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"They
got out of the cars and said that WKIC radio had
announced that President Kennedy had been
shot." --John Graves
"I
was in 'study hall' in the library at Hazard
High School when Mrs. Caudill told us the
President had been shot." --Larry
Sizemore
"Mr.
McIntyre, our principal, announced on the
intercom that the President had been
assassinated. We then stood for the
National Anthem." --Teddy
"I
remember being in Mrs. Whitehead's fifth grad
class and Mrs. Combs from across the street ran
over to tell us." -- Joe Eversole, New
York, NY
"Miss
Cecil came back to the room crying and made the
announcement that President Kennedy had been
shot and killed in Dallas, Texas." --Bob
Gay, St. Petersburg, FL
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"I was in 5th grade at Chavies Elementary. I was
in Drucilla Davidson class pretending to study history,
but really reading a library book. when the janitor,
Hale Bowling, came in and told us. I remember kind of
being in shock. I couldn't believe someone would really
kill the president of the United States. It was a really
sad day." Mary Engle, Lost Creek, KY
"My Sister and I, were at home with a babysitter,
while Mom and Dad were in Lexington. I remember watching
the funeral on TV, even though I was only six years old,
I remember it well. They called off school and we stayed
home and watched the funeral on TV. It was a very solemn
moment for a six year old. So many people were crying
and so much sadness. I was in the first grade at
Walkertown in Mrs. Clay Sampsells' room. We got our 'Weekly
Reader', a little weekly newspaper that school kids got
back then and President Kennedy's picture was on the
cover. I still have that 'Weekly Reader' and it still
brings back the sad memories of that time!" John
Earl Goff, Jr.,
Walkertown, KY
"I was in my English class at Dilce Combs
Memorial High School. We had just left class and kids
were shouting the president has been shot but I thought
they were talking about a class or history. Sad to say,
it was a terrible tragedy. Our beloved president had
been killed. We were all so sad and were even were off
school, to pay tribute to our fallen president. It was a
very sad time. I will never forget it. I was
sixteen years of age." Emma Deaton Lentz.
"I was in class at the Hazard Business College
on Main Street when President Kennedy was assassinated
on November 22, 1963." Janice Bentley Slone, St.
Marys, OH
"I was in 7th grade & walking home to our
house in the camp from Livingston grade school in
Leatherwood, KY." Dave, near Cincinnati, OH
"I was 12 years old attending 7th Grade in Jeff
at the back of John D. Adams store. Our school, Viper Elementary,
had burned down a year earlier. Mrs. Brashear was interrupted
by the Principle and when she came back into the
classroom, she had tears in her eyes and told us someone
shot the President in Texas. We were all stunned and
remained silent the rest of the day. It was tragic for
young children that day as well as for the rest of
America." Garland Hill, Pensacola, Florida
"I was sitting in Mr. Cornett's biology class at
Carr Creek High School when Mr. Morton Combs came on the
intercom and told us the President had been shot.
A few minutes later he came back on with the news that
the President was dead. When classes changed for
the next period, there was no talking in the halls.
The only sound that could be heard was the students
walking upstairs to their next classes."
Rebecca Campbell Christmas, Russellville, KY Rebeccachristmas@msn.com
"The very first news of the assassination came
through booth '13' in the language lab of Hazard High
School. Booth 13 mysteriously picked up the news from
WKIC." Dorothy Pendleton, Houston,
Texas deejayess23@msn.com
"I was a Junior at M.C. Napier High School in
Mrs. Eversole's English class when our principal Paul
Colwell came on the intercom & announced our
president had been shot. I don't think I will ever
forget those next few days. I watched on TV when Oswald
was shot. It was a sad time in our country." Ruth
New, Kings Mountain, Ky newruth566@aol.com
"I remember sitting in Edda K. Smith's history
class at M.C. Napier High School, when she came in the
room and announced that President J.F.K. had been shot.
The class immediately became somber and silent."
Johnny Lawson, Columbus, In. flawson@bcremc.net
"I was in the 7th grade at R.G. Eversole School.
Two girls were in the library doing some research. One
had a radio playing and she heard the news. They came
back to the room and told the teacher. The next thing we
knew there was an announcement on the intercom and they
played the National Anthem. I just couldn't imagine why
anyone would have wanted to kill our President."
General Hardigree, Cincinnati, Ohio TEDDY20@msn.com
"I was changing classes, on my way to home room
in Ms. Barnett's English class at M. C. Napier when the
announcement was made by Mr. Colwell, the
Principal." Harold Cornett, Nicholasville, KY
haroldc@bgenergy.com
"This was a very sad day for all of us. It
is etched in our minds just as 9/11 is today. I had a
two year old son at home and I remember it was such a
beautiful fall day. My son and I were playing together
and having such a good time when my next door neighbor ,
Mrs. C. H. Combs came to the fence with the news. We
just stood there then with disbelief. Then we went
inside and followed the events on TV. I remember
thinking, is this true? This was the second
president I heard his death announced, That was Franklin
D, Roosevelt. I was going to a class at Centre College
when I heard that announcement. Now Another
president died while in office. This just can't be so.
It was!" Elizabeth Snyder Duncan, Hazard, Ky
elilsduncan2@yahoo.com
"I had left Squabble Creek and Buckhorn to join
the Marines and see the world and having survived the
Cuban Missile Crisis and recently returned from a six
month deployment to the Mediterranean, while serving in
the 2nd.Armored Amphibian Assault Bn. at Courthouse Bay,
Camp Lejeune North Carolina, a group of us were sitting
in the Rec. Room in the barracks when the announcer came
on and said the President had been shot in Dallas,
Texas...it was subsequently announced that he had died
and then we watched in amazement as Oswald was shot by
Jack Ruby while in custody of the Dallas Police Dept.
then Johnson became President and we went to War in
Vietnam and the rest is history so to speak."
Jackson Spurlock, Vandalia, Ohio usmc1962@aol.com
"I was a second grader at Robinson Elementary,
enjoying afternoon recess out on the playground next to
Cleon Smith's property. We were shooting marbles
out of a ring scratched in the dirt not far off the bank
of Troublesome Creek, me, Pete Noble and Greg
Grigsby. A couple of girls, Hilda Godsey and Janet
Stacy, were watching. Mrs. Lena Mae Landrum, our
teacher, came rushing over thru the bright
sunlight. She told us to come inside, 'the
president has been shot!' I was stunned for a
moment and threw away half of my fudge cycle. Riding
home that afternoon in my father's green station wagon,
we didn't say a word as Ernest Sparkman broadcast the
sad news of a gloomy day on the radio."
Robert Dean Cornett, Dwarf, KY cornet1@tgtel.com
"I attended Robinson from 1960 to 1968. A crystal clear memory:
November 22, 1963. The Robinson basketball team returned from a game (at Lost
Creek, I seem to recall) just as all the other kids were waiting on the buses to
go home. They got out of the cars and said that WKIC radio had announced that
President Kennedy had been shot. I didn't believe it, but when I got home my
grandfather was watching a live broadcast on TV." John Graves
"I was sitting on the front porch with my mom, dad
and other family on Grapevine when we heard on the radio about Kennedy's death. I
was 16 years old. I'm 56 now and live in Cleveland, Ohio." Earl
Edward Noble
"I was in I.F. Burke's drafting class at the
Hazard Vocational Technical School. Mr. Burke came in
and told us President Kennedy had been shot and was
dead. I remember that Mr. Burke was crying." Bob
Byrge, Hazard, KY
"I was in Mr. Ford's typing class in my senior year
at Hazard High School. Rhema Mitchell was substituting and a girl came around with a
note. Mrs. Mitchell read the note herself, then read it to us: 'President
Kennedy has been shot while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas.' We all stopped
what we were doing, put the covers on the typewriters, and just sat there. A few
minutes later, the girl came back with the note that the President was dead. Without
being dismissed, we just got up and left the classroom. Everyone in school left
before the bell rang. I can remember crying as I left the basement floor and Coach _
_ _ _ _ was standing at the base of the steps laughing at us. I told him to 'Go to _
_ _,' and walked on by him. As seniors in high school, we were awakened to a world
around us that was not as stable as we had been brought up to believe. We were no
longer protected by the confines of our mountain home." Christina Taulbee
DeLaigle
"I vividly remember the day our outstanding
president John F. Kennedy was gunned down. I had a
son that was three months old. We lived with my
mother-in-law at the time. She owned a TV set,
which my widowed mother did not, otherwise I would not
have been able to see the scene on national TV.
That was one of the most disturbing tragedies in my life
time. We were devoted to the Kennedy clan and felt
that they were part of our lives. I recently ran
into Rory Kennedy at our local school where I am
currently teaching. I chatted with her and invited
her to come into the classroom and I introduced her to
the children. She was so down to earth and asked
the children what their goals were in life. That
was a very bleak period in our life when we lost our
beloved president and the memories still linger with me.
My son is thirty eight years old and I am sorry that he
will never get to see and hear the wonderful things he
did for our country." Mahala Ruth Napier,
Chavies, KY ruthmaha@peoplepc.com
"I remember playing basketball for M.C. Napier on November 22, 1963
in the Leatherwood Invitational Tournament. This was the night JFK was
assassinated. Does anyone else remember being at that game?"
David C.
"I was in 'study hall' in the Library at Hazard High School when Mrs.
Caudill told us the President had been shot. She turned on the radio and we
heard that he was dead. School was dismissed at that time." Larry
Sizemore
"I was at Chavies Elementary School, Chavies,
Ky. Our school janitor, Hale Bowling, came to our
door and announced our President had been shot and
killed in Dallas, Texas. I was in third grade."
Judy Bishop Harden, Chapmanville, WV sir_moses513@yahoo.com
"I was in Coach Carey's 2 PM Trig Class. We were about to take a test when
we got the news from our Principal, Mr. Stringer, over the PA system. I was a junior
at HHS. I believe school was dismissed by 3 PM, and everyone just left in shock.
This was long before schools had counselors that they now send in to help students
and teachers in their shock and disbelief." George Pendleton, Houston, Texas
GPBUICK@AOL.COM
"I remember that day very well. I was in school at Roy G. Eversole Elementary.
I was in Mrs. Heath's 5th Grade homeroom class. As I remember someone came to the
door to give her a message and she immediately left the room. She returned a few
minutes later, and Mr. McIntyre, our principal, announced on the intercom that the President had been
assassinated! We then
stood for the National Anthem. It was the saddest time I had remembered in my young life. I
think it was a sad time for everyone that day." Teddy teddyh@earthlink.net
"I grew up on Lotts Creek and was attending the very first 'UK Forestry
and Wood Tech. School' at little Buckhorn and Jackson. I was riding in an
automobile in the city of Jackson when the news of the President being shot came
over the car radio....even to an 18 year old it was shocking and unbelievable."
Marvin "Sammy" Smith, Daytona Beach, Florida
"I remember I was about to sit down and have my lunch when my parents were
watching TV. A special news break came on TV and I ran into the living
room and the news announced that John F. Kennedy was shot and I started crying."
Collins, Hazard, KY
"I was in the 6th grade at Chavies Elementary. When Mrs. Drucilla
Davidson came in and told us the President had been shot and killed. We
were all so upset." Anonymous
"I was in the 1st grade at Krypton Elementary school. I remember Mr. McIntosh, the
principal coming in and saying 'President Kennedy has been shot in Texas...he is dead.'
I will always remember his face as he told us that dreadful news."
Anonymous
"I
remember being in Mrs. Whitehead's fifth grade class and
Mrs. Combs from across the street ran over to tell
us. Everyone seemed to be in shock and we were
sent outside for a 'recess' period. We were
re-enacting the scene in Dallas on the
playground." Joe Eversole New York,
NY jce1@nyu.edu
"On November 22, 1963, I was eight years old in Mrs. Cecile's third grade class
at Walkertown Elementary School. The principle came over the intercom and summoned
all Teachers to his office. A short time later Ms. Cecile came back to the room
crying and made the announcement that President Kennedy had been shot and killed
in Dallas, Texas. That is my memory of that fateful day in American
history." Bob Gay, St. Petersburg, FL
"When I was a junior at Eastern in Richmond and was going from a psychology
class back to my dorm when I passed a weird girl carrying a loud portable radio
(imagine that!). She wasn't very well liked... and at the time, I
thought she was just being her usual weird self. It was just before noon.
And when I returned to the dorm, I found out the news on the one TV set in a
dorm for 200 girls. The really bad thing about it was that I had band
practice at 4:00. We were having our final practice for the next day's
half-time show at a football game. That was a difficult practice and
Saturday's game was called off later." Alice Jane Hall, Hazard, KY
"I was a Freshman at U.K. I was walking
through the student center, going to shoot a game of
pool. A friend I met on the way said the President
was shot. We gathered around a TV and soon learned
President Kennedy had died. I remember watching
live coverage at the Dallas Police Dept. when Jack Ruby
shot Oswald. We were off from school for the
funeral. I came home and watched everything on TV.
Much later (in 1975) I visited the Kennedy graves
in Arlington." Robert Murphy, Menifee County rlmurphy@mrtc.com
"I'll never forget that terrible day. I was in
choir class at school. We had just gotten to the room
& taken our seats. We were going to practice for our
Thanksgiving Concert when the announcement came over the
PA system that the President had been shot & we were
being dismissed early. The whole class was so quiet it
was unbelievable, then the girls started crying &
everyone just got up & went to our lockers & got
ready to leave. The ride home on the bus was the
quietest I've ever experienced. The next few days were
just as bad. We watched the TV non-stop & all I can
remember doing was crying. I was 14 then & life
seemed like it would go on forever, but when I realized
how young the President was I then realized how short
life really is. To this day I cry when the anniversary
comes around." Ellen (Vale) Black,
Temperance, Michigan elblack@msn.com
"I was in Hazard on that day with Oda and Glenna Bentley. I went
to the dentist that day." Thelma J Bentley, Middletown, Ohio
jbentley@infinet.com
"I was just 18 years old and was in the local Draft Board Office in Hazard talking to
Juanita Sheegog about my draft status when the phone rang. I heard her say "What? The
President shot? The Governor of Texas and then she looked up at me and said 'President Kennedy's been shot.' I ran down the steps and the U. S. Army
Recruiter was standing by the door of his office (directly under the draft board on high
street) and I told him that the President had been shot. I don't remember the recruiter's
name but we all (young ones) called him 'Bilko.' I then went to main
street and to the Royal Bar where the television was on and they had just begun coverage
of the shooting. I walked and ran home to Laurel Street shouting at my dad that
President Kennedy had been shot. My dad and I watched TV and very shortly
Walter Cronkite made the announcement that President Kennedy was dead. I
will never forget the 'empty and helpless feeling' I had at that moment or what
would happen over the next few days." Richard "Big Dipper" Blount, Hazard, Kentucky
"I was too young to really know what was going on. But I can remember my mom crying
when she heard the news. I can also remember the somber days that followed. It almost
seemed as if the sun refused to shine. A mourning nation was drawn together in a way that
hasn't been seen since."
Leo, Hazard, KY
"I had returned from Indianapolis, Indiana &
was drawing workers comp. I was eating 2 hot dogs at the
Royal Bar in Hazard. I think J.E. Combs was one of
the workers or owners at that time. It was a sad
time." Charles Gross, New Port Richey, FL.
"We were all in Mr. Pearl's English class at
Leslie County High School in Hyden Ky. when news was
brought to us by Mr. Rush that the president had
been shot. It was much later in the day before it was
confirmed he was dead." Billy Don Caudill, Apache
Ok bdonco@tds.net
"I was 9 Years old and I lived in Saul, Ky. I
remember being at school when the news came by word of
mouth and the teacher was so torn up that she sent us
home where the whole holler was totally devastated by
the death of John F. Kennedy." Ronald Barger,
Austin, Indiana
"I was in Mr. Lionel Duff's class at Decoy Elementary
school in Decoy, Ky., it sure was a sad day, he was a
much loved president." Evelyn Trusty in Indiana littleangel@skyenet.net
"I was on Lick Branch hollow at Tuson Herald's house. I remember
it just like it was yesterday." James Hughes, Fort Wayne, IN
"I was on a trip with my Aunt Anna Laura at
Jenny Wiley State Park in Prestonsburg, Ky. and when we
heard the news we spent the whole day in the room
watching TV." Martha Ann Garnett, Nashville,
TN mlamb1@mindspring.com
"I was a sophomore at Madison High School in
Richmond, KY. It was lunchtime and I was with my
friends on Main Street hanging out like we always did at
lunch. I heard the news that the President had
been shot from someone on the street. I remember
thinking; it's the President, he will be OK, because he
will have the best doctors in the world taking care of
him. At that time, I couldn't imagine that getting
shot would kill him. When we got back to school after
lunch, we were in Mrs. Brown's English class. Then the
announcement came over the school P.A. System.
President Kennedy is dead! I went into a state of
shock. I remember the girls crying. They let
us all go home. All the way home I was afraid that
something terrible was going to happen to our country. I
envisioned that the Russians were behind it and was very
fearful that the bombs, which we all heard so much about
in those days, would soon be falling. Yes, I still
remember that day, just like it was something that
happened last week. I will never forget that day."
Bill Hafley, Cape Canaveral, Florida.
"I was only 4 years old and only have faint
memories of President Kennedy's funeral. I was at
home in Mayfield, KY with my mother the day the
President was shot." Steve Dowdy, Nashville, TN stevedowdy@yahoo.com
"I first hear about the Pres. I was working on a
typewriter at the G.M.A.C. Office." Harold
Lloyd Baker, Modesto, Ca. Bakerenna@AOL.com
"On that dreadful day, I was sitting in Old
Testament Class at Cumberland College, Williamsburg,
Kentucky. As the class was about to begin, someone
came in and told us that the President had been shot.
The next few days were so sad as we watched the
news on TV. I felt so bad for the two little children! I
hope we never have to go through anything like that
again." Rosalita Wilcox Wright, Ringgold, Georgia wrght21@cs.com
"I was in Chicago Illinois. I just sat
down to eat. I cried and could not eat my
food. I have always liked the Kennedys." Oscar
Bull Campbell, Hazard, KY
"I was an 18 year old wife and mother in Madison eights. On that day
my sister and I had gone to K-mart with my 9 month old daughter. I was
showing her off because she was so very tiny and walking and talking.
People were exclaiming over her when the announcement of his being shot came
over the P.A. Lots of shocked faces and things like, 'Oh he will be ok, he
has to be. Please God!' People started getting in line to cash
out in a hurry when it was announced he was dead. You could have heard a
pin drop, then all you heard was crying and praying. When I finally looked up
there wasn't a man in that store. Even the employees had walked outside,
all crying unashamedly. We started home and every where you looked people
were either walking and crying or just standing there crying. Total
strangers were trying to comfort each other. It was one of the most heart
wrenching times I have ever gone through." Mary Peck, Campton, KY
"I was born in 1962 and remember my dad
and mom telling me about this incident. I know that it was talked about
for many years I was born in Pike County. Carl Hamilton, Phelps, KY
"I was standing in a 'grassy knoll' on my college campus which was
Georgetown College in G-town, Ky. A young fellow student told a group of
us that the president had been shot and I asked 'OK, what is the punch
line?' I really thought it was a joke. My home was Harlan, KY at
that time. It is still so sad to me. I don't like to watch the
replays." Neta Noble, Cleveland, TN nnoble@hotmail.com
"My husband and I were living in Newport, KY. At that time we had
a 6 week old son and I was dressing him so I could take him for a walk. I had
the TV on and heard the announcement. I will always remember walking down
the street and how people were standing and crying. We spent days watching
the TV and I will never forget when Oswald was shot." Sharon
"I was a senior at Fort Knox High School when the principal called an
assembly in the early afternoon of 11/22/63. That and the following weekend were
the most somber days I have ever experienced." Jeff Rogers, Berkeley,
CA
"On November 22, 1963 I was sitting in the field house at Morehead State College
(University) during an assembly when Tommy (a colleague from Thialand) came to me and told
me President Kennedy had been shot." Norma L. Tyree, Titusville, Florida
"It has been forty years since that dreadful
day. I happened to be eight years old and in the
class room, fourth grade, watching our president's
motorcade down that Dallas street. When all of a
sudden, shots rang out and the whole class was in
shock! A memory forever etched in my mind.
God rest President Kennedy." Pam Harris
(Kilburn), Taylor, Michigan palmaharris@hotmail.com
"I was on the corner of Houston ST & Elm
Street in Dallas, TX when President Kennedy was shot and
killed. I worked at Commerce and Industrial. This was
just under the railroad overpass. Charlie Locklear
and I walked to the corner as the parade was turning on
to Elm Street from Houston Street. We were
standing at the corner when president Kennedy's car made
the turn. After his car passed we turned to see
Vice President Johnson. Just then the first shot
was fired. We turned to see what happened. Nothing
was amiss it seemed, But then another shot. Bedlam occurred,
the cars took off. Mrs. Kennedy came over the back
seat to help the FBI man into the car. The third shot
came quickly after the second shot. Charlie and I walked
across the street and up to the fence and looked over
the railway yard. Police and security personnel were
every where. All at once I realized we could be in
danger. We slowly walked back across the street. After a
time we went back to our workplace and found that
President Kennedy was dead. Later on the news
reports, I saw my self walking across the street. When
this was shown on later occasions I taped a little of
this. It was A sad time in my life." James W.
Hogue, Hope, AR jimbo@arkansas.net
"I was on guard duty in Korea, C Troop 9th Cav.
of the 1st Cav Div. Being by the DMZ, I really got
scared. I will never forget the feeling." Jim
in Michigan
"I was a 17 year old boy in the Army at Fort
Knox, just back from my day of KP and when I was told I
just knew we were going to War. Some of us were
sure that was to be, and you know the rest of the story! God
bless the U.S.A." anonymous in Florida
"I was in 10th grade geometry class and our Physical
Ed. teacher interrupted class to tell us that President
Kennedy had been shot. We thought this might be a joke,
but we found out in our next class that it was true
because the principal discussed it over the loudspeaker.
After school, I walked home in a daze. Nothing seemed
real. When I got home, my mother was in front of
the television crying and she told me the President was
dead. I thought it was the end of the world right
then and there. I loved him so much and I watched this
family being hounded by the media while they grieved.
They taught me that revenge is not the answer. Each one
of them has served his or her country in the best way
they can and I respect and admire each one of them for
that. I have thought about John Kennedy every
November 22nd for the past forty years and I guess I
always will." Linda in Huntington WV
"I was working in Los Angeles that day. We
closed up shop and went home. I would like to add that I
was born in Ashland Ky. 7-15-1938." James Douglas,
Corpus Christi, TX
"I was in Dayton Ohio watching TV when they interrupted
with the news that our president had been shot. I was in
shock and devastated when they said he was dead, I was
praying so hard that he would live. My children were
sent home early from school. They were in first and
second grade. I will never forget the puzzled looks on
their little faces." Allie Davidson, Dwarf, KY.
"I was at Harvey Lewis Jr. High. We girls
were coming in from the gym field. We saw large
helicopters flying overhead in formation going west
toward the naval bases in San Diego. Over the
school loudspeaker in the locker room they announced
that President Kennedy had been shot." Em Fuller,
San Diego, CA
"I was at home, in Las Vegas, Nevada, with my
three small boys. Was watching 'As the World Turns' and
having lunch. The news came as a total shock for all of
the neighbors. We all gathered outside and talked about
the news for a long time." Anonymous
"I was riding a lawn mower cutting grass for the
city of Albion, Michigan." Sandy Goodman in
Michigan
"I was a sophomore in high school in El Cajon,
CA. In the gym, girls P.E. we were told to stay
until further news. Lots of us were crying as we
were going to the gym. We sat on the floor waiting
for more news. At 12:30 we were told we could go
home. No one left until after J.F.K. was pronounced
dead." Dru Demuro (Hickman) Glendale,
AZ rhicky@earthlink.net
"It was nearing the end of our last period for
us sophomores in Walt Whitman High School in Huntington
Station. Our class was normally pretty quiet, but
when the soft and tear choked voice of our Principal
came over the loud speaker with the horrid news, not a
movement, not a sound for many moments. The quiet
was broken by our teacher, who was also having a hard
time retaining her voice. On the way home from school,
the bus driver stopped twice in the 2 miles to my bus
stop to compose herself. For several days after that
horrid event, the bus was quiet." Callie in New
York
"I was returning from a combat support mission, In
Soc Trang, South Viet Nam. There were so many
flags flying at the air strip we were afraid to
land. We made a flyby and were informed the
President of the USA had been assassinated! So very sad
for the guys in the service and all citizens of the USA.'
Bobby Hurt, Birmingham, Alabama
"I was three years old and had recently moved from Kentucky to Indiana. I
vividly recall my mom being upset and crying. She remained upset for days and later I
recall John Jr.'s salute as his Father's procession passed. I am his same age and I
remember thinking he was so smart to know to do that 'infamous' salute."
Anonymous
"I was too little to remember it but I do
remember we had a picture of JFK which was lacquered on
to a piece of wood that hung in our home as we grew up.
I remember asking Mom about it." Jeff Adkinsq,
California jeffadkins@attbi.com
"I was on one of the best United States Navy Submarines, snorkeling, about 60 foot
under the North Atlantic Ocean. Sent up the radio antenna and received the message that
the President had been shot. One of the saddest days in the history of America."
Billy J. Reeves
"I was just four years old but vividly remember the television
coverage. My mother, who was just preparing to received her U.S.
citizenship, was extremely upset, my father remained silent, my grandparents in
total somber. I'll always remember JFK, Jr. with that infamous salute.
Now, may he rest in peace. Hard to believe the three of them are gone, so
young." Anonymous, Florida
"I was on my way to San Diego Naval Training Center for a graduation ceremony. The
radio was turned on in the car with mournful music playing, and I heard the news via radio. I
was due to have my first child Dec.15th but 8 days later I gave birth. I was shocked
and in disbelief. 38 years has passed and I still feel sadness." Mavis Huff
Williams
"I remember the day very well, was with my daughter, watching the soaps on TV when
the broadcast was interrupted, said the President was shot, watched the broadcast
though." Nancy Drew
"We were living in Ypsilanti, MI. I was (4) years old and I can vividly remember
watching the funeral procession, specifically 'Black Jack', the riderless horse with the
inverted soldier boots, on our black/white TV."
Anonymous
"I was driving in Chico, CA. I immediately went to my in-laws' house. They only
lived about a block from where I was. We sat in front of the TV the rest of the day and
mourned with the rest of the world. My parents were in Germany with the military. They
said that strangers (Germans) would come up to them and say, "I'm so sorry."
There was a candlelight walk through the American housing section by hundreds of Germans
to show sympathy. He was loved by the world." Eva Mae
"I was in 8th grade history class in Havana, Illinois. The principal
came in around noon and then again at 12:30." Bob Coker, Canton, Illinois
"I was of all places, in dancing class in sixth grade. Since I didn't
really want to dance I was keeping out of the way. I attended a boarding
school in New York city for the blind. Our teacher who was a nun, this
being a Catholic school came into the class. All she said was, 'children pray
for the president he's been taken to the hospital.' I couldn't think why
he would be taken to the hospital and said 'Has he been Shot.' No one
answered me. After class had ended around 2 pm est, we went back to our
class. Sister Rose Alma was not with us and I turned on the TV. At 3 my
mother arrived to take me home for the weekend. That evening I taped some
news coverage from radio and mostly NBC TV. I remember my late father
telling me that this was history and that I should record it because I'd never
get it again. That weekend made a life long impression on me and I've been
a collector of that news coverage ever since." Mike Horan,
Poughkeepsie, NY mch8151@usadatanet.net
"I was a second-year student at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto.
I finished my lunch in the basement cafeteria and walked upstairs to where the
first-year students were waiting outside their lecture hall, at about 1:40 PM
Toronto time. The 1st-year students were talking in small groups and more
subdued than usual and I thought I heard someone say 'assassination' and
remember thinking, I probably heard it wrong, couldn't happen in Canada because
no one in Canada was important enough to be assassinated. I crossed the
floor and took the escalator up to the 2nd-year lecture hall, where my lecture
on Banking and Bills of Exchange was due to start at 2:00. I came in early
and sat down - - only about a dozen other students were seated in the lecture
room, when a classmate - - Ron Davidson - - came in with a transistor radio and
said 'Kennedy's been shot.' We all were listening to the radio, but then
Prof. Baxter came into the room and started the lecture right on time, like
nothing had happened. Maybe he didn't know. I was dying for the
lecture to finish so I could find out more. When it finished, I couldn't
find Ron, so I ran out into the street, looking for a newspaper. All the
kiosks closest to the school were sold out but I finally got a Toronto Star
(then the Toronto Daily Star) - - probably a special edition - - I think it said
the President was dead. When I got to the apartment, Charlie the super was
in the hall and asked if I heard what had happened. I just said yeah, and
ran to the apartment to turn on the TV. Just then my wife came home from
work (we'd been married about one and a half years) and she said what I had been
thinking - "I just hope it wasn't a Negro." That was the correct
way to refer to blacks at the time. We thought it had something to do with
the Civil Rights movement because it happened in Dallas, and it had to be either
a white supremacist or a black man, and black would have been bad for the
movement." Michael J. Gould, Toronto, Canada
"That was a date to remember. I was working at the Peru foundry at
the time. I couldn't believe it hardly when I heard it over the
radio." B. C. Back, Peru, IN ruger@comteck.com
"My music teacher at school told us that she was in grade school when
the principal came over the intercom and said the president had been shot. She
recalled that she thought he had received a medical shot and didn't realize
until later the truth of the matter which was that JFK was dead." Anonymous
"I was in the 2nd grade at General George G.
Meade Elementary School when my teacher Mrs. Aikens got
the news. She fell out in the hall crying, we as
children also cried. Even though I was only 7
years old, I knew of the president and loved him.
When I went home my mother and father and my whole
neighborhood was upset over our presidents
death." Darlene Green, Philadelphia, PA
darell56@hotmail.com
"I was too young to remember, but I had clipped
a picture of the deceased JFK and I took it to Sunday
school with me. I was only 7 years old but I
remember carrying his picture with me, and I don't even
know why." Pam Clark, NY pamclark2222@yahoo.com
Where were you? What were you doing?
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