Lost Chance’: JFK Writer Uncovers Haunting Event Prior to Dallas That Could’ve Altered Everything
Sixty Years Later, Historian Uncovers Chilling Incident That Could Have Altered History
Sixty years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, the “what-ifs” continue to haunt Americans.
Case in point: One historian stumbled upon an event that took place 13 months before the fatal attack which he said represents a “missed opportunity” that should have reshaped presidential security protocols.
If officials had paid attention to that earlier threat and taken action, it ultimately could have saved Kennedy’s life — and even changed the course of history, as Politico noted.
Kennedy was shot while riding in an open convertible as his motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.
A Missed Opportunity for Enhanced Security
Younger generations have grown up learning in history class about a long list of assassinations and assassination attempts during that era, from JFK, his brother Robert F. Kennedy (1968), Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1968), Malcolm X (1965), and later, the murder of pop singer John Lennon (1980) and the attempt on President Ronald Reagan’s life (1981).
To many, such tragic events have always been a part of American life. But before the pivotal moment of JFK’s assassination, just as before 9/11, such an act was largely considered unthinkable, and law enforcement had a much more relaxed standard of security.
So it was that a bizarrely similar event during Kennedy’s motorcade ride in Springfield, Illinois, on October 19, 1962, barely made a blip on the police radar screen.
The incident remained largely forgotten until a researcher stumbled across the account while going through the archives at Boston’s John F. Kennedy Library.
Stephen F. Knott, an author and professor of national security affairs at the United States Naval War College, described the scene in an exclusive interview with Fox Digital this week.
Kennedy visited Springfield that day to lay a wreath at Abraham Lincoln’s tomb and to deliver a speech, Knott said.
“And while he was parading in an open car through downtown Springfield, a police officer spotted a rifle with a scope on it, emerged from a nearby building under which Kennedy’s limousine was going to pass.
“Thankfully, [an] Illinois police officer spotted it.”
A 20-year-old man and 16-year-old boy were arrested and accused of pointing a .22-caliber rifle at Kennedy.
They claimed to be using the rifle scope “to get a better look at the president,” according to the report.
“The Secret Service held these two individuals for a time,” Knott said. They confiscated the gun and a box of ammunition, but the two young men were never charged.
That event, Knott told Fox, took place “at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which would have been a disaster.”
Despite the potential crisis that had been averted, “no changes were made,” he said.
“[I]t’s really, I think, perhaps a missed opportunity where Kennedy’s security could have been enhanced.”
Then again, he added, Kennedy himself likely would have objected to heightened security measures.
“President Kennedy never liked the idea of being cut off from the people,” Knott told Fox. “[He] always rejected the idea of putting some sort of bubble top on his limousine.”
Still, he concluded, “Thirteen months later, under similar circumstances, after gunshots echoed throughout Dealey Plaza, some in the Secret Service must have wished that the episode in the shadow of Lincoln’s Tomb had been taken more seriously.”
The post ‘Missed Opportunity’: JFK Author Reveals Chilling Incident a Year Before Dallas That Could Have Changed Everything appeared first on The Western Journal.
Why were no substantial changes made to Kennedy’s security following the incident in Springfield, despite the potential crisis it averted?
Editor:
Dear readers,
We are truly living in the age of speculation and “what-ifs.” History has a peculiar way of haunting us, especially when it comes to moments that could have altered the course of events. Today, we bring you a story that sheds light on a chilling incident that occurred just months before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
As we mark the 60th anniversary of Kennedy’s tragic death in Dallas, Texas, it is important to reflect on the possibilities that lay in the past. One historian recently stumbled upon an event that could have reshaped presidential security protocols and potentially saved Kennedy’s life.
Thirteen months before the fatal attack, a forgotten yet remarkable incident took place during Kennedy’s motorcade ride in Springfield, Illinois. Kennedy was parading through downtown Springfield in an open car when a police officer noticed a rifle with a scope aimed towards the president. Fortunately, the officer intervened, and two individuals were apprehended.
These individuals, a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, claimed they were merely trying to get a better look at the president. The Secret Service held them for a brief period, confiscated the gun and ammunition, but ultimately never charged them. This event, as historian Stephen F. Knott describes it, took place during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, a time of immense potential catastrophe.
One might assume that such an incident would have prompted immediate changes and enhanced security measures. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Despite the potential crisis that had been averted, no substantial changes were made to Kennedy’s security. It seems that the president himself was resistant to the idea of heightened security, as he always rejected the notion of a bubble top on his limousine.
Knott suggests that this incident was a missed opportunity to enhance Kennedy’s security. He highlights the fact that just thirteen months later, Kennedy’s life was cut short by an assassin’s bullet. Undoubtedly, the Secret Service must have wished that the incident in the shadow of Lincoln’s Tomb had been taken more seriously.
As with any historical event, we must remember that hindsight is a powerful tool. It is easy to speculate on what could have been, but we must also consider the wishes and decisions of those who were directly involved. Kennedy’s desire to remain connected with the people may have influenced his stance against heightened security measures.
Nonetheless, it is chilling to think that history may have taken a different turn if this incident had been given the attention it deserved. So as we continue to ponder the “what-ifs” of the past, let us also appreciate the importance of learning from history and striving for a more secure future.
Warm regards,
The Editorial Team
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