Nov. 22, 1963 | JFK's Coffin Unloaded at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland

Nov. 22, 1963 - The Presidential jet landed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at 5:58 p.m. after the flight from Dallas, Texas. Both President Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird, remained aboard the aircraft until the coffin bearing the body of President Kennedy had been removed from a forward compartment to an enclosed ramp and then to a waiting Navy ambulance. A large delegation of Administration officials was on hand as the plane taxied to a stop. President Johnson solemnly shook hands with a few persons and then walked toward a large Congressional delegation. Bareheaded in the November cold, President and Mrs. Johnson stepped into the glare of the airport and television lights. Mr. Johnson stepped up to a podium arrayed with microphones and spoke to the world for the first time as President of the United States. “This is a sad time for all people,” said President Johnson. “We have suffered a loss that cannot be weighed. For me, it is a deep personal tragedy. I know the world shares the sorrow that Mrs. Kennedy and her family bear. I will do my best. That is all I can do. I ask for your help — and God’s.”

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