The testimony of Captain George Donabedian was taken at 2:15 p.m., on
May 1, 1964, at 200 Maryland Avenue NE., Washington, D.C., by Mr. John
Hart Ely, member of the staff of the President's Commission.
Mr. ELY. Will you stand and be sworn?
Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give will be
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Captain DONABEDIAN. I do.
Mr. ELY. Please be seated.
My name is John Ely. I am a member of the legal staff of the
President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy.
Staff members have been authorized to take the testimony of witnesses
pursuant to authority granted to the Commission by Executive Order No.
11130, dated November 29, 1963, and joint Resolution of Congress No.
137.
Under the Commission's rules, each witness is to be provided with a
copy of the Executive order of the joint resolution, and a copy of the
rules that the Commission has adopted governing the taking of testimony
from witnesses.
Is it correct that I have provided you with copies of these documents?
Captain DONABEDIAN. Yes.
Mr. ELY. Under the Commission rules, also, each witness is entitled to
3 days' notice before he is required to come and give testimony.
You were not given 3 days' notice.
However, each witness can waive that notice requirement if he wishes,
and I assume by your presence that you are willing to waive that notice
requirement.
Captain DONABEDIAN. I do.
Mr. ELY. Would you state your full name, please?
Captain DONABEDIAN. Captain George Donabedian, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy.
Mr. ELY. And what position exactly do you hold?
Captain DONABEDIAN. Staff medical officer, Headquarters, U.S. Marine
Corps, Washington, D.C.
Mr. ELY. You are an M.D., is that correct?
Captain DONABEDIAN. Yes; I am.
Mr. ELY. How long have you held the position of staff medical officer?
Captain DONABEDIAN. Since July 1959.
Mr. ELY. Prior to the assassination of President Kennedy, had you ever
heard of Lee Harvey Oswald?
Captain DONABEDIAN. No; I had not.
Mr. ELY. You, like Lieutenant Colonel Folsom, were called in to give us
some help in interpreting the records of Lee Harvey Oswald--in other
words, your testimony does not stem from any personal contact with the
man.
Captain DONABEDIAN. Right.
Mr. ELY. I will show you now a document which I have just labeled
"Donabedian Deposition Exhibit No. 1."
(The document referred to was marked "Donabedian Deposition Exhibit No.
1" for identification.)
Mr. ELY. Doctor, could you tell us generally what this document is?
Captain DONABEDIAN. This is taken from the health record of the marine.