(Testimony of Kerry Wendell Thornley)
Mr. Thornley.
In other words, I felt at the time he was playing both ends against the middle in order to go his own way, something like Charles de Gaulle is doing right now by recognizing Red China. I felt it was purely statesmanship, state-craft, power politics. I didn't feel that Castro was a dedicated Communist. Whether Oswald did or not I don't know. He admired Castro because of the social reforms Castro was introducing. So did I at that time.
Delgado, the Puerto Rican boy, as I recall it, was becoming worried at that time because he was beginning to think maybe Castro was communistic. I didn't think so. Oswald, as far as I know, didn't have anything to say on that matter. And that is about all I can tell you.
Mr. Jenner.
Well, you say that you admired Castro and you knew Oswald admired Castro. Tell us on what you base that comment.
Mr. Thornley.
Well, once again as I remember, there was one .of these afternoon discussions once again, and somebody was saying something, worried about Castro, it might have been Delgado, it might have been somebody else, I don't think it was Delgado that day because I think he was defending Castro, somebody said something against Castro, and Oswald said that he didn't think Castro was so bad.
He thought Castro was good for Cuba, and they said why, and I took up the argument, which was the argument I just gave you, the naive idea I had at the time that he was playing for independence, and Oswald remained silent, shaking his head affirmatively a couple of times, and that was it.
Mr. Jenner.
Shaking his head affirmatively with respect to the comments you were making?
Mr. Thornley.
Yes; to my argument, to my justification of Castro.
Mr. Jenner.
But you recall no provocative remarks that he made in that connection?
Mr. Thornley.
No.
Mr. Jenner.
Did Oswald have a nickname?
Mr. Thornley.
Not that I know of except Oz sometimes.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you ever hear him referred to as "Ozzie Rabbit" ?
Mr. Thornley.
Well, yes; I didn't realize that anybody else referred to him as such but I always thought of him as such. He reminded me very much of a cartoon character at that time. It was kind of pathetic. There was something about this little smile of his, and his expression on his face and the shape of his head, just the general, his general appearance established a definite association in my mind with some Warner Bros. cartoon character, I believe Warner Bros. And I, very recently, in a discussion with someone, describing Oswald mentioned that he reminded you of--I said: "I think there is a character called Oswald Rabbit who appears in movie cartoons." And they shook their head.
Now, I know where I got that particular example so I probably heard him referred to as "Ozzie Rabbit," though I don't recall specifically.
Mr. Jenner.
Did he occasionally have a nickname or a reference made to him attendant upon his interest in the study of the Russian language or his interest in communism or in Russia or Soviet--
Mr. Thornley.
Only he was sometimes called the Communist and he would, sometimes I know--as far as his study of the Russian language went he made no attempt to hide this.
In fact, he made--would make attempts to show it off by speaking a little Russian.
Mr. Jenner.
He was proud of that, was he?
Mr. Thornley.
Yes; there was someone else in the outfit who spoke Russian, don't ask me who, they used to exchange a few comments in the morning at muster and say hello to each other or something, and he also would make jokes in Russian, not in Russian, but in English, in a thick Russian accent many times; this was very typical of him.
Mr. Jenner.
He resorted to Chat area and use of satire?
Mr. Thornley.
Yes; until I had made the comment that implied he was a Communist, I had no idea--
Mr. Jenner.
That he was sensitive?
Mr. Thornley.
That he was sensitive about it because he didn't seem to be.
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