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![handle is hein.jfk/jfkarch75471 and id is 1 raw text is: 1 2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
Office Memorandum - UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
TO : Chief, Contact Division,Attn: support (Crowley) OATE. 22 Oct 59
MU :Chief, Detroit Office
FROMt Z. S. Rittenburg, 4leveland Reside t Agent
susJCT: Robert E. Webster
1IW: Crowley-RitteaburL telec.n .f 21 Oct 59, same subject
Travis-Rittenburg telecon of 20 Oct 59, same ru bject
1. on 20 Oct 59, Wor Robert Oachrah of 081 and :.is probablo ftiW e-
vent in Clevoland, , ijor Carrll Ee len, .dropped inito the office of the
Cleveland Resident Agent to ask ut Robert E. Webster. In the absence of
both Rittenburg andC7ohn Hazen, who were out on previ, ily scheduled appoint-
mente, they asked one of the secretaries about the matter but were told by her
that they would have to talk iith Mr. Rittenbug. - Coiran thereupon left the
following questions with the secretary regarding the Rand-Webster case, to
which he- said that high level air force interests wanted an answer. These
questions, telephoned to Bob Travis on the same day, are as follows:
a. Is this office doing anything concerning Webster's- defection?
b. If not, do they contemplate doing anything?
c. What would this office have done if Webster had returned normally?
2. Early on -the 21st, after trying to reach Oochran unsuccessfully on
the afternoon of the 20th to find that his line was busy, Rittenburg tele-
phoned the latter regarding this matter. Rittenburg had a secretary make
notes on the call, unwitting to' Cochran. Cochran's first question, after the-
usual hello, was Do you have the answers to those questions? Rittenburg
informed him, I don't know anything about this man, only what I have ?sad in
the newspapers. He asked, Nothing official? to which Rittenburg reiterated
No, only what I have followed in the press. ochran went on to say teat It
turned out it's not as bad as it looks on the surface. 3e had no access to
classified material. During the conversation Rittenbur; informed Cochran
that he had tried to telephone the previous afternoon, bu'. had found the tel-
ephone busy. Ile also expressed his regret that he had n..t teen in for Oochran's
visit and pointed out that the latter should have telephoned ahead. Rittenburf
said that he was sorry that he coaldn't be of any help 'n the matter, to which
Cochran replied with C'est la vie. Well anything I can da for you? When
told Not at the nement, he stated, If there is, call re, for which Rittenburg
thanked him before saying Good-Bye.
3. It was difficult to 'inderstand why Ooc ran wuuld attetpt to make such
an approach to the Cleveland >ffice, let alone expect answers to such questions
as he put forth.
YRittenb rg~m
File: bbert E. Webster
Major R. Q: -:ran, OSI (USAF) er n.,.
RETURN TO CIA
Background Usk Ony
Do Not ReproduMs
1104-10181-10126]](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.jfk/jfkarch75471&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)