Posted on 11/22/2013 7:12:40 AM PST by shove_it
(CLICK THE LINK FOR A PREVIEW OF THE BOOK)
This book is a compilation of the personal remembrances of twenty-two former members of The Old Guard who participated in President Kennedy’s State Funeral in November 1963. The seven parts of this book are arranged in the chronological order in which the major ceremonial events took place: (1) Planning and Preparation, (2) Andrews AFB and Bethesda Naval Hospital, (3) Events at The White House, (4) The Capitol Building, (5) Saint Matthew’s Cathedral, (6) Arlington National Cemetery, and (7) The Gravesite and events after the burial.
This compilation of twenty-two personal memoirs of the JFK funeral is unique. It contains “insider” information not found in any other sources. Each of the former Old Guardsmen who wrote his account of the funeral saw only a small portion of the whole four-day event and wrote from their individual perspectives. Nobody saw the entire funeral, but by putting together the many viewpoints portrayed in this book, a more complete picture of the funeral emerges. The personal accounts of these twenty-two participants in the funeral are organized into seventy-four chapters arranged chronologically.
(Excerpt) Read more at jfkfuneral.com ...
This book tells what went on in the background to put together a complicated state funeral of a sitting president with no advance notice. This major event of the 20th century set the standard for future state funerals at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC).
I am also re-posting my thread from 2008 which tells the story of the soldier who handled the spirited horse Blackjack; the daunting story of a soldier who bore one corner of JFK's 1,300+ pound casket up and down the Capitol steps; and the story of former Captain Tom Reid who was the site control officer who coordinated the funeral ceremony in ANC only to be fired from this job on the day of the funeral...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2143214/posts
“the daunting story of a soldier who bore one corner of JFK’s 1,300+ pound casket up and down the Capitol steps”
Memo: If you ever need a state funeral, just use an ordinary 50 lb. military casket. It’s covered with a flag and makes you one with the rest of the people.
Stories are legion about the trouble casket bearers have had with these stupdendous caskets—from Brezhnev to J. Edgar Hoover, to Kennedy, etc.
Not only do soldiers sometimes injure themselves, but the chances are good they may even collapse and drop the casket.
We are not ancient Egypt; and a 1300 lb. casket doesn’t do the job better than a 50 lb. one.
Thank you for re-posting it. Very interesting.
Good point, however the wishes of the First Lady and Family, Secret Service, White House Staff, military brass and many others, unfortunately take precedence in such matters. Back in those days, the standard casket team was made up of six bearers. Since the JFK Funeral, the standard team is eight bearers.
ping
On p. 24 someone says that Kennedy’s grave was moved a year or two after his death. I had never heard anything about this, but apparently it is accurate.
I didn’t know that the grave was moved either. That’s why the author says the book contains “insider” information not found in any other sources.
I stand corrected ...
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jfks-body-moved-to-permanent-gravesite
As you are aware, I was there. Nothing glamorious about standing at attention for hours on end, only to be called to “parade rest” for more hours on end, to be called back to attention and march and stand for more hours.
We visited Arlington in 1964. The grave was in a temporary location, and the "Eternal Flame" was fed by a nearby propane tank.
The gravesite was moved not long after we visited.
Yes indeed, ceremonial duty is not as easy as it looks.
BTW, the photo of you standing at “Present Arms” at the Capitol steps is on page 107 of the book I linked above. You should buy a copy.
I believe the standard military casket would have been used if it had not been damaged by the bungling politicians who insisted on handling
it on and off the plane from Dallas.
The story of how the 1300 lb mahogany casket came about is told in
“So Proudly He Served-The Sam Bird Story”.
Welcome aboard, CheechDog ol’ buddy. CheechDog knows from where he speaks - he was there. Sam Bird was your CO in Charlie Company a while later, right?
If you go on youtube you can find a three part video of the Irish Army Cadets that did a salute at the graveside of President Kennedy. Very interesting.
Got a link?
Please post it.
I don’t know how to post a link here but if you go to youtube and type in “JFK Irish Honor Guard” you will see a an Irish TV show about the honor guard at the funeral. It is in 6 parts.
It is amazing to think that at the funeral of our Commander in Chief an Honor Guard was made up of soldiers from another country’s army.
Let me know what you think of it.
Here’s a link to the video you cited. This video includes the bugler’s famous cracked sixth note of taps and the Old Guard firing party ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoG9ChwQ0Kc
It was previously unheard of for a foreign military unit to perform at a US State Funeral but that’s what Jackie Kennedy requested and it was made so. Many such special requests had to be incorporated into the ceremony which had to rehearsed overnight and worked into the whole ceremony over those pressure packed four days.
I was recently in corrospondence with our mutual friend Jerry, although I believe he is a relative of yours. I had recently joined the U.S.A.F. Honor Guard Association, he wanted to join too but was having the same problem I did, in that neither of us had “PayPal” and that’s all they would take.
I told Jerry what I did and suggested that he do the same. I sen’t a check for $30 to the president of the association and got right in. I gave Jerry the address and haven’t heard from him since. I check the rolls and he hasn’t joined yet.
If yo0u corrospond with him, let him know that I still have the name and address if he needs it.
Jerry G. was my training flight instructor. I got there in ‘63, I believe he got out in ‘65.
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