22 NOV, why else is it important?

[Stonewall]

Anyone?  Anyone?  Didn't we lose a President on this day in 1963.

[SJFedor]

Alex, I'll take former assassinated presidents for $200

Who is JFK?

[bosshawk]

Yep: a sad day in the life of the good ole USA.  I was an Army Captain, leaning forward in a foxhole in Korea on that date.  Not really, I was assigned to G-2, Eighth Army, but we did go to DEFCON 2 because of the assassination.  Live TV did not exist in Korea in those days, so it was a day or two before we started getting tapes from US TV broadcasts.

[flyguy06]

You were in Korea? Wow.

Thats cool

[JohnKachenmeister]

I was a freshman in high school.  The rumors about the JFK were flying round the school, and my in 7th hour English class, the teacher asked if anyone had a transistor radio.  We were reluctant to admit to it, because such items were contraband.  But I figured if the teacher asked for it, we had dispensation for our sins, and I pulled it out.  That's how and when we confirmed the rumors.

Monday was a Day of Mourning, and what would have been my second CAP meeting was cancelled.

[ddelaney103]

As the man said:

    Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: [referring to Lee Harvey Oswald and mass murderer Charles Whitman] Do any of you people know where these individuals learned how to shoot?
    [Private Joker raises his hand.]
    Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Private Joker?
    Private Joker: Sir, in the Marines, sir!
    Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: In the Marines! Outstanding! Those individuals showed what one motivated Marine and his rifle can do! And before you ladies leave my island, you will all be able to do the same thing!

[MajorSER]

I was stationed in Berlin. We all went on high alert. Everyone thought that the Russians would take the opportunity to invade.

[bosshawk]

flyguy06: yes, Korea, Viet Nam and Germany before I transferred to the Reserves.  I'm an old fXXX.

[RiverAux]

Why else?  It is my parent's anniversary (11/22/64)  -- a critical date in my personal history. 

[Gunner C]

It isn't often that I feel like the young guy around CAP, but this is making me feel absolutely youthful - some of you were in Korea, etc.  I was in the 4th grade. 

We were having a math lesson when our teacher was called out of the room.  She walked back in with tears rolling down her cheeks and told us that Pres. Kennedy had been killed.  I've never forgotten the details of the scene.  It's one of those things that is burned into my memory.

Times have really changed.  Back in those days, people had real affection and respect for the president.

Gunner

[mikeylikey]

^ And they don't have respect or affection for the Prez. today? 

[JohnKachenmeister]

Not like people did back then.

JFK was like us.  He was a World War II vet raising a young family.  People identified with him.  People were sad and mourned with him when his infant son died.  People laughed with him when he had to attend to a very-little John during formal state affairs.  Even people who disagreed with him liked him.

Watergate changed the relationship between Americans and their president.  We are much more critical and suspicious now.