Op-921 Oswald's ONI File

Op-923M was the administrative code for the General Services Branch Administrative Division, ONI

For purposes of providing background in regard to the list of person who were connected with responsible for, or knowledgeable about the ONI file on Oswald, it is necessary to understand the structure of the ONI during the period starting when Oswald defected to Russia (1959, to the time of the assassination of President Kennedy (1963)

During that period of time the ONI (Op-92) consisted primarily of three divisions, the Security Division (Op-921), the Intelligence Production Division (Op-922), and the Administrative Division (Op-923). As has been explained in a previous memorandum the Naval Investigative Service (NIS) was established in 1966, at which time we assumed the personnel and basic mission of what had previously been known as the Investigations Branch (Op-921D) and Counterintelligence Branch (Op-921E) of the Security Division, ONI. 

There was no ONI file on Oswald prior to his defection to Russia. Because of his inactive duty/civilian status from that time on, the primary investigative jurisdiction in regards to the counterintelligence interest in him rested with the FBI.

It is for this reason that the bulk of the ONI file on Oswald consisted of other agency administrative documents, and newspaper clippings. The primary responsibility for monitoring the file within ONI rested with the Counterintelligence Branch(Op-921E), or, more specifically, the Programs Section (Op-921E2). In reviewing the file in regard to identification of individuals who originated administrative documents for signatures by individuals further up the chain-of-command, the names of three junior naval officers appear. 

This indicated that they probably had the responsibilities in regard to the file during the period between Oswald’s defection and the assassination. The file identifies the officers as Lieutenant Junior Grade G. M. Fredrickson in 1960, Lieutenant Junior Grade P.C. LeSord in 1962, and Ensign J.A. Hazelton in 1963. Other individuals who, because of their position within ONI, or more particularly, their positions within ONI at the time of President Kennedy, would have been connected with and knowledgeable about the file are:

Vice Admiral Rufus L. Taylor, USN (Reture), the DNI (Op-92) at the time of the assassination;

Captain Robert P. Jackson, Jr., USN (Retired), the Assistant DNI for Security (Op-921) at the time of the assassination;

Captain Jack O. Johnson, USN (Retired), the Executive Officer to Captain Jackson at the time of the assassination;

Captain John C. Lacy (USNR (Retired), Head, Counterintelligence Branch (Op-921E) in 1959;

Commander William H. Clark, USNR (Retired), Head, Counterintelligence Branch (Op-921E) in 1963;