</s>1 SL 44-775 HRD/1eh RE: SUSPECT ERNEST SUMPER GAULT AT ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI AT ST ., LOUISS, MISSOURI The following investigation was conducted by SA JACK A. FRENCH, on April 11, 1968. The following Investigation was conductedby SA JACK Mr. LOUS F. CLOVIS, OFFICIAL of the Seafarers Inter- national and inland Boatmen's Union, 805 Delmar, St. Louis, Missouri and Ireland Boatmakers' Union, 505 Delmar. St ., Louis, unions advised that a thorough search of the records of his union failed to disclose any record for an individual named E.S. GAULT, to disclose the record for not acquired with any person by that GLOVIS stated he was not acquainted with any person by what they said. Mr. BARRY WILSON, Official of the National Maritime Union, 2033 North 7th Street, St .- Louis, Missouri, advised that an ERNERT S. GAULT, born in Arkansas, had been employees who was commonly referred to as the FederalBarge Librar- tion, which was commonly referred to to the federalBarge Lorra- in the St.Louis, Missouri area. His records disclose that ERNEST GAULT has Z5959231-01. His residence as of 1953 was indicated as 1911 West 18th Street. North Little Rock, Arkansas. No social security number for him appeared in the file. Mr. WILSTON stated that he was was not acquired within GAULT and had no additional information concerning him. 6 2 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The declassified documents detail military service records, employment histories, personal backgrounds, and legal issues of several individuals, primarily focusing on **James Earl Ray** (1940–1998) and others with potential ties to criminal activities. Key figures include **Jerome Wallis Vernon**, **Ernest Sumter**, and **Jerry Raynes**, whose records span locations such as Missouri, Illinois, California, Texas, and Germany. The documents primarily reflect mid-20th-century U.S. military operations in Europe and domestic investigations into individuals with disciplinary actions or criminal histories. While James Earl Ray is explicitly linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (1968), the records emphasize his prior offenses, including forgery, armed robbery, and probation violations, without direct evidence connecting him to MLK’s assassination. The materials also include FBI numbers, Social Security Numbers (SSNs), and administrative forms, suggesting they were part of federal databases or case files.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Linked to the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., with military service in Germany (U.S. Army, 1946–1948) and disciplinary actions including court-martial for being drunk in quarters and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.  
- **Jerome Wallis Vernon**: Military records show multiple disciplinary issues, including absence without leave, disorderly conduct, and desertion; later served in the U.S. Air Force with a tattooed arm (possibly indicating polygamy).  
- **Ernest Sumter** and **Jerry Raynes**: Mentioned in family or employment contexts, suggesting connections to broader networks but no direct ties to MLK’s assassination.  

Key Locations  
- **Germany**: U.S. military bases where James Earl Ray served.  
- **Missouri, Illinois, California, Texas**: Locations of arrests, residences, and employment for multiple individuals.  

Key Events  
- **1955 Postal Money Order Fraud**: James Earl Ray arrested in Hannibal, Missouri, with Walter Terry Riff for forging postal money orders; used a fake ID to cash stolen funds.  
- **1959 Armed Robbery**: Involved in an armed robbery at a Kroger Grocery store in St. Louis; partner James Owens admitted Ray provided the weapon.  
- **Probation and Conditional Release (1958)**: Released from federal custody, living with his aunt Lucille Ryan in St. Louis; probation officer noted his history as a professional forger.  

Key Organizations  
- **U.S. Army**: Documented military service records of James Earl Ray and others.  
- **FBI**: Mentioned via case numbers and databases tracking individuals with criminal histories.  
- **Local Law Enforcement**: Recorded arrests, convictions, and probation details for multiple subjects.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_161-01-part_3_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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