Tag Archives: Marine Band

JFK Assassination among White House Memories of Former Marine Band Members

kennedy inauguration

November 22nd, 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination, one of the most memorable tragedies in American history.  Millions of Americans stayed glued to their television sets for news updates from Dallas, Texas where John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated by a sniper while travelling with his wife Jacqueline, Texas Governor John Connally, and Connally’s wife Nellie, in a presidential motorcade. After a ten-month investigation, The Warren Commission made the conclusion that Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald, and that Oswald acted alone.  Since that time there have been many conspiracy theories.

Kennedy funeral procession best photo
John F. Kennedy funeral procession November 25th, 1963

In 1997 Donna Green-Townsend talked with trombonist Albert Johnson, a former Gainesville resident, and the late Jim King, a clarinetist from Gainesville.  The two musicians have very distinct memories of the Camelot years in the White House.  The two former Marine Band members played for many major events in Washington including inaugurations, dinner parties and sadly for the funeral procession of John F. Kennedy.  (Originally aired on January 23, 1997)

Short Version:

Long original version in 1997: