It was an automatic transmission.
"It is the easiest thing in the world to do. There is nothing to worry
about. And I would be right here with you."
Well, he didn't think that was the time to try to start. He did want to
learn how to drive, though. And he did not take the wheel.
Mr. JENNER. He did not?
Mr. OSWALD. No, sir.
At no time was I present when he took the wheel of a car and drove it.
Mr. JENNER. And on any occasion in your lifetime, did you ever see
him, whether you were in the vehicle--whether or not you were in
the vehicle--behind the wheel and actually operating in motion an
automobile?
Mr. OSWALD. No, sir; I have never known him to operate an automobile,
to drive it.
Mr. JENNER. What about Mrs. Marina Oswald in that respect?
Mr. OSWALD. No, sir; to my knowledge she does not drive and she does
not know how to drive, and I have never seen her operate an automobile.
Mr. JENNER. I notice when you are smoking that you hold the cigarette
in your left hand. Are you left handed?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir. I am left handed when I write and eat.
Mr. JENNER. And you are right handed otherwise?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Throwing a baseball?
Mr. OSWALD. Throwing a baseball.
At one time I could handle it with both hands--especially a football
better than a baseball. But I have returned to my right hand on that.
I was more accurate with my right hand than with my left hand, in
throwing things. I kick footballs right footed and so forth.
Mr. JENNER. What about your father? Was he right handed or left handed?
Mr. OSWALD. This I do not know, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Your mother?
Mr. OSWALD. My mother is left handed.
Mr. JENNER. And your brother Lee?
Mr. OSWALD. He was right handed.
Representative FORD. Was there ever a time that he appeared to be left
handed, as far as you recollect?
Mr. OSWALD. No, sir. I have never known him to handle anything--throw
a baseball, football, et cetera, fire a rifle, or do anything, left
handed.
Mr. JENNER. In order to be certain of the details in this respect, when
he wrote, did be write with his right or his left hand?
Mr. OSWALD. Right handed.
Mr. JENNER. Right handed?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And you in fact have seen him write with his right hand?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir, I have.
Mr. JENNER. During your youth?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Did you ever--was there ever an occasion when you saw him
write or attempt to write with his left hand?
Mr. OSWALD. No, sir, I have never seen him at any time, on any
occasion, ever attempt to write or do anything left handed.
Mr. JENNER. You really covered my next question, but I would like to
ask it anyhow.
There are men in athletics who are either right handed or left handed,
but who throw or bat or do something from the other side.
Did he ever throw left handed or in any athletic endeavor employ his
left hand predominantly as against his right hand?
Mr. OSWALD. No, sir; not to my knowledge, he never did.
Mr. JENNER. From your many years of experience with him, being
associated with him, as his brother, was he a predominantly
right-handed person?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir; he most certainly was.
Representative FORD. And you personally saw him throw, kick, or do
anything athletic over the years, and saw him use his right hand
exclusively?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir. I would say without qualification--I might be
repeating myself here--at no time did I ever know him to do anything
left handed, to the extent that it would be predominant. Of course his
hands worked together, and so forth. But I have never known him to do
anything left handed.
Mr. JENNER. From your long acquaintance with him, and your intimate
knowledge of his physical characteristics in that respect, do you
have an opinion as to whether he was instinctively right-handed or
instinctively a left-handed person?
Mr. OSWALD. I would say he was instinctively a right-handed person.
Mr. JENNER. In all the years you were with him, you had opportunity to
see him react instantaneously without having time to think about using
his right hand or left hand?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Did you observe him on many occasions?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes. I have never known him to use his left hand in
any manner when an occasion would require that he use either
hand--instinctively went to his right hand.
Mr. JENNER. Was he a coordinated person in the use of his right hand?
Some are not coordinated athletically.
Mr. OSWALD. My opinion of this, sir, would be that he was coordinated
to the extent that looking at myself and many, I would compare us as
two peas in a pod. Quite fast, well coordinated.
Mr. JENNER. He was dextrous?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And well coordinated?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And you had an opportunity over the years to see him engage
in athletics, did you?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. During your youth, as a young man, in any event, did
you and your brother John and Lee have an interest in guns, rifles,
pistols, cap guns, firearms generally?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir; we certainly did. I would say this.
Mr. JENNER. Now, this includes all three of you?
Mr. OSWALD. Yes, sir; I understand that.
Of course John and I, when we attended military school, we had more of
an opportunity to become acquainted with firearms. We certainly played
with cap pistols, rubber guns, et cetera, when we were young. Lee did
the same thing.
However, I would say this. Mother did not like firearms.
Mr. DULLES. We will recess now until 2 o'clock this afternoon.
(Whereupon, at 12:30 p.m., the President's Commission recessed.)