03-10-2014, 09:54 AM
Dr. Gregory, while testifying to the Warren Commission about the surgery he performed on Connally's wrist, described the entrance wound as being 2.5 x .5 cm. As the 6.5mm Carcano bullet is just under 3 cm. long, this leaves us to draw only one conclusion, if it is assumed the wound was caused by a full metal jacket bullet. The bullet had to hit the back of the wrist side on, implying that the bullet was tumbling when it hit the back of the wrist.
However, all of the evidence from Connally's chest wound points to a bullet that was NOT tumbling.
1. A 1.5 x .5 cm. entrance wound in Connally's back; identical in size to the small entrance wound in the back of JFK's skull reported at the autopsy.
2. A narrow burrowing wound around the outside of Connally's chest that followed the 5th rib but did NOT damage the muscles attached above and below the 5th rib.
3. A 5 cm. exit wound just to the left of and below Connally's right nipple. At first glance, such a wound would lead us to believe the bullet was tumbling when it left Connally's chest. However, FBI SA Robert Frazier testified that a careful examination of Connally's suit coat revealed a 3/8" (.9 cm. or 9 mm.) round bullet hole on the front of the jacket, indicative of a bullet following a straight path with no yaw.
If Connally's wrist was so close to his chest, how (and why) did the bullet begin to tumble so much in such a small space, after entering and exiting Connally's chest without tumbling?
While Dr. Gregory reported a 2.5 x .5 cm. entrance wound on the back of Connally's wrist that had rough irregular edges, he then reported an exit wound on the palm side of Connally's wrist that was only 1.5 x .5 cm., and instead of having rough irregular edges, this wound was reported as a tiny slit with smooth edges.
Dr. Gregory tells the WC how he believes the irregular shaped wound was inflicted:
"Mr. SPECTER - What opinion, if any, do you have as to whether that bullet (CE 399) could have produced the wound on the Governor's right wrist and remained as intact as it is at the present time?
Dr. GREGORY - In examining this bullet, I find a small flake has been either knocked off or removed from the rounded end of the missile.
(At this point Representative Boggs entered the room.)
I was told that this was removed for the purpose of analysis. The only other deformity which I find is at the base of the missile at the point where it Joined the cartridge carrying the powder, I presume, and this is somewhat flattened and deflected, distorted. There is some irregularity of the darker metal within which I presume to represent lead.
The only way that this missile could have produced this wound in my view, was to have entered the wrist backward. Now, this is not inconsistent with one of the characteristics known for missiles which is to tumble. All missiles in flight have two motions normally, a linear motion from the muzzle of the gun to the target, a second motion which is a spinning motion having to do with maintaining the integrity of the initial linear direction, but if they strike an object they may be caused to turn in their path and tumble end over, and if they do, they tend to produce a greater amount of destruction within the strike time or the target, and they could possibly, if tumbling in air upon emergence, tumble into another target backward. That is the only possible explanation I could offer to correlate this missile with this particular wound."
However, all of the evidence from Connally's chest wound points to a bullet that was NOT tumbling.
1. A 1.5 x .5 cm. entrance wound in Connally's back; identical in size to the small entrance wound in the back of JFK's skull reported at the autopsy.
2. A narrow burrowing wound around the outside of Connally's chest that followed the 5th rib but did NOT damage the muscles attached above and below the 5th rib.
3. A 5 cm. exit wound just to the left of and below Connally's right nipple. At first glance, such a wound would lead us to believe the bullet was tumbling when it left Connally's chest. However, FBI SA Robert Frazier testified that a careful examination of Connally's suit coat revealed a 3/8" (.9 cm. or 9 mm.) round bullet hole on the front of the jacket, indicative of a bullet following a straight path with no yaw.
If Connally's wrist was so close to his chest, how (and why) did the bullet begin to tumble so much in such a small space, after entering and exiting Connally's chest without tumbling?
While Dr. Gregory reported a 2.5 x .5 cm. entrance wound on the back of Connally's wrist that had rough irregular edges, he then reported an exit wound on the palm side of Connally's wrist that was only 1.5 x .5 cm., and instead of having rough irregular edges, this wound was reported as a tiny slit with smooth edges.
Dr. Gregory tells the WC how he believes the irregular shaped wound was inflicted:
"Mr. SPECTER - What opinion, if any, do you have as to whether that bullet (CE 399) could have produced the wound on the Governor's right wrist and remained as intact as it is at the present time?
Dr. GREGORY - In examining this bullet, I find a small flake has been either knocked off or removed from the rounded end of the missile.
(At this point Representative Boggs entered the room.)
I was told that this was removed for the purpose of analysis. The only other deformity which I find is at the base of the missile at the point where it Joined the cartridge carrying the powder, I presume, and this is somewhat flattened and deflected, distorted. There is some irregularity of the darker metal within which I presume to represent lead.
The only way that this missile could have produced this wound in my view, was to have entered the wrist backward. Now, this is not inconsistent with one of the characteristics known for missiles which is to tumble. All missiles in flight have two motions normally, a linear motion from the muzzle of the gun to the target, a second motion which is a spinning motion having to do with maintaining the integrity of the initial linear direction, but if they strike an object they may be caused to turn in their path and tumble end over, and if they do, they tend to produce a greater amount of destruction within the strike time or the target, and they could possibly, if tumbling in air upon emergence, tumble into another target backward. That is the only possible explanation I could offer to correlate this missile with this particular wound."
Mr. HILL. The right rear portion of his head was missing. It was lying in the rear seat of the car. His brain was exposed. There was blood and bits of brain all over the entire rear portion of the car. Mrs. Kennedy was completely covered with blood. There was so much blood you could not tell if there had been any other wound or not, except for the one large gaping wound in the right rear portion of the head.
Warren Commission testimony of Secret Service Agent Clinton J. Hill, 1964
Warren Commission testimony of Secret Service Agent Clinton J. Hill, 1964