TESTIMONY OF THERESA WOOD

The testimony of Theresa Wood was taken at 4 p.m., on April 1 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building, Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Wesley J. Liebeler, assistant counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. LIEBELER. Would you rise and raise your right hand, please. Do you swear that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mrs. WOOD. I do.
Mr. LIEBELER. Please sit down. My name is Wesley J. Liebeler. I am a staff attorney on the President's Commission investigating the assassination of President Kennedy. Mr. Rankin wrote a letter to your husband and your son last week, telling them that he wanted to question them. I have just concluded questioning both of them. I would like to ask you a couple of questions about some points that came up during their statements.
Mr. LIEBELER. Would you state your full name, for the record, please?
Mrs. WOOD My married name?
Mr. LIEBELER. Yes; your married name.
Mrs. WOOD Theresa Wood.
Mr. LIEBELER. You are the wife of Dr. Homer Wood, are you not?
Mrs. WOOD. Yes, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. And the mother of Sterling Charles Wood?
Mrs. WOOD Yes, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you recall that sometime after the assassination of the President, your husband saw a picture of Oswald either in the newspaper or on television and said something to you about it? Do you remember that?
Mrs. WOOD. Yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. Tell me what happened, and the circumstances and what you saw?
Mrs. WOOD He thought he was the same man they saw out at the gun range. In fact, he was sure of it. And he asked Sterling, and Sterling said, "Yes, daddy, it is the same man." And they were very, very sure of it at the time.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now, was Sterling in the room? Did your husband first see Oswald's picture on the television or in the newspapers; do you remember?
Mrs. WOOD. I don't remember exactly. I think it was the newspapers or somewhere. They had three pictures of him. I think it was in the newspapers. Could have been on television.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now, was Sterling there at the time your husband first spoke of this to you?
Mrs. WOOD. No, I don't think so. I think he later asked Sterling.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember whether he asked Sterling, or whether Sterling mentioned it of his own accord without any prompting from his father? Do you remember how that happened?
Mrs. WOOD. No, I don't remember exactly. I know they were both talking about it. They were both pretty sure that he was the man.
Mr. LIEBELER. But you have no recollection at this point that your husband first saw a picture and said to you, now, in substance, that this looked like the man he saw on the rifle range and he wanted to wait and see if Sterling recognized him also, and that he purposely did not mention it to Sterling, but waited to see if Sterling would come forward with the same idea? Do you remember that happening?
Mrs. WOOD. No; my husband was very, very sure. In fact, he was positive. And there was a friend that they met at the range. I think it was the same day. He called him to see if he thought, or if he had recognized Oswald.

398

Mr. LIEBELER. What was that friend's name?
Mrs. WOOD. It was Kenny Longley.
Mr. LIEBELER. You didn't talk to Longley, did you?
Mrs. WOOD. No.
Mr. LIEBELER. Your husband did?
Mrs. WOOD. I think my husband called, but he never did talk to the boy. The boy was in school.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you know if he ever talked to the boy about it afterward?
Mrs. WOOD. I don't think so. Kenney Longley though was a good ways off or something, and I don't know whether he really saw him. According to my husband, he said he could have.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you know of anybody else that was out at the rifle range that your husband or your son knew who might have seen this fellow?
Mrs. WOOD. No.
Mr. LIEBELER. That is about all I wanted to ask you. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

425