Oswald, Lee Harvey (1939-1963) Draft Letter Signed, [Minsk, Russia, 30 January 1962.]

Description:

Oswald, Lee Harvey (1939-1963) Draft Letter Signed, [Minsk, Russia, 30 January 1962.]
Two pages of lined note paper, each inscribed in pencil on one side. To John Connally Jr. (1917-1993) asking for assistance with the change in disposition of Oswald's military discharge from the Marines. Adhesive from the original notepad visible at the top of page one, each sheet lined in blue, twenty-four lines per page, two old folds to each sheet, 10 1/2 x 7 1/4 in.
In January of 1962, Oswald was living in the Soviet Union, in the city of Minsk. He had married a Russian national on 30 April 1961, and on 15 February 1962, his wife gave birth to a daughter. At the time this letter was written, Oswald had received word, by way of his mother, that the Navy had altered his discharge. He was under the mistaken impression that it was changed to dishonorable, although it was down-graded from honorable to undesirable, because of potentially traitorous statements he made to authorities while in the Soviet Union. He was also mistaken about Connally's job. At the time this letter was written, Connally was governor of Texas, although Oswald addresses him in his former capacity as Secretary of the Navy.
Other associated letters of contextual import to this letter include the final version of this draft letter, originally sent to Connally, who forwarded it to the Navy, whereupon it was turned over to the Warren Commission; and a letter written to Oswald's brother Robert on the same day (30 January 1962) and referring to the composition of this letter and the issue it concerns. The final version of this letter was dated 30 January 1961 by Oswald, that date was accepted and repeated by the Warren Commission, however it is in error. Oswald refers to his family in the letter, and in January of 1961 he had yet to have met his wife, and had no family. The letter to Robert, written on the same day, bears the correct date.
Oswald returned to the States with his wife and daughter in June of 1962. On the day that he murdered President Kennedy, he also shot John Connally.
Dear Sir,
I wish to call to [sic] your attention to a case about which you may have personal knowledge since you are a resident of Ft. Worth as I am. In November 1959, (an evict) [sic] was well publicated [sic] in the Ft. Worth newspapers concerning a person who had gone to the Soviet Union to reside for a short time (much in the same way E. Hemingway resided in Paris) [no punctuation]
This person, in answers to questions put to him by reporters in Moscow, criticized certain facets of American life, the story was blown up into another turncoat sensation with the result that the Navy department gave this person a belated dishonorable discharge although he had received an honorable discharge after three years service on Sept. 11, 1957 at El Toro Marine Corps base in California [no period]
These are the basic facts of my case.
I have allways [sic] had the full sanction of the U.S. Embassy, Moscow USSR, and hence the U.S. government. In as much as I am returning to the USSR [sic Oswald meant U.S.A.] in this year, with the aid of the U.S. Embassy, bring [sic] with me my family (since I married in the USSR.) I shall employ all means to right this gross mistake or injustice to a bona fied [sic] US citizen and ex service man. The US government has no charge or complaints against me. I ask you to look into this case and take the necessary steps to repair the damage done to me and my family. For information I would direct you to consult the American Embassy, Chikovski St. 19/21, Moscow, USSR.
Thank you
Lee Oswald
Estimate $30,000-35,000


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