JFK; where were you on that day?

[Patton]

I am just curious where our older members were 50 years ago. My parents were toddlers, my grandparents were all I believe at work. One of my grandfathers was on a business trip to Texas that week.

[R_Bert]

watching my parents melt down in front of the TV

[Guest nra37922]

In Catholic school.   I don't remember much though.

[kieefer]

I just figured it and I was 6 yrs old and I remember playing in the front yard when my Dad came out on the front porch. He sat down and I could see he was about to cry, I sat next to him and he told me what happened.

[Guest TresOsos]

In class, 1st grade, Jackson, TN, I remember they announced it over the pa system.

Edited November 23, 2013 by TresOsos

[Oh Shoot]

In stands during high school at PowderPuff Football game  (they still have those?). You got out of last couple of periods if you had a ticket.

 

Announcement came over the stadium loudspeakers. Saw Oswald shot by Ruby on live TV couple days later, too.

 

- OS

Edited November 23, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[billyscott]

Seventh grade at Madison Street Junior High in Shelbyville. Our principal, Irvin Thomas came on the PA and told us. I remember a lot of the girls started crying. I didn't know what to think. I walked to my Dad's store after school and he met me at the door. He was visibly shaken and he wasn't even a big supporter of Kennedy. 

And then two days later I saw Oswald killed live on TV at Brantley's Drug Store on the square in Shelbyville. I was the only kid there, with my Dad and several other adults and nobody could say anything. 

[Erik88]

I was a seed in my daddy's pants I suppose. My dad remembers it like it was yesterday. He was in the 1st grade and still remembers his teacher breaking down into tears in front of the class.

 

I was in Dallas 3 weeks ago for business and my Dad happens to live there now. We visited the JFK museum in the former Book Depository. It was extremely emotional for me, I'm not sure why. Even now I'm tearing up just thinking of the experience. I hope to go back someday and visit the museum again. It was definitely the bust museum I've ever been to. 

 

What surprises me the most is how much the democratic party has changed. JFK was pro life, he was an NRA life member(I had no idea), and he was somewhat fiscally conservative. What's happened to them?

[Steelharp]

I was 8, in Catholic school in Portsmouth, VA. They had a TV in the room, and we were watching the Catholic President's trip. It was awful.

[runco]

I was but just a smile on my dad's face 3 1/2 years after this day 50 years ago.

[hipower]

I was in 6th grade civics class (remember those you old geezers?) giving an oral report on daily news items. One of my favorite teachers, Mr. Anderson, interrupted my stellar analysis of some local item to tell us that the President had been shot.

The whole class seemed stunned and we watched a tv all the rest of the day as the events unfolded. Edited November 23, 2013 by hipower

[hipower]

What surprises me the most is how much the democratic party has changed. JFK was pro life, he was an NRA life member(I had no idea), and he was somewhat fiscally conservative. What's happened to them?

Very good observation Erik. In those days, being a Democrat meant something. Standing up for what was right. Caring for the country and being proud of it.

It's amazing how much the party of the people has changed.

[BJB]

A gleam in my dads eye.

[Dustbuster]

I was behind the fence on the grassy knoll.thats all I remember. I just blacked out and woke up 10 years later in Guantanamo Cuba......should have stayed away from Area 51 like art bell did...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 of course it ate my spelling.

[Tuffus]

I was in Mrs. Mcknight's 4th grade class in Dyersburg. One of the other teachers called her to the door to tell her he was shot then later came back to say he was dead. I was glued to the tv for the next 3 days. I also saw Oswald shot live.

[Caster]

November 22, 1963, 

That's the day everybody is supposed to remember where they was.

I was working in a school book depository in Dallas Texas.  Halton Mifflin had just come out with that new math and they had them real thick math books; It's hard to pick them math book boxes up by yourself and I told them Ya'll gotta get somebody in here to help me with them boxes.  They hired a fella named Harvey, something.  I can't think of his name.  Anyway, he'd been in the Marine Corp and I of course in the Navy for five years and he kept braggin about what great shot your Marine Corp was as opposed to your Naval forces.  I said "I tell you what you little pinko commie bastard, this afternoon at lunch I want you go back to your boarding house and bring back your rifle.  I got two tickets to the Texas theater says you can't hit that manhole cover down there by that grassy knoll.  You know he cracked off four shots, DAMN if the president of the United States didn't happen to drive by at that exact moment.  We felt bad about that.

 

 

 

 

 

Tim WIlson, Uncle BS.  

[Guest 6.8 AR]

In school.

[enfield]

9th grade gym class.

[Xtarheel]

4th grade - missed recess that day.

[dralarms]

I was 2. Don't remember anything.

[Guest PapaB]

 In school in Massachusetts. They didn't make an announcement, we heard about it on the bus ride home.

 

Warning; stepping on the soapbox: :rant:

When I think of JFK I think of todays Republican party long time members (McCain, Graham, Alexander, Boehner, etc). He wasn't much like todays Democrats. He cut taxes, started the peace corp as a way for young people to give back to America, got us into the space race as a way to maintain national pride, accomplish the difficult and innovate, fought Communism and Socialism and told the people to stop taking and start giving back. He believed people should actually have a work ethic and those that get help should really need it. Teddy was nothing like his older brother, nor is any prominent Dem currently active today.

 

Both sides have shifted further left.

 

Now stepping off the soapbox and returning to our regular program. :2cents:

Edited November 23, 2013 by PapaB

[whitewolf001]

I wasn't even a twinkle in my dad's eye...

[bersaguy]

2nd year high school student in study hall when they announced that the President has been assassinated ans was dead in Dallas Texas and kids around me began crying and except for the sobbing, class was very quiet.

[RobertNashville]

I remember that day well...I was in the third grade. We knew something was wrong...teachers were crying and it was a very somber mood. Finally, the word got around that the President had been shot and we were closing school early.

Then, several days of watching Walter Cronkite on the news going over all that had happened and the arrangements for President Kennedy's funeral and burial. I watched live TV when Oswald was shot by Ruby. Quite a lot for a 9 year old to take in.

It was not until 2008 that I visited Arlington National Cemetery to see the grave of JFK and the eternal flame...it's still a sad event in our nation's history and in my life.

RIP John F. Kennedy...we were a better country then and we would be better today if our current leaders were more like you.

[Volzfan]

I was 6 years old and don't recall the moment that I learned about the assassination. I do remember how we sat around the B&W TV watching all that went on afterwards and the funeral procession.