Marine Corps Enlistment
Oswald enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on October 24, 1956, six days after his seventeenth birthday.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Lee Harvey Oswald Biography and Timeline — Page 2
Follow Lee Harvey Oswald through 351 dated historical records for United States of America.
Lee Harvey Oswald, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
351Distinct records
2 of 9Page
1956–1959Years on this page
1956
Marine Recruit Depot Arrival
Oswald reported to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego on October 26, 1956, for basic training.
Marine Recruit Aptitude Testing
Marine aptitude testing found Lee above average in reading and vocabulary but below average in arithmetic and pattern analysis.
M1 Rifle Sharpshooter Qualification
Oswald scored 212 with the M1 rifle on December 21, 1956, qualifying as a Marine sharpshooter.
Pfisterer Dental Laboratory Employment
Lee worked for several months as a messenger at the Pfisterer Dental Laboratory before moving back to Fort Worth.
1957
Camp Pendleton Infantry Training
Lee reported to Camp Pendleton for further infantry training with A Company, First Battalion, Second Infantry Training Regiment.
Jacksonville Aviation Training
Oswald reported to the Naval Air Technical Training Center at Jacksonville on March 18, 1957, for aviation fundamentals instruction.
Promotion to Private First Class
The Marine Corps promoted Lee to private first class effective May 1, 1957, while he was completing aviation training.
Confidential Security Clearance
Oswald received final clearance to the confidential level on May 3, 1957, after local record checks disclosed no derogatory information.
Jacksonville Aviation Course Completion
Lee completed Aviation Fundamental School in Jacksonville, ranking 46th among 54 students after six weeks of specialized instruction.
Keesler Course Graduation
Lee completed the Keesler radar course on June 17, 1957, ranking seventh in a class of thirty Marines.
Aviation Electronics Operator MOS
The Marine Corps assigned Lee the military occupational specialty of Aviation Electronics Operator on June 25, 1957.
Departure for Japan
Oswald departed from San Diego on August 22, 1957, en route to Yokosuka, Japan, for overseas duty.
USS Bexar Voyage to Japan
Lee departed San Diego aboard the USS Bexar on August 22, 1957, traveling with Marine replacements bound for Japan.
Yokosuka Arrival
The USS Bexar reached Yokosuka on September 12, after which Lee joined Marine Air Control Squadron 1 at Atsugi.
MACS-1 Radar Assignment
After arriving in Japan, Oswald was assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 1 at Atsugi as a radar operator.
Accidental Pistol Wound
A privately owned .22-caliber pistol discharged from Oswald's locker on October 27, 1957, wounding him in the left elbow.
Philippine Maneuvers Deployment
Five days after leaving the hospital, Lee's squadron embarked for military maneuvers in the Philippine Islands.
1958
Return Voyage from Philippines
Lee's unit departed Corregidor aboard the USS Wexford County on March 7, 1958, returning to Atsugi eleven days later.
First Court Martial
Oswald faced a court-martial on April 11, 1958, for possessing an unregistered privately owned weapon in violation of orders.
First Court Martial Sentence
Lee received a sentence including reduction to private and financial forfeitures following his first Marine court-martial.
Bluebird Cafe Incident
A dispute with a Marine sergeant at the Bluebird Cafe led to charges that produced Lee's second court-martial.
Second Court Martial
Oswald was court-martialed a second time on June 27, 1958, after an altercation with a noncommissioned officer.
Court Martial Confinement Ends
Lee remained confined following his second court-martial until August 13, 1958, after earlier suspended confinement was reinstated.
MACS-9 Assignment
Oswald was assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 9 at El Toro on December 22, 1958, and worked with a radar crew.
Corregidor Exercises
While deployed in the Philippines, Lee's Marine unit participated in exercises at Corregidor before returning to Japan.
1959
Russian Language Test
Oswald took a Marine foreign-language qualification test in Russian on February 25, 1959, and received poor ratings in all tested areas.
Private First Class Rank Restored
Lee was promoted again to private first class effective March 1, 1959, after having previously been reduced in rank.
Albert Schweitzer College Application
Lee applied to Albert Schweitzer College in Switzerland for the spring 1960 term, listing philosophy, psychology, ideology, and writing among his interests.
Marine GED Testing
Marine educational testing gave Lee an overall satisfactory rating, with his strongest scores in English composition and physical sciences.
Hardship Discharge Board Recommendation
A Marine hardship board recommended approval of Lee's request for early active-duty release because of his mother's claimed dependency.
Passport Application
Oswald applied for a United States passport on September 4, 1959, while preparing to leave active Marine service.
Release from Active Duty
Oswald was released from active Marine duty on September 11, 1959, and transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve.
European Passage Booking
Oswald booked passage from New Orleans to Le Havre aboard the freighter SS Marion Lykes on September 17, 1959.
Liberty Hotel Registration
Before sailing to Europe, Lee registered at the Liberty Hotel in New Orleans on the evening of September 17.
SS Marion Lykes Departure
The SS Marion Lykes sailed from New Orleans early on September 20, 1959, carrying Oswald as one of four passengers.
Le Havre Arrival
Oswald disembarked at Le Havre on October 8, 1959, and continued his journey toward northern Europe.
Helsinki Arrival
Oswald flew to Helsinki on October 9, 1959, after telling British customs officials that he planned to remain in Britain for a week.
Southampton Customs Declaration
Lee told British customs officials that he planned a week in Britain before attending school in Switzerland, then flew to Helsinki that day.
Soviet Visa Application
Lee probably applied for his Soviet entry visa at the Russian consulate in Helsinki on October 12, the first business day after arrival.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.