JFK

[sawguy21]

It is hard to believe it has been 60 years when our world changed forever. We in small town Canada knew very little about American politics but we got a rude awakening! I was a naive 14 year old. :

[firefighter ontheside]

I'll never forget the story my dad tells.  He was a hotshot firefighter at the time in Oregon.  They were doing some work at their station and heard the news on the radio.  I guess one guy made a crude remark about being happy about it.  Another guy hit him over the head with a shovel and knocked him out.  Definitely a sad day for America.

[Wlmedley]

I was in the first grade when President Kennedy was killed.I can remember that we had drills at school practicing what to do in case of nuclear attack which was pretty frightening for a small kid.My brother who was older didn't help any by telling me in case of attack ( put head between your legs and kiss your a"" goodbye).

[Texas Ranger]

I was on the banks of the Rhine River when we got the word.  7th Army froze us in place until they were certain it was not a prelude to war.

[Chuck White]

I'm about the same as SG21, I was in 7th grade, and how appropriate, I was in History Class near the end of the school day!

[TroyC]

5th grade, walking home from school when news broke. Sad day for sure.

[Hilltop366]

Slightly before my time, I believe a member on here wrote a book about the event.

I'm thinking it was @Planman1954 ?

[doc henderson]

I was 3.  watches the news over and over with mom and grandma.  I still remember Walter Cronkite and how he remained very profession, but watery eyed.

JFK assassination: Cronkite informs a shocked nation - YouTube

[WV Sawmiller]

   5th grade and playing softball at PE/Activity period. I did not know enough about politics to know what was going on but remember a classmate said it would so much worse under Johnson.

[Tom King]

I was in the 8th grade.  They put us all on buses headed home without saying why over the PA system or to the teachers.  I heard about it soon after loading onto the bus from older kids.  Our high school was 8th through 12th grade.

Kind of like 9-11, you won't ever forget where you were.

[sharp edge]

Then Bob, then King, .... putting a man on the moon saved me.


SE

[moodnacreek]

Was in drafting class 9th grade in El Paso Tex. when the news came over the loud speaker. Went home and found mother watching the live news on tv and saw Ruby shoot Oswald.   It has bothered me since that the president can't expose himself and his family openly in public.

[Southside]

It was before my time, but I do remember being on the bus and hearing the reports about President Reagan, got home and told my dad about it as he had not heard. 

[kelLOGg]

I was a sophomore going to my chemistry class when someone told me. I didn't believe it until I got to the lab. It was called off and we all just hung around in disbelief. 

[sawguy21]

I was in a grade 9 class just before lunch, somebody knocked at the door and talked to the teacher. He came back looking stunned as he told us. We were sent home and watched it unfold with Ruby being shot, we struggled to make sense of what we were seeing.

[Old Greenhorn]

There's a handful of historic incidents I can recall where I was and what I was doing when they happened. 9/11, the Challenger explosion, Desert Storm (the night it really started), and JFK's death. For JFK, I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and they sent somebody around to tell each teacher personally, who then told us, and they closed school early and sent us home. Seemed like everyone was crying and to see my teacher doing that really upset me, since I didn't fully understand what was going on.
 On reflection, JFK was the last of a generation in some ways. He was, to my mind, the last President we had that had seen combat up close and understood what that meant in a very real way. (I know Carter was a Navy man too, but I don't think he was in the hot zone.) I just watched the History channel series on him, and it dawned on me that I never read his book. I should get that out of the library. Just over 1,000 days in office and he made quite an impression on our country that changed the course in many ways. I know my Dad (also a Navy Vet) never liked him at all, but Mom 'sorta did'.

[Brad_bb]

I was -8 years old.  But they were playing the live news reports by some reporters from local stations,  from that day on the radio today.  One reporter who was there in Dallas giving live coverage recalled and discussed his reporting back in 2013 before he passed and they played that as well.  It had me feeling pretty emotional hearing that about our president.

[doc henderson]

Tom, my dad leaned republican and my mom and most of her friend's leaned democrat.  Kind of depend on no one, vs let people help you.  Brad, how old are you.  It says 51, but JFK was 60 years ago.  or are talking about someone else.?

[cutterboy]

I was a freshman in high school but didn't go to school that day. I was outside when my older sister came running out of the house and told me the president had been shot. We went inside and listened to the radio. Soon they announced he was dead and played the National Anthem. We both cried.

[Chuck White]

Tom, my dad leaned republican and my mom and most of her friend's leaned democrat.  Kind of depend on no one, vs let people help you.  Brad, how old are you.  It says 51, but JFK was 60 years ago.  or are talking about someone else.?

Brads post lists him at -8, that's (minus)
I was trying to figure out the difference, then noticed the -, minus sign.

[doc henderson]

thanks Chuck!

[Magicman]

I watched JFK lay the Wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown on Veterans Day in 1961.  One of the two US Presidents that I have actually seen.

I was married and getting ready to go to work when PatD told me that he had been shot.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Fifth grade after lunch when the news came over the intercom. They dismissed everybody. We got on the bus to go home. There was a kid on the bus, jumping up and down saying yippee we can do anything we want now. : Not saying that represented the mood. Just something I remember.

The other thing I remember is when I walked into the farmhouse my grandma was at the kitchen sink and I told her "grandma the president's been shot". She said "oh no, not again".

[petefrom bearswamp]

I think brad was referring to re broadcasts of old news reports

[KWH]

It was on my third birthday, but do not remember it.