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| US remembers Kennedy 50 years after assassination | US remembers Kennedy 50 years after assassination |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The US is marking 50 years since President John F Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullet in Dallas, Texas. | The US is marking 50 years since President John F Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullet in Dallas, Texas. |
| The city, which has long struggled with the legacy of the murder, hosts a series of official events on Friday. | The city, which has long struggled with the legacy of the murder, hosts a series of official events on Friday. |
| Kennedy is often ranked among the nation's most revered presidents, though he served less than three years. | Kennedy is often ranked among the nation's most revered presidents, though he served less than three years. |
| He is commemorated for his youthful vigour, his leadership through the Cuban missile crisis, and his challenge to America to put a man on the Moon. | He is commemorated for his youthful vigour, his leadership through the Cuban missile crisis, and his challenge to America to put a man on the Moon. |
| But he is also remembered for ordering one of the most disastrous episodes of the Cold War, the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of communist Cuba by a CIA-trained paramilitary force of Cuban exiles. | But he is also remembered for ordering one of the most disastrous episodes of the Cold War, the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of communist Cuba by a CIA-trained paramilitary force of Cuban exiles. |
| Kennedy's family members laid a wreath on his grave at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington DC on Friday. His wife Jackie and two of their children are also buried there. | |
| Nearby, President Barack Obama ordered the White House flag be flown at half mast. | |
| Among official events in Dallas on Friday, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will perform, Mayor Michael Rawlings will give an address, and bells will toll at the minute of Kennedy's death. | Among official events in Dallas on Friday, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will perform, Mayor Michael Rawlings will give an address, and bells will toll at the minute of Kennedy's death. |
| Those events and others conclude a week of tributes to the slain US leader. | Those events and others conclude a week of tributes to the slain US leader. |
| Kennedy, a Democrat, was part of one of the most prominent US political dynasties of the 20th Century. | Kennedy, a Democrat, was part of one of the most prominent US political dynasties of the 20th Century. |
| His father, Joseph, was a wealthy businessman who served in senior positions in the government of President Franklin Roosevelt, including as ambassador to Britain. | His father, Joseph, was a wealthy businessman who served in senior positions in the government of President Franklin Roosevelt, including as ambassador to Britain. |
| Two of his brothers later served as US senators and ran for president. One of them, Robert, was himself assassinated in 1968. Edward Kennedy, who died in 2009, was a champion of progressive causes including universal healthcare. | Two of his brothers later served as US senators and ran for president. One of them, Robert, was himself assassinated in 1968. Edward Kennedy, who died in 2009, was a champion of progressive causes including universal healthcare. |
| John Kennedy's daughter Caroline is now the US ambassador to Japan. | John Kennedy's daughter Caroline is now the US ambassador to Japan. |
| Shots rang out | Shots rang out |
| On 22 November 1963, Kennedy and Jackie travelled to Dallas for early campaigning ahead of the following year's election. | |
| Crowds of supporters lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the couple. As the presidential motorcade entered Dealey Plaza at around 12:30 local time (18:30 GMT), Kennedy's convertible passed the Texas School Book Depository. | Crowds of supporters lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the couple. As the presidential motorcade entered Dealey Plaza at around 12:30 local time (18:30 GMT), Kennedy's convertible passed the Texas School Book Depository. |
| Gunshots rang out across the plaza. Bullets struck the president in the head and neck. Half an hour later, Kennedy was pronounced dead at a local hospital. | Gunshots rang out across the plaza. Bullets struck the president in the head and neck. Half an hour later, Kennedy was pronounced dead at a local hospital. |
| Soon after, Vice-President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president aboard Air Force One. | Soon after, Vice-President Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president aboard Air Force One. |
| Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee at the depository, was arrested in connection with the shooting. | Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee at the depository, was arrested in connection with the shooting. |
| On 24 November 1963, he was scheduled to be transferred from police headquarters to a county jail when he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. | On 24 November 1963, he was scheduled to be transferred from police headquarters to a county jail when he was shot and killed by Jack Ruby, a local nightclub owner. |
| Although Kennedy's murder has provided endless fodder for conspiracy theorists, official inquiries have determined Oswald alone was responsible for the assassination. | Although Kennedy's murder has provided endless fodder for conspiracy theorists, official inquiries have determined Oswald alone was responsible for the assassination. |
| The events of that November plunged the nation into mourning, and many Americans still recall where they were when they heard the news. | The events of that November plunged the nation into mourning, and many Americans still recall where they were when they heard the news. |
| 'Look of horror' | 'Look of horror' |
| Texan Daniel Kendrick, who as a teenager witnessed the shooting, told the BBC he had been preparing to approach the motorcade in the hope of shaking the president's hand when Kennedy's "head just exploded". | Texan Daniel Kendrick, who as a teenager witnessed the shooting, told the BBC he had been preparing to approach the motorcade in the hope of shaking the president's hand when Kennedy's "head just exploded". |
| "I saw the look on Jackie Kennedy's face," he recalled. "She turned and looked straight at me with a look of horror on her face. That really freaked me out. I had to run." | "I saw the look on Jackie Kennedy's face," he recalled. "She turned and looked straight at me with a look of horror on her face. That really freaked me out. I had to run." |
| Historian Robert Dallek said America had yet to recover from the assassination, in part because it was such a tremendous blow to the nation's self-esteem. | Historian Robert Dallek said America had yet to recover from the assassination, in part because it was such a tremendous blow to the nation's self-esteem. |
| "The feeling is, this is not what we do in American politics," he told BBC North America Editor Mark Mardell. "This is not a banana republic. We don't have coups d'etat, we don't topple governments and kill our leaders." | "The feeling is, this is not what we do in American politics," he told BBC North America Editor Mark Mardell. "This is not a banana republic. We don't have coups d'etat, we don't topple governments and kill our leaders." |
| Mr Dallek said Kennedy's popularity endured in part because Americans have been so disappointed in his successors. | Mr Dallek said Kennedy's popularity endured in part because Americans have been so disappointed in his successors. |
| "People want a better life in this country," he said. "They want to think their children are going to do better. And they associate this with Kennedy's youth, his promise, possibility." | "People want a better life in this country," he said. "They want to think their children are going to do better. And they associate this with Kennedy's youth, his promise, possibility." |