quote:

Originally posted by qxsoup:
Challenger explosion. I was in the 4th grade and watched it live in the cafeteria along with the rest of my elementary school.

I'd probably go with this also. I certainly have earlier memories, but none come to mind that involved the world outside my own.

I was also in my gradeschool cafeteria watching with my whole school.

What amazes me now, is that the whole gradeschool would sit in a large cafeteria to watch something on a ~32" TV. lol.

I don't remember the explosion registering as a loss of life to me at the time. Perhaps a teach was quick to turn it off or distract us...or perhaps I was too busy picking my nose or staring out the window.

For me it was the Americans being held hostage in Iran. I was 11, but it can vividly remember seeing updates on the news constantly.

While I have dim memories of hearing about the Red Chinese shelling the islands of Quemoy and Matsu, the first memory I have of news when I understood it was the Launch and orbiting of Sputnik in 1957

quote:

Originally posted by Bullshooter:
Lauch and orbiting of Sputnik in 1957

That was a big one for me as well. We would go out at night and look for it moving across the sky which is amazing because it was only the size of a beach ball, but being made of polished metal it reflected the sunlight easily.

Jim

J. F. kennedy inauguration

For me it was the JFK assassination.

I was 2 years old at the time.

In later years I told my mom I remembered it (though at the time I didn't what "it" was). She explained that was impossible and I was probably remembering RFK being shot. When I explained to her what happened that day (she was ironing and when the news came on she dropped the iron on the floor and burned the carpet), she confirmed that was the event.

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:
Not a news event, but I clearly remember when WW2 ended...

??? In my mind, that was the most important news event of the 20th Century.

Sometime around 1952, we went to see Herb Parson at the Skyline Drive In Theater where he put on a Exhibition Shoot.

Easy to make Cold Slaw with a shotgun.
Shot coins thrown into the air and make them go left or right. Watermelons never had a chance.

Some of you young'n's probably never heard of Herb who worked for Winchester.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu9-D9KqR4k

The Cuban missile crisis! We watched Army truck convoys headed for Miami for Hours and hours. My Dad a WWII vet said we were going to war for sure. He was a little more than freaked about the nuclear aspect. Then a little later Kennedy being assassinated.

quote:

Originally posted by qxsoup:
Challenger explosion.

This.

I remember seeing newsreels of Queen Elizabeth's coronation. Elizabeth II, that is.

Jonestown Massacre. I remember seeing the bodies strewn all over the camp. I don't even know how old I was, and I didn't realize what it was. I just remember the bodies. I don't even know if I realized they were all dead. . .

quote:

Originally posted by SigJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by DMF:
The fall of Saigon.

Likewise. I remember the footage of NVA armor on the news, and the helicopter evacuation.

The helicopters is what I remember most. The weird thing is our only TV was a crappy 13" B&W. Years later when I saw of the same footage I remembered thinking I saw that live, but that it was somehow "wrong." It took me a while to figure out it looked strange because I hadn't seen in it in color.

The OJ Simpson chase.

I remember watching the 1960 presidential debate between Kennedy and Nixon. My sister says I told her that Nixon looked "mean". I remember the Cuban Missile Crisis pretty well, my mom was a mess and wanted to put in a fallout shelter. My dad laughed at her.

Dec 7 1941!! Born and raised in Hawaii

quote:

Originally posted by kalei:
Dec 7 1941!! Born and raised in Hawaii

I think more details are required under the Waiver!

By the way, I think you just won the thread!

Kalei, what island?

JFK assassination. I was in second grade. Dad picked me up from school for a doctor's appointment and told me about it.