Kennedy assassination President John F. Kennedy was assassinated November 22nd, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. His death brought intense mourning in the United States and brought Lyndon Johnson to the presidency. President Kennedy, and Jackie Kennedy were riding in the backseat of the convertible limousine and the governor Connelly was in front of President Kennedy. It was a beautiful sunny day without a cloud in the sky. The crowds were larger than anyone had expected. President Kennedy’s motorcade route through Dallas was planned to give him maximum exposure to the Texas crowds before his arrival. (Donnell testimony p.445). The actual route was chosen and was a 10-mile route. The route was published in the Dallas newspapers for several days for the benefit of anyone who wanted to visit the motorcade. The path chosen was the traditional parade route that provided the maximum views for the crowd. There were three vehicles used for the police and secret service agent Win Lawson. The second car was the presidential limousine, a 1961 Lincoln continental convertible, and the last car was a “Maybach” convertible with various secret service agents. There was also an ar-15 in the third vehicle. (Blaine 196) The motorcade was progressing along close to the schedule. There was a lot of crowd exposure and Nelly Connelly remarked “you sure can’t say Dallas doesn’t love you Mr. President.” He replied “no you can’t.” (Blaine 212)
Then there was a loud noise in the crowd. Some witnesses likened it to a firecracker or a vehicle backfire. The driver of the presidential limo thought he might have had a blowout. Paul Landis a secret service agent was one of the few who recognized to immediately as a fire of a rifle. He looked at president Kennedy immediately who was approximately twenty feet in front of him. The president lunged forward and grabbed his neck. And then slumped to the left. Then there was a second shot, and then a fatal third shot that hit the president in the back of the head. It was a direct hit that caused john Kennedy’s head to explode. The bullet hit with such force that blood sprayed over the windshield of the third car. Jackie was screaming. “They’ve killed my husband they’ve shot his head off.” She held out her white gloved hand and yelled “ I have his brain in my hand.” Agent Clint bill was holding on to the back of the sect of the limousine and his body was across the trunk. They flew down the highway enroot to the hospital. The limousine was a horrific site in the backseat. There was blood, white bone, and gray brain splattered everywhere. He saw a fist size hole in the back of the president’s head. (Blaine 217)
When the limo reached parkland hospital at 12:36pm. This was six minutes after the shots were fired. Secret service agents swarmed the president’s limousine even before the cars came to a stop there you were no personnel from the hospital in sight.
“The limo door was flung open and Mrs. Kennedy huddled over her husband, who was lying face up in her lap with his eyes open. A chunk of his hair covered skull was in the seat next to him. In front of the Kennedy’s, in the jump seats, Governor Connelly was semi-conscious, doubled over on his wife, Nellie. Fragments of gray tissue and white bone were splatted on everyone’s cloths, while the entire back compartment of the car completely awash with thick red blood.”
The president died at 1 pm. Dallas time. He was put into a coffin and then transported back to Washington. The autopsy was performed beginning about 8pm Nov.22, 1963 and was completed about midnight est.
The president’s body was then taken to Bethesda’s naval hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. The state funeral took place in Washington DC the three days that followed the assassination. (Wikipedia)
The warren commission was formed to investigate the assassination. David w didin was a noted lawyer and he was counseled to the warren commission. And also key investigator of the assassination itself. In his book,