Mr. DULLES. Where did you serve in the Air Force, by the way?
Dr. PERRY. I was in Spokane, Wash., Geiger Field.
At the completion of my surgery residency in June of 1962, I was
appointed an instructor in surgery at the Southwestern Medical School.
But in September 1962, I returned to the University of California at
San Francisco to spend a year in vascular surgery. During that time, I
took and passed my boards for the certification for the American Board
of Surgery.
I returned to Parkland Hospital and Southwestern in September of 1963,
was appointed an assistant professor of surgery, attending surgeon and
vascular consultant for Parkland Hospital and John Smith Hospital in
Fort Worth.
Mr. SPECTER. What experience have you had, Dr. Perry, if any, in
gunshot wounds?
Dr. PERRY. During my period in medical school and my residency, I have
seen a large number, from 150 to 200.
Mr. SPECTER. What were your duties at Parkland Memorial Hospital, if
any, on November 22d, 1963?
Dr. PERRY. On that day I had come over from the medical school for the
usual 1 o'clock rounds with the residents, and Dr. Ronald Jones and
I, he being chief surgical resident, were having dinner in the main
dining room there in the hospital.
Mr. SPECTER. Will you describe how you happened to be called in to
render assistance to President Kennedy?
Dr. PERRY. Somewhere around 12:30, and I cannot give you the time
accurately since I did not look at my watch in that particular instant,
an emergency page was put in for Dr. Tom Shires, who is chief of the
emergency surgical service in Parkland. I knew he was in Galveston
attending a meeting and giving a paper, and I asked Dr. Jones to pick
up the page to see if he or I could be of assistance.
The CHAIRMAN. Doctor, at this time I must leave for a session at the
Supreme Court, and the hearing will continue. Congressman Ford, I am
going to ask you if you will preside in my absence. If you are obliged
to go to the Congress, Commissioner Dulles will preside, and I will be
available as soon as the Court session is over to be here with you.
(At this point, Mr. Warren withdrew from the hearing room.)
Representative FORD. Will you proceed, please?
Mr. SPECTER. What action did you take after learning of the emergency
call, Dr. Perry?
Dr. PERRY. The emergency room is one flight of stairs down from the
main dining cafeteria, so Dr. Jones and I went immediately to the
emergency room to render what assistance we could.
Representative FORD. May I ask this: In the confirmation of the page
call, was it told to you that the President was the patient involved?
Dr. PERRY. It was told to Dr. Jones, who picked up the page, that
President Kennedy had been shot and was being brought to Parkland.
We went down immediately to the emergency room to await his arrival.
However, he was there when we reached it.
Mr. SPECTER. Who else was present at the time you arrived on the scene
with the President?
Dr. PERRY. When Dr. Jones and I entered the emergency room, the
place was filled with people, most of them officers and, apparently,
attendants to the Presidential procession. Dr. Carrico was in
attendance with the President in trauma room No. 1 when I walked in.
There were several other people there. Mrs. Kennedy was there with some
gentleman whom I didn't know. I have the impression there was another
physician in the room, but I cannot recall at this time who it was.
There were several nurses there.
Mr. SPECTER. Were any other doctors present besides Dr. Carrico?
Dr. PERRY. I think there was another doctor present, but I don't know
who it was, I don't recall.
Mr. DULLES. Can I ask a question here, Mr. Specter?
Mr. SPECTER. Certainly.
Mr. DULLES. What is the procedure for somebody taking command in a
situation of this kind? Who takes over and who says who should do what?
I realize it is an emergency situation. Maybe that is an improper
question.
Dr. PERRY. No, sir.