Mr. Coleman. Where do you presently reside?
Mr. Chayes. At 3520 Edmunds Street NW., Washington, D.C.
Mr. Coleman. When did you become Legal Adviser to the State Department?
Mr. Chayes. I think I was sworn in on February 7, 1961.
Mr. Coleman. So, therefore, anything that happened with respect to Mr. Oswald prior to that time you had nothing to do with and knew nothing about?
Mr. Chayes. Well, I should say that I never heard the name Lee Harvey Oswald until November 22, 1963, so that neither before nor after the time I became Legal Adviser, before the assassination, did I have any direct knowledge about Oswald, nor do I believe I passed directly on any matters in the case, although there may have been some matters that were considered in my office. I am not sure about that, but I took no personal action in the case.
Mr. Coleman. Since the assassination your office has had occasion to review the various files which were in the State Department dealing with Lee Harvey Oswald, is that correct?
Mr. Chayes. Yes; on November 22, Mr. Ball, the Under Secretary of State, directed me to take in personal charge all the files in the Department that I could find, and to review those files and be prepared with a report for the Secretary the following morning on the general relations of Mr. Oswald and the State Department.
I did take some files, the basic files into my custody at that time, and retained them in my custody, I think, until we sent them to the Commission at the Commission's request. And others than who were working on the matter in the Department had access to the files but had to work in my office on them.
Mr. Coleman. On or about May 28, 1964, you had occasion to reassemble the files and deliver another set to the Commission, is that correct?