JFK and the South Knoll

The very word “secrecy” is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it.

Even today, there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it. And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment. That I do not intend to permit to the extent that it is in my control. And no official of my Administration, whether his rank is high or low, civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know.

But I do ask every publisher, every editor, and every newsman in the nation to reexamine his own standards, and to recognize the nature of our country’s peril.

– JFK, April 27th, 1961

In order to read this with any semblance of understanding, it is a prerequisite that you read the theory of the South Knoll Gunman as well as Sherry Feister’s forensic take on the circumstance in her book “Enemy of the Truth, Myths, Forensics, and the Kennedy Assassination”. It is these perspectives that outline the answer to the operational capacity of of what transpired November, 1963.

This theory builds upon their respective, and may I add, brilliant findings, and I believe, affirms the circumstances of that particular day.

In order to grasp the event, we must remove ourselves from the incident and look at it from a new perspective.

This is easy for someone like myself as I am three generations removed from this event. With all the conjecture surrounding this incident and the ever progressing aging generations, there still remains many people comprising the conspiratorial, educational, and/or students of fields of study which show interest in understanding what exactly happened in Dealey Plaza.

I’m one of them and clearly, so are you. So this theory is for you, my friend.

It is not the purpose of this article to find out WHO was involved or WHY this happened. Our only concern is to determine HOW this occurred. It is the purpose to have you reapply any preconceived notions and to think about what happened from the side of a bad actor. When we say from the view of a “bad actor” we are obligated to define war gaming.

In war games the Opposing Force stands for the enemy force that typically mounts proactive scenario driven directed action towards “the good guys“. In applying our thinking in this way, we will be able to better understand the field and the elements such a force would have to consider before taking their action. Once again, we are not looking at this as a conspiracy but through a lens of looking at the field as a bad actor. We will “unpack” areas of interest and form a basis for the study.

For that reason, in this instruction, we will analyze the event as an Opposing Force. Specifically, we will take light application of how this could have been done, if not from the Depository.

This scenario will consider the initial shot as depicted in film and photographic evidence as the default variable for study. This is a given point of engagement an sets the moment the OpFor was tasked with taking out a VIP.

We will revisit this after the initial OpFor setup to compare.

Begin Scenario

In this scenario, we are the Opposing Force.

Intelligence has provided us the following information.

A known VIP is traveling the marked path depicted in red. This path will not change. Movement will remain relatively stable at 10-15 mph traveling from right to left, as depicted on the map. It has been determined that our client wants action taken on the VIP at the position indicated as the 1st RED CIRCLE.

The Opposing Force has an insider which will provide the adequate timetable to prepare. — For the purpose of this instruction, we will assume there are one to perhaps two weeks to prepare. There may be more or less, but that moves into conspiratorial areas which takes away from this initial study. We assume for sake of argument that whatever time that there was, it provided an adequate setup. Given that no actors other than Lee Harvey Oswald was ever produced, we have to assume there was plenty of time, money, and resources, likewise, for the purpose of this study we will consider no limits in this regard.

Being an opposing force always has the advantage in that they are usually given home field advantage. In modern times, the Opposing Force (OpFor) typically represent a guerilla or insurgent force coupled against a modernized and superior force such as Western governments. This allows “the good guys” (IE United States) to make predictable assessments of actual combat zones based upon actions taken in role-play.

So, in this way, you, the Opposing Force, have any ability to create a game plan.

Remember, don’t reference history books. Think as though you are there. You are in charge while reading this.

What do you do?

While you deliberate these thought process, we are going to build upon these ideas to reach the same conclusions that I did. I suggest taking a few moments to review Google Maps and google street view which will include the use of various photography of the site today to then apply this thinking to another point in time, with the notation of utilizing clandestine tactics.

— The 1960’s were an interesting period of time in weapons development, one that notably, in 1963 happened to be the year that the Stoner Model 15 was still undergoing heavy research and development within the US Government. Trials to complete the redefined XM16E1 against the M14 and AK47 were still ongoing and the government wanted a malleable weapon system for its development in numerous war fighting strategies.

The Armalite 15 was not yet heavily in common use and was still undergoing trials.

These calibers as indicated above are respectively .223 .308 (7.62×51) and 7.62×39. Please take time to research the calibers and or weapon systems for the fulfillment of your Opposing Force mindset.

In reviewing these items, you have to come up with a workable framework to complete your clients goals. These are applied to the above scene.

How do you do it?

In examining the area in Google Maps, Google Street View, In-person, and in looking at the large surrounding structures we can surmise a few obvious caveats which will prove damaging to completing the mission objective.

1. Urban Settings create confusion with sounds. Sound travels at 760mph. A sound barrier crack or likewise any impacts will refract over surrounding objects. Increased refraction will cause confusion. It may be necessary to identify a way to mitigate sound or use sound refraction as a tool. A common method is through the use of subsonic ammunition.

2. Cover and Concealment is lucrative under certain conditions. Your element will need a means to get into the area undetected, remaining anonymous, and then be able to exfiltrate without raising suspicion. Utilizing a building would mandate a need for clear pathways out of the hot zone.

3. Capable Guardians remain a Threat. In Criminal Justice Theory a capable guardian is a deterring factor that keeps criminal elements at bay. The idea is that a person, camera, light fixture, visibility, deterrent, or other similar variable which would dissuade a bad element from taking a particular mischievous action against a person, place, or object of interest.

We know based upon intelligence that there will be potentially dozens, if not hundreds of capable guardians. Each are from varying departments, businesses, with differing educations, backgrounds, and skill-sets on what to look for in terms of threats.

Based on intelligence this number may fluctuate but will certainly be at least two dozen specialized Capable Guardians in the immediacy of the VIP.

These individuals will be well versed in observational and counter force tactics. The remaining elements of local forces as well as civilian spectators put substantial risk into the OpFor planning. We know that the crowds will congregate at the the corner of Elm and Houston due to the high volume of buildings and will certainly breakoff as the Motorcade moves away from the city center and towards the highway.

Any buildings in this vicinity are prone to suspicion and lock down upon any adverse action.

Well. This is therefore very difficult.

We have several serious problems to contend with.

But, again, the Opfor has the game plan. They just have to work around it.

In looking at the map, and knowing the default position in which the client wants this situation addressed, we have a very large concrete train bridge (overpass), a large open field of fire comprising three distinct roadways, a fence-line (northern knoll), sporadic concrete landscape and barriers, a large building, city streets, another large building leading further into the city, more sporadic concrete landscape work, additional buildings, the center lane, and the southern knoll. We see from prior photography that there are no buildings or other obstructions behind the train bridge and southern knoll.

From walking this area as a pedestrian, you learn the following:

The entire landscape slopes down-before proceeding under the bridge. The north and south knolls are elevated and house parking lots. There are mixed numbers of vehicles which could provide some level of concealment.

We know based upon previous history and this layout that the crowds will be looking to the VIP and will be centered around Elm and Houston as this is where the roads will be closed off to motorists and enable the most access by civilians to enjoy the parade.

It is common practice to ensure that eyes remain away from any prospective hide. Based upon previous points, you determine with your team that refracted sound will be best served coming from the South Knoll having tested sound refraction at an undisclosed location testing your aforementioned calibers. This positioning also has the clearest line of site for when the VIP turns onto the road for the entire duration of the motorcades movement.

You note that there are several trees at the northern knoll fence line and Depository in various heights.

Increased vegetation, sun, shadows, and sound; all of which will play an intricate role in creating a scene of chaos as counter forces attempt to ascertain a firing position.

The opposing force takes these notes and slides them back and forth across the table. They have to determine how to achieve this goal. Capture is not an option. The client has reiterated that this Opposing Force is on its own and will not have any support in the event of local identification. Knowledge of such forces will be disavowed.

There is no ability to assure exfiltration. Normal means by foot, car, or other will inevitably result in suspicion, capture, or a firefight. However, the element cannot remain in the location. There are too many eyes on the entirety of the environment.

Having made an overall determination that the South Knoll is best suited for this location, the deliberation begins.

— What about a car on the south knoll parking lot?

— Possible. Hard to say with any certainty. Lots have guards, and lots have employees.

— There remains a significant problem of suspicion and capable guardians?

— But Its also midday! Many people will be taking a lunch or otherwise watching this scene. It is likely that someone will see something! But there appears to be significant coverage from other vehicles, maybe some brush. — From a a car trunk perhaps?

– Perhaps but the parking lot is otherwise exposed to rail workers similarly other capable guardians, and it has limited access points. This would make timing an exfiltration attempt risky.

– There are also any number of positions from the windows across the plaza. But in each of those, any firing position would not be refracting sound adequately. Its also directly within view of the streets and spectators where the client wants the task completed.

– Don’t you want the sound to bounce from within, not to simply push out into the air? Any shots from those buildings will have limited to no sound refraction. It is that refraction from bouncing between large structures that will create the confusion and misdirection.

ANY counter force progress on immediate assessment for the single shot must be confused and mitigated to allow time for the OpFor to leave the area.

— What about a truck?

[Everyone in the room quiets] Yes…. a truck… a trojan horse?

Some background. As many will recall in Mythology, the Greeks used a Trojan Horse made of wood to enter Troy. Once they were inside its Walls they escaped from the Wooden Structure in the dark, attacked, and then defeated it from within.

“Let’s be in the plaza itself!”

Okay, that is an idea. Elevation? What about having a larger panel truck in the plaza? That would provide substantive height?

You test some flaps which are color coded with the paint job on the side box and determine that the mechanism to expose the hatch is lubricated properly. Your team tests what amounts to a solid 8-14 foot firing position (from street level) and determine that it will reach over any obstacle in the scene.

Once obtaining this vehicle, your team cuts out several small port holes on the driver-side of the box portion of the truck. These are about 1/4 to 1/2 the size of a small car window, perhaps of a side mirror, if not smaller, the size need not be large.

Documentation specifications seem to indicate the level of the VIP and a truck position in that corner will represent an almost horizontal line of sight. Since your team has been equipped with several new state of the art semi type firearms, their confidence builds with this identification of option.

In inquiring your local OpFor contacts you determine that a box truck could be requisitioned and applied to the scenario.

With time permitting, your team sends local contacts through the area once or twice more to verify conditions of the scene and to establish any potential forgotten or missed variables.

Once you confirm the best layout and manner in which to complete the objective you report back to your client.

The findings are as follows.

The direction of travel, close protection, large groups of people make capture, compromise, or exposure of the OpFor group likely.

Recommendations.

Two or three shooting positions. The primary positions will be a Box Truck positioned just underneath or exposed from the Underpass. This will be the lane closest to the overpass or south knoll. Being butted in that corner there will mitigate and eliminate any abilities for a capable guardian to observe anything suspicious on the front, passenger side, or rear or the truck. The elevation of a firing position will allow a spotter sniper element to engage the VIP head on at the first RED CIRCLE without any obstructions. An open convertible will expose the top and left side of the vehicle as the vehicle moves south west.

This direction of travel will inevitably take the VIP in a perpendicular course of travel ensuing followup should that be required. The flaps which have been built in to the truck, will minimize exposure and ensure no one sees in. The manner in how this will progress will be — OPEN FLAP, ENGAGE, CONFIRM, CLOSE.

There must be an element located at or in the area of the kill zone to signal the primary position in some capacity of the approach. This could be someone in a building window or other area in the scene, whereby a simple movement or gesture will signal the primary element to expose the hatch and prepare to engage. This timing must be centered around the view of the VIP to ensure all local eyes are looking away.

Staged Position. — A staged position should be made available to immediately direct blame. Since sound from the southern knoll will refract on the opposing section of plaza, it is likely that the surrounding civilians and observers will look towards the several nearby city blocks, numerous concrete work, fencing, brick work, buildings, and windows will provide an almost incalculable number of options for locals and capable guardians to direct blame. Anyone of the buildings, rooms, or floors, in the immediacy should be obtained and mocked up to reflect the presence of a bad actor.

This serves three purposes.

It ensure that everyone will be looking away from the truck / south knoll once they realize something has happened.

It ensures that traffic in the far right lane by the underpass (lower left of the above image) will likely be unimpeded for a fast exfiltration.

It will provide TIME for the OpFor to depart the city for debrief elsewhere.

The truck will position itself under the overpass just before traffic fills due to implemented traffic controls. This truck must ensure it is in tenable position. The driver will have proper paperwork and may be required to report that the vehicle is broken or temporarily disabled. It is necessary to ensure placement. Port hole will be opened as the VIP begins the drive down the third section of road indicted as BLUE. From within the truck the firing platform will be modified to provide the best acoustic mitigation to eliminate muzzle blast and sound.

This must be tested by the OpFor. No indication of a shot must be visible in the form of debris, blast, or sound from the truck.

The element will be set aback from the wall of the truck, and remain close to the passenger side of the box. A veil will be placed to conceal any possibility of reflection from equipment.

The scenario should resolve in less than 6 seconds.

The client, being pleased with the circumstances of the report, agrees.

END

Now, with this scenario in play, there is one variable which we have not gone back to.

Firearms.

As the M16 was new, it is reasonable to make an assumption that the then new, .223 caliber would be used. It only makes sense as it was up and coming in the clandestine world at the time, for use in remote warfare. So, lets assume that a modified .223 caliber platform was established. The actors would be familiar with the larger calibers of 120-175 grain projectiles. A 223 might be 55gr or less.

But worse still, a modified round would have to be undetectable and untraceable. Insert a new round and one of a type that is undetectable by local means, frangible ammunition.

So, the Opposing force would most likely have an unfamiliar background with this kind of firearm. It would have been something with a different kick, different recoil, and a type of ballistics that overall, reacts and responds much different than its bigger brothers.

In our scenario we identified that our VIP’s vehicle was traveling almost completely head on for a stretch of roadway. In the film we see several newly introduced reactions. There is evidence that the windscreen being impacted causing early fragmentation and a subsequent neck shot, as well as impact’s to the VIP 2.

Numerous fragmentation is evident by the time the vehicle departs the right side of the stemmons sign as VIP 2 turns due to the initial reports.

One might surmise that this was in actuality a severe failure of the Opposing Force. The mission failed in all of its secondary goals.

Improper training, poor familiarization, and / or not enough practice to assume ballistics, excepting their targeting skills appears to have been perfected based upon windscreen impacts and its projected ballistic trajectories or expectations if it indeed continued straight through the windshield.

In order to recap where we are at this point.

There are immediate follow up shots as the vehicle makes its winding slow turn down that middle lane, exposing ever so slightly the upper and left side of the open convertible.

The VIP leans in, having been injured from the first shot, and another is made from between the windscreen and the rear or the vehicle impacting the top right of the head of the VIP.

The final shot.

As the scene plays out you find this box truck in the upper right of the Zapruder film repositioning in an attempt to confirm as the VIP vehicle passes.

Then it leaves. Photographic evidence shows that this vehicle is in fact moving at that point, pulling into the center lane to leave.

Everyone else pours over the scene located at the VIPs engagement points, with a primary interest in the TSBD and the North Knoll Fence Line, (Grassy Knoll). Many point and run in directions where they “heard” the shots.

The OpFor plan worked in this regard, but it almost failed. The followup shots provide an intuitive counter force an ability to identify actual locations. In this way, these failures exposed them, their primary firing position, too long of exposure time, and it demonstrates to us that the level of arrogance in the modern era by evil people.

No Officers or counter forces stopped vehicles on the other side of that plaza or in the immediacy of that scene. That truck remained on the road, taking its team to a debriefing, of which, only conjecture can speculate.

Likewise, from this instruction, and upon the perspectives indicated in the above works, we know that the fatal blow did come from that position towards the southern knoll, from within a box truck.

The WHO and WHY may remain unknown in this life, but the answers exist somewhere.

In all things our God exposes everything. In this life or the next, your deeds are written and counted. I pray that those who would manipulate others, those who seek power over the will of Free Men will see the error in their ways and confront their demons before the End of the Age.

If you care to speculate more on this topic, please follow me at Part Two, 1917 N Houston to further unpack strange circumstances on this issue.

“To those who say we no longer need a CIA, I say you’re nuts. To those who want to dismantle CIA or put it under some other department … you’re nuts, too. And to those who feel the right to know takes precedence over legitimate classification of documents or over protecting our most precious asset, our people, the same to you. You’re nuts, and so’s the horse you came in on.”

– George H.W. Bush