Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, lived a mysterious life filled with unusual events and circumstances. Here are 10 fascinating facts about Oswald that many people may not know:
1. He was a former Marine nicknamed “Osvaldovich”
Oswald served in the Marines from 1956 to 1959. His fellow Marines gave him the nickname “Osvaldovich” as a play on his last name and the common Russian suffix “-vich”[1].
2. He once tried to commit suicide in Russia
In October 1959, after defecting to the Soviet Union, a distressed Oswald slashed his left wrist in his hotel room bathtub. He was found unconscious by his Intourist guide and taken to a hospital[1].
3. He impersonated a CIA agent
While in Russia, Oswald approached the U.S. embassy in Moscow claiming to be a former Marine who knew classified radar information. He was suspected of being a possible KGB spy impersonating a CIA agent[2].
4. He was arrested in New Orleans for fighting with anti-Castro Cubans
In August 1963, Oswald got into a street brawl with members of an anti-Castro Cuban group. He was arrested for disturbing the peace and spent a night in jail[3].
5. He took a mysterious trip to Mexico City
In September 1963, Oswald traveled to Mexico City and visited both the Cuban and Soviet embassies in attempts to get visas. His full activities there remain unknown[4].
6. He once shot at an ultra-right wing former Army general
In April 1963, Oswald allegedly fired a rifle shot at retired Major General Edwin Walker while he sat at his dining room table. The bullet narrowly missed Walker’s head[3].
7. He was arrested in Dallas for killing a police officer
On November 22nd, 1963, Oswald shot and killed Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit after Tippit stopped him on the street 45 minutes after JFK’s assassination[5].
8. He was a fan of George Orwell’s book 1984
Oswald seemed fascinated by Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984. He would often be seen carrying and reading a copy of it[6].
9. He had a mysterious double life
Oswald lived a double life, spending weekends with his wife and child but living during the week under an assumed name in a Dallas rooming house[6].
10. His mother said he was a government agent
After Oswald’s arrest, his mother Marguerite told reporters that her son was a government agent who was framed for the JFK assassination[4].
[1] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-lee-harvey-oswald/
[2] https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-lee-harvey-oswald/
[3] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lee-Harvey-Oswald
[5] https://www.stageworkshouston.org/single-post/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-lee-harvey-oswald
