Thirty Eight Years Ago Today

[salonghorn70]

On August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman took his guns to the top of the Tower and started shooting people. I was on campus for freshman orientation. I had walked through the Main Building about 9:30 on my way to Batts Hall (on the South Mall). About 12:00 noon my meeting was finished and I started to leave and people were at the doors saying to not go out because someone was on the Tower shooting people. I was 17. I loved the Tower and always went to the top every chance that I got. I couldn't believe what was happening. I could stand at the door and see the lady crouching behind the flag pole. Then at the end you could hear shooting coming from the top of the Tower when the police finally killed him.

Later when it was over, I spent two hours trying to call my parents to let them know I was OK. My mother was crying because she knew how much I loved the Tower and was so worried. They had watched it live on KLRN.

I went up to the AC and ran my hands against the wall where bullets had shattered the wall. I just couldn't fathom it. For me I guess I did some growing up.

The next four years saw lots of things happen on campus. There was more violence. Tear gas in the Student Union. The streets of Austin filled with anti-war marchers. John Kenneth Galbraith speaking to students in front of the Tower asking for calm after Kent State.

There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't think of August 1, 1966. God was with me that day. I feel so sorry for the families of the ones who died.

[PlanetBev]

1. Hey, Longhorn

Out here in Los Angeles, I remember that day well. I was in High School, 15 years old. I'll always remember the 20 year old woman who was 8 months pregant. She took a bullet in the stomach, the fetus was shot in the head and I think her boyfriend was killed. She was never able to have children after that. Seems to me that 1966 was an ugly turning point of some kind. One month earlier, Richard Speck killed those eight nurses in Chicago. It just seemed like the beginning of a whole rash of insane killings in the US, culminating in the Manson Family murders out my way in 1969.

[DenverDem]

2. There was a rumor about a tumor. . .

"There was a rumor about a tumor
Nestled at the base of his brain.
He was sitting up there with his .36 Magnum
Laughing wildly as he bagged ’em.
Who are we to say the boy’s insane ?"

The Ballad of Charles Whitman by Kinky Friedman
<http://www.kinkyfriedman.com/ly-sold.htm#whitman>

Horrible legacy for my beloved 40 Acres.

Hook 'em, Horns.

Denver Dem, University of Texas, Class of '76

[Longhorn]

3. We were visiting from Indiana later that summer.

We drove though Austin and stopped to see the Tower. I was 11. Little did I know that I would end up going to school there (Class of '78) -- it wasn't even on the horizon at the time to move to Texas!

I also loved visiting the tower but at least two or three times while I was a student, other students jumped to their deaths from the Tower. We live in Austin but I haven't been back up since they re-opened it.

[bluestateguy]

4. For years the Administration pretended like it did not happen

The tower was closed in 1975 after one too many suicides. It was reopened in 1999, but under intrusively restrictive conditions (I suppose that was necessary): Metal detectors, no bags, you must get a ticket for a "tour" to the observation deck where there are armed guards and there is an unofficial rule against talking about Whitman when you are up there too.