Mr. Ely. As you undoubtedly know, Mr. Donovan, we have called you here because we think that you might be able to tell us something about the background of Lee Harvey Oswald, whom I believe you knew when you were both members of the Marine Corps.
Why don't you, in your own words, outline your contact with Oswald, and I will interrupt with questions.
Mr. Donovan. In the spring of 1959, I returned from a tour in Japan. I was assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 9 in Santa Ana, Calif.
Mr. Ely. Excuse me. There is something in these service records that confuses me. Is the installation at Santa Ana separate from the one at El Toro?
Mr. Donovan. It comes under the command of El Toro, but it is, I believe, 5 miles removed.
El Toro is a jet type base. Santa Ana is still known by the title of "LTA" which stands for lighter than air, which stems from the fact that in World War II it was a blimp base. It is now a helicopter base and a radar base.
In that spring, I was the assistant operations officer and the training officer at Marine Air Control Squadron 9, and it is there that I came into contact with Oswald.
Mr. Ely. What was your rank at this time?
Mr. Donovan. First lieutenant.
Our function at that base was to surveil for aircraft, but basically to train both enlisted and officers for later assignment overseas. Some of my fellow officers there had served with Oswald in Japan, and as all ranks, from generals to privates probably do, they discussed their contemporaries and how to get along with them.