Where were YOU?

[Firea100]

22 November, 1963
Just finished getting a drink of water with my third grade classmates at Immaculate Conception School in Detriot Michigan.
Our Teacher (Mrs. Suski) shepherded us back into our classroom with tears in her eyes and mascara running down her cheeks, saying nothing of what she was just told by our principal. Finally, after she composed her self enough to be able to speak, she calmly tried to answer our questions. I Do remember, and will NEVER forget.

 

[Rod69]

I was in eighth grade science class when they announced it over the intercom system. There was a sudden silence like you had never heard before. People that wasn't there just don't know how the feeling was. Our family also watched Jack Ruby shoot Oswald, it was unbelievable.

 

[rmrc51]

I was in elementary school. As I was walking up the stair case I saw one of my female teachers (I believe her name was Mrs. Kaplan) crying and being hugged by one of the male teachers. The girl who I was walking next to, starred at me and then back to the two teachers as we both wondered what had happened. That's when we heard about the President.

 

[mhgoldwing]

I was a Texas high school senior sitting in English class. Announcement made over PA system. Stunned. It was also our final home football game of the season and the last thing we players had on our mind was football.

 

[iaff84]

I was a safety patrol boy in sixth grade at Harrison elementary. Went to my corner at end of school day, lady on porch of house on corner had a radio and ask me if I had heard the news about the President. Remember going a block back to school and telling them, do not remember going back to my corner that day. 50 years, seems like just a short time and times that I remember as being very different.
Dennis

 

[Nana]

As an 11 year old missionary's kid born and living in central Africa (Rwanda at the time), I was far removed from the politics of the States. But even there the news came to us (probably on the ham radio). My parents were very sober and sad and we kids were bewildered that such a thing could happen. We saw and knew of much inter-tribal conflict and cruelty around us in Rwanda, where we were at the time, but I think none of us realized the political turmoil and violence that marred the States through the 60's. Living on a mission, even in Rwanda, can be a very insulating and "safe" place from the turmoil in the rest of the world, and I no doubt had a very idealized perception of a wonderful North America.

 

[Trent]

Sitting in 4th grade class in Layton, Utah, when my teacher Mrs Simmons came in the room crying. Told us the Pres had been shot and killed. That afternoon the whole school went outside around the Flagpole and they lowered it to half staff, then we all got out early. Was watching live on TV a coupla days later when Ruby shot Oswald. 3 days later, my Uncle and Cousin, (his 12 year old son) were killed when the Piper they were flying in to go elk hunting, crashed into the Flathead River in Montana. That was chaotic couple of weeks and I can remember it all like it happened yesterday.

 

[John Luciano]

I was home sick ( probably the only day of my entire high school years) I was watching the parade. Mom says your home sick do something educational watch the president.. Not more than a few min later I yelled they shot him. mom yelled. WHO . Then the rest of the day we were glued to the 21" B&W TV. We saw the arrest of Harvey and them walking him out into the parking garage. Jack RUBY pushed his way through the crowed and we herd the shots. I guess it had not entirely sunk in at that point. We were watching HISTORY.
In 1991 I visited the grassy Nole. Visited my friend in Dallas. His father was a police officer that day in a car following the Presidents car.

 

[MDGeorge]

I was in the fourth grade at Hawthorne elementary School in NE Atlanta.
The principal announced it over the intercom. Teacher began crying, and don't remember anything after that.

I do remember that the president of our country used to be a hero. What happened to that?

 

[GARYD]

I was in the middle of the hand grenade class at Camp Pendleton. We were all told to get out of the fox holes and sit down in the bleachers and they told of what had happened. Everyone looked around thinking that we maybe gearing up for war(if it was Russian involvement).

 

[427dave]

Boy all of you young whipper snappers. I had worked 3rd shift (midnight-8:30) and was home asleep when my wife woke me up. We had a very old black and white tv that we stayed glued to the rest of the day and evening until I had to go back to work.

 

[Blueribbon]

I was in my freshman year of college at New Mexico State University. I had a part time job with McDonald (soon to become McDonald-Douglas Aircraft) working on the recon version of the F4 Phantom jet. At first people in the engineering section did not believe it and as we did not have a radio or TV in our building, had to make phone calls to get the news. No more work completed for that day.

 

[rwhgme]

At home..school was out...eating lunch watching a soap opera..the break in broadcast of Walter Cronkite...a world of innocence ends...

 

[cirbtap]

I was stationed in England as a Air Police. The whole base went on "Red Alert"
After we all heard about the President, everything went back to normal.
We had a mock funeral two days later.

Ride safe

Pat

 

[Birdman-68]

I was on leave in Washington D.C. from the US Air Force. I was there to be best man in a friends wedding when we saw it on TV. We called back to the base to find out what we should do, and we were instructed to go ahead with our plans, but check in daily in case we had to report back to North Dakota.

 

[suvcw04]

I was working in the composing room of a newspaper in my home town.

The Day the World Changed. Forever. And, not for Good.

 

[turboman1354]

4th grade L J Bell in Rockingham NC they announced over sco intercom I remember everybody in state of shock

 

[JimmyDee]

Was at Carolina Military Academy and being a military school we observed protocol, for what seemed like weeks.

 

[Big Dog]

I was in the 6th grade, we were watching the parade on tv, in Timonium,Md.. The rest of the day doesn't even register, till my folks talked to us around the dinner table. And my dad thought that we could be headed into rough times.

 

[starrider60]

I was a sophomore at texas tech sitting on the lawn in front of the social studies building when the professor drove up and motioned for me to join him in his 1950 ford sedan. We sat and listened to the radio until class time. We went to class and continued to listen on a portable radio until the prof, with tears, said "our country will survive even this" and dismissed class