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Witnesses to JFK Tragedy Reflect Back

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Nov 16, 2008 8:32 pm US/Central

Witnesses to JFK Tragedy Reflect Back

CBS 11 is looking back at the JFK tragedy in Dallas 45 years ago. This week, we will spotlight people who were there or played a role in the subsequent days.

Instinct Was To Protect Children As Shots Rang Out, Couple Recalls

Reporting
Jay Gormley
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ― Forty-five years have passed, but to Gayle and Bill Newman it seems like only yesterday.

On that fateful day in November 1963 the Newmans, who then lived in Oak Cliff, wanted to see the president. What they witnessed was history.

The Newmans stood along Elm Street as President Kennedy's motorcade passed them.

Bill Newman remembers the moment vividly: "As he got probably 100 feet from us, the first two shots rang out. It was boom, boom."

Gayle Newman stood there surprised. "I thought it was firecrackers. I'd never been around gunfire at all in my life."

Bill Newman describes just how close they were to the scene. "As the car got in front of us, we were against the curb. The third shot rang out. I can recall seeing the side of President Kennedy's head fly off. I saw President Kennedy go across into Mrs. Kennedy's lap. She hollered out, 'Oh my God! No, they've shot Jack.' "

Gayle Newman had a more urgent issue on her hands. "I was scared that something might happen to my children. I didn't know if we were going to be in a cross fire."

Bill and Gayle, who were both 22 at the time, brought their two young sons to see President Kennedy. After the third shot rang out, the young couple became seasoned parents.

"When it happened, Bill turned to me and said 'That's it. Hit the ground.' So we turned and put the children on the ground and shielded them with our bodies."

As panic filled Dealey Plaza their parental instincts were filed and photographed by news crews.

"The thought went through my mind: 'Don't those silly people know they could be shot?' " she recalled.

Hours later, the Newmans found themselves in the spotlight as key witnesses to perhaps the most infamous murder of the 20th Century.

Bill Newman was worried for the family's safety. "I did fear that someone might harm us, because of what we may have seen."

He was so gripped by fear that for days following the assassination he made his entire family sleep in one room, with a shotgun for protection.

Now, with the passage of time, the Newmans have embraced their place in history. Forty-five years later, Gayle sees the tragedy as a lesson in life. "I think it has enriched our life."

Bill and Gayle Newman will speak at 1 p.m. Monday at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dealey Plaza. The event is open to the public.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

45 Years Later: A Look Back At JFK Assassination

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