When J.F.K. was shot I had just got back to school from lunch. One of the guys in my class ran in and said that the president had been shot. The teacher turned on the television and we all watched for the rest of the day. That afternoon when I got home I found my mother crying, it was then that I realized that our country had lost one of the most important leaders in it's history.

When the Murrah building was bombed I had just gotten into the shower, I was on vacation. I spent the rest of the day trying to find friends that worked in the area, only one was left. So many lost for nothing, it still hurts my heart to think of it.

When the tornado took Moore I was in Ft. Worth, my father-in-law had just died about 6 hours before it hit. My home was in Moore, my kids were in Moore and many of my friends were in Moore. I know that was not as bad as being in Moore at that time, but, not knowing if my home was gone or if I had lost my sons or any of my friends was very hard on me. I came home to find that my home and my kids were just fine, but, many of my friends had nothing left. I have faced devastation in my past and it did not make this any easier.

When J.F.K. was shot I had just got back to school from lunch. One of the guys in my class ran in and said that the president had been shot. The teacher turned on the television and we all watched for the rest of the day. That afternoon when I got home I found my mother crying, it was then that I realized that our country had lost one of the most important leaders in it's history.

When the Murrah building was bombed I had just gotten into the shower, I was on vacation. I spent the rest of the day trying to find friends that worked in the area, only one was left. So many lost for nothing, it still hurts my heart to think of it.

When the tornado took Moore I was in Ft. Worth, my father-in-law had just died about 6 hours before it hit. My home was in Moore, my kids were in Moore and many of my friends were in Moore. I know that was not as bad as being in Moore at that time, but, not knowing if my home was gone or if I had lost my sons or any of my friends was very hard on me. I came home to find that my home and my kids were just fine, but, many of my friends had nothing left. I have faced devastation in my past and it did not make this any easier.

The Murrah building I was at work at TTI. Worked grave and was about to go home. The company is at Skyline and Eastern. The entire dock was open and we never heard anything. I guess the Canadian kept us from hearing the blast. The radio said something about a broken gas line. Did not know the amount of destruction until I got home. Of course at that early in the game nobody knew exactly what happened.

The May tornado was really close. Wife, Granddaughter and I were returning from Springfield MO. If we had been ten minutes later we would have been in the middle of it. We were I35 and Indian Hills Rd. when it hit. We used to go to a Bowling Tournament in Springfield every year. It seemed as if every year there was bad weather in Oklahoma when we returned.
Still could never convince the wife we needed to stay longer and spend a complete day at Wilson's Creek Battlefield. Maybe that's why she's an ex now.

When the May 1999 tornado hit, Prunette and I were going to go to a Gospel
Quartet concert at a Baptist church in Del City. Something came up and we
didn't go. I don't remember the church but it was in the middle of the path.

When we go to the commissary at Tinker we see all of the new houses that
were built since then. THAT was a tornado disaster.

Sometimes you wish you were there so you could help. Then again, you're
very glad Providence intervened.

Sometimes you wish you were there so you could help. Then again, you're
very glad Providence intervened.

When you can see where it actually sucked the grass from the ground.....If you were in it and lived you were definitely blessed,,,,,,,,

When I drove down Western and to the west and actually viewed the massive destruction I cried. War-zone does not do the sites justice....

My Mother in Law live at 119th and Western. When we finally were abel to get in to the addition you couldn't tell which house was hers. Her garage was completly gone. The roof on the kitchen was gone, but the pictures taped on the china cabinet were still there. Tornados are amazing

My Mother in Law live at 119th and Western. When we finally were abel to get in to the addition you couldn't tell which house was hers. Her garage was completly gone. The roof on the kitchen was gone, but the pictures taped on the china cabinet were still there. Tornados are amazing

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Something I remember very vividly was about a week before the Tornado hit in Moore, I had painted parking lines on the parking lot....The next day after the tornado, there was NO Paint left at all........

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Something I remember very vividly was about a week before the Tornado hit in Moore, I had painted parking lines on the parking lot....The next day after the tornado, there was NO Paint left at all........

Next time don't use a water-based paint. :tiphat:

I was in the 2nd grade when my teacher, Mrs. Newport told us about it. I'll never forget it.

I was in the 2nd grade when my teacher, Mrs. Newport told us about it. I'll never forget it.
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You know, some of us have gone through many memorable things in our lives....Kennedy being shot....Still remember it vividly....Bobby Kennedy....Wasted ....Martin Luther King.....Viet Nam.....Desert Storm....Why we can't get our stuff together and live in peace I'll never know....Getting semi teary-eyed as the May 3rd storm was devastating to many people here in Moore....Sorry....Had to Vent...Was deeply involved in that storm....

hey, this was just originally put in here for and few "quick" memories but, where were YOU on Historic Occasions that will go down in History.????

1. The Moon landing?
2. The Fall of Saigon?
3. When John Lennon was shot?
4. When Marilyn Monroe was found dead???? I thought they were kidding....

Surely there are some other moments......I told my wife "I Loved her" the first time in one of the round booths at Cattlemen's and 6 months later asked her to marry me in the same booth......She won't go to Cattlemen's with me now...don't know why after 44 years......

hey, this was just originally put in here for and few "quick" memories but, where were YOU on Historic Occasions that will go down in History.????

1. The Moon landing?
2. The Fall of Saigon?
3. When John Lennon was shot?
4. When Marilyn Monroe was found dead???? I thought they were kidding....

Surely there are some other moments......I told my wife "I Loved her" the first time in one of the round booths at Cattlemen's and 6 months later asked her to marry me in the same booth......She won't go to Cattlemen's with me now...don't know why after 44 years......

moon landing; at my grandparents..

They had a color t.v.

Fall of Saigon; home watching the news

John Lennon; playing poker.

At a stoplight 29th and May, across the radio - Groucho Marx died! To hell with Elvis, Groucho just died!!!

When JFK was shot ,I was in the womb with 8 months left to serve..lol

When JFK was shot ,I was in the womb with 8 months left to serve..lol
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oh my gosh!!!! now you have to come up with something of historical significance from your era.....

Challenger explosion - in my 3rd grade classroom.

I just started a new thread called "Where were you during historic events? (http://www.okctalk.com/nostalgia-memories/18892-where-were-you-during-historic-events.html#post247669)"

I just started a new thread called "Where were you during historic events? (http://www.okctalk.com/nostalgia-memories/18892-where-were-you-during-historic-events.html#post247669)"

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good show dude....

Challenger Explosion, I was home getting ready to go back to class. Watched it live on TV. It was horrible. I kept hoping my eyes were deceiving me.

OKC bombing, I was on the phone arguing with an obnoxious lawyer over at the Health Sciences Center. Didn't hear a thing. I was the second person in line to give blood and inside of two hours, when I came back out, there were ambulances as far as the eye could see.

9-11 - I was right across the river from the Pentagon and heard it hit. Just a couple of minutes before, I'd been on the phone with my husband who is in the aviation business. We were talking about the planes in NYC and I'll never forget what he said, "Keep it under your hat because we don't want to start a panic, but we've lost some planes..."

Challenger Explosion, I was home getting ready to go back to class. Watched it live on TV. It was horrible. I kept hoping my eyes were deceiving me.

OKC bombing, I was on the phone arguing with an obnoxious lawyer over at the Health Sciences Center. Didn't hear a thing. I was the second person in line to give blood and inside of two hours, when I came back out, there were ambulances as far as the eye could see.

9-11 - I was right across the river from the Pentagon and heard it hit. Just a couple of minutes before, I'd been on the phone with my husband who is in the aviation business. We were talking about the planes in NYC and I'll never forget what he said, "Keep it under your hat because we don't want to start a panic, but we've lost some planes..."
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Hey girl, you're up rather late tonight aren't you? When you and the hubby come back to God's country for a visit.....We're going to have a bonfire and cook our own Schwab's Hot Dogs....

Challenger Explosion, I was home getting ready to go back to class. Watched it live on TV. It was horrible. I kept hoping my eyes were deceiving me.

OKC bombing, I was on the phone arguing with an obnoxious lawyer over at the Health Sciences Center. Didn't hear a thing. I was the second person in line to give blood and inside of two hours, when I came back out, there were ambulances as far as the eye could see.

9-11 - I was right across the river from the Pentagon and heard it hit. Just a couple of minutes before, I'd been on the phone with my husband who is in the aviation business. We were talking about the planes in NYC and I'll never forget what he said, "Keep it under your hat because we don't want to start a panic, but we've lost some planes..."

Challenger, I was at work and heard it over the radio

OKC bombing, I worked on Skyline and Eastern. The business backed to the railroad tracks to the north and you an unobstructed view of downtown. The river or something absorbed the sound because we heard nothing. Got in the car to go home (worked graveyard) and they were talking about a possible gas pipeline explosion. Didn't seem as if people were taking it serious. Of course it was awhile before we knew the magnitude.

On 9/11 I was again getting off work. When they said a plane had hit the twin towers I thought maybe it was a light airplane. A two seater or such.

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Hey girl, you're up rather late tonight aren't you? When you and the hubby come back to God's country for a visit.....We're going to have a bonfire and cook our own Schwab's Hot Dogs....

I WAS up late!! I was bound and determined to finish up a quilt that has been sitting around needing a binding. I was posting while it was in the washer (I like to wash them when they are done to get them to shrink up and "pop" the quilting). The thing is so big I didn't dare walk off and leave it in the washer to go to bed. It would have gotten the thing off balance and walked the machine all over the laundry room. Since I had an early morning, I wanted to get it washed last night.

What really struck me after it was determined to be a bomb in Okc, was "Oh my God! The United States has just became a part of the rest of the world!" I think that is why 9/11, the act anyway, did not have near the same impact.

The Assasination of Kennedy is all over the History Channel....I don't know how Oswald or whomever was able to put 3 Rounds through that rifle that fast. It just doesn't make any common Sense.....And to be accurate also?????

The Assasination of Kennedy is all over the History Channel... I don't know
how Oswald or whomever was able to put 3 Rounds through that rifle that
fast. It just doesn't make any common Sense... And to be accurate also?

I think the shooter(s) was/were in the sewer drain(s). You don't fall
backward when you're shot from behind.

Know LBJ's favorite song?

"I Love a Parade"

I think the shooter(s) was/were in the sewer drain(s). You don't fall
backward when you're shot from behind.
================================================== =============
that's kinda what I thought. I have a very close friend that was Johnson's Secret Service agent. Number one rule...we don't discuss Anything about Kennedy......Now, there's a real collectable.....I have a Crystal Bird signed (etched) from Lady Bird....Not many of those around town. I also have a Presidential Lighter from LBJ.......(Ronson Butane)....When my oldest son was born my wife was given a Presidential bracelet with the Presidential Seal....LBJ ...He's not the president any more is he????

11-22-1963 I was at John Carroll, sitting in 5th grade math class after recess waiting for Sister Mary Geraldine to come in. She was about ten minutes late and it was pretty loud and rowdy when she came in. We were sure we were going to have to write something 100 times, but she just said, "President Kennedy has just been shot. You see what happens when you live in such a crazy world?" and ran back out. She came back in about ten minutes later and said, "The President is dead." All I can remember after that for the rest of the day is that every time I looked at Nancy Thompson she was sobbing quietly into a Kleenex.

Rick

11-22-1963 I was at John Carroll, sitting in 5th grade math class after recess waiting for Sister Mary Geraldine to come in. She was about ten minutes late and it was pretty loud and rowdy when she came in. We were sure we were going to have to write something 100 times, but she just said, "President Kennedy has just been shot. You see what happens when you live in such a crazy world?" and ran back out. She came back in about ten minutes later and said, "The President is dead." All I can remember after that for the rest of the day is that every time I looked at Nancy Thompson she was sobbing quietly into a Kleenex.

Rick

I was at Sacred Heart. All the students were ushered into the gym. We were told he had been killed and school was dismissed.

It was rain'n that day in OKC.

I was at Sacred Heart. All the students were ushered into the gym. We were told he had been killed and school was dismissed.

I only had a block to walk in getting home. I must have been in the 3rd grade.

I am sick of the "film" being shown over and over. Once or twice is enough.

Anyone engrossed with the head shot is sick.

And I'm a pretty liberal minded person.

Well, it's that time of the year....Did Oswald do it or not???? never really know will we????

11/22/63; Nothing too different from most other accounts. Mrs. Lee's 5th-grade class at Belle Isle (perhaps otherwise the least remarkable year of my education.) I guess someone came to the classroom door and told her, she told us and we watched the TV the rest of the afternoon. No sage adult told me I should be devouring every second of this life-changing event. (Actually, they might have, but I was too restless with no sports on the b/w Motorola to pay much attention.) On Sunday, I was outside playing football (for want of any of the NFL/AFL genuine article on TV) when Oswald was shot. But hey, we were Republicans and in our family, "democrat" was the severest of epithets. (My father and his father actually preferred it to son-of- this other mother- that.) Hence, not a lot of Kennedy worship around our home. (A few months later, as the Beatles were exploding, I changed my coiffure into a more downward and British swoop. My dad caught me going out the front door in high Mersey style and bellowed, "Get back in here and comb your hair! You look like go99am Bobby Kennedy!")

-0-

When the Murrah Building was hit, I had, as it were, gone left on the map and was long into fulfilling my Grapes of Wrath Destiny at a major Southern California newspaper (back when they had those--and CRT TVs) and was literally underground at Union Station, meeting a fellow guitar enthusiast who was on his way from Nawlins up the West Coast to Oregon. I heard the NPR report (did I mention I love my parents but have drifted from their political worldview?) as I drove out into the morning light.

But more interesting was a phone conversation between my dad and my aunt (his sister and only sibling). She worked at the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (across the street at the west end of the same block as the Murrah Building.) She and dad were talking to each other when everything McVeighed. She had just enough time to say something about the ceiling coming down into her hairdo before the line went dead.

Others in the OWRC Building died, but she got out with only the loss of a permanent, a pair of pantyhose from the flying debris and probably some sore feet from walking some distance north away from the scene. Her name is on the Survivors' Wall (SE corner) of the remaining Murrah basement: Mary E. Whitlow. (She and dad, 77 and 83 respectively, are still with us fourteen years later. So's Mom, although she was simply at home when the Ryder truck's security deposit was voided.)

I was in front of the TV on a Sunday when Oswald was shot. Kennedy was
shot on a Friday. I remember because I went out an played instead of
watching TV. There were no cartoons or Foreman Scotty.

Oswald was shot on Sunday.

Kennedy - wasn't born yet
Challenger - I vaguely remember teachers turning on televisions in classrooms..i really don't remember much, I was in high school

Bombing...I was at my house, getting ready for class. I was getting dressed and getting my 2 yo daughter dressed. I lived about a mile away (as the crow flies) from the building at the time...the explosion shook our old house so hard, my toddler fell down on her butt and I had to catch myself from falling. It rattled the windows but didn't break them. My (then) husband called me right after - I thought he was calling about that but he asked me a question about the dryer, he was buying a part for it. I asked if he heard that..."Heard what?" I told him there was some very loud explosion that shook the house and he said it was probably a sonic boom...I told him, "That was no sonic boom"

When my husband found out what was going on, he went to the hospital..he was in medical school at the time. He went to the OU ER within an hour and they had everything set up to accept critical patients, and they waited and waited but no one ever came. I guess most of the first patients were taken to St. Anthony.

I took my daughter to her babysitter just down the street from me, and while there, the helicopter was just rounding the corner with the first vision of what happened. It was so shocking. I called my biochem instructor and told her I wouldn't be there to take the test, and when I told her why, she cancelled class altogether. I was downtown within 30 minutes, and it was a cluster. I didn't get close to the building, there was so much commotion, I thought it best to stay out of the way. I saw my stepdad, he's a cop and on the bomb squad...he had the bomb disposal unit truck, as they had heard there was a 2nd bomb. He didn't see me.

He was there every day after that for weeks, digging people out (parts, mostly). He still has nightmares.

I was in front of the TV on a Sunday when Oswald was shot. Kennedy was
shot on a Friday. I remember because I went out an played instead of
watching TV. There were no cartoons or Foreman Scotty.

Oswald was shot on Sunday.

I was in the same mood.

What! No cartoons?

They just keep showing the Kennedy Archives films over and over....

Soon to become archive films.....

I was in the first grade at Rollingwood Elementary School. I remember that I was in a temp classroom in the cafeteria. As I was in the peak of the baby boomers I spent most of my school days in temp classrooms. I can remember people talking about it but that's about all.

Mike

I was in the first grade at Rollingwood Elementary School. I remember that I was in a temp classroom in the cafeteria. As I was in the peak of the baby boomers I spent most of my school days in temp classrooms. I can remember people talking about it but that's about all.

Mike

how much time did you spend in the "office?"

how much time did you spend in the "office?"

Not quite sure what you mean by the "office". If you're talking about the principals office then yes, I made a few visits there!
I was an angry and rebellious one in those days. Mr. King was the principal when I was there. That would be about 1969 and the times they were a changing.

When I graduated from Putnam City High School in 1975 we had over 800 kids in our class. Lots of temp class rooms there.

In my senior year I went to the Foster Estes Vocational Technical Center in South OKC. That was a great experience. I don't know if that school exists anymore but it was well worth it. Good teachers. Of course, they didn't have to deal with the normal high school nonsense either.


Mike

When I graduated from Putnam City High School in 1975 we had over 800 kids in our class. Lots of temp class rooms there.

In my senior year I went to the Foster Estes Vocational Technical Center in South OKC. That was a great experience. I don't know if that school exists anymore but it was well worth it. Good teachers. Of course, they didn't have to deal with the normal high school nonsense either.


Mike[/QUOTE]
If you went to the one on S. Bryant, it is still there. Remodeled and absorbed by Metro Tech.

I was a freshman at NEO A&M in Miami. I was home for lunch. Mother came in and told me. They had interrupted "As the World Turns" with the news. When I got back to school, I saw my history teacher and told her. She accused me of lying to her. She later apologized to me in front of our history class.

Challenger - I was working at Tinker and had gone across the hall to see one of the engineers I worked with. We all stood there and listened to the radio.

Bombing - Still at Tinker. The wife of one of the guys in the office called and told him. He was our computer/communications specialist, so he set up the television in the conference room. The first of many hours of TV watching during that time. We lost our favorite security investigator.

I thought this might be an appropriate time to bring this thread back up for new posters here.

I know this is yesterday's news, but I was at University Hill Elementary School in one of the Sixth Grade classrooms, right after lunch. I still recall how stunned and shocked all of the teachers and other grown-ups were. It honestly didn't have much real effect on me at the time except after a week of nothing but Kennedy coverage on all three of the TV channels I remember how irritated I was that none of my regular shows were being aired. However, since then, I realized what a loss this really was to our nation. At one point I read the book "Six Seconds In Dallas" and lost all faith in the Warren Commission and a lot of trust in The Government.

Orchestra 4th hour. Band director came in and whispered to the orchestra director, who immediately shared the news with us. We put away our instruments and went outside. For PE we had study hall. Back then they would roll a tv set into the room on occasion, and this was one. Saturday a friend had her birthday party at the roller skating rink. Sunday, I wasn't in the tv room when Oswald was shot.

I've been thinking about the teachers of that day. Wondering how it looked from their prospective.

Peggy Noonan wrote a good piece on the subject at WSJ.

I was in the 5th grade. Mrs. Mays came into the room and told our
teacher. She told us the President had been shot and turned on the TV.
She taught while the volume was turned down. Occasionally she'd turn
up the volume and we'd watch.

She had to have been anxious or deeply concerned but continued with
her duty as a teacher. I'm not convinced that would happen today.
Classes would probably be cancelled.

... At one point I read the book "Six Seconds In Dallas" and lost all faith
in the Warren Commission and a lot of trust in The Government.
Senatorial Privilege had the same effect on me.

Not sure exactly where I was as I born in 1993 ;)

Not sure exactly where I was as I born in 1993 ;)

Were your parents even alive then, plupan? I have shoes older than you. LOL

Were your parents even alive then, plupan? I have shoes older than you. LOLDon't think so haha. . . My dad was born in 64. :)

As for your shoes being older than me; I have a coin that was made in 1850, beat that! lol ;)

If we can't decide, logically--and with a small measure of kindness and respect--to redirect the verbal jabs to something more positive and productive then this entire discussion is going to be turned around and someone is going to get their collective asses spanked.

(I was, like, 11 when the theme of this thread started and I still remember the point)

Don't think so haha. . . My dad was born in 64. :)

As for your shoes being older than me; I have a coin that was made in 1850, beat that! lol ;)

Well, the oldest coin I have is a silver dollar from 1885 but, if books published in the early 1700's and family wills, deeds, and documents from the 1600's count, I win. :)
But seriously, as RM says, this is neither here nor there with regard to the seriousness of the subject.

Well, the oldest coin I have is a silver dollar from 1885 but, if books published in the early 1700's and family wills, deeds, and documents from the 1600's count, I win. :)
But seriously, as RM says, this is neither here nor there with regard to the seriousness of the subject.Wow, I don't have anything from the 1600's then so you would win haha. . . That is pretty cool having those kinds of documents.

Anyhow, I don't want to get off topic here. Carry on! :)

I was aboard the USS Klondike AR 22 at sea heading to Japan. Reveille was followed by "This is the captain speaking, we have just received word that the president has been killed". Not another word, five days later we arrived in Sasebo, Japan and we had to buy a copy of the Stars and Stripes (military newspaper) to find out what happened. There was never any word from our ships officers, everything we learned was from other sailors in Sasebo that were in port when the shooting took place. To this day I have no idea why. We speculated that they felt there would be problems if any further details were passed on while we were at sea.
C. T.

A few years ago, NPR/All Things Considered did a retrospective on the assassination of JFK. As usual, it was excellent. One of the most interesting parts involved actual, recorded, radio contact with an airplane carrying most of the Cabinet to some overseas visit. They had to turn around and return to the U.S. I wrote in a comment to their website and it was actually read, on the air, the following Thursday. As I said, previously: When the actual event occurred it didn't make much of an impression on me. It was only later that I came to realize what a real, history changing, tragedy this was. Despite his flaws, JFK was the best Democratic Republican ever. Too bad that he didn't have a chance to run for a second term and instead we got the alternative.

I will be honest, I was surprised that Ted Kennedy did not get assassination since John and Robert did

Anyway, from what my family have told me about John, he is a good President, it is a shame he died too young

I wonder what the percentage of people in the US are over 50 years old and lived in the US in 1963.

I read something this week that surprised me at first but when considering the growth in Dallas maybe it shouldn't:

Only 10 percent of the current residents of Dallas lived in Dallas when JFK was shot.

I will be honest, I was surprised that Ted Kennedy did not get assassination since John and Robert did,

The Conspiracy decided that it would be better just to mess with the steering on his car in order to ruin his political career. Sam Giancanna and Fidel Castro argued about it for hours, but, in the end, we all know what happened.

I wonder what the percentage of people in the US are over 50 years old and lived in the US in 1963.

That belongs over on the Math Problem thread.
(the one that explains how Lee Harvey Oswald could accurately fire a $10 Italian Army Surplus rifle so fast and with such accuracy.)

Well if you're into Buddhism i was probably a spider monkey pleasing myself when JFK was assassinated.

Don't think so haha. . . My dad was born in 64. :)

As for your shoes being older than me; I have a coin that was made in 1850, beat that! lol ;)

I'll take the bait on this one - I have a couple of stone artifacts from Barkley West, South Africa that date to 500,000 BP.

Where was I when Kennedy was shot?
Wasn't born until the following May. I'm kind of glad I wasn't around for that, from everyone I've talked to that who was, it had to be a very rough time in this country.

As for the Murrah building:
I was asleep after coming off a 12 hour shift, and was looking forward to a well deserved couple of days off after a rough week at work. My sister, who I shared an apartment with at the time, woke me up and told me about it. It didn't take long after that for my phone to ring, work was calling me back in. I spent 3 looooooong days downtown at the Journal Record building, helping to restrict access to the bombsite, etc. Those 3 days is something I'll never forget as long as I live, and If the Kennedy assassination was anything like those 3 days (and all the days that followed), in '95, then I can certainly sympathize with all of you who lived through it