reaching as if something was coming over
to the rear portion of the car, back in the area where you were coming to?
Mr. HILL. Yes,
sir.
Mr. SPECTER.
Was there anything back there that you observed, that she might have been
reaching for?
Mr. HILL. I
thought I saw something come off the back, too, but I cannot say that there was.
I do know that the next day we found the portion of the President's head.
Mr. SPECTER.
Where did you find that portion of the President's head?
Mr. HILL. It
was found in the street. It was turned in, I believe, by a medical student or
somebody in
Mr. SPECTER.
Did you have any difficulty maintaining your balance on the back of the car
after you had come up on the top of it?
Mr. HILL. Not
until we turned off to enter the
Mr. SPECTER. Now, what action did you take specifically with respect to
placing Mrs. Kennedy back in the rear seat?
Mr. HILL. I simply just pushed and she moved--somewhat voluntarily--right
back into the same seat she was in. The President--when she had attempted to get
out onto the trunk of the car, his body apparently did not move too much,
because when she got back into the car he was at that time, when I got on top of
the car, face up in her lap.
Mr. SPECTER. And that was, after she was back in the rear seat?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And where were the President's legs at that time?
Mr. HILL. Inside the car.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, what, if anything, did you observe as to the condition
of Governor Connally at that time?
Mr. HILL. After going under this underpass, I
looked forward to the jump seats, where Mrs. Connally and Governor Connally were
sitting. Mrs. Connally had been leaning over her husband. And I had no idea that
he had been shot. And when she leaned back at one time, I noticed that his coat
was unbuttoned, and that the lower portion of his abdomen was completely covered
with blood.
Mr. SPECTER. When was it that you first observed that?
Mr. HILL. Just after going under the underpass.
Mr. SPECTER. Were you able to observe anything which was occurring on the
overpass as the President's motorcade moved toward the overpass?
Mr. HILL. From the time I got on the back of the Presidential limousine,
I didn't really pay any attention to what was going on outside the automobile.
Mr. SPECTER. Had you noticed the overpass prior to the time you got on
the Presidential automobile?
Mr. HILL. Yes; I had scanned it.
Mr. SPECTER. And do you recollect what, if anything, you observed on the
overpass at that time?
Mr. HILL. There were some people there, but I also noticed there was a
policeman there.
Mr. SPECTER. Approximately how many people would you say were there?
Mr. HILL. Very few, I would say--maybe five, six.
Mr. SPECTER. And how were you able to identify that there was a policeman
there?
Mr. HILL. He was wearing the uniform--presumably a policeman.
Mr. SPECTER. What color uniform was it?
Mr. HILL. I think it was blue of some shade.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you identify it at that time as being of the identical
color which other,
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Mr. HILL. That's correct, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Can you characterize the type of acceleration which the car
made after it started to speed forward- that is, the Presidential car.
Mr. HILL. Well, the initial surge was quite violent, because it almost
jerked me off the left rear step board. Then after that it was apparently
gradual, because I did not notice it any more.
Mr. SPECTER. What is your best estimate of the distance from the time of
the shooting to
Mr. HILL. In time or--
Mr. SPECTER. Time and distance.
Mr. HILL. Distance, I have no idea.
Mr. SPECTER. How about time?
Mr. HILL. I would say roughly 4 minutes.
Mr. SPECTER. Did Mrs. Kennedy say anything as you
were proceeding from the time of the shooting to
Mr. HILL. At
the time of the shooting, when I got into the rear of the car, she said,
"My God, they have shot his head off." Between there and the hospital
she just said, "Jack, Jack, what have they done to you," and sobbed.
Mr. SPECTER. Was there any conversation by anybody else in the
President's automobile from the time of the shooting to the arrival at
Mr. HILL. I heard Special Agent Kellerman say on the radio, "To the
nearest hospital, quick."
Mr. SPECTER. Any other comment?
Mr. HILL. He said, "We have been hit."
Mr. SPECTER. Now, was there any other comment you heard Special Agent
Kellerman make?
Mr. HILL. Not that I recall.
Mr. SPECTER. Did Special Agent Greer say anything?
Mr. HILL. No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Mrs. Connally say anything?
Mr. HILL. No, sir.
Representative BOGGS. Was Governor Connally conscious?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; he was.
Mr. SPECTER. Did Governor Connally say anything?
Mr. HILL. No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Did President Kennedy say anything?
Mr. HILL. No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. What is your best estimate on the speed at which the
President's car traveled from the point of the shooting to
Mr. HILL. It is a little bit hard for me to judge, since I was lying
across the rear portion of the automobile. I had no trouble staying in that
particular position--until we approached the hospital, I recall, I believe it
was a left-hand turn and I started slipping off to the right-hand portion of the
car. So I would say that we went 60, maybe 65 at the most.
Mr. SPECTER. Were you able to secure a handhold or a leghold or any sort
of a hold on the automobile as you moved forward?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir. I had my legs--I had my body above the rear seat, and
my legs hooked down into the rear seat, one foot outside the car.
Mr. SPECTER. What is your best estimate of the time of the assassination
itself?
Mr. HILL. Approximately 12:30.
Mr. SPECTER. I am not sure whether I asked you about this--about how long
did it take you to get from the shooting to the hospital?
Mr. HILL. Approximately 4 minutes.
Mr. SPECTER. What did you observe as to President
Kennedy's condition on arrival at the hospital?
Mr. HILL. The
right rear portion of his head was missing. It was lying in the rear seat of the
car. His brain was exposed. There was blood and bits of brain all over the
entire rear portion of the car. Mrs. Kennedy was completely covered with blood.
There was so much blood you could not tell if there had been any other wound or
not, except for the one large gaping wound in the right rear portion of the
head.
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Mr. SPECTER. Did you have any opportunity to observe the front part of
his body, to see whether there was any tear or rip in the clothing on the front?
Mr. HILL. I saw him lying there in the back of the car, when I was
immediately above him. I cannot recall noticing anything that was ripped in the
forward portion of his body.
Mr. SPECTER.
What action, if any, did you take to shield the President's body?
Mr. HILL. I
kept myself above the President and Mrs. Kennedy on the trip to
Mr. SPECTER.
Did you do anything with your coat upon arrival at
Mr. HILL. Yes,
sir. I removed it and covered the President's head and upper chest.
Mr. SPECTER. What, if anything, did you observe as to Governor Connally's
condition on arrival at
Mr. HILL. He was conscious. There was a large amount of blood in the
lower abdominal area. He was helped from the automobile to the stretcher, and I
do not recall him saying anything, but I know that he was conscious. He was
wheeled immediately into, I think, emergency room No. 2.
Mr. SPECTER. And who was removed first from the automobile?
Mr. HILL. Governor Connally.
Mr. SPECTER. How long after the President's car arrived at
Mr. HILL. Seconds. They were there when we were there almost--almost
simultaneously with the arrival.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you know where President Kennedy was taken in the
hospital?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir. I accompanied he, and Mrs. Kennedy to the emergency
room.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, tell us what you did at the hospital from the time of
arrival on, please.
Mr. HILL. I went into the emergency room with the President, but it was
so small, and there were so many people in there that I decided I had better
leave and let the doctors take care of the situation. So I walked outside; asked
for the nearest telephone; walked to the nearest telephone. About that time
Special Agent in Charge Kellerman came outside and said, "Get the White
House."
I asked Special Agent Lawson for the local
number in
Mr. SPECTER. Where was Mrs. Kennedy all this time, if you know?
Mr. HILL. Immediately upon arrival, she went into the emergency room. And
a few minutes afterward, she was convinced to wait outside, which she did,
remained there the rest of the period of time that we were there.
Mr. SPECTER. And was there any pronouncement that the President had died?
Mr. HILL. Not that I know of. Apparently there was. I was requested by
Mr. O'Donnell, one of the Presidential assistants, to obtain a casket, because
they wanted to return to
Mr. SPECTER. And what action was taken as a result of that request by
you?
Mr. HILL. The casket did arrive from the O'Neal Mortuary, Inc., in their
own hearse,
which we then wheeled into the emergency room. I left the emergency
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and asked that two of our agents, Special Agent Sulliman and Assistant Special
Agent in Charge Stout clear all the corridors, and I checked the closest and
most immediate route to the ambulance. We took the body from the hospital and
departed the
Mr. SPECTER. Approximately how long did it take you to reach the airplane
at Love Field?
Mr. HILL. We arrived at Love Field at 2:14.
Mr. SPECTER. And were you present during the swearing-in ceremonies of
President Johnson?
Mr. HILL. I was aboard the aircraft; yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you witness those ceremonies?
Mr. HILL. Well, the Presidential compartment was so small that not all
persons on the aircraft could get in. I was in the forward portion of the
aircraft, right adjacent to the area that the President was sworn in
Mr. SPECTER. Do you know the time of the swearing in?
Mr. HILL. 2:38.
Mr. SPECTER. And what time did the Presidential aircraft depart?
Mr. HILL. 2:47.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you know what time it arrived in
the
Mr. HILL. 5:59,
I believe, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And where did it land?
Mr. HILL. We landed at Andrews Air Force Base.
Mr. SPECTER. And what action, if any, in connection with this matter did
you take following landing?
Mr. HILL. I assisted Mrs. Kennedy and the Attorney General, who had
Joined her at that time, into the ambulance bearing the President's body, and I
entered the automobile immediately behind the ambulance with Dr. John Walsh,
Mrs. Kennedy's physician, and members of President Kennedy's staff.
Mr. SPECTER. And where did you go then?
Mr. HILL. Immediately to
Mr. SPECTER. And did you stay with the President's family at that time?
Mr. HILL. When we arrived there, I went to the 17th floor with Mrs.
Kennedy, and I remained with Mrs. Kennedy except for one time when I was
requested to come to the morgue to view the President's body.
Mr. SPECTER. And did you view the President's body?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. What action did you take following the time you viewed the
President's body in the morgue?
Mr. HILL. After the viewing of the President's body?
Mr. SPECTER. Yes.
Mr. HILL. I returned to the 17th floor and remained with Mrs. Kennedy
until we departed the hospital.
Representative BOGGS. May I ask a question? At the hospital in
Mr. HILL. I had seen the whole body, but he was still cold when I saw
him.
Representative BOGGS. At the morgue in
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir; the. autopsy had been completed, and the Lawler
Mortuary Co. was preparing the body for placement in a casket.
Representative BOGGS. At this time did you see the whole body?
Mr. HILL. Yes, sir.
Representative BOGGS. Did you see any other wound
other than the head wound?
Mr. HILL. Yes,
sir; I saw an opening in the back, about 6 inches below the neckline to the
right-hand side of the spinal column.
Representative
BOGGS. Was there a frontal neck injury?
Mr. HILL. There
was an area here that had been opened but--
Mr. SPECTER.
You are indicating--
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Mr. HILL. In
the neck. It was my understanding at that time that this was done by a
tracheotomy.
Mr. SPECTER. What else, if anything, of importance did you do between the
time you viewed the body in the morgue until the termination of your duties on
that date, Mr. Hill?
Mr. HILL. We handled all communications on the 17th floor, up to the 17th
floor, for Mrs. Kennedy, members of her family, Cabinet members who were there
at that time, and secured the 17th floor for all personnel. No one was permitted
there that we did not know.
Mr. SPECTER. What time did you leave the 17th
floor?
Mr. HILL. I
believe, sir, it was 3:56, but I am not sure of the exact time.
Mr. SPECTER.
Where did you go from there?
Mr. HILL. We
went downstairs to the rear of the hospital, where the body was placed in a
naval ambulance. I entered an automobile immediately behind the ambulance. Mrs.
Kennedy and the Attorney General got into the rear of the ambulance with the
body.
Mr. SPECTER.
And from there, where did you go?
Mr. HILL. I
accompanied them to the White House.
Mr. SPECTER.
And did that mark the termination of your duties for that day?
Mr. HILL. No,
sir. I remained on duty until approximately 6:30 in the morning; went home,
changed clothes, and came back.
Mr. SPECTER. I believe you testified as to the impression you had as to
the source of the first shot. To be sure that the record is complete, what was
your reaction as to where the first shot came from, Mr. Hill?
Mr. HILL. Right rear.
Mr. SPECTER. And did you have a reaction or impression as to the source
of point of origin of the second shot that you described?
Mr. HILL. It was right, but I cannot say for sure
that it was rear, because when I mounted the car it was--it had a different
sound, first of all, than the first sound that I heard. The second one had
almost a double sound--as though you were standing against something metal and
firing into it, and you hear both the sound of a gun going off and the sound of
the cartridge hitting the metal place, which could have been caused probably by
the hard surface of the head. But I am not sure that that is what caused it.
Mr. SPECTER. Are you describing this double sound with respect to what
you heard on the occasion of the second shot?
Mr. HILL. The second shot that I heard; yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, do you now or have you ever had the impression or
reaction that there was a shot which originated from the front of the
Presidential car?
Mr. HILL. No.
Mr. SPECTER. That is all I have.
The CHAIRMAN. Congressman Ford, any questions you would like to ask?
Representative FORD. No.
Representative BOGGS. I have no questions, Mr. Chief Justice.
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Craig.
Mr. CRAIG. No, thank you, Mr. Chief Justice.
The CHAIRMAN. If not, thank you very much. We appreciate your coming.
Mr. HILL. Thank you, Mr. Chief Justice.
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Youngblood, will you raise your right hand? Do you
solemnly swear the testimony you will give before this Commission will be the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. YOUNGBLOOD. I do, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Be seated, please.
Mr. Specter will conduct the examination. Contact Information tomnln@cox.net
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