Session 14

From Pearl Harbor to Dallas: The Amazing Saga of Jim Leavelle

Mr. Leavelle (shown at far left in the photo above) is one of those rare individuals in American history who was an eyewitness and participant in two of the most dramatic historical events of the 20 th century. At Pearl Harbor, he was a storekeeper who manned the guns on the USS Whitney on December 7, 1941. On November 22, 1963, he was a detective interviewing a suspect who was initially accused of murdering a Dallas policeman. The suspect was Lee Harvey Oswald. Jim Leavelle’s dramatic story of Pearl Harbor and the assassination of President Kennedy was a compelling presentation.

 

Speakers: Jim Leavelle, USS Whitney - Mr. Leavelle was a young gunner’s mate aboard the USS Whitney during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served throughout the Pacific War and saw numerous actions. After the war, he became a detective for the Dallas police department. In 1963, he was one of the first to interrogate Lee Harvey Oswald after President Kennedy’s assassination. Mr. Leavelle was handcuffed to Oswald when he was shot by Jack Ruby. The photograph that captured the murder won the Pulitzer Prize.

Jim Levealle at the Waikiki Natatorium

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