The testimony of George W. Rackley, Sr., was taken at 11 a.m., on April
8, 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building,
Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. David W. Belin, assistant
counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. BELIN. Mr. Rackley, do you want to stand and raise your right hand
and be sworn, please.
Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give before
the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy,
is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you
God?
Mr. RACKLEY. I do.
Mr. BELIN. You can be seated. Your name is George W. Rackley, Sr?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Where do you live, Mr. Rackley?
Mr. RACKLEY. I live at Ferris.
Mr. BELIN. Texas?
Mr. RACKLEY. Ferris, Tex.
Mr. BELIN. Is that a suburb of Dallas?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Were you raised in Texas?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Born in Texas?
Mr. RACKLEY. No; I was born in Alabama.
Mr. BELIN. Raised in Texas? Go to school here in Texas?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. How far did you get through school?
Mr. RACKLEY. Fifth.
Mr. BELIN. Fifth grade?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Then what did you do?
Mr. RACKLEY. Well, I went to farming.
Mr. BELIN. You went to farming?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes.
Mr. BELIN. Well, I am from Iowa. We do a lot of farming up there.
Mr. RACKLEY. That is what I do here.
Mr. BELIN. All right, then what did you do?
Mr. RACKLEY. Well, at the present I am working for the Coordinated
Railroad Co.
Mr. BELIN. For the what?
Mr. RACKLEY. For the Katy. It is a Katy railroad project, but it is a
coordinated deal.
Mr. BELIN. What are you doing?
Mr. RACKLEY. I unload trailers.
Mr. BELIN. You unload trailers?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Let me backtrack. How old are you?
Mr. RACKLEY. I am 60.
Mr. BELIN. You said you quit school in the Fifth Grade and went to
farming. How long did you farm?
Mr. RACKLEY. I farmed up to 3 years ago.
Mr. BELIN. You farmed up to 3 years ago?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. What kind of farming?
Mr. RACKLEY. Well, I raised cotton and corn.
Mr. BELIN. Then 3 years ago where did you go to work?
Mr. RACKLEY. I went to work here. Well, I have been working off in
spare times for about 8 years.
Mr. BELIN. For the same place?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes; same place.
Mr. BELIN. Is that here in Dallas?
Mr. RACKLEY. That is here in Dallas.
Mr. BELIN. Where in Dallas is it?
Mr. RACKLEY. It is on Ross and Market Street, about two blocks from the
courthouse.
Mr. BELIN. Now where is it with relation to the corner of Elm and
Houston?
Mr. RACKLEY. Well, it is on up on Ross. Two blocks north is where our
place is.
Mr. BELIN. Your place is two blocks north of the corner of Elm and
Houston?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. You work indoors or outdoors?
Mr. RACKLEY. Just all over town.
Mr. BELIN. Just all over town?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Where were you working around the noon hour of Friday,
November 22, 1963?
Mr. RACKLEY. Well, I was there at the office.
Mr. BELIN. Were you inside or outside?
Mr. RACKLEY. Our office is just a little small place. Well, just
outside, you might say, of it.
Mr. BELIN. Did you see the President's motorcade at all on that day?
Mr. RACKLEY. No, sir; I didn't.
Mr. BELIN. Were you standing with anyone there?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. With whom?
Mr. RACKLEY. With James Romack. I and him had walked out.
Mr. BELIN. You had walked out?
Mr. RACKLEY. I heard the siren; the parade was coming.
Mr. BELIN. You heard sirens?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes, sir. And I had walked out in front of the place to
where I could get a better view, as a fellow says.
Mr. BELIN. Where were you standing?
Mr. RACKLEY. Well, I had walked out in the truck lot.
Mr. BELIN. In the truck lot?
Mr. RACKLEY. Yes.