Sixty Years Ago

Above, a view of Elm Street in Dealey Plaza two windows away
 from Oswald's sniper's window. Photo by Armand Vaquer

Sixty years is a long time. I can still remember that day almost as if it were yesterday. 

Today marks the 60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. I was in fourth grade at the time at Woodcrest Elementary School in Los Angeles. 

Above, a view of Elm Street and the former Texas School Book Depository Building. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I had just finished lunch in the school cafeteria and got up to bring my tray and dishes to the busboy window. It was there at the window I was told that Kennedy was assassinated, and the school’s flag had been lowered to half-staff. I left the cafeteria and went outside and saw that the flag was indeed at half-staff. 

I then went to the playground for the remainder of the lunch hour.

Minutes later, the bell rang for everyone to return to class.

Above, a view of Elm Street from Main Street in 1984. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There, in class, our teacher tearfully confirmed what had happened. Everyone was in stunned silence. Then, a fire drill bell started ringing and we all headed out to the playground. There, outside of the auditorium at the top of a stairway, the school principal, over a public address system, also told everyone the news and had everyone sing patriotic songs. 

He also announced that school would be dismissed for the day following the program. 

Above, Oswald's sniper's nest recreated in the
 Sixth Floor Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I then headed home (I only lived across the street from the school) with a friend from the Cub Scouts. His mother wasn’t at home so he came home with me. After getting home, we watched the television coverage with my mom. All programming on all television stations were preempted by the assassination coverage. This would ultimately be the case throughout the weekend until after Kennedy’s funeral on Monday, November 25.

Much of what was repeatedly shown was the Kennedys at the breakfast in Fort Worth, their arrival at Love Field and some footage of the motorcade. Later, a live feed from Andrews Air Force Base showing the arrival of Air Force One was shown and Lee Harvey Oswald under arrest.

Above, a view of Elm Street from the grassy knoll area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As this was a Friday, my family usually went out for dinner. But, for the life of me, I cannot remember if we did or ate at home. 

Nobody who was alive at the time would ever forget, just like other generations who remember what they were doing and how they learned about Pearl Harbor and September 11.

Above, the Kennedy limousine after it passed under the
triple underpass from a display in the Sixth Floor Museum.

Since then, I have visited Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas twice, being a history buff. The first was during the 1984 Republican National Convention and the second was in January 2021. A visit to the Sixth Floor Museum in the former Texas School Book Depository Building is well worth a visit.

For those who wish to delve further into the Kennedy assassination, these DVDs are recommended:

Above, this DVD by the History Channel is the best one. It covers the
assassination and what transpired since, including conspiracy theories.

Above, this National Geographic DVD covers
much of the same as the History Channel DVD. 

Above, this DVD shows the Zapruder film from sharp
photographic copies made from the original camera film.

Below is a video I took of former Secret Service Agent Clint Hill, now 91, giving a talk on the assassination at Book Passage in Corte Madera, California on June 11, 2016.