Oswald was given a 4.4 rating in both “conduct” and “proficiency” at the Recruit Depot, the highest possible rating being 5.0 and an average rating of 4.0 being required for an honorable discharge.[A13-302] On January 18, 1957, he reported to Camp Pendleton, Calif., for further training and was assigned to “A” Company of the First Battalion, Second Infantry Training Regiment.[A13-303] He was at Pendleton for a little more than 5 weeks, at the end of which he was rated 4.2 in conduct and 4.0 in proficiency.[A13-304] Allen R. Felde, a fellow recruit who was with Oswald at San Diego and Pendleton, has stated that Oswald was generally unpopular and that his company was avoided by the other men.[A13-305] When his squad was given its first weekend leave from Pendleton, all eight men took a cab to Tijuana, Mexico. Oswald left the others and did not rejoin them until it was time to return to camp. Felde said that this practice was repeated on other trips to Los Angeles; Oswald accompanied the men on the bus to and from camp but did not stay with them in the city.[A13-306] On February 27, he went on leave for 2 weeks,[A13-307] during which he may have visited his mother in Fort Worth.[A13-308]
On March 18, he reported to the Naval Air Technical Training Center at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Fla.[A13-309] For the next 6 weeks he attended an Aviation Fundamental School, in which he received basic instruction in his specialty, including such subjects as basic radar theory, map reading, and air traffic control procedures.[A13-310] This course, as well as his next training assignment at Keesler Air Force Base, required Oswald to deal with confidential material.[A13-311] He was granted final clearance up to the “confidential” level on May 3, “after [a] careful check of local records had disclosed no derogatory data.”[A13-312] He completed the course on the same day, ranking 46th in a class of 54 students.[A13-313] On the previous day, he had been promoted to private, first class, effective May 1.[A13-314] At Jacksonville, he received ratings of 4.7 in conduct and 4.5 in proficiency, the highest ratings he ever attained.[A13-315]
Oswald left for Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss., on the day his course was completed;[A13-316] he traveled, probably by overnight train, in a group of six marines led by Pfc. Daniel P. Powers, the senior marine in charge.[A13-317] At Keesler, he attended the Aircraft Control and Warning Operator Course, which included instruction in aircraft surveillance and the use of radar.[A13-318] Powers was not sure whether he had met Oswald before the trip to Biloxi[A13-319] but remembers him there as “a somewhat younger individual, less matured than the other boys,” who “was normally outside the particular group of marines that were in this attachment to Keesler.”[A13-320] (Oswald was in fact 3 years younger than Powers.)[A13-321] Powers testified that Oswald had the nickname “Ozzie Rabbit.”[A13-322] Oswald generally stayed to himself, often reading; he did not play cards or work out in the gym with the others.[A13-323] He spent his weekends alone, away from the base; Powers thought he left Biloxi and perhaps went “home” to New Orleans, less than 100 miles away.[A13-324] He finished the course seventh in a class of 30 marines on June 17,[A13-325] and on June 25, was given an MOS (military occupational specialty) of Aviation Electronics Operator.[A13-326] On June 20, he went on leave,[A13-327] possibly visiting his mother.[A13-328] His ratings at Keesler were 4.2 in conduct and 4.5 in proficiency,[A13-329] which Powers thought was “pretty good.”[A13-330]
On July 9, Oswald reported at the Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro, Calif., near Santa Ana.[A13-331] He was classified as a replacement trainee and attached to the Fourth Replacement Battalion.[A13-332] Six weeks later, on August 22, he departed from San Diego for Yokosuka, Japan, on board the U.S.S. Bexar.[A13-333] Powers testified that while on board, Oswald taught him to play chess, which they played frequently, sometimes for more than 4 hours a day.[A13-334] Like most of the men on board, Oswald read a lot from the books which were available. Powers thought he read “a good type of literature,” remembering in particular Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.”[A13-335]
The Bexar docked at Yokosuka on September 12.[A13-336] Oswald was assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron No. 1 (MACS-1), Marine Air Group 11, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, based at Atsugi, about 20 miles west of Tokyo.[A13-337] Oswald was a radar operator in MACS-1, which had less than 100 men.[A13-338] Its function was to direct aircraft to their targets by radar, communicating with the pilots by radio.[A13-339] The squadron had also the duty of scouting for incoming foreign aircraft, such as straying Russian or Chinese planes, which would be intercepted by American planes.[A13-340]
On October 27, when Oswald opened his locker to remove some gear, a derringer .22 caliber pistol fell to the floor and discharged; the bullet hit him in the left elbow.[A13-341] Paul Edward Murphy, a fellow marine who was in the next cubicle, heard the shot, rushed in, and found Oswald sitting on the locker looking at his arm; without emotion, Oswald said to Murphy, “I believe I shot myself.”[A13-342] He was in the naval hospital at Yokosuka until November 15.[A13-343]
The Judge Advocate General concluded that Oswald had “displayed a certain degree of carelessness or negligence” by storing a loaded revolver in his locker, but that his injury was incurred “in the line of duty” and was not the result “of his own misconduct.”[A13-344] He was, however, charged with possession of an unregistered privately owned weapon in violation of general orders. A court-martial followed on April 11, 1958, when Oswald’s unit returned from maneuvers, and on April 29 he was sentenced to be confined at hard labor for 20 days, to forfeit $25 per month for 2 months, and to be reduced to the grade of private.[A13-345] The confinement was suspended for 6 months, after which that portion of the sentence was to be remitted.[A13-346]
Five days after Oswald left the hospital, MACS-1 embarked aboard the Terrell County, LST 1157, for maneuvers in the Philippine Islands area,[A13-347] According to Powers’ recollection, the squadron was expected to return to Atsugi after maneuvers were completed, but an international crisis developed; since another operation was scheduled for a few months later, the squadron debarked at Cubi Point (Subic Bay) in the Philippines and set up a temporary installation.[A13-348] While he was in the Philippines, Oswald passed a test of eligibility for the rank of corporal;[A13-349] in a semiannual evaluation, however, he was given his lowest ratings thus far: 4.0 in conduct and 3.9 in proficiency.[A13-350] The unit participated in exercises at Corregidor, from which it sailed for Atsugi on March 7, 1958, aboard the U.S.S. Wexford County, LST 1168.[A13-351] The Wexford County reached Atsugi 11 days later.[A13-352]
Oswald was court-martialed a second time on June 27, for using “provoking words” to a noncommissioned officer (a sergeant) on June 20, at the Bluebird Cafe in Yamato, and assaulting the officer by pouring a drink on him.[A13-353] The findings were that Oswald spilled the drink accidentally, but when the sergeant shoved him away, Oswald invited the sergeant outside in insulting language.[A13-354] Oswald admitted that he was rather drunk and had invited the sergeant outside but did not recall insulting him.[A13-355] He was sentenced to be confined at hard labor for 28 days and to forfeit $55;[A13-356] in addition, suspension of the previous sentence of confinement was withdrawn.[A13-357] He was in confinement until August 13.[A13-358] Meanwhile, a previously granted extension of oversea duty was canceled,[A13-359] and he was given ratings of 1.9 in conduct and 3.4 in proficiency.[A13-360]
On September 14, Oswald sailed with his unit for the South China Sea area; the unit was at Ping Tung, North Taiwan on September 30, and returned to Atsugi on October 5.[A13-361] On October 6, he was transferred out of MACS-1 and put on general duty, in anticipation of his return to the United States.[A13-362] He spent several days thereafter in the Atsugi Station Hospital.[A13-363] On October 31, he received his last oversea ratings: 4.0 in both conduct and proficiency.[A13-364]