PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION
ON THE ASSASSINATION OF
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
STATE OF FLORIDA,
_County of Duval, ss_:
I, David Christie Murray, Jr., 1419 Pinewood Road North, Jacksonville
Beach, Florida, being first duly sworn, depose and say:
That I served in the United States Marine Corps from approximately
October, 1956, to October, 1959. I served with Lee Harvey Oswald in
MACS-9 at the Lighter Than Air Station at Santa Anna, California. Part
of the time I was stationed at Santa Anna, I was married and therefore
during that time lived off the base. While at Santa Anna, I served also
with a Marine named Nelson Delgado, whom I had previously known while I
was stationed at Parris Island, South Carolina. My impression is that
at this time Delgado was an immature person with few original thoughts.
Oswald did not often associate with his fellow Marines. Although I
know of no general explanation for this, I personally stayed away
from Oswald because I had heard a rumor to the effect that he was
homosexual. I personally observed nothing to support this rumor, and am
not sure that I heard it from more than one person. Oswald seldom, if
ever, went out with women; this may have been one of the reasons I came
to the conclusion that he might have been homosexual.
Oswald complained about orders given him more than the average Marine
did. He was a person who was never satisfied with any event or
situation. He was quietly sarcastic. Though he tried to be witty, in my
opinion his attempts at humor failed. However, he--unlike Delgado--was
not a show-off; he did not seem to want to be the center of attention.
I regarded Oswald as quite intelligent, and, prior to the assassination
of President Kennedy, was of the opinion that he had received a college
education. I am under the impression that he told me that he was a
college graduate, but I may have come to this conclusion because he
once spoke to me of going to Officer Candidate School.
Oswald was not personally neat, but he performed his job well. When I
knew him, he was studying Russian. He often made remarks in Russian;
the less intelligent members of the unit admired him for this.
I do not recall Oswald's making any remarks on the subject of religion.
Nor do I recall his drinking. Although I do not remember his getting
into any fights, he had a "chip on the shoulder" personality which
would be likely to involve him in fights. I do not remember his
studying either Spanish or German.
Although I recall that Oswald read a great deal, I do not remember what
sort of books he read. He played chess a good deal, particularly with
Richard Call. I have no recollection of his enjoying music. Nor do I
remember his making any trips off post, or his subscribing to a Russian
newspaper.
Most of his fellow Marines called Oswald "Lee." I do not remember his
being called "Oz".
Signed this 15th day of May, 1964, at Duval County, Fla.
(S) David Christie Murray, Jr.,
DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY, JR.