I thought Eisenhower started the Fed highway system. Heard he was impressed about the Autobahn.
Actually, Siri just told me Thomas Jefferson, in 1806, started the Federal highway system.

"Actually, Siri just told me Thomas Jefferson, in 1806, started the Federal highway system."



Jim

Horrible day! I was a relatively new agent with the US Secret Service, and I was at Ft. Worth/Dallas and assigned to the Vice Presidential
protective detail. After working the midnight to
8:00AM shift with LBJ & Ladybird, I traveled by car
to Dallas Love Field to cover the arrivals of Air
Force One & Air Force Two. I then left Love Field
by commercial air to return to San Antonio and the
LBJ Ranch at Johnson City (actually Stonewall, Texas). We (the USSS) had fewer than 400 agents in
those days, most of whom were assigned to field offices around the US investigating counterfeiting
and forgery of US currency and checks.

During the previous year, I had been assigned to
the White House Detail. President Kennedy was a
real decent guy, and I have many pleasant memories
times I spent with the Kennedy family.

November 22, 1964 is a horrible memory for a bunch
of us USSS retirees.

November 22, 1963, not 1964!

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:

quote:

Originally posted by Marlin Fan:
I remember, he’s famous only because he was assassinated.

^Eh?? He also:

...was a PT boat commander (including PT-109, of which a movie was made).
...faced the Cuban Missile Crisis.
...started the Navy SEALS.
...started the Peace Corp.
...slept with Marilyn Monroe (and a few others).
...was a Kennedy.

...and a lot more I can't remember at the moment.

Don't forget that he declared that we would put a man on the moon, thus starting our space program.

Jim

Well, the Apollo space program started during the Eisenhower administration, and Kennedy was initially opposed to it, but he later got behind it when it became a point of contention in the Soviet Cold War. During his presidency he made the decision that the goal was an actual manned moon landing.

quote:

Originally posted by BOATTRASH1:
KKINA and Jimbo54, Don’t forget he also screwed a bunch of Cuban Patriots at the Bay of Pigs.

Yep, Bay of Pigs also. Whether you liked the man or not, a lot got done during his administration (though Bay of Pigs was a CF).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,

I was -5.

kkina, yes a CF for sure. My father was the base commander at Homestead AFB during that fiasco. I remember him just coming home for a shower and then gone again. This went on for several days.
He DID NOT care for JFK after that!

Ten years old; fifth grade. Teacher called out of the room, then returned to tell us. Family gathered around the living room console black and white t.v. that evening to get the full story. Indelible memory.

I was in the fourth grade, our Principal announced his assassination over the school PA.....

I wasn't born yet but I imagine if he was not assassinated that day, we don't escalate our involvement in Vietnam and the war on poverty never gets to where it did. The black family likely doesn't break up like it was forced to. American society would be very different today.

I was 5. I still remember my Mother being upset over something on the TV. She told me the president had died.

quote:

I wasn't born yet but I imagine if he was not assassinated that day, we don't escalate our involvement in Vietnam and the war on poverty never gets to where it did. The black family likely doesn't break up like it was forced to. American society would be very different today

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I seriously doubt your assertions. One man does not run the United States. He likely saved us from nuclear war by choosing a blockade of Cuba than the military options suggested by his advisors. Oh, what is this about the black family breaking up???

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

JFK's death gave us President Lyndon B. Johnson, who gave us the Great Society, arguably the birth of the modern inner city black ghetto.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The inner city black ghetto had its origins well before LBJ in the 1940s. Welfare programs in the US began in 1935.

Before the 'Great Society' over 70% of Black Children were born to two parent Nuclear Family households...Today over 70% of Black Children are born to single parent Non-Nuclear Family households! It can be argued that before the 'Great Society' Black Americans had stronger nuclear families AND fewer out-of-wedlock births than White Americans did at that time...

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
I wasn't born yet but I imagine if he was not assassinated that day, we don't escalate our involvement in Vietnam and the war on poverty never gets to where it did. The black family likely doesn't break up like it was forced to. American society would be very different today.

Kennedy stated we are going to pull our troops out of Viet Nam, and three weeks later he was dead. This gave LBJ the presidency, a huge war where 57,000 Americans died, and a similar amount later by suicide or through debilitating injuries. LBJ heavily pushed welfare, so "we will have the nixxxxs voting for us the next 200 years". Now most black families are fatherless, and the prison system is booming.

Pretty sure JFK's death led to major problems that would have been avoided if he lived.

On a somewhat lighter note, can anyone tell me the relationship between this tragic event and the famous intro below?