by Jerry Organ
In 1978, Thomas N. Canning, an engineer from the Space Project Division
of NASA, submitted to the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA)
the first scientific trajectory and alignment analysis performed on the
evidence in the assassination of President Kennedy. To hear some critics
of the Warren Commission and HSCA, it would seem Canning's analysis is headed
for the dustbin along with the Select Committee's controversial and ill-fated
acoustics findings.
The graphic above reproduces Canning's published alignment (marked "Figure
11-23") of President John F. Kennedy (to viewer's left; or rear of
car) and Gov. Connally in the Presidential parade car, a "stretch"
1961 Lincoln Continental. Canning's positioning has been reproduced by me
and applied in blue to the large limousine drawing.
How precise is the Canning analysis. Sight-lines (above) were applied to
two motorcade photos: one taken on Main Street and the other a sharp frame
from the Zapruder film capturing the limousine as it went down Elm. At Z189,
Canning's alignment holds precisely.
This confirmed the 1964 Warren Report observation (pg. 105, USGPO):
"It is apparent that President Kennedy was somewhat to
the Governor's right. The President sat on the extreme right, as noted in
the films and by eyewitnesses, while the right edge of the jump seat in
which the Governor sat is six inches from the right door."
Digital design and contents:
(c) Copyright 2004 Jerry Organ.
All rights reserved.
Photographs have individual copyright.
