Debunking Another JFK Myth - Overnight Mail from Dallas to Chicago

Conspiracy Theorists for years have questioned whether Klein's Sporting Goods received Oswald's Order Coupon mailed from Dallas in one day. Impossible they claim!

Oswald's Klein's Order Coupon and Letter for purchase of Rifle

There are some, not all, Conspiracy Theorists that want to get that Mannlicher Carcano Rifle out of Oswald's hands. From claiming the Backyard Photos were faked, to the big mistake of misidentifying the rife in the Oliver Stone's flop "JFK Revisited" film. See here https://steveroeconsulting.wixsite.com/website/post/jfk-revisited-again-caught-creating-false-mysteries

None of this makes sense of course because the rifle was ordered in March 1963, months before Kennedy would even come to Dallas.

Oswald's Money Order purchased at the General Post Office in Dallas

The evidence strongly suggests that Oswald did indeed order that rifle, and it was used in a failed attempt to kill General Edwin Walker on April 10, 1963. That fact is overlooked or worse, ignored by many casual researchers to this case.

One of the "get the rifle out of Oswald's hands" argument was how quickly Klein's received the money order overnight delivery from Dallas. It's an old claim, and recently Oliver Stone's embattled Screen Writer, James DiEugenio repeated this nonsense here.

James DiEugenio, Education Forum Website

I know some readers are having a big chuckle out this nonsensical claim that it took 5-6 days nowadays to get a letter from Dallas to Chicago. To put it exactly, Mr. DiEugenio is trying to insult our intelligence with this childish statement to equate it back to 1963 postal service.

That brings us to the heart of the matter, could Oswald's letter have mailed from the Dallas General Post Office, reach Klein's Chicago the very next day, in March 1963?

Of course, it did, and here's the evidence.

The City of Dallas in the 1950's and 1960's was undergoing expansive growth with many new business's moving to the Sunbelt region of the South. This put more demand on the Post Office to keep up with the increasing mail demand, not only locally, but nationally. In response to this demand, and to enhance mainly business correspondence, the Dallas Post Office started up a new mail program in 1959, called "Rocket Run", in reference to the burgeoning Space Age era theme.

"Rocket Run" Mail meant if you sent an "air mail" letter before a certain time on a business day, it would reach most major cities in the U.S. the very next day.

Screen Shot of WBAP Film Clip, March 30, 1959

Here's the link to the news clip filmed in Dallas https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1180986/m1/

The "Rocket Run" overnight mail program became so successful, it expanded to other parts of Dallas in area Postal Drop Boxes.

Dallas Morning News, May 31, 1959

So, the big point here, for Mr. DiEugenio and others is yes, Oswald's Klein's Air Mail Money Order did reach Chicago the very next day in March 1963, unless you don't consider Chicago a major city.

Here's other examples how air mail letters could reach major cities.

Lubbock, Texas had Overnight Airmail in 1964, Avalanche Journal, April 1, 1964

Order Coupon in Fort Worth Star Telegram, January 3, 1965

Conclusion

Referencing Mr. DiEugenio's comment (above) the impossibility that a letter from Dallas couldn't reach Chicago, the very next day......

"I really wanted this in the film. Since I thought it was the coup de grace on the segment. Roe has been shown to be wrong again. Which is why he is not here.

Oswald's Klein's letter was sent "Air Mail" and it did indeed show up at Klein's the very next day.

Mr. DiEugenio your "coup de grace" was a shot to your own foot.