Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy Read Online Free PDF

Street on the west are
fountains and monuments to Dealey. On the north and south sides of the
plaza are two small arbors or pergolas, flanked on the east by a line of
trees and shrubs and on the west by a wooden stockade fence about five
feet high.

    With a phalanx of Dallas police motorcycle officers clearing the way
ahead, the big limousine carrying the Kennedys made a 90-degree turn
from Main onto Houston in front of the Dallas County Sheriff's Office.
Almost two dozen deputies and other lawmen stood on the sidewalk
watching. All had been ordered not to take part in motorcade security.
    The bright sun began warming the car's occupants as they approached
the Texas School Book Depository. Atop the building was a large Hertz
Rent-A-Car sign containing a digital time and temperature display. In front
of the Depository, the limousine slowed to a crawl to make a 120-degree
turn onto Elm Street, although turns of more than 90 degrees were
prohibited by the Secret Service. The turn was so tight that Greer almost
ran the limousine up onto the north curb near the Depository's front door,
according to Depository superintendent Roy Truly.
    The car continued a slow glide down the incline of Elm into Dealey
Plaza, maintaining its position in the center lane of the three-lane street.
The crowds thinned out as the Triple Underpass approached and security
men began to relax. About three car lengths ahead of the presidential
limousine in the lead car, Agent Lawson, a former Army counterintelligence man now with the Secret Service White House detail, was sitting in
the right front seat. He looked at his watch. It was 12:30 P.M. Picking up
the car's microphone, he radioed the Trade Mart saying: "We'll be there
in about five minutes."
    In the presidential limousine, Kennedy was waving to his right at a
group of people standing near a sign reading STEMMONS FREEWAY. His
right arm and hand were slightly over the side of the car. Mrs. Kennedy
had been waving to her left, but her thoughts were on the Texas heat. Mrs.
Kennedy later told the Warren Commission: "And in the motorcade, you
know, I usually would be waving mostly to the left side and he was waving
mostly to the right, which is one reason you are not looking at each other
very much. And it was terribly hot. Just blinding all of us." Sensing
her discomfort, Mrs. Connally turned and said: "We'll soon be there."
    Mrs. Kennedy recalled seeing the Triple Underpass ahead: "We could
see a tunnel in front of us. Everything was really slow then. And I
remember thinking it would be so cool under that tunnel."
    Mrs. Connally had been wanting to mention the warm and enthusiastic
welcome for some time, but she had held back. Now she could contain
herself no longer. Turning to Kennedy, she said: "Mr. President, you
can't say that Dallas doesn't love you." According to Mrs. Kennedy, the
President smiled and replied: "No, you certainly can't."

    Soon after his remark, Mrs. Connally heard a frightening noise off to
her right. She looked in that direction and caught a peripheral glimpse of
Kennedy raising both hands to his neck. She heard no sound from the
President, but noticed a blank, "nothing" expression on his face.
    Kellerman, sitting directly in front of Connally and Kennedy, noticed
they had just passed a highway sign when he heard a "pop" to his right
and immediately looked in that direction, surveying the easternmost slope
of the Grassy Knoll. Kellerman told the Warren Commission:
    ... as I turned my head to the right to view whatever it was . . . I
heard a voice from the back seat and I firmly believe it was the
President's [saying] "My God, I am hit," and I turned around and he
has got his hands up here like this [indicating both hands up near the
head] . . . [It] was enough for me to verify that the man was hit. So, in
the same motion I come right back and grabbed the speaker and said to
the driver, "Let's get out of here; we're hit," and grabbed