Do you remember what you were doing the moment you found out JFK was assassinated? 56 years ago...

I was aboard the USS Independence CVA-62 off the coast of Turkey, 200 miles from the Russian border. The only thing we knew is that we were ordered to General Quarters, and every man (no women on Navy ships back then) went to battle stations. Every aircraft was fully armed and sent aloft and we remained that way for 72 hours as they did not know that this was not the beginning of an attack on the U.S. We were under strict wartime conditions which meant radio silence, therefore we did not know about the attack for 3 days.

SW-User

Kicking in my mother's tum.

SW-User

a twinkle in the night sky

SW-User

I was not alive yet, but my mom was in kindergarten and she remembers the teachers gathering the students together and telling them what happened. She was pretty young to have thoughts about it, but she remembers everyone being shocked and sad.

GeistInTheMachine · 31-35, M

Not sure if my father was even born yet.

I'm sad JFK died, though. I think he did some good.

9/11 is my generation's JFK moment.

GerOttman · 61-69, M

3rd grade, catholic school. They didn't tell us anything but the nuns were all crying as they put us on the buses for an unscheduled early dismissal. I guess I found out at home. Side note, my mother had new furniture delivered that same day. It was the wrong fabric. When she called the store to have it replaced they refused because she had signed for it already. When she reminded them of when it was delivered, they took it back and delivered the right order.

Rambler · M

Yes. 7th grade. We were all sent to our home rooms and then dismissed. The news was on the PA system.

VeronicaPrincess · 61-69

No, but I do have a faint recollection of the funeral procession on television, and my parents' sadness.

exexec · 61-69, C

I was cleaning my M-1 rifle in the ROTC armory at school.

AllAboutLaffs · 70-79, M

Yup ... I do ... I was in college ... the campus was devastated ...

SageWanderer · 70-79, M

Sitting in the classroom when the principal walked in and told us that there were reports that the president had been shot. The TV in hte classroom was turned on and we were dismissed when the news that he had died was broadcast.

Lackwittyname · 51-55, M

I was a few years from being born. Probably the first event that I can think of on similar magnitude was the explosion of the shuttle. We were watching live in my 4th grade class when it happened.

eli1601 · 70-79, M

I was in 7th grade science class. The gym teacher came in and told the teacher what had happened. I guess one of the kids in gym had a radio with him.

Quimliqer · 70-79, M

Grade 4 class when the announcement came over the loud speaker. There were a lot of tears and they cancelled school till the next Monday.

Cabernetfranc · 80-89, M

Clear as a bell...Starting breakfast in the mess hall in Camp Casey, Korea.

jimjim1969 · M

Was in 7th grade, found out in home room. We were just stunned

pennynoodles · 56-60, F

I wasn't even a twinkle in an eye at that moment.

walabby · 61-69, M

Living DownUnda, I heard it on the news the next morning, our time, a few hours after the event. It freaked me out because our family was discussing US presidents being assassinated the night before, about 5 hours before the event. The conversation was in general, not specific to JFK.

SW-User

i was unborn atm.

SmartKat · 56-60, F

I wasn’t born yet.

Dancingxghost · 36-40, M

I wasn't even born.

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Success · 26-30, F

I was passing a gun to Jack Ruby