HSCA Record Number 180-10096-10261 Agency File Number 002590 Originator-HSCA From: Blakey To: Admiral George E. R. Kinnear, II Date: 10/17/77 Pages: 6 Subjects: JFK autopsy Admiral Kinnear Medical evidence USN Release Date: 10/25/93 Contents: A series of four letters requesting the waiver or alteration of the so called "gag order" on the Naval personnel who attended the President's autopsy. All four letters follow in full. DOCUMENT #1 [undated] Select Committee On Assassinations U.S. House of Representatives 3331 House Office Building, Annex 2 Washington, D.C. 20515 Admiral George E. R. Kinnear, II Chief of Legislative Affairs Office of Legislative Affairs Department of the Navy Washington, D.C. 20350 Dear Sir: The Select Committee on Assassinations is investigating the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In conjunction with these investigations, the Committee will need information held by the Department of the Navy. Commander Vincent Averna has spoken with counsel on our staff, Donald A. Purdy, Jr., and stated that ass requests for information from the Navy should he sent to you. He asked that we provide you a list of our requests for information which are still outstanding. We would like the appropriate official to rescind the order of silence issued to personnel present at the autopsy of President John F. Kennedy and to notify the personnel accordingly. The memorandum on this mater from Admiral Horgan to the Surgeon General is attached. The Select Committee would like any information you have pertaining to an order, including the order itself, that was given to Commander James J. Humes on or about November 22, 1963, pertaining to the nature of the autopsy to be performed on President Kennedy. Mr. Purdy has previously spoken to Capt. Miller and Lt. Broach on this subject. [end of page one of document one] -2- Finally, we have requested access to all materials in the possession of the Naval Investigative Service of the Office of Naval Intelligence concerning both Lee Harvey Oswald and any investigation into the assassination. Mr. Purdy's letter of August 2, 1977, on the subject is attached. Your assistance in expediting these requests would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your cooperation in the Select Committee's investigation. Sincerely, /s/ G. Robt. Blakey G. Robert Blakey Chief Counsel and Director Enclosures GRB:DAPJr:aeh [end of page two and end of document one] DOCUMENT TWO NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER Bethesda, Maryland - 20014 IN REPLY REFER TO NNMC:CO2:ss 22 September 1977 Mr. P. [sic] A. Purdy Counsel Select Committee on Assassination [sic] of the House of Representatives Washington, D. C. Pursuant to your recent telephone request enclosed please find a copy of our letter to the Surgeon General of the Navy relative to his predecessor's verbal order of November 1963. Sincerely, /s/ H. P. Miller Captain, Medical Service Corps, U. S. Navy Director, Administrative Services [end of document two] DOCUMENT THREE NNMC:CO2:bsz 16 SEP 1977 From: Commanding Officer, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland 20014 To: Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Subj: Request from the Select Committee on Assassinations of the House of Representatives for rescission of a verbal order issued by the Surgeon General, United States Navy, on or about 22 November 1963 1. Mr. Donald A. Purdy, Staff Counsel for subject Committee advises that the Committee is experiencing difficulty in obtaining information from personnel who were on duty and involved with the remains of President John F. Kennedy at this Center on 22 and 23 November 1963. The difficulty arises from the refusal of these personnel to provide information to the Committee because they were advised in writing as follows by the Commanding Officers, Naval Hospital, Naval Medical School and National Naval Medical Center: "1. You are reminded that you are under verbal orders of the Surgeon General, United States Navy, to discuss with no one events connected with your official duties on the evening of 22 November - 23 November 1963. [sic] "2. This letter indicates official notification and reiteration of those verbal orders. You are warned that infraction of these orders makes you liable to Court Martial proceedings under appropriate articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice." The notification to the civilians involved makes reference to disciplinary action "pursuant to applicable laws, regulations and instructions" vice the Uniform Code of Military Justice. 2. These letters were addressed: a. By Commanding Officer, Naval Hospital, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda to: HM3 Jerrol F. Coster [sic], USN, 545 4077 HM3 Edward F. Reed, Jr. USN, 588 6896 [end of page one of document three] [page 2] NNMC:CO2:bsz 16 SEP 1977 b. By Commanding Officer, Naval Medical School, National Naval Medical Center to: CDR John H. Ebersole, MC, USN, 495 535/2100 CDR "J" Thornton Boswell, MC, USN, 489 878/2100 CDR James Joseph Humes, MC, USN, 497 831/2100 Lt Robert F. Karnei, Jr., MC, USN, 622 774/2100 HMCA Chester Herschel Boyers, Jr., USN, 339 65 16 HM1 Robert W. Rittmeyer, USN, 864 71 27 HM2 Floyd Albert Riebe, USN, 458 47 93 HM2 Harold Alfred Rydbery [sic], USN, 519 04 10 (HM-8497) HM3 James Curtis Jenkins, USN, 549 96 76 HM3 James E. Metzler, USN, 593 94 40 HM3 Paul Kelly O'Connor, USN, 531 75 34 HM3 Jan Gail Rudnicki, USN, 547 56 35 Mr. John T. Stringer, Jr., GS-11 c. By Commanding Officer, National Naval Medical Center to: Mrs. Elsie Boehm Closser [sic], GS-9 3. In order that the work of the Committee may not be inhibited by the proper reticence of these personnel to provide information as requested by it, it is suggested that the verbal order of the Surgeon General be rescinded or modified by his succe ssor in office so that any of the aforementioned members or prior members summoned before it may provide such information as may be requested by the Committee. J. T. HORGAN [typed, no sig] [end of page two of document three] DOCUMENT FOUR Select Committee of Assassinations U.S. House of Representatives 3331 House Office Building, Annex 2 Washington, D.C. 20515 August 2, 1977 Assistant Secretary for International Security Affairs Room 3D-882 Department of Defense Washington, D.C. 20301 Attention: Captain Donald Nielsen, U.S.N. Dear Captain Nielsen: The Select Committee on Assassinations requests access to the material concerning Lee Oswald and the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy currently in the possession of the Naval Investigative Service of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Your assistance in expediting this request is appreciated. Sincerely, Donald A. Purdy, Jr. Staff Counsel DAP, Jr.:ce cc: Naval Investigative Service [end of document four and end of HSCA 002590]