22 November, 2006
Day 22 for nablopomo
And so my fellow Americans
Ask not what your country can do for you
Ask what you can do for your country
My fellow citizens of the world - ask not
What America can do for you - but what together
We can do for the freedom of man
It's been 43 years since I stood in the barracks of Great Lakes Naval Training Center's Hospital Corpsman School. Alone with my mop, listening to the popular jive of the day, I was reminiscing about making-out under water with B.B. last summer. The music stopped and the announcer interrupted regular programming to say that President Kennedy has been shot while riding in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. At 18 (six feet tall and bullet proof) I was dumbfounded. It must be a joke, like Oson Well's, but no.............. it was true. I had tears in my eyes as I prayed (I was still a devoted Catholic then) that it wouldn't be a mortal wound.
I was overwhelmed, confounded, and stunned. My emotional being was bankrupt.
My outlook on life was shaped forever by this day. This was the day I grew up...the world was made real for me!
| John Fitzgerald Kennedy | |
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| In office
January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963 | |
| Vice President(s) | |
| Preceded by | |
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| Born | |
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| Signature | |
posted by rel at 4:21 AM
10 Comments:
You know, I never thought about the fact that had JFK survived, he would now be 89 years old. Wow.
I can imagine that day must have been mind-blowing. I loved hearing your recollections.
Very nice post Rel. I remember where I was that day too, I was in my high school cafeteria, we were having study hall down there. I can remember exactly how I felt when I heard that he had been shot. I bet most Americans remember exactly what they were doing that day.
Im sorry your not going to have any turkey leftovers :((...send me your address and I will fed ex some to you! ;))
If you feel like driving to Ohio your more than welcome at my table.
Now, about that making out underwater....that had to be cool! I might have to put that on my list of things to do before I die!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your wife! God bless!
Nice post buddy! Have a happy Thanksgiving!
I hadn't realised that it's the anniversary of JFK's death - I do remember quite clearly hearing the news though and the total disbelief that such a thing could happen.
I'm trying to visit as many of the NaBloPoMo blogs as I can and I thought I'd say hi, I liked your blog.. :) I too had forgotten this was the anniversary but it was 12 years before I was born when it happened so that's maybe not so surprising. Interesting to hear what you had to say on it.
Yes, I remember where I was when I heard the news too; I guess most Americans who were alive then won't ever forget. It's a tragedy that he died before he could fulfill his promise. Thanks for this poignant reminder.
Wishing you and yours the happiest of Thanksgivings!
People I work with talk about where they were when JFK got shot, and I feel like I missed a huge historical moment. Sadly, I wasn't born yet.
I was only 5 years old at that time and I remember laying on the floor watching cartoons and the news breaking in to tell of your President`s terrible terrible death.
tea
xo
I always liked Jackie better. I think it was harder to stand by such a lousy husband and never speak ill of him for the sake of her children and her country than it was for old Kennedy to figure out the Bay of Pigs problem....(-:
PS Happy Thanksgiving!
The only thing I remember about that day was seeing my mom crying and asking her why. I was too young to know what a president was at that time, especially since it wasn't something we had here in Canada...it wasn't until my teens that I understood how well loved Kennedy had been and what he had done for the country. Hard to believe it's been 43 years ago already!
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