22/11/2023
Trails Country
On the Road
National History Trails
November 22, 2023
[Downtown Dallas, TX]
By C.G. Willis, Publisher
Today marks 60 years since President John F. Kennedy was gunned down by multiple shooters at Dealey Plaza on Elm Street at approximately 12.35 p.m. he was princes deceased at Parkland Hospital at 1 p.m.
The plaza’s south, north and renowned west grassy knolls were packed with citizens from around the world paying tribute as the news stationed filmed and people clamored for tours and remembrances, while the American flag flew gently as half staff.
As in a few scatters years past, I did NOT attend today’s very crowded gathering, or ceremonies , as I was taking dear friend, Gordon Ferrie, now 82, back to DFW airport to fly back to the east coast. See pictures.
Mr. Ferrie, U.S. Marine, and international financier and consultant intel, served for a time on the secret service staff to both Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. Also pictured is Barbara Honegger, national historian and former Whitehouse Policy Diplomat to President Reagan, whose office was right above the Oval Office.
This text below is the verbatim memorial eulogy I gave to the crowd two years ago in 2021. It is worthy of an encore reading.
MEMORIAL EULOGY
FOR JOHN F. KENNEDY
BY C. G. SPAINHOUER WILLIS
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on the second floor in the master bedroom of 83 Beals Street in Brookline Massachusetts on May 29, 1917, to the parents of Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. and Rose Fitzgerald.
Rose and Joe Kennedy’s had nine children, in their marriage that lasted 55 years: four sons and five daughters, the siblings of John Kennedy include: Joseph P. Jr., Robert (Bobby), Edward (Ted), Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, Patricia, and Jean.
As a child, John Kennedy was a Boy Scout in Troop 2 in Bronxville, NY, and played baseball as a right-handed third baseman.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was catapulted to public service after graduating Harvard in June 1940, cm lade with a Bachelors of Art in government, focusing on international affairs. His senior thesis, "Appeasement in Munich", became a best selling book under Why England Slept, at the age of 23.
Kennedy planned to attend Yale Law School after auditing courses on business law at Stanford, but canceled when American entry into World War II seemed imminent. While at Stanford in 1940, John F. Kennedy registered for the draft. Thirteen days later his number was drawn from the fishbowl; As a college student and under law, however, he was able to defer until July of 1941.
He tried to join the army Officer Candidate School, but could not because of lower back problems. On September 21, 1941, Kennedy joined the U.S. Naval reserves.
He received an ensign's commission in the U.S. Naval Reserve in October 1941. He served in Washington D.C. in the Office of Naval Intelligence (October 1941-January 1942)
Kennedy was promoted to Lieutenant on October 1, 1942.
In 1943 he was hospitalized briefly in Jacksonville, Florida after diving into the cold water to unfoul a propeller on a PT boat.
April 23, 1943, Kennedy was assigned to command PT109 of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 2 that operated out of Tulagi, in the Solomons, and then Rendova. That is also where my father, who eventually became a Master Chief, U.S. Navy photo intelligence, was also deployed during World War II.
On August 2, 1943, PT109 was cut in half by a Japanese destroyer, killing two crew members. Kennedy and the remaining 10 crew members took 3 days to swim 3.5 miles towards Plum Pudding Island; Kennedy towed a badly burned crewman, “Pappy” MacMahon to the island with a life jacket strap clinched between his teeth.
Kennedy swam two more miles to nearby islands looking for food, fresh water or help. Two days later, August 4, Kennedy again towed MacMahon (with the strap between his teeth) and led the crew of 10 another 3.75 miles to Olasana island, that had ripe coconuts.
Kennedy and Ensign Ross then made a half mile trip swim to Naru Islands, where they found a small canoe, crackers candy and a drum of water, and paddled another half mile back. Kennedy and his crew were rescued on August 8, 1943.
Military awards
the American Defense Service Medal
the American Campaign Medal
the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three stars
and the World War II Victory Medal.
Kennedy received the Purple Heart for being wounded,
and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his conduct during and after the loss of PT-109
“For extremely heroic conduct as Commanding Officer of Motor Torpedo Boat 109 following the collision and sinking of that vessel in the Pacific War area on August 1–2, 1943. Unmindful of personal danger, Lieutenant (then Lieutenant, Junior Grade) Kennedy unhesitatingly braved the difficulties and hazards of darkness to direct rescue operations, swimming many hours to secure aid and food after he had succeeded in getting his crew ashore. His outstanding courage, endurance and leadership contributed to the saving of several lives and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
When asked exactly how he became a war hero, Kennedy famously said, “It was involuntary. They sunk my boat.”
AFTER WORLD WAR II
In 1945, Kennedy became a journalist for the Hearst Newspapers and special correspondent abroad.
Since 1884, the Kennedy family is an American political family that has long been prominent in American politics, public service, entertainment, cultural arts, and business.
JFK's elder brother Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr was the family's political standard-bearer and had been tapped by their father to seek the presidency. Joe's death during the war in 1944 changed that course and the assignment fell to JFK as the second eldest of the Kennedy siblings.
From the U.S. Navy History website, it states, “Having assumed the family's political mantle after the end of World War II, … and was (successfully) elected to Congress Congress on 5 November 1946.
Kennedy served in the halls of Congress from January 1, 1947 through December 22, 1960, first with terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts, then two terms as a U.S. Senator, where he focused on national defense and civil rights issues.
In 1956, Kennedy wrote and published Profiles in Courage, highlighting Acts of Bravery and Integrity; the book garnered Kennedy a Pulitzer Prize.
At the 1957 Harvard Commencement ceremonies, Kennedy received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree conferred by Harvard on the then junior Senator from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy '40. The inscription read "Brave officer, able Senator, Son of Harvard; loyal to party, he remains stead-fast to principle."
In 1958 he authored his 3rd book, A Nation of Immigrants, covering the history of immigration from Colonial America and an analysis of the importance of immigration in U.S. History.
“Mr. Kennedy's brilliant political career reached its zenith on Nov. 8, 1960, the day on which he was elected the thirty-fifth President of the United States. He became then the sixth Harvard alumous to attain, the office.” As the Harvard Crimson wrote.
He served as President 1037 days, and during that time gave approximately 64 press conferences over those 34 months, averaging about two a month.
During Kennedy’s presidency, he is credited with the following accomplishments.
(1) Took America out of deep recession thru economic and political reforms using the New Frontier domestic policies
a. Expanded Unemployment benefits
b. Established the Equal Pay Act for men and women
c. Aid to cities to improve housing and transportation
d. Water pollution control act to protect our nations streams and rivers
e. Increased social security benefits to decrease poverty
f. Raised the minimum wage
g. Established assistance to our nation’s FARMERS thought electricity expansion, soil management and crop insurance.
(2) Worked through the Civil Rights Movement
(3) Established the Peace Corp in 1961
(4) Continued the Apollo Space program with goals of setting foot on the month that decade
(5) Established an Allliance for Progress for development with Latin America
(6) Negotiated America through the height of the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, and broker the 1st Nuclear Weapons Treaty in October 1963.
One month later, on November 22, 1963, at approximately 12:30 p.m., John Fitzgerald Kennedy met death in Dallas as he traveled through downtown in a motorcade.
CONCLUSION
Preceding John Kennedy in death was his older brother, Joe, killed in action in 1944 during World Wawr II, and his sister, Kathleen, who died in 1948 in a plane crash.
Also preceding John Fitzgerald Kennedy in death was two children, an unnamed baby girl, stillborn in August 23, 1956, and Patrick Bouvier Kennedy who lived just two days.
Kennedy’s father died in 1969 at the age of 81 and his mother lived to 104, and died in 1995.
Surviving John F. Kennedy at the time was his wife, Jacklyn Bouvier Kennedy and children, John F. Kennedy Jr. (then 3) and Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (then 5).
Kennedy is buried at Arlington National Cemetery ins Washington D.C., with the eternal flame symbolizing eternal life. He is interred alongside his wife Jackie, and two infant children. Two of his brothers are buried a few steps away.
Today we honor the life and legacy of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Let us NOT focus on the location of his demise, but the service of this man’s life to country, God and family.
In his announcement for running for President, he stated, in part,
“The Presidency is the most powerful office in the Free World. Through its leadership can come a more vital life for our people. In it are centered the hopes of the globe around us for freedom and a more secure life. For it is in the Executive Branch that the most crucial decisions of this century must be made in the next four years -- how to end or alter the burdensome arms race, where Soviet gains already threaten our very existence -- how to maintain freedom and order in the newly emerging nations -- how to rebuild the stature of American science and education --how to prevent the collapse of our farm economy and the decay of our cities -- how to achieve, without further inflation or unemployment, expanded economic growth benefiting all Americans -- and how to give direction to our traditional moral purpose, awakening every American to the dangers and opportunities that confront us.”
From all of his world travels, “I have developed an image of America as fulfilling a noble and historic role as the defender of freedom in a time of maximum peril -- and of the American people as confident, courageous and persevering.”
The name, memory and legacy of the lif of John F. Kennedy is revered and remembered
… From the halls of the Kennedy Performing Arts Center, to the Naval Ship USS John F. Kennedy, the Kennedy Space Center in Houston, and countless schools and colleges across our nation, and programs aiding the improvement of life and the station of the human spirit.
In America today, this is Thanksgiving week. Kennedy loved our country.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President, husband, father, son, brother, veteran, journalist, correspondent, statesman, congressman, human being … who’s life was extinguished too soon.
May we celebrate and honor the life of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, as we give thanks for those who give the greatest sacrifice in service to country, God and family.
As Kennedy stated, too, ‘Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.’”
“Kennedy also stated November 29, 1962, “...I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.’”
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