By Hanna Pattie
On the morning of Friday November 22, 1963 President John F Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline stepped out of air force one in Dallas, Texas. Thousands of people stood outside to greet them. President Kennedy stepped into the sunlight from the safety of his airplane and walked down the metal stairs. A light rain fell on his brown hair which was carefully combed off to the side. He was wearing a pressed navy blue suit with a blue houndstooth print tie. His shirt was white and silver cufflinks reflected off the metal railing as he made his descent down the stairs.
He waved to the crowd, wide grin on his face, Mrs. Kennedy waved to bystanders. Her long, bright pink coat swayed from side to side. Her brown hair which only reached her ears was casually worn down, under a pink hat which matched her coat. She said shook hands and received a large bouquet of red roses from a woman. Smiling, Mrs. Kennedy slung the gold chain link strap of her purse around her elbow and cradled the bouquet in her arms.
This was the first public appearance since the loss of their baby in November.
The couple approached a shiny 1961 Lincoln Continental limousine. The rain began to slow, and sun began to beam warm rays on the car. The driver pulled the top off so the Presidential Party could enjoy the nice weather as they travelled.
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The morning of November 22, 1961 began just as any other for Boston employee Gerald Rourke. Sipping his hot coffee with milk and one sugar he walked down a corridor of cubicles. Passing the glass entry way he could see people walking down the street of the north end. A large sign hung the door, “Massachusetts Department of Public Works, 100 Nashua Street.” Gerry’s dress pants swished as he walked, his skinny tie was pinned to his white pressed shirt. His shoes made a scraping noise on the carpet as he turned the corner to his bosses office.
“Good morning Gerry,” he said.
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The presidential limo travelled down Houston Street, then made a turn on to Elm Street in Dealey Plaza. People lined the streets shouting and waving to the traveling motorcade. The uncovered limousine and thick crowds provided for maximum exposure of the President, Governor John Connally, and their wives.
Rounding the corner to Elm Street, the sound of gun shots echoed. People in the crowd looked at one another. President Kennedy looked at his wife abruptly. They both began looking over their shoulders to the left then the right.
Seconds later, at 12:30, a gunshot entered the president’s neck, continuing to the front seat into Governor Connally’s right upper back.
Mrs. Kennedy braced her husband’s head and began screaming as brain fragments spatter along the silver leather interior.
She climbed out of the cab and on to the trunk, a member of the Secret Service reached out to grab her pink coat now covered in her husband’s blood.
President Kennedy now sat hunched over, falling into the car door panels.
The crowd erupted.
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Gerald sat at a brown wood table with co-workers as their boss discussed the past week. Another employee sitting outside the office had been listening to the radio. Gerald looked over and saw the man leap out of his desk and whip open the glass door without knocking.
“Someone just shot the president,” he said.
Silence filled the meeting as men exchanged glances.
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The limo sped to the nearby Parkland Hospital where President Kennedy was pronnounced dead at one p.m. At 2:38 Vice President Johnson took oath into office. Mrs. Kennedy standing by his side. Her hat was now removed, her arms lay crossed resting on the pink coat.
Between 12:33 and 12:50 the Texas Schoolbook Depository had been sealed off. Employees Harold Norman and James Jarmon Jr. were watching the motorcade from the fifth floor of the brick building and heard the shots followed by shells clinking directly above them. A rifle was later found on the sixth floor. One of the employees, Lee Harvey Oswald, was spotted by Officer J.D. Tippit, 70 minutes after the shooting. Oswald was three miles from Dealey Plaza and was walking in Oak Cliff.
As Tippit approached him, Oswald drew his gun and shot the officer four times.
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Rourke and co-workers tuned into the radio, quiet as they sat around the table. Heads lowered, they listened attentively as the announcer gave a detailed report of the presidential motorcade riding through Dealey Plaza in Dallas where the president was fatally shot. The reporter detailed how the president was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead within an hour after the shooting.
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Pulling into his driveway after work in Burlington, Gerald took a moment to reflect on the day before he entered his household. Pushing, he swung the car door open and picked up his suitcase. Slamming the door behind him, he walked up two steps, and along the gravel path to his big white front door.
It was warm and birds were chirping.
The house was quiet.
In the kitchen his wife Carol was cooking dinner staring at the television screen. Silently, they hugged each other then sat down at the small light brown table to watch the television. For hours they questioned how this could happen and continuously watched the news throughout the evening about the assassination .
News anchor Walter Cronkite was on the television broadcasting his news report, tears in his eyes. He repeatedly took his glasses on and off, wiping his eyes and fixing what little hair he had as he delivered the news.
“From Dallas, Texas the flash apparently official, President Kennedy died at one p.m .central standard time,” Cronkite said.
Tears sprung from Mrs. Rourke’s eyes as Gerald hugged her.
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Sources
Wikipedia
Youtube
November 22, 1963: Death of the President." John F. Kennedy. Presidential Library. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx?p=2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8Q3cqGs7I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8Q3cqGs7I
Interviews:
Gerry Rourke
Carol Rourke
Kerry Pattie
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