ONE OF THE LAST THINGS EVER DONE FOR JFK
Arlington National Cemetery (JFK+50) On November 28, 1963, former First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy visited the grave of her late husband, the 35th President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
Mrs. Kennedy, wearing a black dress, was accompanied by presidential aide Lawrence O'Brien and press secretary Pierre Salinger along with an array of military officers.
The original grave of President Kennedy was prepared on Sunday, November 24, 1963 by Clifton L. Pollard*. In 1967, four years later, Mr. Pollard would prepare another grave nearby for JFK because the crowds were larger than expected and Mrs. Kennedy wanted a permanent eternal flame installed as a memorial to her husband.
Mr. Pollard, who admired President Kennedy, was quoted as saying..."It felt good to be able to do something for the president, one of the last things ever done for him."
*Clifton Leon Pollard was born in Pittsburgh, PA, the son of a coal miner, and graduated from Hoffman-Boston school. CLP served in the US Army in Burma & India during WWII.
CLP dug graves in Arlington National Cemetery for more than 30 years. He retired in 1980 after suffering a stroke. He died in 1992 & was buried in Arlington National Cemetery just 100 steps from JFK's gravesite.
SOURCES
"Arlington caretaker Clifton Pollard: It was 'an honor' to prepare JFK's grave" by T. Rees Shapiro and Emily Langer, November 23, 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/
"The Man Who Dug JFK's Grave, Twice", by Kat Eschner, March 14, 1917, SMART NEWS, www.smithsonianmag.com/
Mrs. Kennedy & children
visit JFK's grave
May 29, 1965
Photo by US Army
Corps of Engineers
