On the scene of the JFK assassination: ‘It was chaos’

[deminks]

http://stillwatergazette.com/2013/10/19/scene-jfk-assassination-chaos/

Where were you on Nov. 22, 1963, when the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated?

On that date, 50 years ago, many recall where they were and what they were doing. The date and time of 12:30 CST is engraved in the memory banks of many.

Former Isanti County resident Jack Puterbaugh, a longtime DFL activist, vividly recalls being in Dallas on that fateful day and riding in a car only six vehicles ahead of the presidential limousine in President Kennedy’s motorcade. Puterbaugh was part of an advance team that made plans for the president’s trip to Dallas.

(snip)

Puterbaugh stayed in Dallas through Nov. 22, the day of Kennedy’s visit. He started his day at Love Field in Dallas. Kennedy and his wife Jackie arrived at about 11:30 a.m. Puterbaugh remembers JFK and Jackie shaking a lot of hands before they departed in a motorcade.

Puterbaugh said he was amazed by the large crowds of people watching the motorcade as he rode in a police-driven pilot car about five blocks ahead of the presidential limousine. As Puterbaugh’s vehicle continued past the Texas School Book Depository and toward the freeway, history was forever changed when the police radio conveyed a message to send all available police officers to the Triple Underpass.

(end snip)

PS: No theories, just an interesting article about a witness, who, btw, has an interesting assessment of the current state of affairs at the end of the article.

We will lose these accounts all too soon. Like WWII. I am trying to read as many as I can, and post one or two now and then.

[MADem]

1. I was in Europe. The entire continent went into deep mourning.

People were sobbing in the streets.

I didn't see all the assassination film or the funeral coverage until many years later--I did see a few snippets of the funeral on the television of a friend (we did not have one), and I heard a lot of radio reports, but most news came from the newspapers and magazines.

I think everyone does remember where they were on that day. It was a big 'un, as days go...

[madokie]

3. Poppy doesn't

Ninth grade english class and Mr Jacobs was my teacher. Can't remember his first name though.

[MADem]

7. Old Poppy SEZ he doesn't!

Of course, there's a distinction and a difference, there!

I gotta say, what crust! Who would even try to shop such a tale? Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, that's for sure...

[madokie]

10. I agree

sounds to me like ole poppy has something to hide.
Between you and I, I never liked the guy or any of his family either for that matter. Leaches, thieves and liars, all of them even Hurricane Babs.

[Gman]

2. I remember where I was and exactly where I was standing.

Very traumatic because we had just seen him the day before in San Antonio.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

4. One thing I never got was this:

My dad took us to see JFK give a speech once in NYC. We climbed the steps of a tenement to get a good view from the window it had on the stairwell; old time tenements had these.
Earlier that day my dad had bought a meat grinder. It was in a brown bag. As we waited, an NYC cop came by and asked to see what was in the bag. They were checking everything in the area, very meticulously.
I can't get over that Oswald managed to get a gun into a building on JFK's route and not have that bag, that he said had curtain rods, checked by some policeman at some point that day. We all wondered that when it happened, remembering the checks the NYC police had run when he was here.

[magical thyme]

5. I was in my 5th grade class

The principal came on the intercom and called all the teachers down to his office. We all sat in the room looking at each other, wondering what was going on. Mrs. Price returned a few minutes later, crying, and told us "Our President has been shot."

[QED]

8. That's exactly what happened in our school.

And then we all were sent home.

[magical thyme]

9. yup. we were sent home too!

Did you go to Rose Tree Elementary? I'm guessing that scene was played out all across the country...

[oswaldactedalone]

6. 3rd grade

in Sister St. Ursula's class. I was getting a cast off my ankle I had broken in early October that day and was just leaving the class when she came into the room to tell us. Horrible day.