JFK

I had just seen his motorcade the day before in Amarillo Texas as he drove
by my house and was watching the happenings on TV.

I was 7

BT

"Big John" wrote in message
...
40 years ago today I was ferrying a F-89J from the Maine Air Guard at
Bangor, ME to the Oregon Air Guard at Portland OR. Chugging along at
20K, keeping under the big jet stream blowing east, I was about 150
out of Oklahoma City, my next refueling stop, when ATC came up on
frequency and announced that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas
and was dead.

May he rest in peace.

Big John

I thought he was killed on 22 November 1963 which means that the anniversary
is next week.

FWIW


"Big John" wrote in message
...
40 years ago today I was ferrying a F-89J from the Maine Air Guard at
Bangor, ME to the Oregon Air Guard at Portland OR. Chugging along at
20K, keeping under the big jet stream blowing east, I was about 150
out of Oklahoma City, my next refueling stop, when ATC came up on
frequency and announced that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas
and was dead.

May he rest in peace.

Big John

This started OT as I was flying when it happened but sure got off
thread rapidly. Interesting subject to see how history has treated
those involved (facts, innuendo's etc.)


Big John



On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 09:38:22 -0600, Big John
wrote:

40 years ago today I was ferrying a F-89J from the Maine Air Guard at
Bangor, ME to the Oregon Air Guard at Portland OR. Chugging along at
20K, keeping under the big jet stream blowing east, I was about 150
out of Oklahoma City, my next refueling stop, when ATC came up on
frequency and announced that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas
and was dead.

May he rest in peace.

Big John

"Big John" wrote in message
...
This started OT as I was flying when it happened but sure got off
thread rapidly. Interesting subject to see how history has treated
those involved (facts, innuendo's etc.)


Big John


Well, John, is it innuendo that he was shot on Nov. 22nd, not Nov.14th ??
:~)

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 09:38:22 -0600, Big John
wrote:

40 years ago today I was ferrying a F-89J from the Maine Air Guard at
Bangor, ME to the Oregon Air Guard at Portland OR. Chugging along at
20K, keeping under the big jet stream blowing east, I was about 150
out of Oklahoma City, my next refueling stop, when ATC came up on
frequency and announced that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas
and was dead.

May he rest in peace.

Big John

But not the U.S., which now suffers under the Irish curse, or the
Irish wrath, which is a curse, for it is distinctly Irish. And it is
opportunism, (embarrassingly so) as clarified by the next paragraph.
What the U.S. actually lost was the influence of a particular
First Lady, who gave us her rendition of the White House, and whose
ancestors are French (not Irish, doesn't even look it), and who was
not satisfactory to the president in all his ways. But the JFK name
is above so much.
What the U.S. gained was LBJ managing of JFK's Asian commitments.
But I think congress was more committed to Asia than even LBJ, who
seemed a bit indecisive on the matter. (I'm guessing here. We were
committed, and warned against that.) I think he had good reason to be
indecisive.
T'was a sad time, after his death. But that may be a coincidence.

Mike

"Mike Rhodes" wrote in message
...
What the U.S. gained was LBJ managing of JFK's Asian commitments.
But I think congress was more committed to Asia than even LBJ, who
seemed a bit indecisive on the matter. (I'm guessing here. We were
committed, and warned against that.) I think he had good reason to be
indecisive.

Since LBJ's wife was a major shareholder in the transportation company
(marine shipping) that had virtually a monopoly contract to ship war
material to Vietnam...well, you can guess the rest.

"Tom S." wrote in message ...

Since LBJ's wife was a major shareholder in the transportation company
(marine shipping) that had virtually a monopoly contract to ship war
material to Vietnam...well, you can guess the rest.

Lady Bird was owner of the Johnson businesses in name only.

"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
m...

"Tom S." wrote in message
...

Since LBJ's wife was a major shareholder in the transportation company
(marine shipping) that had virtually a monopoly contract to ship war
material to Vietnam...well, you can guess the rest.

Lady Bird was owner of the Johnson businesses in name only.


Probably. I wonder what the rules were in the early 60's regarding blind
trusts, etc., for government officials.

On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 17:56:10 -0700, "Tom S."
wrote:


"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
om...

"Tom S." wrote in message
...

Since LBJ's wife was a major shareholder in the transportation company
(marine shipping) that had virtually a monopoly contract to ship war
material to Vietnam...well, you can guess the rest.

Lady Bird was owner of the Johnson businesses in name only.


Probably. I wonder what the rules were in the early 60's regarding blind
trusts, etc., for government officials.



For the record, to clarify my initial reply, I would not defend LBJ
politically, or Lady Bird. (I am not a democrat.) I was only trying
to point out the inherent weakness in the Asian commitment. As a
congressman who had a reputation as being pushy to get his way, Viet
Nam seems to be more of somebody else's war, (McNamara's, and the
military's), not his.

A blind trust was a notable factor in burying us into Viet Nam?
Mentioned in this newsgroup? That's a joke, right? But it might
actually clarify reasons for being indescisive. How much blood money
does one really need?

It may be a bit silly to give full credit to Jacqueline. But I've had
enough of JFK, a long time ago. I don't see it all, and I'm not
surprised that I don't. _I've seen no personality from him._ We
cried for JFK because we were told to, because we were of the type
back then who could still cry. Those are the sorrows, both of them.

Mike

"Big John" wrote:
40 years ago today I was ferrying a F-89J

Hey, Big John, wasn't that the thing with about a jillion rockets in
wingtip pods? Did you ever get to fire them?
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM