JFK'S PRESS SECRETARY'S PLANE 'SHADOWED' BY REDS OVER EAST GERMANY
Berlin, West Germany (JFK+50) On May 12, 1963, The Sunday Star reports that a jet airplane carrying President John F. Kennedy's press secretary, Pierre Salinger*, "was shadowed" last Thursday "by a Soviet jet fighter" as it flew over Communist East Germany.
The Boeing 707**, headed to West Berlin, "was under observation for twenty minutes." According to U.S. tracking records, the Soviet fighter kept a distance of "about five miles" from the U.S. airplane.
Mr. Salinger "and a number of other White House and State Department officials" flew to West Berlin to prepare for President Kennedy's planned visit scheduled for June 28.
*Pierre Emil Salinger (1925-2004) was born in San Francisco, CA & served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. PES earned his B.S. at the University of San Francisco in 1947.
He was JFK's press secretary & continued in the position with LBJ. PS was RFK's campaign manager in 1968.
**Boeing 707 was the 1st jetliner developed & produced by Boeing. It made its 1st flight on Dec 20 1957 & began commercial service Oct 26 1958.
SOURCE
"Reds Shadow Kennedy Plane With Salinger Over Germany," The Sunday Star, Washington, D.C., May 12, 1963, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
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