Kerry Thornley began writing at the age of fourteen. He sold his first piece of work to a local newspaper when he was nineteen, and sold many short stories, articles, and poems during his life.
Thornley's interest in religion, philosophy, and politics also began early. While attending high school in Whittier, California (home of Richard Nixon), Thornley won a number of public speaking competitions, including the Voice of Democracy competition.
After attending the University of Southern California for one year as a journalism student, he decided to fulfill a two-year active-duty assignment (assumed earlier when he joined the Marine Corps Reserve). He was assigned to El Toro Marine Air Station in Santa Ana, California - where he was to meet Lee Harvey Oswald. Later Thornley served in the Far East, in the First Marine Aircraft Wing, and distinguished himself again as a public speaker on political/philosophical issues, by winning first place in the Wing Technique of Instruction competition. He was therefore sent to Washington, D.C. to appear in the finals.
It was shortly after his return to overseas duty that Thornley read in a newspaper of Oswald's defection to Russia and, as a result, began work on his first novel: "The Idle Warriors," featuring a protagonist modeled after Oswald.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Thornley moved to New Orleans to finish "The Idle Warriors" and to gain background material for future writings. Just a few days after the assassination of JFK, Thornley's book was highlighted in New Orleans newspapers as being a key to understanding the "assassin," Lee Harvey Oswald.
Some researchers have speculated that Thornley may have associated with both Lee and Marina while in New Orleans. There is even the claim that Thornley and Marina were having an affair.
Whatever the truth, there is no doubt that Thornley was "close" to certain assassination players, and that his words on the subject are of historical importance. Perhaps there are even hidden messages within these pages. Thornley claimed, later in life, that he may have been used as a puppet - or secondary "patsy" - by E. Howard Hunt, who supposedly orchestrated some element of the assassination plot.
Following the assassination, Thornley moved to an apartment next to the Pentagon, in Washington, D.C., where he set to work writing this book, "Oswald" - his second book on the man who supposedly shot the president with an old, slow, and inaccurate surplus rifle, shooting through the middle of trees at a moving target.
Thornley's interest in religion, philosophy, and politics also began early. While attending high school in Whittier, California (home of Richard Nixon), Thornley won a number of public speaking competitions, including the Voice of Democracy competition.
After attending the University of Southern California for one year as a journalism student, he decided to fulfill a two-year active-duty assignment (assumed earlier when he joined the Marine Corps Reserve). He was assigned to El Toro Marine Air Station in Santa Ana, California - where he was to meet Lee Harvey Oswald. Later Thornley served in the Far East, in the First Marine Aircraft Wing, and distinguished himself again as a public speaker on political/philosophical issues, by winning first place in the Wing Technique of Instruction competition. He was therefore sent to Washington, D.C. to appear in the finals.
It was shortly after his return to overseas duty that Thornley read in a newspaper of Oswald's defection to Russia and, as a result, began work on his first novel: "The Idle Warriors," featuring a protagonist modeled after Oswald.
After leaving the Marine Corps, Thornley moved to New Orleans to finish "The Idle Warriors" and to gain background material for future writings. Just a few days after the assassination of JFK, Thornley's book was highlighted in New Orleans newspapers as being a key to understanding the "assassin," Lee Harvey Oswald.
Some researchers have speculated that Thornley may have associated with both Lee and Marina while in New Orleans. There is even the claim that Thornley and Marina were having an affair.
Whatever the truth, there is no doubt that Thornley was "close" to certain assassination players, and that his words on the subject are of historical importance. Perhaps there are even hidden messages within these pages. Thornley claimed, later in life, that he may have been used as a puppet - or secondary "patsy" - by E. Howard Hunt, who supposedly orchestrated some element of the assassination plot.
Following the assassination, Thornley moved to an apartment next to the Pentagon, in Washington, D.C., where he set to work writing this book, "Oswald" - his second book on the man who supposedly shot the president with an old, slow, and inaccurate surplus rifle, shooting through the middle of trees at a moving target.
