John F. Kennedy led as president for little more than a thousand days. Here’s 20 interesting facts about the assassination of the 35th President of The United States:
1. On Nov. 11, 1963, President Kennedy laid a Veterans Day wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Kennedy was buried there 2 weeks later.
2. JFK was the fourth president assassinated. He was the first since the Secret Service began protecting presidents.
3. The Service scuffled with Dallas police for control of the president’s casket.
4. Lyndon B. Johnson became president 99 minutes after Kennedy’s death.
5. Judge Sarah Hughes cried while giving the oath of office to Lyndon B. Johnson.
6. Jackie Kennedy refused to take off her pink Chanel suit, with her husband’s blood on it. Jackie told Lady Bird Johnson, “I want them to see what they have done to Jack.”
7. Jackie removed her wedding ring and put it on her husband’s finger to be buried with him. Later, she had an aide retrieve it.
8. Jackie’s suit has never been cleaned. It lies in the National Archives. It has not been seen in public yet, according to Kennedy family wishes.
9. Lee Harvey Oswald was a self-described Marxist. Oswald tried to defect to Russia in 1959.
10. Lee Harvey Oswald’s widow, Marina, is still living, has re-married and is living in the Dallas area.
11. The murder weapon was a 6.5 mm Italian carbine rifle that Oswald had bought for $19.95.
12. Dallas businessman Abraham Zapruder caught the assassination on his 8 mm home movie camera. The film was later bought by Life magazine for $150,000.
13. Oswald’s murder by Jack Ruby on Nov. 24 was the first homicide caught on live television.
14. Oswald died at the same hospital as Kennedy, two days and seven minutes after the president.
15. With help from Bobby Kennedy and Robert McNamara, Jackie chose the burial site at Arlington National Cemetery. Jackie requested an eternal flame be put by the grave.
16. Even though Jackie remarried, today she is buried next to the president. Two of the Kennedys’ children are also buried with their parents.
17. JFK’s Funeral was held on John Jr.’s 3rd Birthday.
18. 250,000 people paid their respects to the former president as he lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda.
19. Jackie Kennedy modeled her husband’s funeral ceremonies after Abraham Lincoln’s.
20. The first two letters Lyndon Johnson wrote as president were to Caroline and John Jr.
Watch “JFK 50: A Texas Tribute”, streamed LIVE on ktxdtv.com; Friday, November 22nd from 7am-7pm CST (UTC-6 Hours). This special 12 hour broadcast will feature rare video of President Kennedy’s trip to Dallas, live interviews with people who have first-hand connections to some of the darkest days in our country’s history, and live coverage of the observance in Dallas’ Dealey Plaza celebrating the remarkable life, legacy, and leadership of our 35th President. Follow the conversation about the broadcast on social media by following our twitter page at http://www.twitter.com/JFK50Texas and liking our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/JFK50Texas.
Remembering JFK 
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