The unexpected increase in free time at my disposal has provided me with ample opporunity to increase the amount of reading material at my disposal. I decided to take another look at the murder of President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), whose death remains one of most puzzling crimes in American history.  The official narrative is that on November 22, 1963, lone gunman and former Marine Lee Harvey Oswald (1939-1963) fired three shots at Kennedy’s motorcade from the Texas School Book Depository, fatally wounding Kennedy and severly wounding Texas Governor John Connally (1917-1993).   The case seemed open and shut with Oswald forever being labeled as the lone nut or lone gunman.  On the surface, the case seems simple but there were many strange things that took place that day after Kennedy died that are not only mind boggling but also deeply disturbing. One of them is the handling of his body and the autopsy that was conducted at Bethesda Naval Hospital.

Jacob Hornberger is the president of the Future of Freedom Foundation , an organization whose goal is the “aim of establishing an educational foundation that would advance an uncompromising case for libertarianism in the context of both foreign and domestic policy“.  His mission in finding the truth has led him on the trail taken by other researchers into Kennedy’s death.  His focus here is on the autopsy itself and many bizarre and troubling anomolies that have surfaced over the past several decades.  Some readers might wonder how the autopsy could be a source of controversy but there is ample evidence that there was a flurry of unusual activity as the president’s body arrived in Maryland. And what Hornberger discusses here may blow the minds of many.

I strongly recommend anyone interested in the full story of JFK’s autopsy to read David Lifton’s Best Evidence: Disguise and Deception in the Assassination of John F. Kennedy , a chilling examination of the handling of Kennedy’s body following the assassination.  However, there is much that can be learned here which is based partly on Lifton’s work.  The book reads like a long essay and in fact, Hornberger describes his writings as exactly that.  The format makes the narrative flow smoothly without becoming drawn out or extremely repetitive.  And although the author repeatedly drives home his point, at no point does the book feel like a rehash of what we have already learned.  It is a dark and sinister tale which few are willing to discuss, mainly out of fear that they will be labeled as a “conspiracy theorist”.  However, if one does not believe the offiical story about Kennedy’s death and believes that more parties were involved, then by definition he/she would be considered a conspiracy theorist. But I digress.  Hornberger backs up all of his claims with solid evidence, based on interviews of the personnel on staff that day at Bethesda and the timelime set by the Warren Commission itself.

Kennedy’s autopsy was performed by Lt. Col. Pierre Finck, Dr. James Hughes and Dr. J.  Thorton Boswell (1922-2010).  All three were noted military physicians but inexperienced with gunshot victims.  However, they were given the task of what was then the most important autopsy in American history.  The official story is that the autopsy began roughly around 8:00 p.m. on November 22.  However, several individuals would later give statements to investigators and the Assassination Records Review Board that opened a can of worms and threw the whole story into uncertainty.  Snippets of their statements are included here and what they have to say may cause the hair on your neck to stand up.  Further, we are tempted to ask the question, when exactly did Kennedy’s body arrive at Bethesda?  And how many autopsies were performed that night?  Further, what are we to make of the report filed by FBI Agents James Sibert and Francis O’ Neill, who both reaffirmed the words in their report thirty years after the assassination?

The autopsy is one of the most overlooked parts of Kennedy’s murder.  Oswald, the rifle and the murder of Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit (1924-1963) have taken center stage in the assassination story but events outside of Dallas that day often remain secluded in the shadows.   Diligent research has brought them to light for those who wish to see.  Undoubtedly there is more to the story than many of us could ever imagine.  The doctors who performed the autopsy stated under oath that higher ups in the military command gave orders that night as well as other individuals who remain unidentified. A military controlled autopsy on a civilian is almost unheard of. Yet on that day, Kennedy’s body was illegally removed from Parkland Hospital under circumstances which are nothing short of troubling and a tightly controlled forensic examination occurred. Further, those who did attend and assist were sworn to secrety by military brass.  The story is simply unbelievable but actually happened as described and is well-documented.

The murder of John F. Kennedy continues to intrigue researchers intent on learning the truth about Dallas that day.  They may one day find out what actually did happen in its entirety.  And through books such as this, the real truth will continue to emerge.  Some may write off Hornberger as another conspiracy nut but I caution them that the book is not simply a rant by a deranged nut.  There are many dark details here which should be paid close attention to if we are to learn the truth about Kennedy’s murder.

ASIN: B00NHVT820