PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION
ON THE ASSASSINATION OF
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
STATE OF FLORIDA,
_County of Hillsborough, ss_:
I, Mrs. George B. Church, Jr., being duly sworn say:
1. I live at 2427 Sunset Drive, Tampa 9, Florida. I travelled to Europe
on the S.S. Marion Lykes which departed New Orleans, Louisiana for
LeHavre, France, on or about September 20, 1959.
2. I recall that besides my husband, there were two other passengers:
Lee Harvey Oswald and Bill Lord. My husband and I sat at the same table
with Oswald for meals, but outside of meals, we did not have much
contact with him. While I had endeavored to get acquainted with Lee
Harvey Oswald, he did not enter into friendly conversation. He stayed
to himself, and I considered him peculiar.
3. Oswald indicated that the purpose of the trip was to attend a
university in Switzerland, but he evaded giving the name of the
university and, he did not indicate any clear cut or positive courses
of study other than a statement to the effect that he might study
philosophy or psychology. His attitude seemed to be one of resentment.
His roommate, Bill Lord, was going to attend a university in France and
was studying French during the trip. Lord was quite exuberant about his
course of study and purpose of life, in contrast to the attitude of Lee
Harvey Oswald.
4. I do not recall Oswald doing any reading. However, I gave him a book
which he never returned.
5. Upon completion of the voyage aboard the S.S. Marion Lykes, I
obtained the address of Bill Lord for the purpose of perhaps later
writing him or sending him Christmas cards. I also requested Oswald's
address and he questioned the purpose of my request. He later
reluctantly furnished his home address as, C/O Mrs. M. Oswald, 3124
West Fifth Street, Fort Worth, Texas. I wrote this in my address book.
6. At no time did Lee Harvey Oswald indicate that he was actually
planning or attempting to defect or go to Russia. There was no
indication that Oswald had any Communist leanings.
I did notice that Oswald spoke with the Chief Engineer who was then
aboard the S.S. Marion Lykes. The Chief Engineer indicated to me that
he felt that Oswald was a smart boy.