Will you describe how you happened to be called in to render assistance to President Kennedy?
Dr. PERRY. Somewhere around 12:30, and I cannot give you the time accurately since I did not look at my watch in that particular instant, an emergency page was put in for Dr. Tom Shires, who is chief of the emergency surgical service in Parkland. I knew he was in Galveston attending a meeting and giving a paper, and I asked Dr. Jones to pick up the page to see if he or I could be of assistance.

The Chairman.

Doctor, at this time I must leave for a session at the Supreme Court, and the hearing will continue. Congressman Ford, I am going to ask you if you will preside, in my absence. If you are obliged to go to the Congress, Commissioner Dulles will preside, and I will be available as soon as the Court session is over to be here with you.
(At this point, Mr. Warren withdrew from the hearing room.)

Representative Ford.

Will you proceed, please?

Mr. Specter.

What action did you take after learning of the emergency call, Dr. Perry?
Dr. PERRY. The emergency room is one flight of stairs down from the main dining cafeteria, so Dr. Jones and I went immediately to the emergency room to render what assistance we could.

Representative Ford.

May I ask this: In the confirmation of the page call, was it told to you that the President was the patient involved?
Dr. PERRY. It was told to Dr. Jones, who picked up the page, that President Kennedy had been shot and was being brought to Parkland. We went down immediately to the emergency room to await his arrival. However, he was there when we reached--

Mr. Specter.

Who else was present at the time you arrived on the scene with the President?
Dr. PERRY. When Dr. Jones and I entered the emergency room, the place was filled with people, most of them officers and, apparently, attendants to the Presidential procession. Dr. Carrico was in attendance with the President in trauma room No. 1 when I walked in. There were several other people there. Mrs. Kennedy was there with some gentleman whom I didn't know. I have the impression there was another physician in the room, but I cannot recall at this time who it was. There were several nurses there.

Mr. Specter.

Were any other doctors present besides Dr. Carrico?
Dr. PERRY. I think there was another doctor present, but I don't know who it was, I don't recall.

Mr. Dulles.

Can I ask a question here, Mr. Specter?

Mr. Specter.

Certainly.

Mr. Dulles.

What is the procedure for somebody taking command in a situation of this kind? Who takes over and who says who should do what? I realize it is an emergency situation. Maybe that is an improper question.
Dr. PERRY. No, sir.

Mr. Dulles.

But it would be very helpful to me--
Dr. PERRY. No, sir; it is perfectly proper.

Mr. Dulles.

In reviewing the situation to see how you acted.
In a military situation, you have somebody who takes command.
Dr. PERRY. We do, too. And it essentially is based on the same kind of thing.

Mr. Dulles.

I would like to hear about that. If it doesn't fit in here--

Mr. Specter.

It is fine.
Dr. PERRY. It is based on rank and experience, essentially. For example, Dr. Carrico being the senior surgical resident in the area, at the time President Kennedy was brought in to the emergency suite, would have done what we felt was necessary and would have assumed control of the situation being as there were interns and probably medical students around the area, but being senior would take it. This, of course, catapulted me into this because I was the senior attending staff man when I arrived and at that time Dr. Carrico has noted I took over direction of the care since I was senior of all the people

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