The Released JFK Files and Gary Underhill: A Window into a Persistent Conspiracy
Introduction: The Unveiling of Hidden Truths
On March 18, 2025, the United States National Archives released over 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, fulfilling a long-standing promise by former President Donald Trump to shed light on one of America’s most enduring mysteries. The November 22, 1963, killing of JFK in Dallas, Texas, has fueled decades of speculation, with theories implicating the CIA, the Mafia, the Soviet Union, and even elements within the U.S. government. While mainstream historians and the official Warren Commission report maintain that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, the newly declassified files have reignited debates, particularly surrounding a shadowy figure named Gary Underhill—a man whose life, claims, and mysterious death cast a long shadow over the official narrative.
This article delves into the revelations—or lack thereof—in the latest JFK files concerning Underhill, a former intelligence operative who alleged CIA involvement in Kennedy’s death. We explore his background, his chilling assertions, the circumstances of his demise, and what the documents do (or don’t) say about him, while critically examining the implications for the broader conspiracy landscape.
Gary Underhill: A Man with a Foot in Two Worlds
John Garrett Underhill Jr., known to friends and associates as Gary, was born on August 7, 1915, in Brooklyn, New York, into a family with deep ties to America’s military and intelligence establishment. A Harvard graduate (class of 1937) with a knack for linguistics, Underhill’s pedigree was impeccable—his maternal grandfather, General George Wood Wingate, was a co-founder of the National Rifle Association, and his father was a respected academic. During World War II, Underhill served as a captain in the Military Intelligence Service (G2) from July 1943 to May 1946, earning an Army Commendation Medal for his work in photography, enemy weapons analysis, and technical intelligence. After the war, he transitioned into journalism, becoming a military affairs correspondent for Life magazine, where he reportedly cultivated a vast private collection of Soviet small arms and forged connections with the nascent Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Underhill’s ties to the CIA remain murky. Official records describe him as an “infrequent contact” of the agency’s Domestic Contact Service from 1949 to the mid-1950s, not a formal employee. Yet, his expertise and wartime experience suggest he operated in a liminal space between journalism and espionage—a consultant or informant who moved freely among intelligence circles. This dual identity would later fuel speculation about what he knew and why it might have cost him his life.
The Day After: Panic and a Damning Accusation
The assassination of President Kennedy sent shockwaves through Washington, D.C., and beyond. For Gary Underhill, it appears to have triggered an immediate and visceral reaction. According to accounts from friends—most notably Charlene Fitsimmons—Underhill fled the capital on November 23, 1963, arriving at her Long Island home in a state of profound agitation. There, he allegedly confided a bombshell: Kennedy had been killed by a “small clique” within the CIA, and he feared for his life because “they knew he knew.”
Underhill’s claims, as recounted by Fitsimmons and later detailed in a letter she sent to New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, were specific and alarming. He reportedly said, “Oswald is a patsy. They set him up. It’s too much. The bastards have done something outrageous. They’ve killed the President! I’ve been listening and hearing things. I couldn’t believe they’d get away with it, but they did!” He suggested a link between the assassination and “Executive Action”—a rumored CIA program for covert assassinations—and hinted at a motive tied to illicit activities, possibly gunrunning or drug trafficking in the Far East. Underhill’s panic was palpable; he told Fitsimmons he couldn’t stay in New York and needed to disappear, perhaps leave the country altogether.
These assertions, if true, positioned Underhill as a potential whistleblower with insider knowledge. But who was this “they” he feared? And what evidence did he have to back up his claims?
A Suspicious Death: Suicide or Silencing?
Less than six months later, on May 8, 1964, Gary Underhill was found dead in his Washington, D.C., apartment, a gunshot wound behind his left ear. The coroner ruled it a suicide, but the circumstances raised immediate red flags. Underhill was right-handed, making the location of the wound—an awkward spot for self-infliction—highly unusual. No suicide note was reported, and friends described him as a man under pressure but not despondent. The timing—coming as conspiracy theories about JFK’s death began to gain traction—only deepened the mystery.
Critics of the suicide ruling, including author James DiEugenio in his book Destiny Betrayed, argue that Underhill’s death fits a pattern of convenient “suicides” among those linked to the assassination. His connections to the CIA, however informal, and his outspokenness in the days following November 22, 1963, made him a liability. Was he silenced to prevent further disclosures? The lack of a thorough investigation into his death—standard for the time but glaring in hindsight—leaves the question unresolved.
The JFK Files: What Do They Say About Underhill?
The March 18, 2025, release of over 80,000 pages of JFK assassination records by the National Archives was a long-awaited event for conspiracy researchers, promising new insights into one of history’s most debated killings. For those focused on Gary Underhill, a specific document—CIA memo 104-10170-10145, dated July 19, 1967—offers a rare glimpse into how the agency viewed him, though it stops short of validating his explosive claims about CIA involvement in Kennedy’s death.
This memo, originally classified “SECRET” and addressed to the Chief of the Western Hemisphere Division, responds to a Ramparts magazine article from March 1967 that linked Underhill to the CIA. It confirms several biographical details: Underhill served as a captain in Military Intelligence (G2) from July 1943 to May 1946, earning an Army Commendation Medal for his work; he was a Harvard graduate (class of 1937); and he worked postwar as a military affairs expert for Life magazine. The CIA clarifies that “Mr. UNDERHILL was not an employee of CIA” but acknowledges he was an “infrequent contact” of the Domestic Contact Service from 1949 to 1955 and again in 1957, providing occasional reports based on his travels and expertise. The memo also notes his death on May 8, 1964, officially ruled a suicide by local authorities, with a gunshot wound to the head.
Intriguingly, the document connects Underhill to broader intelligence networks. It mentions his association with Harold R. Isaacs, a former OSS operative and editor linked to a figure named Marilyn Murret—identified as Lee Harvey Oswald’s cousin—though no direct tie to the assassination is established. Another thread involves Underhill’s alleged dealings with Interarmco, a private arms company, suggesting his postwar activities extended into the shadowy world of weapons trading. The memo dismisses Ramparts’ insinuations of deeper CIA involvement, portraying Underhill as a peripheral figure whose suicide ended any potential controversy.
Yet, this document raises as many questions as it answers. It does not address Underhill’s alleged flight from Washington, D.C., on November 23, 1963, nor his claims to friends about a CIA “clique” orchestrating Kennedy’s death. The absence of such references could suggest either that Underhill’s story was unknown to the memo’s authors or that more sensitive records were withheld or destroyed. Broader files from the 2025 release focus heavily on Oswald’s Soviet contacts, Mexico City visits, and the Warren Commission’s lone gunman narrative, with little to corroborate Underhill’s assertions of agency malfeasance. Historians like Kevin Boyle, commenting on NPR, argue the release reinforces the official story, but for skeptics, the Underhill memo’s careful wording and omissions fuel suspicions of a cover-up.
Underhill’s Legacy: A Puzzle Piece in a Larger Conspiracy
Gary Underhill’s tale is a microcosm of the JFK assassination’s enduring enigma. His credentials lent credibility to his claims, yet his lack of hard evidence and untimely death left them in the realm of speculation. Jim Garrison, the Louisiana DA who investigated the assassination in the late 1960s, sought to interview Underhill but was thwarted by his death. In a 1967 Playboy interview, Garrison alluded to a CIA agent with critical information—widely believed to be Underhill—underscoring his significance to early conspiracy probes.
The broader context of Underhill’s allegations aligns with other threads in the JFK tapestry. Kennedy’s fraught relationship with the CIA—stemming from the Bay of Pigs fiasco and his reported desire to “splinter” the agency—has long fueled theories of internal retribution. The declassified files hint at intelligence failures and cover-ups, such as the mismatched photos of Oswald in Mexico City, but stop short of implicating the agency in a plot. Underhill’s reference to a “small clique” suggests a rogue faction rather than official policy—a notion echoed by later whistleblowers like E. Howard Hunt, who claimed on his deathbed that the CIA and Lyndon B. Johnson were involved.
Critical Reflections: What Are We Missing?
The release of the JFK files, while monumental, is not the full disclosure many hoped for. Redactions persist despite Trump’s directive for transparency, and the Underhill story remains a footnote rather than a focal point. This raises critical questions: Were documents related to Underhill withheld or destroyed? Did his death deter others from speaking out? And why does the establishment narrative continue to sidestep figures like him, whose accounts challenge the lone gunman orthodoxy?
For skeptics, Underhill’s fate is a cautionary tale about the perils of knowing too much in a world of shadows. His story—corroborated only by secondhand testimony—lacks the concrete proof needed to shift the official record. Yet, its persistence in the public imagination, amplified by the 2025 file release, underscores a deeper truth: the American public remains unconvinced by the sanitized version of events handed down since 1964.
Conclusion: The Search for Truth Continues
The Gary Underhill saga, as illuminated (or obscured) by the latest JFK files, is a reminder that history is not a monolith but a mosaic of competing narratives. Whether he was a paranoid fantasist or a silenced truth-teller, his life and death encapsulate the unresolved tensions of the Kennedy assassination. The 2025 document drop, while voluminous, leaves as many questions as it answers—about Underhill, the CIA, and the forces that shaped November 22, 1963.
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Call to Action: Support the Pursuit of Truth
For readers of berndpulch.org, this is not the end but a call to action. The files are now public; the tools to analyze them are at hand. Gary Underhill’s voice, faint though it may be, still echoes through the decades, urging us to question, investigate, and refuse to accept the establishment’s word as final. But uncovering the truth requires resources and dedication. If you’re inspired to dive deeper into this and other hidden histories, consider supporting independent research at patreon.com/berndpulch or making a contribution at berndpulch.org/donation. Your support fuels the pursuit of answers in a world where secrets shape destinies. The truth about JFK—and Underhill—remains tantalizingly out of reach, but with your help, it’s not beyond pursuit.
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