On Nov 7,1960 I saw all the Kennedys for the first time at

[virgogal]

the pre-election rally in The Boston Garden.

It was one of the most exhilerating evening of my life.The excitement was palbable.Everyone wore straw boaters with red,white,and blue bands on them.

Now we've reached the end of that era.God do I feel old.

Is it over?

[Booster]

1. JFK was assinated on my 21st birthday - we ARE old. LOL

[timtom]

6. I'm a month older than you.

I was at Camp Lejeune on that day.

[demosincebirth]

2. My wife and I seen JFK at a campaign rally in

Oakland, in 1960. I remember it vividly at 18th & Poplar st.



That was the first time I was able to vote

[TahitiNut]

3. I was a sideboy for JFK in the summer of '62 ... and I'm feeling like my adult life

... is bracketed by Kennedy funerals. They sure do throw impressive funerals. It's tragic that they've had so much practice. :cry:

[virgogal]

4. Forgive my ignorance,but what is a sideboy?

[JohnnyLib2]

5. Beat me to it!

[Hekate]

8. Sideboy: A Naval Tradition...

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Set/6711/navtrad.htm

What is meant by "Piping the Side" and the origin of "Sideboys"

The custom of "piping" a distinguished visitor "over the side" dates to the time of wooden ships when senior officers would come alongside a ship in their small launches. As the launch approached the ship, the Boatswain (the boatswain, bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun is the warrant or petty officer in charge of a ship's deck crew, rigging, cables and anchors) would use his pipe to muster a crew of men to assist the senior officer in coming aboard. Hence, the term, "piping."

A sling would be lowered to the launch, the officer would be strapped in and hoisted to the quarter-deck of the ship. As the seniority of the officer often was an indication of his bulk, the more senior the officer, the larger the number of men that would be assigned to hoist him aboard and lift him "over the side" of the ship. Once on the quarter-deck, the assembled crew would take their stations on either side of the officer, lifting him out of the sling and gently placing him on the deck. The men assigned to this duty were usually very junior sailors, or 'boys', Hence, the term, "sideboy."

The same procedure was used in reverse when the officer lift the ship and returned to his launch.

Today, while distinguished visitors are not hoisted aboard ship, the Bos'n Mate can still be heard piping senior officers aboard and ashore as assembled crew members act as sideboys.

**Note: In the interest of political correctness, there are some who have referred to female sideboys as "sidepersons", or worse yet, calling the whole group "side bouys", as though they were a bunch of bell bouys ringing in midchannel. Lets ensure that the traditional 'sideboy' always remains the correct term.
END QUOTE

[virgogal]

9. Thanks for that interesting piece of information.

[TahitiNut]

11. Good find. That's pretty accurate, actually. Thanks.

:hi:

[TahitiNut]

10. Naval (Coast Guard, in this instance) honor guard for dignitary visiting a ship.

In this case, it was President Kennedy visiting the USCGC Eagle (a "windjammer" - training ship for the USCGA). Eight cadets were selected, four on each side of his path, to be sideboys. As JFK came up the gangway, down the ladder, and into the waist of the ship, the bosun's (i.e. "boatswain") mate blows the bosun's pipe, and KEEPS BLOWING until JFK walks past the sideboys. I was the last of the four on his left. He was less than 24" in front of me. The chief bosun's mate (John Paul Jones, no less) told us what to expect. He said "Kennedy is Navy. That means he'll 'test my (Coast Guard) lungs.' He'll slow down and see if I run out of air."

As JFK drew in front of me, I could see him slow his pace, glance to his left at the bosn's mate, and ever-so-slightly grin with a twitch of the corner of his mouth. I damned near laughed in his ear.

I remember it like it was last week. I felt like I'd shared a personal moment with JFK. I was devastated the next year. :cry:

[Booster]

7. Yeah, I think you do need to explain what a sideboy is cause my

mind is conjuring up all kinds of things.