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Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
1:00pm CST, November 22, 1963
- Thread starter NutmegCT
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Tom, I remember it well! The whole story was on TV here on the 20th, must have run most of the day. Most of the program we've seen before, but there were clips that I've never seen before, personal interviews, etc. Sad, but quite interesting. To this day I can't watch the killing shot in the car, just too disturbing.
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We covered it last week in my freshman history survey. It's funny to think it was so long ago now.
OP
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A horrible time. I'd just seen JFK speak in front of the Texas Hotel in Fort Worth (I was born in FW).
Our Young Republicans club really liked JFK's youth and energy, so we went downtown to see him that morning. I remember him saying something like "I really like your Texas orange juice" as he began his "remarks".
After his speech, we went back to school (Paschal High School), and the presidential party left FW for Dallas. After lunch I was in social studies class, when the principal made an announcement that he was patching in our local radio station to the school PA system.
The whole school went silent as we heard the announcements of the "possible shooting", then "an attack on the governor and the president", and then the announcement that "The President is dead".
FW schools were dismissed around 2pm.
Innocence ended. The world had changed.
Our Young Republicans club really liked JFK's youth and energy, so we went downtown to see him that morning. I remember him saying something like "I really like your Texas orange juice" as he began his "remarks".
After his speech, we went back to school (Paschal High School), and the presidential party left FW for Dallas. After lunch I was in social studies class, when the principal made an announcement that he was patching in our local radio station to the school PA system.
The whole school went silent as we heard the announcements of the "possible shooting", then "an attack on the governor and the president", and then the announcement that "The President is dead".
FW schools were dismissed around 2pm.
Innocence ended. The world had changed.
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mikephillips
Yoda
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I was first grade here in OH. I remember the event, but have to say I was too young to really understand it all. I do also remember seeing on tv moving the body from the White House to the Capitol a few days later. Saw that same video a while ago as it was broadcast at the time, you never realize how low the resolution was back then on TV.
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I was ten years old and living in Tulsa, Oklahoma when Kennedy was assassinated. The next day, my Mom drove my sister and I to Houston, Texas to visit my Grandparents for Thanksgiving the following Thursday. I remember going through Dallas on US75, and seeing police cars everywhere. That was an eerie feeling.
A few years ago, my wife and I attended book signings and talks by retired Secret Service agent Clint Hill, the one who jumped on the back of the presidential limousine as it sped off. His talks (and books) were fascinating, but you couldn't help feeling sorry for Mr. Hill, as he lived these last 60 years with the feeling that he had failed in his job.
While not a Stephen King fan, I read his book "11/22/63". It's a good one and interesting for the time travel story, plus a glimpse into a future where Kennedy survived. Things don't turn out like you would expect (but I guess they never do in Stephen King land).
Tom is right, innocence ended and the world changed.
A few years ago, my wife and I attended book signings and talks by retired Secret Service agent Clint Hill, the one who jumped on the back of the presidential limousine as it sped off. His talks (and books) were fascinating, but you couldn't help feeling sorry for Mr. Hill, as he lived these last 60 years with the feeling that he had failed in his job.
While not a Stephen King fan, I read his book "11/22/63". It's a good one and interesting for the time travel story, plus a glimpse into a future where Kennedy survived. Things don't turn out like you would expect (but I guess they never do in Stephen King land).
Tom is right, innocence ended and the world changed.
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My other hobby is trains. I don't really collect a lot of railroadiana (memorabilia), but I have something in my collection which might be of interest, given the historical anniversary of this day.
Attached is what I call the āKennedy Train Orderā. Orders were issued to trains that involved specific movements, actions or deviations from the timetable and rules. My order was no. 201, November 25, 1963, made "complete" (issued) at 12:29am by operator Wallace (last name) at Gallup, NM on the Santa Fe Railway. It was issued to C&E ALL TRAINS and YM (C&E refers to Conductor and Engineer, YM refers to Yardmaster. Orders typically were issued to the C&E of a train(s), it wasn't typical to issue an order to a Yardmaster.) Train orders were read out loud by the dispatcher on a private phone line to the appropriate operators at various stations, who were then required to repeat back the order, verbatim. Once the read back was complete and all were confident there were no errors, it was "made complete" (official) and given a time thus so made.
The order reads as follows (typing was always in all caps):
MONDAY NOV 25 FROM TEN NAUGHT ONE 1001AM TO TEN NAUGHT 520 1002AM ALL OPERATIONS CEASE AND REMAIN STATIONARY RADIOS REMAIN SILENT HONORING PRESIDENT KENNEDY TRAINS AND ENGINES BE IN POSITION AT THAT TIEM SO THE STOP WILL INVOLVE NO HAZARD CER (Dispatcherās initials). Itās shown below, but since it's framed and under glass, it doesnāt photograph too well.
Attached is what I call the āKennedy Train Orderā. Orders were issued to trains that involved specific movements, actions or deviations from the timetable and rules. My order was no. 201, November 25, 1963, made "complete" (issued) at 12:29am by operator Wallace (last name) at Gallup, NM on the Santa Fe Railway. It was issued to C&E ALL TRAINS and YM (C&E refers to Conductor and Engineer, YM refers to Yardmaster. Orders typically were issued to the C&E of a train(s), it wasn't typical to issue an order to a Yardmaster.) Train orders were read out loud by the dispatcher on a private phone line to the appropriate operators at various stations, who were then required to repeat back the order, verbatim. Once the read back was complete and all were confident there were no errors, it was "made complete" (official) and given a time thus so made.
The order reads as follows (typing was always in all caps):
MONDAY NOV 25 FROM TEN NAUGHT ONE 1001AM TO TEN NAUGHT 520 1002AM ALL OPERATIONS CEASE AND REMAIN STATIONARY RADIOS REMAIN SILENT HONORING PRESIDENT KENNEDY TRAINS AND ENGINES BE IN POSITION AT THAT TIEM SO THE STOP WILL INVOLVE NO HAZARD CER (Dispatcherās initials). Itās shown below, but since it's framed and under glass, it doesnāt photograph too well.
OP
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Keith - if I recall correctly, during the three days after the death of JFK, the television stations cancelled all their regular programming. The USA had 70 hours of TV news.
"Then we all watched, for days, and grieved together. When Ruby shot Oswald, we were watching; when John-John saluted his father's coffin, we were watching ā just like, at that point, almost everyone else in the country."
The whole nation - and most of the world - shared the tragedy all at once. We saw what was happening as it happened. We talked about what we saw, with family, friends, and neighbors. We all watched the same story - not a "personalized news feed" selected by cookies and algorithms.
I am personally really unhappy that so many people today get their news from social media - not from real journalists - and then "forward it to everyone on their contact lists" to see how many "likes" they get.
Tom M.
"Then we all watched, for days, and grieved together. When Ruby shot Oswald, we were watching; when John-John saluted his father's coffin, we were watching ā just like, at that point, almost everyone else in the country."
The whole nation - and most of the world - shared the tragedy all at once. We saw what was happening as it happened. We talked about what we saw, with family, friends, and neighbors. We all watched the same story - not a "personalized news feed" selected by cookies and algorithms.
I am personally really unhappy that so many people today get their news from social media - not from real journalists - and then "forward it to everyone on their contact lists" to see how many "likes" they get.
Tom M.
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Tom and Others,
I, too, remember being āgluedā to the TV that weekend, watching everything. It was the first time anything like that had occurred (a national tragedy covered by TV with āwall-to-wallā coverage, a harbinger of todayās constant (insistent?) news feed. We were watching NBC, when Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby, live on TV, a first. What a time!
Good NPR article. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
I, too, remember being āgluedā to the TV that weekend, watching everything. It was the first time anything like that had occurred (a national tragedy covered by TV with āwall-to-wallā coverage, a harbinger of todayās constant (insistent?) news feed. We were watching NBC, when Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby, live on TV, a first. What a time!
Good NPR article. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
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Tom, where are these "real journalists" you speak of? The vast majority of news in print or broadcast today is targeted to a specific audience. It is just as spurrious as that news found on social media. There is no Walter Cronkite these days that everyone trusts.
OP
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There is no Walter Cronkite these days that everyone trusts.
And that's the problem. People want entertainment - not something that requires thinking. Remember Postman's book "Amusing Ourselves to Death"? Media madly rushing past information and into eyeball grabbing - and profit making - entertainment.
Check out the movie "Good night and good luck". Edward R. Murrow caught in the battle between network news, and the corporate need for more and more income.
Sad indeed.
And that's the problem. People want entertainment - not something that requires thinking. Remember Postman's book "Amusing Ourselves to Death"? Media madly rushing past information and into eyeball grabbing - and profit making - entertainment.
Check out the movie "Good night and good luck". Edward R. Murrow caught in the battle between network news, and the corporate need for more and more income.
Sad indeed.
Low'n slow
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I was in the 2nd grade when it happened.
I remember being upset when I turned on the TV expecting cartoons and his funeral was on every channel.
I wasn't as politically aware back then.
I remember being upset when I turned on the TV expecting cartoons and his funeral was on every channel.
I wasn't as politically aware back then.
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I was stationed at Ft Hood, TX when it happened. lots of rumors floating around that some would be mobilized and headed to Dallas, which didn't happen. Things pretty much came to a stand still with the dayroom packed with folks watching TV .
What I found interesting ws the company formation held at noon on Saturday to announce the Commander in Chief had been assinaten. This was almost two days after the event, an example of the changes in communications methods over the years.
What I found interesting ws the company formation held at noon on Saturday to announce the Commander in Chief had been assinaten. This was almost two days after the event, an example of the changes in communications methods over the years.