JFK The Enduring Secret

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Episode 202 The Secret Service Question Part 13 Bonus The Cellar Part 3 Bonus Episode on Pat Kirkwood Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

Episode 202 is the thirteenth in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode is a bonus episode that finishes out our coverage of the incident at the Cellar Coffee House and Fort Worth Press Club. Pat Kirkwood was the colorful owner of the Cellar and he was known to throw a great party. As he came to grips with his terminal cancer, he would have one more reunion of sorts with his old friends from the Cellar Club and beyond in 2000, shortly before his passing. Todays is the story recalled of that event and many of the reminiscent moments that came from it. The Cellar has an infamous juxtaposition in the assassination of president Kennedy. Agents arrived late at the Texas hotel and some of the agents were hungry. They had heard that there was a buffet at the Fort Worth Press Club. When they arrived there around 12:30AM, they found no buffet. And, some of them stayed and drank, and then a large number of them continued on to the Cellar. Most of them stayed at the Cellar until at least 3AM in the morning and one of them, agent Paul Landis, is believed to have been there as late as 5 or 5:30 in the morning based on his own statements and statements of others. The story broke just three days after the assassination from a tip given to nationally known reporter Drew Pearson by a Fort Worth reporter who had heard the tale, but was sure his editor would never run a story that would cast aspersions on the secret service in light of the tragedy that had just happened. The story ran in the Washington Post and it was explosive and detailed misconduct that included intoxication and staying out so late that there was no doubt that the secret service agents involved were sleep deprived the next day. This generated the obvious question....were any of the agents involved in this incident, a part of the detail actually guarding the president that day in Dealey Plaza. And indeed they were. There were nine men who went to the Fort Worth Press Club and ten who ended up at the Cellar. Four of those men were in the presidential follow up car that day. Did their behavior the night before (or actually the morning of) the assassination contribute to the death of the President. That was the question. Sleep deprived agents that had been drinking seemed like an obvious factor to consider, but would it have saved the president from his fateful end? Earl Warren, the Chairman of the Warren Commission was incensed about the incident, and in one of the few passionate displays of his during the whole Commission review, he chastised Secret Service head James Rawley and wondered why the men were not disciplined for clearly breaking secret service rules. Not one man was fired for his behavior that night, as secret service chief Rawley believed that the men had already suffered enough. Having lost a president. Delving deeper into the individuals involved into the President's protection is for the purpose of solving the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the

Episode 201 The Secret Service Question Part 12 The Cellar Part 2 Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

Episode 201 is the twelfth in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode is part 2 related to the story surrounding the Cellar night club and Fort Worth Press Club incidents and covers the official internal investigative report issued just days after the incident by secret service inspector Gerrard McCann. The President and the agents arrived in Fort Worth late that night of November 21st and were greeted unexpectedly by large crowds at the Fort Worth Airport. As a consequence, they arrived after hours downtown at the hotel where the president and his wife were staying, and some of the agents were hungry. They had heard that there was a buffet at the Fort Worth Press Club. When they arrived around 12:30AM, they found no buffet. And, some of them stayed and drank, and then a large number of them continued on to the Cellar. Most of them stayed at the Cellar until at least 3AM in the morning and one of them, agent Paul Landis, is believed to have been there as late as 5 or 5:30 in the morning based on his own statements and statements of others. The story broke just three days after the assassination from a tip given to nationally known reporter Drew Pearson by a Fort Worth reporter who had heard the tale, but was sure his editor would never run a story that would cast aspersions on the secret service in light of the tragedy that had just happened. The story ran in the Washington Post and it was explosive and detailed misconduct that included intoxication and staying out so late that there was no doubt that the secret service agents involved were sleep deprived the next day. This generated the obvious question....were any of the agents involved in this incident, a part of the detail actually guarding the president that day in Dealey Plaza. And indeed they were. There were nine men who went to the Fort Worth Press Club and ten who ended up at the Cellar. Four of those men were in the presidential follow up car that day. Did their behavior the night before (or actually the morning of) the assassination contribute to the death of the President. That was the question. Sleep deprived agents that had been drinking seemed like an obvious factor to consider, but would it have saved the president from his fateful end? Earl Warren, the Chairman of the Warren Commission was incensed about the incident, and in one of the few passionate displays of his during the whole Commission review, he chastised Secret Service head James Rawley and wondered why the men were not disciplined for clearly breaking secret service rules. Not one man was fired for his behavior that night, as secret service chief Rawley believed that the men had already suffered enough. Having lost a president. Delving deeper into the individuals involved into the President's protection is for the purpose of solving the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

Episode 200 The Secret Service Question Part 11 Party at the Cellar Part 1 Dec 26, 2023

Show notes

Episode 200 is the eleventh in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and their possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode continues our coverage of the individuals in the white house detail who were in Dallas that fateful day. In this episode, we tell the story of the impact of events which took place the night before in Fort Worth in an edgy nightclub named the Cellar. The President and the agents arrived in Fort Worth late that night of November 21st and were greeted unexpectedly by large crowds at the Fort Worth Airport. As a consequence, they arrived after hours downtown at the hotel where the president and his wife were staying, and some were hungry. They had heard that there was a buffet at the Fort Worth Press Club. When they arrived there around 12:30AM, they found no buffet. And, after some of them drank, a large number of them continued on to the Cellar. Most of them stayed at the Cellar until at least 3AM in the morning and one of them, agent Paul Landis, is believed to have been there as late as 5 or 5:30 in the morning based on various citations. The story broke just three days after the assassination from a tip given to nationally known reporter Drew Pearson by a Fort Worth reporter who had heard the tale, but was sure his editor would never run a story that would cast aspersions on the secret service in light of the tragedy that had just happened. The story ran in the Washington Post and it was explosive and detailed misconduct that included intoxication and staying out so late that there was no doubt that the secret service agents involved were sleep deprived the next day. This generated the obvious question....were any of the agents involved in this incident, a part of the detail actually guarding the president that day in Dealey Plaza. And indeed they were. There were nine men who went to the Fort Worth Press Club and ten who ended up at the Cellar. Four of those men were in the presidential follow up car that day. Did their behavior the night before (or actually the morning of) the assassination contribute to the death of the President. That was the question. Sleep deprived agents that had been drinking seemed like an obvious factor to consider, but would it have saved the president from his fateful end? Earl Warren, the Chairman of the Warren Commission was incensed about the incident, and in one of the few passionate displays of his during the whole Commission review, he chastised Secret Service head James Rawley and wondered why the men were not disciplined for clearly breaking secret service rules. Not one man was fired for his behavior that night, as secret service chief Rawley believed that the men had already suffered enough. Having lost a president. Delving deeper into the individuals involved into the President's protection is for the purpose of solving the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

Episode 199 The Secret Service Question Part 10 Paul Landis Statements in 1963 Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

Episode 199 is the tenth in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and their possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode continues our coverage of the individuals in the white house detail who were in Dallas that fateful day. In this episode, we compare the two 1963 statements by Paul Landis, made just days after the assassination on November 27th and November 30th, 1963. Mr. Landis is yet another secret service agent that thought that one of the shots came from the front or the right front. Join us as we read verbatim, the two statements that Landis made and compare and contrast the details of what comprises those two statements. Delving deeper into the individuals involved into the President's protection is for the purpose of solving the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy. The inner workings of the Secret Service are just that...they are secret...and not much has been said by the agents outside of the official agency position.... since the assassination, but at least one man Vince Palamara is widely considered to be the resident expert on how the Secret Service figures into the assassination story. Mr. Palamara has done more original research on this topic than anyone else. Others have done extensive research including Doug Horne. So this series of episodes will give us a chance to better understand this often over looked aspect of the assassination story.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

Episode 198 The Secret Service Question Part 9 Sam Kinney Part 2 Dec 17, 2023

Show notes

Episode 198 is the ninth in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and their possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode continues our coverage of Sam Kinney, the driver of the Presidential follow up car that day in Dallas. It's part of the overall story of the secret service agents in Dallas that fateful day. The follow up car was carrying the bulk of the secret service agents who were protecting the president and the first lady, and it was situated right behind the presidential limousine. Kinney is undoubtedly one of the good guys, and this is a bonus episode that captures verbatim his actual written statement dated November 30th, some eight days after the assassination. Kinney was never asked to testify before the Warren Commission. He was absent from the handful of more prominent agents in the passion play that did testify in 1964. In later years, he would talk on three separate occasions with researcher Vince Palamara. In the previous episode, you heard portions of those interviews and also from Sam Kinney's neighbor Gary Louck, According to Louck, Kinney had privately revealed to him that Kinney was the one who found the bullet in the presidential limousine. Louck relayed this story after Kinney's death. That bullet, according to Louck's account of it, became Warren Commission exhibit 399. And that was long before agent Paul Landis more recently came forth with a similar assertion. Of course, both cannot be true. In the prior episode we also tell Kinney's story of how, during the flight back to Andrews Airforce Base, traveling with the presidential limousine in a C-130 transport, Kinney would inspect the vehicle and find a portion of the president's skull in the back seat. It was a piece of the president's skull that he placed in his pocket and gave to Admiral George Berkeley, upon return to Washington. Where did the fragment go?....the answer to that question is still a mystery, as it is unaccounted for at the autopsy. Delving deeper into the individuals involved into the President's protection is for the purpose of solving the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy. The inner workings of the Secret Service are just that...they are secret...and not much has been said by the agents outside of the official agency position.... since the assassination, but at least one man Vince Palamara is widely considered to be the resident expert on how the Secret Service figures into the assassination story. Mr. Palamara has done more original research on this topic than anyone else. Others have done extensive research including Doug Horne. So this series of episodes will give us a chance to better understand this often over looked aspect of the assassination story.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

Episode 197 The Secret Service Question Part 8 Sam Kinney Part 1 Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

Episode 197 is the eighth in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and their possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode continues our coverage of the individuals in the white house detail who were in Dallas that fateful day. In this episode, we tell the story of Sam Kinney the driver of the Secret Service follow up car. The car that was carrying the bulk of the secret service agents, and which was situated right behind the presidential limousine in the motorcade. Kinney is undoubtedly one of the good guys, and his comments are captured during an oral interview by Vince Palamara and and in his only public television appearance on the Today Show. Kinney would privately reveal that he was the one who found the bullet in the presidential limousine. A fact made public after his death by Gary Louck, who was his neighbor and his friend. Before Kinney died, he would tell Palamara the story of how he found a piece of the presidents skull as he was inspecting the presidential limousine. Kinney was taking the limousine back to Washington via a C130 transport plane when he came across the skull fragment. He would drop the fragment in his pocket and deliver it to Dr. George Berkely, once he returned to Washington. Where did the fragment go....the answer to that question is still a mystery as it is unaccounted for at the autopsy. Join us for all sorts of fascinating facts and revelations from this straight shooting and forthright member of the secret service team. Delving deeper into the individuals involved into the President's protection is for the purpose of solving the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy. The inner workings of the Secret Service are just that...they are secret...and not much has been said by the agents outside of the official agency position.... since the assassination, but at least one man Vince Palamara is widely considered to be the resident expert on how the Secret Service figures into the assassination story. Mr. Palamara has done more original research on this topic than anyone else. Others have done extensive research including Doug Horne. So this series of episodes will give us a chance to better understand this often over looked aspect of the assassination story.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

Episode 196 The Secret Service Question Part 7 William Greer and Tom Shipman Nov 25, 2023

Show notes

Episode 196 is the seventh in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and their possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode is the second in our coverage of each of the individuals in the white house detail who were in Dallas that fateful day. In episode 195 we told the story of Roy Kellerman and we tell the story of Agent William Greer in today's episode 196. Agent Greer was the driver of the presidential limousine that fateful day in Dallas. His actions and inactions that day contributed to the demise of president Kennedy. Delving deeper into the individuals involved in the President's protection is for the purpose of solving the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy. The inner workings of the Secret Service are just that...they are secret...and not much has been said by the agents outside of the official agency position.... since the assassination, but at least one man Vince Palamara is widely considered to be the resident expert on how the Secret Service figures into the assassination story. Mr. Palamara has done more original research on this topic than anyone else. Others have done extensive research including Doug Horne. So this series of episodes will give us a chance to better understand this often over looked aspect of the assassination story.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

Episode 195 The Secret Service Question Part 6 Roy Kellerman Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

Episode 195 is the sixth in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and their possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode begins our coverage of each of the individuals in the white house detail who were in Dallas that fateful day. We tell the story today of Agent Roy Kellerman, who was nominally in charge in Dallas during the trip . He sat in the front right seat of the president's limousine as they made their way in the motorcade. Delving deeper into the individuals involved in the President's protection is for the purpose of solving the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy. The inner workings of the Secret Service are just that...they are secret...and not much has been said by the agents outside of the official agency position.... since the assassination, but at least one man Vince Palamara is widely considered to be the resident expert on how the Secret Service figures into the assassination story. Mr. Palamara has done more original research on this topic than anyone else. Others have done extensive research including Doug Horne. So this series of episodes will give us a chance to better understand this often over looked aspect of the assassination story.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

Episode 194 The Secret Service Question Part 5 Abraham Bolden and the Motive Nov 11, 2023

Show notes

Episode 194 is the fifth in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and their possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode begins to cover the perplexing question of how men generally so loyal to the President, might have motivations to act otherwise. It is the seminal question regarding the inner workings of the secret service and their true orientation to President Kennedy. Getting a look inside, requires locating someone who has disavowed the idea of keeping secret of the dirty laundry that may have existed within the secret service in that era. Sadly and perhaps ironically, the story must be told by the first black secret service agent ever to be chosen for duty on the Secret Service White House detail. That man was Abraham Bolden. His story is an extraordinary one and in today's episode we hear from Mr. Bolden himself on this very topic of what was really "underneath the covers when it comes to the Secret Service's true orientation toward President Kennedy. The inner workings of the Secret Service are just that...they are secret...and not much has been said by the agents outside of the official agency position.... since the assassination, but at least one man Vince Palamara is widely considered to be the resident expert on how the Secret Service figures into the assassination story. Mr. Palamara has done more original research on this topic than anyone else. Others have done extensive research including Doug Horne. So this series of episodes will give us a chance to better understand this often over looked aspect of the assassination story. But today, we listen to an iconic figure who holds the key to our further understanding of what happened with the secret service on that November day in 1963 . While today's episode is not a thorough exploration of Mr. Bolden's own story, it serves as a backdrop to many upcoming episodes in this mini-series.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

Episode 193 The Secret Service Question Part 4 Oct 14, 2023

Show notes

Episode 193 is the fourth in a mini- series wander covering the Secret Service and their possible involvement in the coverup, or the actual plot itself to assassinate President Kennedy. Today's episode covers the next section of chapter 8 and a portion of Chapter 2 in the Warren Commission Report dealing with advance planning and preparation undertaken by the Secret Service prior to the president's trip to Texas. Chapter 8 generally addresses the Secret Service role in protecting the president and pertinent facts around their conduct in Dallas. After today, our upcoming episodes in the wander turn away from the official report on the Secret Service, to the investigative research by Vince Palamara, Douglas Horne and others. So stay tuned. Recent events, including the pending publication of the book by former Secret Service agent Paul Landis, have given rise to renewed interest in this topic. Mr. Landis is 88 years old and he was an agent who was there in Dallas on November 22nd, and he participated in the motorcade protection. He now claims to be the person who left the bullet on the stretcher at Parkland. And on President Kennedy's stretcher, no less. His claims have sparked a great deal of renewed debate about the magic bullet and the shooters in the plaza, but rather than evaluate Mr. Landis' claim at this time, we are using this period of renewed interest to reassess the role of the secret service overall in the assassination story. It is no secret that there was a massive failure of protection by the Secret Service which contributed heavily to the death of the President. But the seminal question of whether this was poor planning , or poor performance, versus something more sinister, have never been fully resolved. The inner workings of the Secret Service are just that...they are secret...and not much has been said by the agents outside of the official agency position.... since the assassination, but at least one man Vince Palamara is widely considered to be the resident expert on how the Secret Service figures into the assassination story. Mr. Palamara has done more original research on this topic than anyone else. Others have done extensive research including Doug Horne. So this series of episodes will give us a chance to better understand this often over looked aspect of the assassination story.
Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it, were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. This real-life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.

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