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I drove to Love Field to see Air Force One. We had to unload a gasket. I sat in the second row, by the window, and I completely broke down.

The rain had stopped when we left; the President wanted an open car to be close to the people. I surveyed the crowds, even climbing onto the presidential vehicle's rear bumper to be near Mrs. Kennedy, unsure of the onlookers' intentions. I was on the press bus, enjoying the view. There was something special about this trip, possibly because Jackie was there. My perspective of Dallas shifted; it wasn't cold, and the city seemed welcoming to Jackie, making it a celebration for them to see the First Lady, who'd never visited. Of course, it changed her life.

I learned about my uncle Jack's assassination when my mother picked me up from school and we saw the flag at half-mast. My father was distraught. The first person he called was the CIA desk chief, asking, "Did your people do this?" He then called Enrique Ruiz, a former Bay of Pigs Brigade commander and friend, asking the same question. CIA Director John McCollum visited our home that day and spent time with us. My father was devastated and walked around like a ghost for months. We hugged him under our yard's cedar tree, trying to comfort him during his grief.

I'm consumed by guilt; I should have done more, been faster. Something happened in the motorcade. The limousine sped up. Mrs. Kennedy screamed; they shot him in the head. "I love you, Jack," she cried. It happened at Dealey Plaza. People scrambled to escape. I saw women running barefoot, a father shielding his son with his body. We were incredibly close when he was shot in the head. My maternal instincts took over.

My nephew was grazed in the neck by a bullet at the event. He was in the friends and family section near the president when shots were fired. Another person nearby was critically injured. He was taken to the triage tent where they saw someone with a severe head wound.

- I was standing from probably the third row in the bottom. - I saw hit I heard the shot ring out. - I looked to my left, and then I looked over to my right. - I saw him slump over in his chair forward. - He slumped over. - He had blood coming from the left side of his neck down his shirt, and he slumped over, and he was carried off. - Running high right now.

I was at home after my lunch swim, about to return to the Justice Department, when the White House called. It was Ethel, my wife, who answered; it was J. Edgar Hoover. Hearing Hoover's name, I knew it wasn't good news. He told me the President had been shot, possibly fatally. The news was devastating. It was a shock, and it changed my life forever. My brother was the golden boy; if he could be killed, anything was possible. It instilled a sense of fatalism in me.

We called President Kennedy's mother in Hyannis. She addressed him as "Mr. President," even before Johnson felt comfortable using that title. Johnson became emotional, breaking down, and quickly handed the phone to Lady Bird.

The vice president and Mrs. Johnson greeted President and Mrs. Kennedy at Love Field. Large crowds surged around the President as he approached the fence. Mrs. Kennedy, unusually, went with him. We were aware of a Dallas group opposed to the President's policies, but their intentions were unknown. The crowd's density prevented us from getting closer. Someone suggested getting ahead of the motorcade for a better view. The President and First Lady then left the fence and proceeded to the limousine where Governor Connolly awaited them for the trip downtown.

My boss yelled at me to call the White House. The operator connected me to Robert Kennedy, who asked what was happening. I told him both President Kennedy and the governor had been shot—it was as bad as it could get. He hung up. Mrs. Kennedy knew immediately, when he fell into her lap, that the President was dead.

At Andrews Air Force Base, Lyndon Johnson wanted a public display of the presidential transition, with the press witnessing the transfer of power. He planned to escort Jackie Kennedy off the plane after JFK's body. However, Robert Kennedy rushed past Johnson without acknowledgement to reach Jackie. This was seen as a deliberate snub by Johnson and his advisors, creating tension at a time of national grief. Johnson was furious at being deprived of a planned photo opportunity, deplaning without any Kennedy family members. While some Kennedys claimed Bobby didn't see Johnson, the incident highlighted the immediate rift between the Johnson and Kennedy factions.

Speaker 0 describes a shocking event that triggered widespread crying and a feeling that lingered even 30 years later. Speaker 1 recalls a pre-event anxiety followed by a sudden calmness, then frenzy after a shot. Speaker 0 didn't hear the shot but rushed to the scene after being informed. Speaker 1 was awakened by her husband, who had been getting cereal and delivered the news with a grave expression. Speaker 0 simply stated, "it."

He is one of the toughest, most resilient people I've ever met. This photo captured a moment that won the election for him. Imagine being shot and realizing you need to be brave; he pumped his fist despite the blood. After being shot in the face, he stood up and rallied the crowd, chanting "fight, fight, fight." At that moment, he transcended being just a political figure; he became the leader of a nation. Remarkably, if I hadn't moved at the last second, the bullet would have struck me, and I wouldn't be here tonight. I stand before you only by the grace of God.

A clean-cut young man picked up something the speaker dropped. He smiled, and because he was polite and young, she agreed when he asked to walk her home. That was how she met Lee Harvey Oswald for the first time. Oswald then said that if he stayed with her, there would be one less bullet fired at Kennedy. The speaker said her heart turned over because she thought it was a courageous thing to say.

At Parkland Hospital, Mrs. Kennedy clutched the President's body, refusing to let go. I covered him with my coat to get her to release him. Initial reports from the emergency room indicated the President was still alive, though Governor Connally was also injured. I was near the President's feet; I couldn't look at him for fear of fainting. I knew I needed to stay strong. A doctor urgently requested access, and people were asked to evacuate. Someone then inquired about the President's blood type. Mrs. Kennedy's stunned, "Do you mean he's alive?" was met with silence.

Over 2,000 people attended the Texas breakfast. President Kennedy wanted Jackie to be there because Texas was an important state, believing her presence would improve his reception. Jackie initially wasn't planning to attend. I went to her hotel room, and she was preparing to leave when the President's agent called, insisting she come to the breakfast. Upon her arrival, the crowd erupted in cheers. She wore a two-piece suit; I described the color as raspberry after consulting with a reporter.

The atmosphere in the room was intense and shocking. Listening to a credible firsthand witness left many feeling unsettled and unable to sleep afterward. The senators were serious and attentive, absorbing the gravity of the information presented. While no one visibly collapsed in anguish, the seriousness of the situation was palpable. Reactions varied; some senators displayed real fear, reflecting the weight of what they were hearing. Overall, the experience was sobering and left a lasting impact on those present.

The Dallas crowd was enthusiastic, and I was relieved that everyone was behaving. I told President Kennedy that Dallas clearly loved him. Then, almost instantly, I heard a noise. I looked at the President; his hands flew to his neck, and he slumped in his seat. He didn't speak, but his eyes…

President Kennedy died today in Dallas from a gunshot wound to the head. This is confirmed by two priests who were with him. I don't have further details about the assassination. We're trying to reach WBAP TV. Right now, I'm overwhelmed; I don't know what to say or do. It feels like the United States lost its innocence today. A press room is being set up, and Malcolm Kellgren, assistant press secretary, is visibly upset.

Two years ago in Paris, I was known as the man who accompanied Mrs. Kennedy. Traveling through Texas now, I get a similar feeling. People aren't curious about Linden and my attire. Mrs. Kennedy had a difficult time the previous four months, grieving the loss of baby Patrick. This Texas trip was her first public appearance outside the White House since, and it was uplifting for people to see her happy and smiling. Before this trip, we never publicly displayed affection. Afterward, we held hands and hugged openly, changing our relationship completely. I've never seen her happier. In Fort Worth, we were given a hat to protect the President from the rain, which he doesn't usually wear.

It was a bittersweet moment. He said, "Now let's get in the air." Seven minutes after Lyndon Johnson's inauguration, and 106 minutes after John F. Kennedy was declared dead, Air Force One departed from Love Field in Dallas, heading to Washington D.C. For the first time ever, Air Force One carried two American presidents.

I don't remember the details of cheating or the shooting. I started remembering things clearly when facing death row, maybe a year or two later. The crime was beyond tragic, impacting not just the Kennedy family but also the public and victims. It was a nightmare for everyone involved.

Okay. I was standing from probably the third row in the bottom. I saw hit. I heard the shot ring out. I looked to my left, and then I looked over to my right. I saw him slump over in his chair forward. He slumped over. He had blood coming from the left side of his neck down his shirt, and he slumped over, and he was carried off. Running high right now.

Good morning! President and Mrs. Kennedy arrived in Fort Worth last night to a large, enthusiastic crowd and spent the night at the Hotel Texas. Thousands gathered in the rain this morning to see them. It was Mrs. Kennedy's first trip to Texas. As a White House correspondent, I covered President Kennedy extensively. There was some concern about his reception in Texas, as it wasn't considered a Kennedy stronghold. The President was inspirational; even those who disagreed with him liked him. He famously declared we would go to the moon this decade. The decision to go to the moon wasn't about ease, but about the challenge. He was a risk-taker.

On Air Force One, before takeoff from Dallas, President Johnson called Attorney General Robert Kennedy to secure his approval for the presidential oath administration. This call was incredibly difficult for both men; Johnson was calling his nemesis, while Kennedy was still reeling from his brother's assassination. Johnson pressed Kennedy with questions about the oath's requirements, a detail Kennedy found insensitive and irrelevant at that moment. Kennedy, somewhat puzzled by the call, promised to check with an assistant. There's disagreement over who initiated the idea of the in-flight oath; Johnson claimed it was Kennedy's suggestion, a manipulation tactic to involve Kennedy and deflect responsibility. This tactic backfired, further escalating tensions between the two.