JFK assassination annoucement at concert.

[62champ]

Read this short article the other day and listened to this for the first time. The Boston symphony was about to perform its regular Friday afternoon concert when the news came out of Dallas and the decision was made to change the music at the last minute. Article about the music librarian who was there: http://nation.time.com/2013/11/11/bo...assassination/

Here is the audio from that event - and the music: the funeral march from Beethoven's Third Symphony.

I have a family connection to that event as well. There was a large police presence in Dallas that day because of how unpopular the Kennedy Administration was at the time (US United Nations ambassador Adlai Stevenson had been attacked in Dallas just a few weeks before). Along with federal and city law enforcement, Texas provided highway patrolmen to be on duty that day as well, one of which was my Uncle Milton.

His assignment for the day was to drive one of the cars in the Presidential motorcade, a 1963 Mercury Comet convertible in which Dallas mayor Earle Cabell, Mrs. Cabell, and a U.S. congressman were riding in. He had just turned into Dealey Plaza about the same time the President's limousine turned in front of the book depository. Once they arrived at Parkland hospital, he and others were asked to make sure no one entered the area. Below is a press picture of the car he had been driving with Mrs. Cabell still in the back seat at Parkland Hospital.



This is the Warren Commission copy of his statement to the events of that day: http://www.history-matters.com/archi...ol18_0408b.htm

[8E45E]

I think everyone who was alive at the time knew exactly where they were, and what they were doing when the first heard the news: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...on-Nov-22-1963

Craig

[t walgamuth]

I must have been a freshman in hs. I remember listening to it in a classroom in the basement of our high school. I don't remember the subject but remember the room clearly. Someone brought in a small transistor radio (they were new then) and we had to sit it on the window sill to get a good signal. The newscaster mentioned about Johnson having had a heart attack previously. A classmate misunderstood and thought Johnson had had it when he heard about JFK. Later after he was announced dead we met in the gymnasium and had a somewhat formal ceremony. I stood holding my girlfriend's hand. She wept. I was numb.

I have read a lot about the assassination. I have my doubts about the warren commission's report. I think it was probably a political whitewash and meant to reassure by saying that the assassin was certainly Oswald acting alone to make everybody feel safe. I suppose if that is true it is forgivable to some extent.

On the other hand if it were a conspiracy it is surprising nobody has ever come forward and claimed a part in it.

[plwindish]

I was a sophomore in high school in central IL waiting in lunch line when the word came over the PA that Kennedy had been shot. About 20 minutes later when I was in study hall, the second announcement came that he had been assassinated. That weekend most people were glued to the tv's and we got to see Jack Ruby shoot Oswald, adding to the nightmarish sequence of events. After the Warren report, the "pristine bullet" that had gone through Kennedy and Gov. Connally theory, Zapruder film and eye witness accounts of hearing multiple shots, I don't think many people agreed with the findings of that report. The public most likely was sold a bill of goods that is still being debated 50 years later.

[Corley]

...because of how unpopular the Kennedy Administration was at the time...

Interesting choice of words, considering all the recent reports on this that indicate the large crowds were due to the Kennedys extreme popularity, and the contemporary polls at that time which rated him at 70% (at the time of death), down from a recent 76% in popularity... Perhaps you based that wording on the proven-to-be-in-error and discredited Texas report that rated him in the 20% range, or maybe just a personal bias?

Just an observation, but all that borders upon political, and is banned here I guess... Personally I have no opinion.

[sweetolbob]

I was a sophomore in high school in central IL waiting in lunch line when the word came over the PA that Kennedy had been shot. About 20 minutes later when I was in study hall, the second announcement came that he had been assassinated. That weekend most people were glued to the tv's and we got to see Jack Ruby shoot Oswald, adding to the nightmarish sequence of events. After the Warren report, the "pristine bullet" that had gone through Kennedy and Gov. Connally theory, Zapruder film and eye witness accounts of hearing multiple shots, I don't think many people agreed with the findings of that report. The public most likely was sold a bill of goods that is still being debated 50 years later.

There was a very well produced and documented PBS program last week that addressed all the evidence and did an extensive forensic investigation on the events of the shooting. I won't get into the results but I highly recommend that anyone with questions about the events watch it, PBS generally replays these shows a lot or go to their website and find it, then check your opinions against their study. It also addresses the Warren Commission results.

Bob

[62champ]

Perhaps you based that wording on the proven-to-be-in-error and discredited Texas report that rated him in the 20% range, or maybe just a personal bias?

Actually, I was basing this on the radio reports from the time. Listened yesterday to about 90 minutes of news segments from a radio station in Cincinnati from Nov. 22nd, 1963. They mentioned several times that Kennedy was headed to Dallas because it was a stronghold for the other political party - they said that protestors had been fairly sparse but there were some, including a plane trailing a banner against the President's policies. Just repeating what was broadcast from the time - no bias on my part.

[jackb]

.....I'll chime in with Bob above about that PBS special....notwithstanding my location (Boston, Mass)....was very "on" in it's fairness about JFK's life. I would echo Bob's suggestion to follow and watch if you get a chance. We here in Boston always get the "local" bias on our home town boy. PBS did a great job on his life.....In commenting on the president's popularity in Texas......who would show up to see the president if they didn't favor him ? Probably only someone who wanted him dead....

....and just for thought....though a different period of ballistics: I recently read a decent book on the Civil War that repeats eye-witness recounts of mini balls entering body areas and exiting out a of remote locations ( e.g. Gen. Hancock's wound @ Gettysburg)......FWIW...

[t walgamuth]

On MPR today one of the ballistic experts from that show was on. He talked about the third shot (if any) and felt it could have been a clean miss and not left a lot of evidence. He also mentioned fragments from the head shot found in the presidential car. I am not sure how they got there since I have never heard of an exit wound on the front of JFK's head.

[sweetolbob]

On MPR today one of the ballistic experts from that show was on. He talked about the third shot (if any) and felt it could have been a clean miss and not left a lot of evidence. He also mentioned fragments from the head shot found in the presidential car. I am not sure how they got there since I have never heard of an exit wound on the front of JFK's head.

That topic is addressed in the aforementioned PBS show. They have assembled about all the data that was/has been known for the study.

It's also a good watch on other levels.

Bob

[t walgamuth]

That topic is addressed in the aforementioned PBS show. They have assembled about all the data that was/has been known for the study.

It's also a good watch on other levels.

Bob

Did they tell how the fragments could have gotten ahead of him when shot from behind?