The CHAIRMAN. The Commission will be in order.
Mr. Coleman, will you state to Miss Knight, please, the reason we asked
her to come here today?
Mr. COLEMAN. Miss Frances G. Knight is the head of the Passport Office
of the State Department.
Miss KNIGHT. Yes, sir.
Mr. COLEMAN. We want to ask her concerning the standard operating
notice with respect to the lookout card system which was in effect as
of November--as of February 28, 1962, and we also wanted to ask her
concerning the decision of the Passport Office that Mr. Oswald had not
expatriated himself and, therefore, he should be reissued his passport.
Miss KNIGHT. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Would you raise your right hand and be sworn, Miss Knight?
Do you solemnly swear the testimony you are about to give before the
Commission shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth, so help you God?
Miss KNIGHT. I do.
The CHAIRMAN. Be seated. Mr. Coleman will ask you the questions.
Mr. COLEMAN. Miss Knight, will you state your name for the record?
Miss KNIGHT. Frances G. Knight.
Mr. COLEMAN. What is your present address?
Miss KNIGHT. Home address?
Mr. COLEMAN. Yes.
Miss KNIGHT. 2445 Wyoming Avenue NW.
Mr. COLEMAN. What is your present position?
Miss KNIGHT. I am Director of the Passport Office in the Department of
State.
Mr. COLEMAN. How long have you occupied that position?
Miss KNIGHT. Since May 1, 1955.
Mr. COLEMAN. Do you have any independent recollection of having ever
looked at any files dealing with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to the time of
the assassination?
Miss KNIGHT. No, sir.
Mr. COLEMAN. I would like to mark as Commission Exhibit No. 989 a
memorandum from Frances G. Knight to Mr. William O. Boswell, which
bears the date of December 26, 1961, and is found among the State
Department file No. XI, document No. 12 and ask you whether you have
seen the original of that document? (Commission Exhibit No. 989 was
received in evidence.)
Miss KNIGHT. Sir, you want to know whether I personally saw this before
it went out?
Mr. COLEMAN. Yes.
Miss KNIGHT. This is a little difficult to answer. There are a great
many communications that go out over my name particularly a memo of
this sort, which would be prepared in the Passport Office, and I
would--I might sign it or if I were not in the office at the time my
deputy might sign it for me.
But these communications usually go out over my name.