The testimony of John Edward Pic was taken at 10:25 a.m., on May
15, 1964, at 200 Maryland Avenue NE., Washington, D.C., by Messrs.
John Hart Ely and Albert E. Jenner, Jr., assistant counsel of the
President's Commission.
Mr. JENNER. Sergeant Pic, do you swear in your testimony you are about
to give that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth?
Mr. PIC. Yes; I do.
Mr. JENNER. State your full name, please.
Mr. PIC. Staff Sergeant John Edward Pic, sir, U.S. Air Force.
Mr. JENNER. And that Pic is spelled P-i-c-?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Give me your home address.
Mr. PIC. 7306 Westville, San Antonio, Tex.
Mr. JENNER. You are a married man?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Give the full name of your wife including her married name,
children, if any, ages and names and where born.
Mr. PIC. My wife's maiden name is Margaret Dorothy Fuhrman. My eldest
is John Edward Pic, Jr., 14 May, 1952. My daughter, Janet Ann Pic, 18
October 1954; James Michael Pic, 22 February 1960.
Mr. JENNER. Your wife Margaret is--she was born where?
Mr. PIC. New York City, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Her parents are native Americans as well as she?
Mr. PIC. No, sir; they are not.
Mr. JENNER. What do you know of them?
Mr. PIC. Her father died; I never met the man while we were going
together. Her mother and father were separated. Her mother was born in
Hungary, I think. Her father was also, sir.
Mr. JENNER. What do you understand as to when they came to this country?
Mr. PIC. I have never inquired. It has probably been mentioned but I
have forgotten.
Mr. JENNER. Was it your impression they had been here a good many years?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir; they have seven children. The eldest being in her
forties, I am pretty sure.
Mr. JENNER. I see. When you met your wife she was living with her
mother?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Where?
Mr. PIC. 325 East 92d Street, New York City.
Mr. JENNER. And you were at that time in the service?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir; U.S. Coast Guard, assigned to U.S. Coast Guard
Cutter _Rockaway_.
Mr. JENNER. How old is Mrs. Pic?
Mr. PIC. Thirty, sir. She turned 30 the 21st of December.
Mr. JENNER. Of 1963?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. She was born December 21, 1933?
Mr. PIC. It may be 22, sir; I never remember. I am giving sworn
testimony, I don't want to lie about my wife's birthday; it is either
the 21st or 22d, I am pretty sure it is the 21st.
Mr. JENNER. You are stationed where at present?
Mr. PIC. I am attached to Wilford Hall, USAF Hospital, Lackland Air
Force Base, San Antonio, Tex.
Mr. JENNER. Do you--what is your particular assignment?
Mr. PIC. I am NCOIC, Special Procedures Branch, Department of
Pathology, Wilford Hall Hospital. I have had this job since the 10th of
February this year, and my other ones, I had another job when I talked
to the Secret Service if you would be interested in that.
Mr. JENNER. How long have you been at Lackland?
Mr. PIC. I have been there since August 1962, sir.
Mr. JENNER. My information is you were born in New Orleans on January
17, 1932?
Mr. PIC. That is correct, sir.
Mr. JENNER. You entered the Coast Guard.
Mr. PIC. It was either 25 or 26 January 1950, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And you were then 18 years of age?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And that was where?
Mr. PIC. I processed my enlistment in Fort Worth. I was sworn into the
Coast Guard in Dallas, Tex.
Mr. JENNER. I think it might be well if we had your service history
all in one spot so you go ahead and for my benefit speak a little more
slowly so I can absorb it.
Mr. PIC. All right, sir. Approximately 26 January 1950, enlisted in
Coast Guard in Dallas, Tex.; from January 1950 until May 1950, I was
in boot camp at U.S. Coast Guard Training Station, Cape May, N.J. In
May 1950 until January 1951, I was attached to U.S. Coast Guard cutter
_Rockaway_. January 1951 until approximately June 1951 was stationed at
U.S. Coast Guard Training Station, Groton, Conn. From June 1951 until
January 1952, I was stationed at U.S. Coast Guard Base, St. George,
Staten Island, N.Y. From January 1952 until April 1952, I was stationed
at U.S. Naval Training Station, Bainbridge, Md. April 1952 until
February 1953, I was stationed at U.S. Coast Guard PSU, which is Port
Security Unit, Ellis Island, N.Y. February 1953 until September 1953, I
was stationed aboard the U.S. Coast Guard cutter _Firebush_.
Mr. JENNER. Were you at sea?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir; this was classified as sea duty. It was really a
buoy tender.
Mr. JENNER. In what area?
Mr. PIC. New York area, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Were you on ship all the time during that period?
Mr. PIC. We would go out a day, come back the next; back and forth.
Mr. JENNER. What I am really getting at is when you were ashore were
you home?
Mr. PIC. Yes, sir; I went home the minute I got off the ship.
Mr. JENNER. OK.
Mr. PIC. September 1953 until April 1954--these months I am pretty
sure, I am certain are OK.
Mr. JENNER. That is all right.
Mr. PIC. I was stationed at U.S. Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Va.
My address when I lived there was, for 3 months we lived with my
sister-in-law in Norfolk.
Mr. JENNER. Name her, please.
Mr. PIC. Mrs. Emma Parrish, I believe.
Mr. JENNER. That was your wife's sister?
Mr. PIC. That is correct, sir. Then in January of 1954 we moved over to
Portsmouth, Va., 1234 Holliday Street.
April 1954 for about 2, 3 weeks, I was then stationed again at St.
George, Staten Island, and I received orders through the Coast Guard
cutter _Halfmoon_, and I was on the Coast Guard cutter _Halfmoon_ until
January 1956.