Jfk

[jblum315]

I just realized that Nov. 21 will be the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. Does that make me feel old or what?

[conn630]

I believe the 22nd.

[Patty55]

It seems like it was yesterday.

[buggyone]

It seems like it was yesterday.

No, yesterday was October 9.

[John95019]

Lol

[Carl in Tampa]

President Kennedy was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.

On the preceding Monday, November 18th he visited Tampa, Florida, where I was working as a Deputy Sheriff.

Among his stops that day was the Ft. Homer Hesterly, Florida National Guard Headquarters. I was initially assigned to provide security at the door where the Presidential motorcade arrived. Once the dignitaries had moved inside I was replaced at that post by a Secret Service agent.

The agent in charge of the site told me he had another assignment for me. Eager to be of assistance I was more than ready.

Imagine my reaction when I was told that I was to guard the door to the mens restroom. But my reaction changed quickly when I was told that the President was inside and I was not to allow anyone else to enter.

A short time later President Kennedy emerged, smiled and nodded to me and said, "Thanks" and proceeded on stage to make a speech.

Being at leisure at that point I walked out to the motorcade cars and looked over the limousine and follow up cars.

Little did I know at the time that I would be recruited by the Secret Service and 18 months later I would be a Secret Service Agent.

:)

[redwitch]

I think it ended our innocence more than any other event. He may not have been the greatest president we've ever had but his charisma overshadowed a lot of shortcomings. And it does seem like yesterday, regardless of today's date.

[Scouty]

I was a junior in high school in shorthand class getting ready to go to typing class when our principle announced on the PA system that the president had been shot. When we got to typing class (which next door) they announced he had died. It was such a traumatic event. Whether he was a good president or not, makes no difference. He was the president of the United States. I know, as a teenager, I was devastated and glued to the TV through out the next week. I will never forget.
Maybe others can tell us what and where they were at that moment

[Shimpy]

It does make me feel old remembering being in the Navy at the time going to school in Bainbridge Md.

[ijusluvit]

Fifty years ago. My guess is everyone reading this has a vivid mental picture of exactly where they were, who was there, etc. when they heard the news.

[manaboutown]

I was walking back to my fraternity house after a class. A couple of coeds were who were crying were walking toward me on the same walkway. They were both crying and I asked them why. They told me the president had just been shot. I hurried to my fraternity house and watched the news on TV the rest of the day. It had a HUGE impact on the whole world.

[Shimpy]

Little did I know at the time that I would be recruited by the Secret Service and 18 months later I would be a Secret Service Agent.

:)
Quite a story Carl. I'd love to sit down with you someday and hear your experiences. The Secret Srvc. has always interested me.

[John_W]

President Kennedy was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.

On the preceding Monday, November 18th he visited Tampa, Florida, where I was working as a Deputy Sheriff.

Among his stops that day was the Ft. Homer Hesterly, Florida National Guard Headquarters. I was initially assigned to provide security at the door where the Presidential motorcade arrived. Once the dignitaries had moved inside I was replaced at that post by a Secret Service agent.

The agent in charge of the site told me he had another assignment for me. Eager to be of assistance I was more than ready.

Imagine my reaction when I was told that I was to guard the door to the mens restroom. But my reaction changed quickly when I was told that the President was inside and I was not to allow anyone else to enter.

A short time later President Kennedy emerged, smiled and nodded to me and said, "Thanks" and proceeded on stage to make a speech.

Being at leisure at that point I walked out to the motorcade cars and looked over the limousine and follow up cars.

Little did I know at the time that I would be recruited by the Secret Service and 18 months later I would be a Secret Service Agent.

:)

That's a great story. I was across the bay in St. Petersburg. A 13 year old at Southside Jr. High and we had just come in from PE and were taking showers in the gym when the coach told everyone the President had been shot. The closest I came to your story was 7 years later in basic training at Ft. Polk, LA they recruited me for 'White House Communications'. I turned it down to remain with my enlistment choice of air traffic controller.

[Cobh521]

I was 6 years old and in school at the time. The nuns were crying when they told us and we were all dismissed. When I got home, my Mom was watching the tv and crying. She explained what happened by telling me that Caroline and John John's dad was in Heaven.

[asianthree]

we were sent home from school..and my dad came home from work..it was the first time that our tv was on from the start of the funeral to the end.. we were allowed to watch tv only on sunday evenings to watch disney.. so very confusing for a 9 year old watching the same picture on the tv for hours..while my parents both shed tears

[Carl in Tampa]

Quite a story Carl. I'd love to sit down with you someday and hear your experiences. The Secret Srvc. has always interested me.

Perhaps we can do it some time in the future. Right now I'm in a very intensive rehab program trying to recover the ability to walk after going through major spine surgery.

Send me a Private Message sometime and we will look at doing something in the future.

.

[Taltarzac725]

November 22, 1963: Death of the President - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum (http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx)

[Schaumburger]

President Kennedy was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.

On the preceding Monday, November 18th he visited Tampa, Florida, where I was working as a Deputy Sheriff.

Among his stops that day was the Ft. Homer Hesterly, Florida National Guard Headquarters. I was initially assigned to provide security at the door where the Presidential motorcade arrived. Once the dignitaries had moved inside I was replaced at that post by a Secret Service agent.

The agent in charge of the site told me he had another assignment for me. Eager to be of assistance I was more than ready.

Imagine my reaction when I was told that I was to guard the door to the mens restroom. But my reaction changed quickly when I was told that the President was inside and I was not to allow anyone else to enter.

A short time later President Kennedy emerged, smiled and nodded to me and said, "Thanks" and proceeded on stage to make a speech.

Being at leisure at that point I walked out to the motorcade cars and looked over the limousine and follow up cars.

Little did I know at the time that I would be recruited by the Secret Service and 18 months later I would be a Secret Service Agent.

:)

Carl, Have you ever considered writing your memoirs? It would be a fascinating read -- IMHO.

[Carl in Tampa]

That's a great story. I was across the bay in St. Petersburg. A 13 year old at Southside Jr. High and we had just come in from PE and were taking showers in the gym when the coach told everyone the President had been shot. The closest I came to your story was 7 years later in basic training at Ft. Polk, LA they recruited me for 'White House Communications'. I turned it down to remain with my enlistment choice of air traffic controller.

I traveled the world over with White House Communications Agency (WHCA) people. They were very supportive and great to work with.

Your enlistment choice of air traffic controller would appear to be a path to a better paying civilian job than most of the WHCA specialties, which included telephony, radio operations, crypto communications and electronics. Of course it always looks good on your resume to have had the security clearance to work in the White House.

As a guy who used to fly light aircraft, I remember the old saying:

"Air Traffic Controllers tell pilots where to go."

:1rotfl:

[Schaumburger]

I was 6 years old and in school at the time. The nuns were crying when they told us and we were all dismissed. When I got home, my Mom was watching the tv and crying. She explained what happened by telling me that Caroline and John John's dad was in Heaven.

I was just three years old, just a little bit older than John John. I remember watching the funeral on TV and my mom crying. I didn't understand why my mom was upset or why we were watching this on TV.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is facing a difficult day next month. Lucky for her she has her husband and children to get her through this. And this is not a political comment or reference.

[Carl in Tampa]

Carl, Have you ever considered writing your memoirs? It would be a fascinating read -- IMHO.

I wish I had done it years ago.

What I'm actually doing now is reacting to things people say to me on Facebook and by personal e-mail with little vignettes and then saving the stories to my computer with the idea of perhaps organizing them later.

At the very least I will leave some things for my children and grandchildren to read about what I did during my career.

---------------------

Actually, what I did as a deputy sheriff, both before and after my Secret Service career, was some of the really exciting stuff, including gunfights and hostage negotiations. The good old days.........

.

[donb9006]

And everything relating to his death remains sealed...

[Carl in Tampa]

And everything relating to his death remains sealed...

Not really. The National Archives states:

It is a common misconception that the records relating to the assassination of President Kennedy are in some way sealed. In fact, the records are largely open and available to the research community here at the National Archives at College Park in the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Record Collection.

They also say:

In addition, according to Section 5(g)(2)(D) of the (Kennedy) Act, all records in the Kennedy Collection will be opened by 2017 unless certified as justifiably closed by the President of the United States.

There is a long list of information on the Archives website, including the current location of the assassination car.

Take a look at Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/faqs.html#sealed)

:read::read::read:

[donb9006]

Not really. The National Archives states:

It is a common misconception that the records relating to the assassination of President Kennedy are in some way sealed. In fact, the records are largely open and available to the research community here at the National Archives at College Park in the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Record Collection.

They also say:

In addition, according to Section 5(g)(2)(D) of the (Kennedy) Act, all records in the Kennedy Collection will be opened by 2017 unless certified as justifiably closed by the President of the United States.

There is a long list of information on the Archives website, including the current location of the assassination car.

Take a look at Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/faqs.html#sealed)

:read::read::read:

OK...poor word choice...anything that matters is sealed. And will remain sealed by the next president.