S. M. Holland's "Smoke" on the Grassy Knoll

[John Corbett]

    Exactly WHO saw "steam" being emitted by that pipe at around 12:30? If you want proof of "gun smoke", you should also be asking for proof of "steam". Fair Is Fair. I believe the proof regarding the smell of "gunpowder" is far greater than any alleged proof of "gun smoke" or "steam".

The steam/smoke claim has for years been advanced by the conspiracy crowd. I have no idea if it was true or not nor do I care. The reason is that modern ammo emits very little smoke and it dissipates almost immediately. If someone actually saw something, we can safely say it was not a firearm unless the shooter was firing a blunderbuss.

[Royell Storing]

The steam/smoke claim has for years been advanced by the conspiracy crowd. I have no idea if it was true or not nor do I care. The reason is that modern ammo emits very little smoke and it dissipates almost immediately. If someone actually saw something, we can safely say it was not a firearm unless the shooter was firing a blunderbuss.

   Please define what you specifically mean by "modern ammo".
   The "Steam/Cigarette Smoke" claim is usually made as a rebuttal to the "Gun Smoke" claim. To me, this means there was indeed something in the air on the parking lot side of the picket fence. Just looking at him, I personally do not regard Holland as a good "eyeball" witness. Still, he was a real life witness. I have not seen or even read a name attached to this steam pipe going off like a tea kettle at 12:30. I have the feeling that this is just another JFK Assassination Urban Legend. 

[Royell Storing]

   Please define what you specifically mean by "modern ammo".
   The "Steam/Cigarette Smoke" claim is usually made as a rebuttal to the "Gun Smoke" claim. To me, this means there was indeed something in the air on the parking lot side of the picket fence. Just looking at him, I personally do not regard Holland as a good "eyeball" witness. Still, he was a real life witness. I have not seen or even read a name attached to this steam pipe going off like a tea kettle at 12:30. I have the feeling that this is just another JFK Assassination Urban Legend.

[Royell Storing]

   Please define what you specifically mean by "modern ammo".
   The "Steam/Cigarette Smoke" claim is usually made as a rebuttal to the "Gun Smoke" claim. To me, this means there was indeed something in the air on the parking lot side of the picket fence.
   Just looking at him, I personally do not regard Holland as a good "eyeball" witness. Still, he was a real life witness. I have not seen or even read a name attached to this steam pipe going off like a tea kettle at 12:30. I have the feeling that this is just another JFK Assassination Urban Legend.

[Michael T. Griffith]

This seems awfully nitpicky. The Wiegman film shows a puff of smoke hanging over some of the trees on the knoll. The fact that Holland wasn't certain which shot corresponded to the puff of smoke does not change the fact that he said he saw a puff of smoke on the knoll, especially given that other witnesses also said they saw a puff of smoke. The smoke could not have come from the steam pipes because they were too far away, nor could it have come from the moving patrol bikes.

Plus, a number of witnesses in the motorcade and on the knoll said they smelled the pungent odor of gunpowder near/on the grassy knoll.

[Royell Storing]

This seems awfully nitpicky. The Wiegman film shows a puff of smoke hanging over some of the trees on the knoll. The fact that Holland wasn't certain which shot corresponded to the puff of smoke does not change the fact that he said he saw a puff of smoke on the knoll, especially given that other witnesses also said they saw a puff of smoke. The smoke could not have come from the steam pipes because they were too far away, nor could it have come from the moving patrol bikes.

Plus, a number of witnesses in the motorcade and on the knoll said they smelled the pungent odor of gunpowder near/on the grassy knoll.

   I am aware of only Holland and other railroad employees that were standing near him reporting "smoke" above the picket fence. This report of "smoke" could have been more of a "consensus opinion" after they huddled up and discussed things following the kill shot. This discussion would have been after they ventured inside the parking lot as a "group". They acted as a group when they went into the parking lot. I believe the "smoke" stuff is in line with "group think" too.   

[John Corbett]

   Please define what you specifically mean by "modern ammo".
   The "Steam/Cigarette Smoke" claim is usually made as a rebuttal to the "Gun Smoke" claim. To me, this means there was indeed something in the air on the parking lot side of the picket fence. Just looking at him, I personally do not regard Holland as a good "eyeball" witness. Still, he was a real life witness. I have not seen or even read a name attached to this steam pipe going off like a tea kettle at 12:30. I have the feeling that this is just another JFK Assassination Urban Legend.

Why would anyone who believes the conclusions of WC need a rebuttal to something as irrelevant as whether there was steam or smoke coming from the area of the picket fence. We really don't care whether it was steam, smoke, or non-existent. We can safely say it wasn't gun smoke because that wouldn't have been seen by anyone watching the motorcade. By the time anyone turned their head in the direction of the GK, gun smoke would have dissipated.

[John Corbett]

Why would anyone who believes the conclusions of WC need a rebuttal to something as irrelevant as whether there was steam or smoke coming from the area of the picket fence. We really don't care whether it was steam, smoke, or non-existent. We can safely say it wasn't gun smoke because that wouldn't have been seen by anyone watching the motorcade. By the time anyone turned their head in the direction of the GK, gun smoke would have dissipated.

Must have been group think too that none of them saw a gunman behind the picket fence.

There is no credible evidence of a gunman behind the picket fence or anywhere else other than the southeast corner window on the 6th floor of the TSBD.