JFK+50: Volume 6, No. 1774
JFK'S LAST DAY: NOVEMBER 22 1963Fort Worth, Texas (JFK+50) Fifty-two years ago this morning, November 22,1963, President John F. Kennedy began his last day addressing a crowd of 5000 outside the Texas Hotel here in Fort Worth.
The crowd had waited for hours in a damp, drizzling rain. JFK's first words to them were..."There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth." Someone shouted: "Where's Jackie?" The President smiled and answered...
"She's organizing herself. It takes longer, but she looks better than we do when she does it."
After the speech, JFK went down the rope line shaking hands and then disappeared back inside the hotel where he and the First Lady would attend a Chamber of Commerce breakfast. After giving his last speech, JFK flew to nearby Dallas.
MR. PRESIDENT, YOU CAN'T SAY DALLAS DOESN'T LOVE YOU
Dallas, Texas (JFK+50) After landing at Love Field here in Dallas at 11:37 a.m. CST, President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy joined Governor John Connally and his wife Nellie in the Presidential limo for a motorcade through the city.
Despite rumblings of disagreement with JFK's policies in the city, the people packed the sidewalks and waved and cheered as the President and First Lady rode by.
Mrs. Connally was so pleased with the reception, she turned to JFK, just after they made the turn from Main to Houston Street, and said...
"Mr. President, you can't say that Dallas doesn't love you."
KENNEDY KILLED, CONNALLY WOUNDED
Knoxville, Tennessee (JFK+50) My Dad came home from work fifty-two years ago tonight with a copy of the Final Edition of the Knoxville News-Sentinel dated November 22, 1963.
The big bold headline read, "KENNEDY KILLED, CONNALLY WOUNDED!"
We already knew, but there was something about seeing it in print that made it even more difficult to accept. We had been in an afternoon class at Young High School here in Knoxville when our principal, John Hicks, came on the intercom and announced that President Kennedy had been shot.
In a state of shock, we listened to the "on the air" radio reports from Dallas and when the announcement came that the President had died, Mr. Hicks shut the radio off and asked us to stand at attention as the school bugle corps played "Taps" and the American Flag was lowered to half-staff.
This horrible moment in our Nation's history, is one that I surely will never forget. Other than the loss of family members and close friends, it remains the saddest day of my life.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel
November 22, 1963
Final Edition
Final Edition
JFK DIED 52 YEARS AGO TODAY
Dallas, Texas (JFK+50) Fifty-two years ago today at 12:30 p.m. CST, November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated here in Dallas.
The President was shot while riding through the streets of the city in an open automobile. Most witnesses reported hearing three shots as JFK was traveling down Elm Street in Dealey Plaza.
JFK was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital where doctors attempted valiantly to save his life. The President was wounded just below the Adam's Apple and had sustained a major injury of the right side of the head. It was discovered later during an autopsy performed at Bethesda Naval Hospital that JFK had also been shot in the back.
The 35th President of the United States was officially declared dead at 1:00 p.m. CST. Assistant Press Secretary Malcolm Kilduff made the formal announcement in a classroom at the hospital.
Vice-President Lyndon Johnson, who was riding in another car in the motorcade and was not hurt, was spirited from the hospital to Air Force One at Love Field where he took the oath of office and became the 36th United States President at 2:38 p.m.
President Kennedy was buried on Monday, November 25, 1963 in Arlington National Cemetery. By request of his wife, Jacqueline, his grave was marked with an Eternal Flame.
