On November 22, 1963. at 12:30 p.m. local time in “Dealy Plaza”, city of Dallas, Texas, USA sniper shot the 35th President John F. Kennedy as he traveled with his wife Jacqueline, Texas Governor John Connolly and his wife Nellie Connolly, accompanied by the presidential motorcade.< /p>
The 10-month investigation by the "Warren" between 1963 and 1964. establishes that the President was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald, who acted alone, and that Jack Ruby also acted alone when he killed Oswald before he could stand trial. However, polls conducted between 1966 and 2004 show that up to 80% of Americans suspect it is a government cover-up.
The president's car, a custom-built 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible, was fitted with a futuristic plastic bubble that would protect riders in the event of rain while allowing passers-by to get a good look at their elegant president and his lovely wife. But the weather was good and the balloon was removed. The plastic was not armored anyway.
Following the president's limousine was a 1955 Cadillac carrying eight armed agents – four inside and four on the side steps.
Next in line was the Vice President's car, a four-door Lincoln convertible, in which rode Johnson, Senator Yarborough, and a Secret Service agent. The driver was a patrolman from Texas. Behind Johnson's vehicle came a car driven by a Dallas police officer, carrying three other agents and Johnson's assistant, Clifton Garter.
The rest of the motorcade included five cars carrying the mayor of Dallas and five other Dallas politicians; the president's physician, Admiral George Berkeley; telephone company and Western Union cars; the White House communications car; three cars with press photographers; one bus for White House officials and two buses with journalists.
The motorcade was closed by a Dallas police car and three more motorcycles.
Exactly at 12:30 a.m. gunshots rang out.
According to the Warren Commission, one bullet went through the president's neck. A second, fatal bullet followed, shattering the right side of his skull. Connally was wounded in the back, right chest, right wrist and left thigh.
The Secret Service agents rushed to the limousine. Jackie Kennedy screamed: “Oh my God, they shot my husband! I love you Jack!“.
In the presidential car, Agent Kellerman radioed Police Chief Curry, who led the convoy at breakneck speed to Parkland Hospital, 4 miles away. distance. For the president, of course, there was no hope of salvation. He was pronounced dead 30 minutes after the shooting. Connally underwent emergency surgery and survived.
At 2.15 p.m. Kennedy's body had already been loaded into a casket on Air Force One to be returned to Washington.
At 2:38 p.m., just before the plane took off for Washington, Hughes swore in Lyndon Johnson as the 36th President of the United States.