Was working on a factory loading dock. Couldn't wait until the day ended so I could get home and learn the details. Sad.
I was a junior in high school and was in class. It was Biloxi, MS. A teacher came in and anounced the assassination attempt and then about 15 minutes later came back and announced his death. Everyone, even the boys, broke out in tears. School was dismissed and the buses came and took us home. There was no school the following day and the day of his funeral. We never in our wildest dreams thought that a president would be assassinated. It was a real shock to everyone. We were glued to televisions to keep up with what was happening during that sad time.
Obviously I have no recollection of that fateful day because I was born in 1962, hahahaaa. But I had seen that parade on tv when I was already grown up. In our history class in high school, there was a week dedicated to John F. Kennedy that included his brother Sen. Bob Kennedy. It would have been great for the record if Ted Kennedy had been president. But that may be asking too much. And when I was in college, what surfaced was the issue of JFK and Marilyn Monroe.
Pat, what country were you living in when Kennedy was assassinated ? The assassination happened late in November; so no one in the United States would have been on summer vacation at that time of year. I was in my senior year at High School; but had not felt good on that day; so I was at home when the news was announced about President Kennedy being shot. My folks turned on the television set, and we watched everything that happened for the next few days. While I did feel bad for the President's family, especially the little children, I think most of what I felt was just total shock that our president was assassinated. This is not something that happens very often, and the president is usually so well protected, that it seemed incredible that someone would shoot and kill him. After that, I don't think any other presidents rode in the open convertables like Kennedy, and other presidents before him, used to do. We had barely gotten over the shock of Kennedy being killed, and then most of us watched Jack Ruby shooting and killing Oswald right on television. I think that very few people at that time thought that it was anything except one deranged person who shot the president for some unknown reason, and then was killed before he could explain to the world why he did that terrible thing.
I was an insurance agent and I was in Grandfield, Oklahoma and had walked across the street to the local drug store to have a cup of coffee. I had voted for Kennedy. It does seem when a person dies their reputation becomes somewhat greater.
I have no idea where I was because I was only 3 years, old but I remember very vividly that early that year (I suppose) President Kennedy was visiting my city and there was an awesome parade, my mother picked me up in her arms and got closer, then I remember a white glove taking my hand; it was Jackie Kennedy smiling at me. This is one of my most remote and yet clear memories that, indeed, my mother confirmed her own happiness having the First Lady doing this
Hey all. I was four. Early childhood memory, probably because of the impact it caused to my mother, who was a great Kennedy fan. I don't think we had television then, so she would have gotten the news from the radio. Just remember playing on the living room floor and wondering why my mother was sitting on the couch bawling, and maybe remember her telling me that the president had been killed (though the last part may be false memory, kind of filling in the blanks). Four years later, when I was eight years old, I represented my Cub Scout Pack (is that the biggest regional group?) when my family went to Washington for vacation, by placing a wreath on his grave. When we returned home my dad gave a slide show of our time there, including the photo of me saluting. I remember having to practice all morning, it was an arranged thing, we were expected and I think there was even a picture in the newspaper of something like that. My dad's instructions, salute, step back three steps, about face, go to your mother. My mom's instructions, don't put your hands in your pockets. Listened to my dad, ignored my mother. You can see the actual home movie here. peace, revel.
I don't remember when it was or how old I was.....but I do remember my mom in the kitchen crying and when I asked her what was wrong, she said "they shot the president".
I had come home on leave before flying out to the Far East. I stepped off the train to find no one moving on the platform. The shooting of President Kennedy had just been announced over the tannoy. Later it was announced that he had died You don't forget that kind of stunned silence.