40 years without JFK

egsantos · November 21, 2003 7:07PM

As homage, the memory that today does 40 years that the world lost that great personality.

Edson

raycyca · November 21, 2003 8:38PM

That's the only person in recent history that we remember the death and not the birthday. Big loss long time ago. Sad to see a fellow Cape Codder and a great man go. Do you remember where you were when you heard the news? We sat and watched the news moment by moment hoping the news was wrong. Just like 911. Unfortunately, history will probably repeat itself, hopefully not anywhere in the near future. Ray

Datentype · November 21, 2003 11:49PM

I still think of Marilyn Monroe, coins and Cuba in that order.

dldallen · November 21, 2003 11:54PM

Mark,

Funny things is when I hear of JFK, I think of Marilyn, Cuba, and a lot of other detractors. Certainly not one of my favorite presidents but nevertheless, he didn't deserve the ending he received. Dave

Datentype · November 22, 2003 12:37AM

In his honor I just found a 1994-P ms68+ Kennedy in a mint set

Cocoinut · November 22, 2003 12:50AM

I remember that Friday very clearly. I lived near Cleveland, OH then, and was in the 9th grade. I had finished a class and was going to the cafeteria for a study hall. There were other kids who were saying that the President had been shot, but nobody had any details. They hooked up the PA system to the radio, and you could've heard a pin drop in a room with over 200 teenagers. We heard that 2 priests had gone to administer last rites, and less than a half hour later came the announcement that Kennedy had died. One kid (whose parents were staunch Republicans) clapped, and the study hall monitor, who was one of the football coaches, picked him up by the collar and would probably have really hurt the kid if another teacher didn't stop him. I had just one more class after that, Civics, and we discussed the possible implications abit, but mostly just continued to listen to the radio.

I got home, and the whole family watched the TV news coverage. The most striking event that evening was when Air Force One arrived in Washington, and a somber looking LBJ gave a short speech. Jackie was still wearing her blood-spattered dress.

For the next 3 days, there was nothing on TV except news of the assassination and its aftermath. The casket was in the Rotunda of the Capitol as thousands of people passed by to pay their last respects. We were getting ready to have dinner on Sunday when - right there on live TV - Ruby shot Oswald. Monday was a national day of mourning. The casket was placed on a horse-drawn caisson, and you could hear the slow beat of drums during the entire 3 or 4 mile trip from the Capitol to Arlington Cemetery. There, at a very simple gravesite, Jackie lit the eternal flame.

Being a packrat, I still have the newspaper from that afternoon.

Jim

Datentype · November 22, 2003 1:07AM

Jakie should have changed her dress into one of Marilyn's hot numbers.

Russ · November 22, 2003 3:04AM

<< <i>Do you remember where you were when you heard the news? >>

I was in 2nd grade at the time. The Principal interrupted the class, called the teacher over to the corner in the front of the room and whispered something in her ear. She started crying, and it seemed an eternity before she pulled herself together enough to tell us what had happened.

The next month was my 8th birthday, and my father took me to the department store and told me I could pick my own present up to $10. I selected Profiles In Courage.

I've been a Conservative since my first real job at 15 years old, (worked on Nixon's campaign at 16), but the death of JFK is still one of the most profound, powerful and vivid memories from my childhood.

Russ, NCNE

Datentype · November 22, 2003 3:17AM

I'm knock knocking Kennedy's assasination with my off the wall comments but i remember John Lennon's slaying as one of my saddest moments.

fcloud · November 23, 2003 12:04AM

In honor of Kennedy, I picked up a nice 1970-D

40 years without JFK

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