JFK

[Kevin G]

This is not the time to forget

[Paul Pless]

cut down in the prime of his life

[Jim Mahan]

Fifty years ago today, I was having my first meal in an Air Force dining hall at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. I was still wearing civvies and still had my conservatively long (fairly short) hippy hair. My first time away from home. I somehow held it together even though on that first afternoon, Thanksgiving Day, inside I was a cold-boiling mess of weak-kneed skinny kid just on the verge of losing it, only knowing I had to make it through six weeks of whatever was next so I could get back home and get married before the baby was born. The three other kids at my four person table, with dining hall turkey dinner on trays, and the dozen or so other such tables with kids also in civvies, still sporting hair, were in stark contrast to the fifty other tables of four new recruits all in the identical OD green fatigues, most with only name tags and USAIRFORCE in blue and white over their shirt pockets, all pounding the food. All of those guys in green with shaved heads, some of whom had visible tracks through the burr of hair left from the barber's thirty second buzz cut on the day they got their green weeny suits and pairs of shiny black boots. Somehow I ate, and wandered outside to have a smoke, just seconds before the TI boomed at us to fall in for the first time before shuffling up to our third floor cinder block barracks that would be our home for our basic training.

Aside from that, I was just nine years old when JFK was shot. We heard the news over the school PA while we were having library time in the morning. We got out early to sit with our moms at home watching the evening national news guys on our black and white TV in the middle of the day.

[CWSmith]

59 years ago today? I had just turned 8 and only half understood what all the tears were about. It was like the world stood still.

[The Ranger]

I was in 6th grade in St. Joseph's School. The principal put the radio on the PA and we heard the news about the murder of President Kennedy. Sster Lucille was sobbing with her head down on her desk. When I got home my mother was sitting in the kitchen weeping and listening to the radio. The following days we watched the news and President Kenneday's funeral. The next time I was energized and believed in a President was when President Obama was elected.

[GregH]

I was a Freshman at Illinois State University, just finishing lunch in my dorm cafeteria. Suddenly a cafeteria worker gal came running out of the kitchen, screaming that the President had been shot! Everyone stopped what they were doing and run up to the TV lounge to watch to news broadcast. I don't think anyone went to their afternoon classes!

[CWSmith]

I've been talking with my relatives and I'm surprised how many people believe there was a conspiracy cover up.

Any opinions?

[leikec]

My late mother’s birthday. I can remember her walking me home from school that day, and I remember that my six-year old brain was trying to understand why she was so upset—one of my first vivid memories.

Jeff C

[ron ll]

I went to the office only to find a note on the door by my boss saying “Closed today because of the President”. Had to go back home and turn on the TV to find out.

[Jimmy W]

Seventh grade, principal's voice over loudspeaker told everyone to go to auditorium, this room, and made the announcement. We were let out of school early. I remember standing in front of building in light rain waiting on grandmother to pick me up. I don't remember why I didn't ride the school bus home or walk to grandmother's house which was just a few blocks away.

Auditorium 02.jpg

[Kevin T]

I've been talking with my relatives and I'm surprised how many people believe there was a conspiracy cover up.

Any opinions?

No opinion on the conspiracy angle, but at the 30 second mark is a great scene with Levon Helm (clearly struggling against the cancer that would eventually quiet his talent) as Mr Rate in the Mark Wahlberg film "Shooter" talking about the JFK conspiracy.

[wizbang 13]

damn that Ted Cruz' father

[LeeG]

First time I saw my mom cry.

[sonofswen]

8th grade. Holy Names Nuns delivered the news. After school I head and saw the impact it had on people. Seeing Jack Ruby shoot Oswald on TV had an immediate impact.

[Jim Bow]

We visited Dallas when the grandkids lived there. There’s an “X” painted on the pavement. Tourists would stand on the X (when traffic allowed) and stare up at Oswald’s window. It’s quite a small area. Our son took us on a tour. There’s a sign where Officer Tippet was killed, the Texas theater where Oswald was arrested, and for $5 you can look into the room that Oswald rented in a rooming house.

But the highlight of the trip was the guard at the School Book Depository. The JFK “museum” was closed. The guard told us, “There ain’t nothin’ up there but Oswald’s wedding ring.”

[ron ll]

The end of Camelot.

[Ralphie Boy]

I've been talking with my relatives and I'm surprised how many people believe there was a conspiracy cover up.

Any opinions?

There is plenty of evidence of a cover-up after the assassination. The question is why? why is it so important that L.H. Oswald acted alone, with no help?

[LeeG]

In MacNamara’s autobiography he described two conversations with JFK then LBJ about the US involvement in Southeast Asia. JFK was having doubts and MacNamara came up with good reasons for downsizing the commitment and how to do it. Then when LBJ came in with a desire to up the war making MacNamara did the opposite. I wonder if JFK woukd have downsized in Vietnam.

[Ralphie Boy]

According to some historians I’ve read NSAM 263 indicated Kennedys change of heart in Vietnam. He intended to withdraw 1000 ‘advisors’ from S. Vietnam by the end of 1963, supposedly as a prelude to complete withdrawal.

https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-vie...342-007-p0006#

This withdrawal order was supposedly immediately countermanded by Johnson after he became president.

[CWSmith]

This withdrawal order was supposedly immediately countermanded by Johnson after he became president.

Johnson did a surprising amount of good for a racist SOB, but he will forever be the man that got us up to our necks in Vietnam with how many dead and nothing to show for it.

[Stiletto]

According to some historians I’ve read NSAM 263 indicated Kennedys change of heart in Vietnam. He intended to withdraw 1000 ‘advisors’ from S. Vietnam by the end of 1963, supposedly as a prelude to complete withdrawal.

https://www.jfklibrary.org/asset-vie...342-007-p0006#

This withdrawal order was supposedly immediately countermanded by Johnson after he became president.

Check out the Oliver Stone movie JFK Revisited. There's some pretty convincing stuff in it!

[Gerarddm]

In the 80s I had to go to Dallas for the first time for a trade show, and our taxi took us right by the Texas Book Depositiory and the grassy knoll. All I felt was immense rage, and I couldn't wait to leave the city.

JFK's killing was a body blow, sure, but it was Bobby's death that killed hope.

[Breakaway]

I was sitting in a shopping cart, in the checkout line at the A and P supermarket on steinway street in Astoria. My mother was food shopping and the news came in the store from the street, where it was being passed like a wildfire of word of mouth.

I dont have this memory. It is family lore.

Kevin


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[skuthorp]

Huh, only one casualty? And not in a school or a bar?