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Saturday, August 9, 2014

NIXON RESIGNS, FORD SWORN IN

NIXON DEPARTS WHITE HOUSE, FORD SWORN IN AS 38th PRESIDENT

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Forty years ago today, August 9, 1974, Richard M. Nixon, having officially resigned the Presidency, departed the White House for the last time as Chief Executive.

Before his departure, Mr. Nixon gave an emotional farewell speech in the East Room to his staff while his family stood behind him.

The Nixons flew to their home in San Clemente, California.  Shortly thereafter, Vice-President Gerald R. Ford took the oath of office as the 38th President,



Nixon's Farewell Speech to his Staff
East Room at the White House
August 9, 1974
Nixon Presidential Library Photo

PATRICK KENNEDY DIED 51 YEARS AGO 

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) Fifty-one years ago today, August 9, 1963, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, son of President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, died after just 39 hours of life of complications from hyaline membrane disease. 

The disease, characterized by the structural immaturity of the infant's lungs, is the leading cause of death in premature births.

David Powers writes that Patrick had been transferred to the Harvard School of Public Health "where he was placed in a high-pressure chamber, where oxygen was forcibly fed to him."  

Dave said the President visited four times during the day and spent the night with Dave and Bobby on the hospital's fourth floor.

A secret service agent awakened JFK at 2 a.m. and told him that his son's condition had "taken a turn for the worse."

Baby Patrick died at 4:04 a.m.  His father said quietly, "He was a beautiful baby. He put up quite a fight."  

Dave says that the President then went back upstairs "and wept." 

SOURCE

"Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye:  Memories of John Fitzgerald Kennedy," by Kenneth P. O'Donnell and David F. Powers with Joe McCarthy, Little Brown and Company, Boston, 1970, 1972.




OSWALD ARRESTED 51 YEARS AGO 

New Orleans, Louisiana (JFK+50) Fifty-one years ago today, August 9, 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald,secretary of the New Orleans chapter of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, was arrested after getting in an altercation with a group of anti-Castro Cubans.

Mr. Oswald was in the process of handing out pro-Castro leaflets when the fight broke out.  He was held overnight by the New Orleans Police Department.



Lee Harvey Oswald
New Orleans Police Mug Shot
August 9, 1963
NO Police Dept. Photo