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Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?
Lee Harvey Oswald, a native of New Orleans, served in the U.S. Marines before defecting to the Soviet Union for a time. After returning to the United States with his family, he became involved in firearms acquisition. Oswald is alleged to have assassinated President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Two days later, while being transferred to the county jail, he was fatally shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. Oswald was just 24 years old at the time of his death.
Early Life
Lee Harvey Oswald was born on October 18, 1939, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Marguerite and Robert Oswald Sr. Tragically, his father passed away from a heart attack two months before his birth. After the loss of her husband, Marguerite sent Oswald and his two older brothers to live in an orphanage. Following a brief remarriage, she moved with her children to the Bronx, New York City.
In New York, Marguerite worked long hours, leaving Oswald largely unsupervised. He often spent time alone at the library and developed a pattern of skipping his eighth-grade classes. His truancy eventually led to his placement in a detention hall, where a social worker observed that Oswald was emotionally distant and described him as projecting “the feeling of a kid nobody gave a darn about.”
Marine Service and Move to the Soviet Union
After returning to New Orleans, Marguerite and Lee Harvey Oswald found themselves settling back into a familiar rhythm. During this time, Oswald’s fascination with socialist literature deepened, building upon an interest he had first developed while living in New York. In 1956, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines, where he demonstrated above-average marksmanship skills. However, his military career was marred by disciplinary issues; in 1958, he was court-martialed twice—once for possessing an unauthorized weapon and again for exhibiting violent behavior.
Oswald’s military service ended in 1959, after which he made arrangements to travel to Moscow. Upon arrival, he declared his intent to move to the Soviet Union. Soviet authorities, initially suspicious of Oswald’s motives and potential as a spy, debated his case. Eventually, they permitted him to settle in Minsk, where he was kept under close surveillance by the KGB.
In April 1961, Oswald married Marina Prusakova, a Soviet citizen. However, disillusioned with life in the Soviet Union, he returned to the United States in June 1962 with Marina and their newborn daughter.
Radical Behavior Back in America
Once back in the United States, the Oswald family established their home in Dallas. During this period, Oswald adopted the alias “Alek J. Hidell” for his correspondence. His political interests also began to shift, evolving into vocal support for communist Cuba. In early 1963, Oswald purchased a .38 handgun and later acquired a rifle, posing with both weapons in a photograph taken by Marina—a haunting image that would later serve as evidence against him.
In April 1963, Oswald reportedly attempted to assassinate right-wing ex-general Edwin A. Walker by shooting at him through a window. The attempt was unsuccessful. Later that year, Oswald traveled alone to New Orleans before making a trip to Mexico City in September 1963, where he unsuccessfully sought passage to Cuba and the Soviet Union.
Returning to Dallas, Oswald secured employment at the Texas School Book Depository. Marina and their children stayed with a friend in a nearby suburb, and in October 1963, Marina gave birth to their second daughter.
The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy
On November 22, 1963, as President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade passed through Dallas, Oswald was reportedly seen on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository, holding a rifle. At 12:30 p.m., three shots were fired, two of which struck President Kennedy, fatally wounding him. Texas Governor John B. Connally was also injured. Kennedy was pronounced dead shortly after at Parkland Memorial Hospital.
Oswald fled the scene and was later confronted by Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit, whom he allegedly shot and killed. He was eventually apprehended at the Texas Theater in the suburb of Oak Cliff. Over the following two days, Oswald was interrogated, charged, and placed in police lineups.
Death and Legacy
Oswald never faced trial. On November 24, 1963, while being transferred to the county jail, he was fatally shot by Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner with alleged mob connections. Ruby claimed his actions were driven by outrage over Kennedy’s assassination, though conspiracy theories have since suggested deeper motives.
The question of Oswald’s involvement in a larger conspiracy remains a subject of intense debate. The 1964 Warren Commission concluded that Oswald acted alone, but a subsequent investigation by the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1979 suggested that another gunman might have been involved. Speculation about Oswald’s activities and associations—particularly during his time in New Orleans—continues to fuel discussions about one of America’s most infamous moments in history.