So I remember nothing.

I'm still waiting for the files on it to be declassified.

I was 13 years old, and the news came over the brand new P.A. system we had gotten at our school with money from Peanut Drives.  It was the first time they used the system that had taken about 5 years to get.

For days we sat by the TV.  

I think it was the first huge emotional event that was broadcast into people's living rooms.  The images were burnt into my mind. Jackie in the blood stained dress.  John-John saluting. Oswald grimicing as the bullet hit.

Until 9-11 nothing equaled it.  

There were several assassination attempts against Kennedy before Dallas. One in Chicago, another somewhere in Floria, I forget where. The mob didn't like what Robert Kennedy was doing, and so they took out JFK. Of course, the CIA figured this was a public relations nightmare since they had been working with the mob themselves to try to get them to take out Castro.

That place is still kept as seen in that famous video clip -- now the building is a museum; outside, the grassy knoll and everything else still looks the same ... there is a new Grant Hyatt hotel within walking distance from it.

Yep! I was down in the high school locker room getting ready for gym class. Not only was it devastaing in regards to who it was, but shocking that such a thing could happen in our country. In my young mind, only Lincoln came to mind regarding a President of the United States being assassinated.

the news?

was killed by that $%$#%, my friends and I were well I cannot put into words nor describe the horror, the disbelief, the sadness of losing a friend. We thought with John Bonham dying about month earlier and Led Zepplin disbanding, music would never be the same. Then we thought at least we still have Bob Marley, but he died six months later.

We consoled ourselves by saying oh well at least we can laugh with John Belushi, and then he died more or less nine months later. I was in high school during that time and the lumber mill in my town shut down. It was hard to imagine that the 80's would be for me the funnest decade I ever had.

Lennon was a huge figure, but no where near the status of JFK.  There were a dozen "top" musicians, and an equal number of artists/actors who may be icons.  

But JFK was pretty unique at the time.

Also, by the time of Lennon there had been a score of ultra high profile murders, so any one was a little more numb.  

JFK was the first, so the wound was more raw.

I was in the BX snack bar at Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC, eating breakfast, after a very long night shift of work. The young lady at the cash register had her small transistor radio on low, as she always did. I looked her way and saw that she was crying, went over and asked what it was. She told me, and then made an announcement on the P.A. about it. We all got up and left. I was walking back to the barracks when the siren sounded the recall signal. Went to my shop, and the Chief said we were launching all the planes, (F-105D's), to Andrews AFB, MD. JFK had been reported dead by that time. 72 F-105D's took off in pairs. 50 of them, along with Air Force One, did the flyover for his funeral. Sad day for America.

announcement came over the loudspeaker that Kennedy had been shot from a grassy knoll-a couple of people were beaten up because they stated their approval of it-and most folks at school were pretty happy when Ruby blew away Oswald-1rob

Well, actually still in Jr. High. The Jr. High and Senior High classes were all together in the same building. But still, like you said, "old" enough.

I'm just happy I don't feel that old more often than I do feel that old.

but I can't remember where I was, at the time, when I heard the news.

by where they were.  

High school You are old.

(I am getting there.)

But seriously, it was devastating.

-- Modified on 11/23/2010 9:57:40 PM

magnitude of significance as losing a President. I won't go there. John Lennon's death though for us teenagers growing up during that time, was very significant. Dare, I make the conclusion, that teenagers are sentimental.