60 years since the day JFK was shot

BY JIMMY APPELT

STAFF WRITER

It’s hard to believe that it has been 60 years since one of the most tragic events in American history took place shortly after noon on Nov. 22, 1963.

On that day, for those who can remember, the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, was gunned down while participating in a motorcade parade in downtown Dallas.

Many of us, who were around at that time, can relate the day to what it felt like on Sept. 11, 2001 when commercial airliners, flown by Islamic terrorists, purposely crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.

Kennedy’s assassination took place on a Friday at about half past noon when his presidential motorcade traveled on Elm Street at Dealey Plaza in Dallas and was on its way to Trade Mart Center for a political luncheon.

Those who were at home may remember CBS correspondent Walter Cronkite breaking into regular broadcasting shortly after with a special bulletin saying that President Kennedy had been shot.

In reporting the news breaking story, Cronkite said, around 1 p.m., as he removed his glasses with tears in his eyes that President Kennedy died.

Many of us, who can remember, were either in class at our respective schools, at home, or returning to work after a noon lunch.

Chuck Grafe, sports editor of the Tribune-Herald said in an article written 10 years ago, “I remember it well and it is something I will never forget. I was a junior in high school (Sacred Heart). We went to church to pray and were then sent home for the rest of the day.”

Lavaca Medical Center administrator, Steve Bowen said he was in the sixth grade at a school in Houston when he became aware of the assassination.

“I remember, while we were in class, hearing an announcement over the loud speaker for all teachers to report to the principal’s office,” Bowen said. “Our teachers were gone for about 15 minutes and when they returned did not tell the students anything. I didn’t find out until I got home later that day.”

Bowen said when hearing about the tragedy he was shocked and had a hard time believing something like that could happen. Sacred Heart Catholic Church pastor, Msgr. John Peters, said he was in his first year in the seminary in San Antonio.

“We were doing domestic duties at the seminary when we heard of the assassination,” Peters said. “It was a shocking experience and we were in unbelief that something like that could happen. We went to the chapel and prayed for him (Kennedy) and the country.”

The monsignor said he and his fellow seminarians had the distinction the day before of getting to watch the president’s motorcade pass by the seminary.

All of us seminarians got the opportunity to watch the motorcade,” Peters said. “I have a framed photo of the president’s motorcade hanging in my office.”

Murray Montgomery, a staff writer for Lavaaca County’s newspapers, said he was 20 years old and working for TxDOT in Matagorda County when he heard about the assassination.

“That day I was in a TxDOT line shack, where we tested the concrete to be used on a road that was to be constructed,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery said he had a supervisor, who wasn’t a supporter of Kennedy and made some unkind remarks when they heard of the assassination

“I wasn’t really big into politics, but I also wasn’t very big into American presidents getting assassinated and I jumped right into the middle of him,” Montgomery said. “I was a fan of Kennedy because of how he stood up to the Russians during the Cuban Crisis. Plus, he was a member of the Greatest Generation, a PT boat captain in World War II. So, I wasn’t very happy with my supervisor’s comment.”

Henry Jasek, also a staff writer for the the county’s papers, said he remembers being at home for lunch when he heard of the assassination of President Kennedy.

“We had the television on and the reporter said ‘We interrupt this program for a special news bulletin – President John Kennedy has been shot’,” Jasek said. “These words stayed with me and I can still hear that announcement.”

During the days to follow, the whole country was in disbelief and mourned the loss of the popular president. College and NFL games as well as other events were cancelled and Americans across the country watched as Kennedy’s flag-draped coffin was carried on a horse-drawn caisson to the U.S. Capitol.

His body laid in state throughout the weekend and was viewed by thousands of people and the funeral was held the next day, Monday, Nov. 25, with a Requiem Mass at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Kennedy, who was the last president to die while in office, was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

As to who fired the fateful bullets that killed Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested later the afternoon of the assassination and taken into custody.

Two days later, on Sunday, Nov. 24, the nation watched as Oswald was gunned down by Jack Ruby on national television as police officials prepared to transfer Oswald to the Dallas County Jail.

Since that time, citizens in this country have been left wondering if Oswald acted alone or the killing of Kennedy was some sort of conspiracy conducted under a number of different theories.

Even after 60 years that question still remains.