W. Tracy Parnell

The section in my timeline covering Oswald's stay in the Soviet Union is now available: Soviet Union Timeline

UPDATE: The Table of Contents for the timeline may be found HERE . Ancestry and Early Life 1880-1943 is now available. This timeline expands on one that I did many years ago for an old website called the Lee Harvey Oswald Page, which ran from about 1998 to 2004 and is still online although it is no longer updated. The purpose of that timeline was to give students and newcomers a very general overview of LHO's life. The goals of this timeline are threefold. First, I want to provide a chronological look at an important part of the life of LHO that can be used as a tool for researchers. Secondly, by using quotes and correspondence from the principal figures in his life as well as documents created by the Warren Commission and other investigations, I hope to present a narrative that may be appreciated by anyone interested in twentieth century history. Finally, I hope that the logical progression of the chronology format will help to convince readers that LHO was exactly who he...

One ambiguous part of the life of Lee Harvey Oswald is his time in the far east. Both the Warren Commission and the HSCA were unable to fully resolve conflicts in the record. This ambiguity has paved the way for theories such as John Armstrong's "Harvey and Lee" which postulates 2 Oswalds in different places during that time. Using a variety of sources, including original research by Greg Parker, I have developed a chronology which makes LHO's whereabouts during that period of his life less mysterious. Sources are listed in parenthesis. Sunday, September 14, 1958: LHO sails with his unit from Yokosuka for the South China Sea aboard the USS Skagit (CE 1961, 23 H 797). It is possible that the Skagit’s departure was delayed until the 16th (RIF 180-10142-10413, 91). Tuesday, September 16, 1958: LHO reports to sick bay where he starts treatment for gonorrhea (Donabedian Exhibit No. 1, 19 H 601). Friday, September 19, 1958: The Skagit arrives in Kaohsiung, Taiwa...

One of the most easily refuted claims in John Armstrong’s book Harvey & Lee is that Lee Harvey Oswald (“Harvey” per Armstrong) spoke no Russian in the Soviet Union. One purpose of this silly allegation is to prove that Marina spoke English while in Russia and she was therefore a spy. The following excerpt is from page 334. NOTE: When Oswald and Marina met, danced, and agreed to a date the following Friday they spoke a common language. Was it Russian or English? The HSCA asked Marina, "At this time you were speaking in Russian together?" She answered, "Yes. He spoke with an accent so I assumed he was from another state. " Oswald came in contact with hundreds of people in Russia, but Marina is the only person-THE ONLY PERSON [emphasis in original] who said that Oswald spoke Russian while in Russia. Ana Ziger, who saw Oswald three or four times a week during the 2 1 /2 years he lived in Minsk, said he never spoke a single word of Russian. All of Oswald's m...

In 1967, Robert Oswald published his remembrances of LHO in the book, Lee: A Portrait of Lee Harvey Oswald by His Brother . In the book is a photo taken of LHO by Robert from a hunting trip at the Mercer farm owned by Robert's in-laws. The photo shows LHO with very short hair and a somewhat more muscular appearance than was usual for him. Theorists have long commented on LHO’s appearance which they find suspicious and have sought to definitively date the photo. According to the official record, there were three leaves that LHO visited relatives in Fort Worth and therefore three time periods that the photo could have been taken; February-March 1957, June 1957 and November 1958. However, it is likely that the photo was taken during the February-March leave when LHO had just completed boot camp and was probably in the best shape of his life. He also sported a haircut known as a “high and tight” usually given to recruits where the sides are very closely shaved and the top somewhat ...

Webmaster’s Note The report of social worker Evelyn Strickman Siegel is one of the most perceptive assessments of the psychology of Lee Harvey Oswald and his mother Marguerite ever produced. The report was prepared by Siegel as a part of LHO’s treatment program after he was remanded to Youth House in New York City for truancy in 1953. Siegel was particularly critical of Marguerite who she found to be a “defensive, rigid, self-involved person.” (Siegel Exhibit No. 1) YOUTH HOUSE SOCIAL WORKER'S REPORT BRONX 5/7/53 Case No. 26996 Date of Admission 4/16/53 Name OSWALD, LEE Age 18 October 1939 Address 825 East 179th Street, Bronx, N.Y. Father Lee (Dec) Social Worker Evelyn Strickman Mother Margarite [sic] PSYCHIATRIC STUDY Lee Oswald is a seriously detached, withdrawn youngster of thirteen, remanded to Youth House for the first time on a charge of truancy. There is no previous court record. Laconic and taciturn, Lee answered questions, but volunteered almost no...