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The Funeral Of A President
Posted On Saturday April 28, 2007 By Dan
John Kennedy’s death and funeral I remember quite vividly. I was stationed in Washington D.C. at Bolling Air Force Base on the Potomac river as a member of the USAF Honor Guard and represented the Air Force in ceremony’s at the White House. Attending state dinners for foreign dignitary’s on a regular basis and standing next to all those important people throughout the receptions developed a certain closeness to them. I was 18 years old at the time. Of course you could never initiate conversation and always stood at attention.
John-John would place his toe next to my very spit shined shoes and giggle before getting retrieved. Jackie could be seen running and playing with the kids across the lawn. Walking in step with representatives of the other branches of service up the narrow spiral staircase to the personal living quarters and asking the president for permission to get the flags was a heart pounding event.
I was playing basketball at the base gym when the assassination was announced over the loud speaker. From that moment on, for several days, I do not recall meeting anyone in the military with anything but a very grim look on their face. No joking or the usual barracks grab ass.
Everyone got their assignments. Different squads of airmen were assembled to be at every point of arrival and departure of the slain president and family. Army, Navy, Marines, and the Coast Guard were doing the same. I remember talking to a sergeant and good friend about how emotional it was for him and others to bear the body as it exited the plane at Andrews Air force base.
I was selected to be one of four airmen to march along side the coffin as it was moved from a private service at the white house to the rotunda of the Capital building. The only sound I heard in the entire city during that trip was the loud echo of hoofs on the street from the horses that were pulling the caisson. The next day, me and many from all the Honor Guards waited for hours on the steps of the Capital for the procession to exit. We were trained to keep our eyes forward but I looked enough to the right to see John Jr’s. now famous salute to his father. Each year at anniversary, when the videos and images start appearing, I’m able to place myself back in time with both sight and sound.
Tags: assassination, emotional, guard, honor, jfk, kennedy, usaf