IKE BECOMES 1st PRESIDENT TO FLY IN CHOPPER
Dwight D. Eisenhower became the 1st President of the United States to fly in a helicopter today.
It was Ike himself who suggested to the secret service that it would be more efficient to use a helicopter, rather than motorcades, for short Presidential trips.
The HMX-1 Nighthawk Squadron is now officially in the service of the White House.*
*The Marine Corps took over helicopter service for the President in 1976. The helicopter that the President uses at any given time is called "Marine One".
"Marine One"
July 12, 1960
JFK & LBJ DEBATE AT LA DEMO CONVENTION
Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts & Senator Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas, both candidates for the Democratic Presidential Nomination of 1960, faced each other today in a nationally televised debate at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, California.
JFK commented on the fact that his Massachusetts delegates were badly outnumbered by the Texas delegation.
LBJ spoke about his leadership in the Senate while JFK was out campaigning.
JFK said that he supported LBJ's decision to remain in the Senate as Majority Leader & not enter the primaries.*
*JFK will win the Presidential nomination the following night on the 1st ballot & later announce LBJ as his Vice-Presidential running mate.
JFK & LBJ
August 12, 1960
LBJ Library Photo
July 12, 1961
JFK MEETS WITH UNHAPPY NAACP LEADERS
60 leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People came to the White House today to meet with President Kennedy.
The group, led by Stephen G. Spotswood, Washington Chairman of the Board, & Executive Secretary Roy Wilkins, expressed displeasure with JFK's lack of action in promoting the civil rights bill now before Congress.
JFK Listens to Civil Rights Leaders
July 12, 1961
Washington State Historical Society
www.washingtonhistory.org
July 12, 1962
NASA UNVEILS PLANS FOR APOLLO PROGRAM
NASA officials today announced details concerning the Apollo Program which intends to fulfill President Kennedy's goal of "landing a man on the moon & returning him safely to earth before this decade is out."
According to NASA, a command module will be flown in orbit around the moon while a lunar module or "lander" will take 2 other astronauts to the surface.
After the 2 astronauts explore the lunar surface, they will return to the command module for the return trip to earth.*
*Apollo 11 will make NASA's 1961 plan a reality in July 1969 as Michael Collins flies the command module & Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin descend to the moon's surface in the lunar lander.
Apollo 16 Lunar Module
NASA Photo (1972)
July 12, 1984
MONDALE CHOOSES FERRARO FOR VP
Leading Democratic Presidential candidate, Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota, announced today his choice for Vice-President.
She is Representative Geraldine Ferraro of New York State's 9th District.
If Mondale wins the nomination as expected, Ferraro will become the 1st woman to be on a Presidential ticket & if elected in November, the 1st woman to be elected Vice-President.*
*The history making decision by Mondale was not a factor, however, against the popular incumbent Ronald Reagan who won the largest Republican landslide in US History in the Election of 1984.
Geraldine Ferraro
