Lately for some reason, I've been looking back at the moments of History that happened in my lifetime that stand out the most to me. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 is the first historical moment that comes to my mind. I was in Junior High School when President Kennedy was elected as our President and he was the first President I ever paid any attention to. His being a Catholic had some bearing on this I'm sure because at that time my whole family were practicing Catholics. Yet, I think what really drew me to him was he was young enough that I finally could find interest in the Presidency and I loved reading about him and his marriage to Jackie Kennedy, their children, and their Family life together. Following their lives was like reading a good book and even after President Kennedy's assassination the lives of Jackie and his children would continue to be of major interest until the deaths of of Jackie and John Jr. I know the story is still continuing with Caroline but she is not an open book like the rest of them were and so the book has been set aside by me now. The second moment in history that stands out in my mind is the Vietnam War. I can't say all of it because until today when I went to save a picture to share I really did not know that this war had been going on since 1954. What I remember was the years between 1969-1975. Alot of my guy friends were drafted into this War and most of them were not happy about this at all, they didn't feel it was their war and they didn't understand why they had to go fight in it. All my friends came back alive from that War....but they were never the same physically or mentally. Personally I believe America should have never sent our young men to fight in that war. I remember all the vivid pictures that were in Life magazine of the people fighting in this War and the people affected by this War....and it all makes no sense to me that so many innocent people got injured or killed because of the Vietnam War. To this day people are still being affected by it...Agent Orange is wrecking havoc in the bodies and minds of many of our Veterans. The third moment in history that stands out for me is the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. And this moment mostly because of Christa McAuliffe the first teacher to be picked for a trip into space. I was pregnant with my last child at this time and my oldest child was in school...so a teacher going into space was exciting for my oldest daughter and I to talk about. And of course her teacher was talking about it too. I remember when they kept having to delay the lift-off that I had a premonition that they should abort that mission. And it was with dread that I watched the day the lift-off finally happen...and then turn into a disaster! I didn't know what was going to go wrong, but I did feel in my heart that something was going to...and it would not be good. I pretty much lost all interest in the Space program after this disaster and have never picked up that interest again. So when you look back on your life...what moments in History stand out the most for you?
@Babs Hunt Ahh, there are dozens, at least, maybe more like a hundred! Bay of Pigs. Because of Kennedy's insistence on seeking help from arch-rival Barry Goldwater. Khmer Rouge, Asia. Jane Fonda siding with the Viet Cong. Vice President Dick Cheney, hunting with friends, shot one of them in the ass accidently with his shotgun. Polio Vaccine. My pending induction which likely would have sent me to Viet Nam, cut short by a murder-suicide.
My first trip to Berlin was in 1987 when my unit did some work at the USAF building at Tempelhof. We visited 'Check Point Charlie' and saw the extremes people went through to escape from the East. I was back at my base in England when the Wall came down in 1989. Our family gathered around the 'Telly' and watched it unfold. Touching images of people being reunited after all those years.
I remember Bay of Pigs @Frank Sanoica but mainly because I was in grade school and everybody was afraid there would be a war. All the ones Babs mentioned stand out for me also and a later one was the end of communism in Hungary which was a big deal to my family.
Gosh, Prince Charles and Princess Diana's wedding and her death are definitely moments in history that stand out to me too. In a way Diana and Charles were like John F. Kennedy and Jackie to me. I was interested in every aspect of their lives and their children's. Princess Diana's death hit me hard and to this day I still feel sad when I think how her young life was cut short and President Kennedy's too.
I was too young to have the death of JFK or the moon landings have any real great effect on my life...but certainly the death of Princess Diana was a huge one. It was aterrible shock to the whole country whether one was a Monarchist or not! I remember standing at the side of the road watching the funeral car go past carrying her body up to her childhood home...there was thousands of people throwing flowers...and grown men crying. I was also in Germany working.. when certain parts of the Berlin wall were opened to allow some East Germans to pass through, at that time they were supposed to get a card stamped and then return again..but we all know that never happened thank god...... it was about a week after the first exit had opened...and the atmosphere on the western side was absolutely electric..people were full of happiness and joy, hugging each other, dancing in the streets... ...and everytime an ancient old junk of a car drove through one of the newly opened exits from the East, crowds standing on the west and on top of the walls would cheer and applaud loudly . I can barely believe that it was almost 30 years ago...
@Holly Saunders That must have been really interesting being right on the scene when History took place. I did get to see some Space Shuttle take off...we could see it in the sky from our backyard in Florida but that is the closest I have ever gotten to History happening.
I've spoken mostly about History in the past...but the present History that stands out now and as long as I live will definitely be Trump's running for and winning the election as President of the United States of America.
as far as JFK goes if you get the chance to watch the movie Parkland by all means do so. the late Bill Paxton talked Tom Hanks into making it. Paxton was there when he was 8 years old. no conspiracy involved just raw human emotions. I went to the 6th floor museum in Dealey Plaza and learned a lot I didn't know. there's just to much on the Kennedy's to put here Nam. it will be with me the rest of my of days. I left as a kid and came back a man with a lot of serious doubts about why we were there and the politicians who sent us. young men always pay the ultimate sacrifice for old men's mistakes. IMO.
Gosh, how could I forget about the Beatles...History would not be the same without them to me and they were certainly more than just a defining moment in History to me. I actually thought if I could meet Paul he would marry me (like many other girls)! The Beatles were my first "Star Crush" and that crush lasted for quite a few years of my life. They will always be my favorite group of singers and History and the music world would not be the same without them. In fact a whole thread could be started just on the Beatles and how they influenced music forever.
Paul was probably my first crush too, some of my friends liked either George or John better....I couldn't understand that...Paul was the cutest!! Also collected the Beatle Cards and it got out if hand at my school....you got them taken away if you brought them to class.
George and I share the same birthday @Chrissy Cross so I wanted him to be my favorite, but Paul was the one that made my heart throb!
Yes, I remember that ...I had already left PA. 9 years earlier but my mom, dad and brother and 2 sisters were still living there...