THE JFK ASSASSINATION CHRONOLOGY Compiled by Ira David Wood III The following is a copyrighted excerpt of THE JFK ASSASSINATION CHRONOLOGY compiled by Ira David Wood III dealing with timelines and events surrounding the period of JFK’s presidency. In some instances, sources are noted - i.e. “AQOC” -an abreviation for the book, A Question Of Character. Mr. Wood is currently attempting to list all sources in anticipation of publication. January 19, 1961 Eisenhower and JFK meet at the White House for a final briefing. Eisenhower tells JFK that he must assume responsibility for the overthrow of Fidel Castro and his dangerous government, and recommends the acceleration of the proposed Cuban invasion. Says Eisenhower: “ . we cannot let the present government there go on.” AQOC Eight inches of snow falls in Washington, D.C. tonight. Traffic is snarled all over the city. After a reception, a party, and a concert at Constitution Hall, the Kennedys attend a star-studded gala at the National Guard Armory planned by Frank Sinatra. Boxes cost ten thousand dollars apiece, while individual seats go for one hundred dollars. JFK gets to bed about 4:00 A.M. AQOC January 20, 1961 JFK is sworn in as the nation’s 35th President JFK is sworn in by Chief Justice Earl Warren. JFK is the wealthiest president in American history. His private income, before taxes, is estimated at about five hundred thousand a year. On his forty-fifth birthday, his personal fortune goes up an estimated $2.5 million, in 1962, when he receives another fourth of his share in three trust funds established by his father for his children. As President, JFK usually rises at 8:00 AM, and each day he enjoys a hot bath, a midday swim in the White House pool that sometimes lasts an hour (Joseph znnedy commissions artist Banard Lamotte to paint a ninety-seven-foot mural around the pool), directs exercises in the gymnasium, and a nap or private time with Jackie that lasts at least an hour. Evenings are usually private and very often feature small dinners with friends that might be followed by a film. AQOC In Washington, Admiral Arthur Radford, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, arrives early for an F Street Club luncheon being given for Eisenhower after the inauguration. Watching JFK deliver his speech on television, Radford notices that, although JFK is standing without coat or hat in frigid weather, heavy beads of perspiration are rolling down his forehead. “He’s all hopped up!” calls out General Howard Snyder, the retiring White House physician. Privy to FBI and Secret Service information, Snyder tells Radford that JFK is “prescribed a shot of cortisone every morning to keep him in good operating condition. Obviously this morning he was given two because of the unusual rigors he must endure, and the brow sweating is the result of the extra dose.” Snyder adds that people dependent on cortisone move from a high to a low when the medicine’s effect wears off: “I hate to think of what might happen to the country if Kennedy is required at three A.M. to make a decision affecting the national security.” After the ceremonies the new president and his wife, the Lyndon Johnsons, and members of the cabinet go into the Capitol for a luncheon given by the joint congressional inaugural committee. Joseph and Rose Kennedy head for the Mayflower Hotel and a lavish luncheon for the Kennedys, Fitzgeralds, Bouviers, Lees, and Auchinclosses. AQOC Two salesmen at the Bolton Ford dealership in New Orleans are visited by a “Lee Oswald” in the company of a powerfully built Latino. “Oswald” is looking for a deal on ten pickup trucks needed by the Friends of Democratic Cuba. The real Oswald is in the Soviet Union. Clare Boothe Luce and Lyndon Johnson sit together on a bus which will take them to one of the many inaugural balls during the evening. Luce asks Johnson why he ever took the Vice-Presidency. Johnson answers: “Clare, I looked it up; One out of every four presidents has died in office. I’m a gamblin’ man, darlin’, and this is the only chance I got.” CLARE BOOTHE LUCE: One of the wealthiest women in the world, widow of the founder of the Time, Inc. publishing empire, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, former Ambassador to Italy, successful Broadway playwright, international socialite and longtime civic activist. Luce was responsible for later “leads” in the JFK assassination aftermath. Luce will later claim that some time after the bay of Pigs she receives a call from her “great friend” - William Pawley -- who wants to put together a fleet of speedboats which would b e used by the exiles to dart in and out of Cuba on “intelligence gathering” missions. Luce eventually sponsors one of the boats. She refers to the crew of this boat as “my boys.” Luce will also maintain that it is one of these boat crews that brings back the first news of Soviet missiles in Cuba. JFK, she says, didn’t react to it so she helped to feed the information to Senator Kenneth Keating who made it public. Vice President Richard Nixon, forced to surrender his official car and driver at midnight, goes for one last ride through the nation’s capital. He takes a walk through the empty Capitol building. He is struck by the thought that “this was not the end, that someday I would be back here. I walked as fast as I could back to the car.” During the inauguration, Cecil Stoughton, using his own initiative, works his way up to a good spot on the inaugural stand and manages to make a photo of JFK. General Clifton is impressed with Stoughton’s photos and shows them to JFK, who is also impressed. Clifton suggests to JFK that it might be a good idea to have this photographer available to the White House. Prior to this time, there has never been an “in-house” photographer specifically assigned to the President. (POTP) The night of JFK’s inauguration, JFK attends a ball at the Statler-Hilton. JFK slips out of the presidential box and goes upstairs to a private party given by Frank Sinatra. Angie Dickinson is there, along with actresses Janet Leigh and Kim Novak. (AQOC) Peter Lawford arranges a lineup of six Hollywood starlets to entertain the new President. JFK chooses two. “This menage a trois brought his first day in office to a resounding close,” Lawford says later. When JFK returns to the ball he has a copy of the Washington Post under his arm, as if he has just stepped outside to buy a newspaper. Kenny O’Donnell later recalls, “His knowing wife gave him a rather chilly look.” JFK finally attends the largest ball of the evening at the Armory. The president and first lady give the impression of being close and happy. AQOC January 21, 1961 Khrushchev, as a good-will gesture to the newly inaugurated JFK, releases Bruce Olmstead and John McKone (two pilots shot down by the Russians) from their cells in the Lubyanka prison, where they have been held by the KGB for seven months. Besides Francis Gary Powers, these two men will be the only American fliers to get out of Moscow’s infamous Lubyanka prison alive. January 22, 1961 Beginning today, calls begin between Judith Campbell and the White House. Seventy calls will be logged in during the next two months. Campbell is also seeing Chicago mafioso Sam Giancana on a regular basis. AOT January 25, 1961 The CIA’s William Harvey meets with Dr. Sidney Gottlieb. Harvey says “I’ve been asked to form this group to assassinate people and I need to know what you can do for me.” The two men specifically discuss Castro, Lumumba and Trujillo as potential targets. Harvey’s notes of the meeting show that he and Gottlieb talk of assassination as a “last resort” and as “a confession of weakness.” January 26, 1961 Deputy Chief of the Secret Service, Russell Daniel, retires from the number-two position after a thirty-two-year career. “Maybe it’s time for me to retire. Maybe I’m getting old and soft.” AOT January 28, 1961 Oswald’s mother arrives in Washington, via train from Dallas, and calls the White House in an effort to get information about her son, Lee. She is granted an immediate interview with Eugene Boster, White House Soviet Affairs officer. Although she has not heard from her son in more than a year, Mrs. Oswald quotes Boster as saying, “Oh yes, Mrs. Oswald, I’m familiar with the case.” She is promised action. First JFK White House meeting on Vietnam: CIP approved, links U.S. aid to SVN reforms; JFK decides to replace Ambassador Burbrow with Lansdale. JFK orders the Joint Chiefs of Staff to review the military aspects of an American-supported invasion. He also authorizes continued U-2 flights over Cuba and the continuation of the CIA operations already underway. Also in a meeting today -- six days after moving into the White House -- JFK and his National Security Adviser McGeorge Bundy receive the first general instruction on Project Pluto from the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces and the CIA. But the Kennedy team will only become fully aware of Operation Pluto at the end of February. January 30, 1961 JFK telephones his father to remind him to watch his first State of the Union address on television. Then he and Jackie ride to the Capitol. Evelyn Lincoln thinks JFK is in a particularly good mood.