Never-before-heard audio tapes from the day President Kennedy was assassinated have been uncovered. INSIDE EDITION has the details.
They're never-before-heard JFK tapes, capturing the drama and heartbreak of the day President Kennedy was assassinated.
The Dallas Police Chief said, “Go to hospital! Parkland hospital. Have them stand by!”
The urgency can be heard in the voice of the Dallas Police Chief as the mortally wounded president is rushed to the hospital.
He said, “Get these trucks out of the way! Clear everything! Keep everything out of this emergency entrance.”
Lost audio tapes of radio dispatches in the minutes after the assassination were unearthed by the Discovery Channel.
Kennedy expert Farris Rookstool III told INSIDE EDITION, "These tapes tell how fragile our nation was at this time."
The secretary of state, Dean Rusk, is told of the assassination as he flew to Japan.
The White House said, “This is the situation room. The president is dead. He died about 35 minutes ago. Do you have that? Over.”
Rusk said, “The president is dead? Is that correct?”
The White House confirmed, “That is correct. That is correct.”
Back in Dallas, Vice-President Lyndon Johnson, whose Secret Service code name is Volunteer, was about to take the oath of office on board Air Force One as Jackie Kennedy stood next to him, her face etched in grief.
The Captain of Air Force One said, “We're at the airport. Everybody aboard.”
White House: “Okay. Go ahead.”
Air Force One: “We're waiting for the swearing-in at the plane before take-off.”
White House: “Of the, that's of Volunteer?”
Air Force One: “Roger.”
Lyndon Johnson took the oath as a federal judge administered. One of Johnson’s first acts as president is to call Kennedy’s mother, Rose Kennedy, with his wife, Lady Bird Johnson.
President Johnson: “I wish to god there was something that I could do and I wanted to tell you that we were grieving with you.”
Rose Kennedy: “Yes. Thank you very much. I know you loved Jack and he loved you.”
Lady Bird Johnson: “We are glad that the nation had your son for as long as it did."
Rose Kennedy: Well, thank you Lady Bird. Thank you very much.”
An era of turmoil was about to begin.
