# Mini Episode 001 - JFK, LBJ and Air Force One

An episode of [Are You Quizzing Me?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1663104901), 6 Jul 2023, 4:39.

Audio: https://anchor.fm/s/d7afa960/podcast/play/73062633/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2023-6-6%2Fb60223e2-c521-c113-306f-c546461625f6.mp3

Aditya delves deep into the fascinating story about Air Force One and the swearing in of Lyndon B Johnson after the assassination of President John F Kennedy. Listen to our main Episode 023 - Dominoes, Zumba & Biomimicry to listen to the question which links to this story. Tune in to find out! You can reach us at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/areyouquizzingme/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/areyouquizzingme Email: areyouquizzingme@gmail.com

## Transcript

[0:00] Here's the fascinating story of how Kennedy's assassination,
[0:05] Lyndon B Johnson swearing in all ties in to Air Force One.
[0:09] It all begins in Kennedy's presidential term.
[0:13] Under him, presidential air travel entered the jet age in
[0:18] October 1962. A modified long range Boeing
[0:21] VC137C Stratoliner designated Sam Two 6000.
[0:28] Was delivered and immediately became an important element of
[0:31] Kennedy's administrative brand. The Sam in Sam Two 6000 stood
[0:37] for Special Air Mission. This plane was given the call
[0:41] sign designation of Air Force One whenever the American
[0:45] President was on board. Kennedy had flown in on the same
[0:49] flight to Dallas on the fateful day of his assassination,
[0:53] November 22nd, 1963. Lyndon B Johnson, his vice
[0:58] president, was also in Dallas with him that day.
[1:02] Once Kennedy was shot around noon, the president and the vice
[1:06] president's cars immediately rushed to Parkland Memorial
[1:10] Hospital. An hour later, Kennedy was
[1:13] declared dead at the hospital, and shortly thereafter Johnson
[1:17] left for the airport. Dallas Love Field here awaited
[1:22] him. None other than Sam Two, 6000.
[1:26] Johnson wanted to wait for Jacqueline Kennedy, but the
[1:29] former First Lady would not leave without her husband's
[1:33] body. Eventually, Kennedy's casket was
[1:37] brought onto the same plane, Sam Two 6000.
[1:40] From this presidential airplane, the new President, Johnson
[1:44] telephoned Attorney General Robert F Kennedy, who
[1:48] incidentally was a brother of JFK.
[1:51] Robert advised Mr. Johnson that he should take the presidential
[1:55] oath of office before the plane left Dallas.
[1:58] The oath of office was administered in the State room
[2:01] aboard Air Force One while it was still on the ground.
[2:06] Apart from being the only time that the oath has been
[2:09] administered on a plane, it also remains the only time the oath
[2:13] was administered by a woman. This moment is captured in the
[2:17] iconic photograph where you can see Jacqueline Kennedy standing
[2:20] next to Lyndon B Johnson. Jacqueline Kennedy is still
[2:24] wearing the clothes with her husband's blood on it. 9 minutes
[2:28] after the oath was sworn in, the plane departed for Washington,
[2:32] DC, which means the plane took off and landed with Lyndon B
[2:38] Johnson sworn in as President. But here's the catch.
[2:44] Even if the oath had been administered midair, the plane
[2:47] would still be designated Air Force One for its entire
[2:51] journey, because as soon as JFK was declared dead, Lyndon B
[2:56] Johnson automatically became the next American president.
[3:00] The oath in that scenario was necessary only to allow the
[3:04] president to exercise the powers and duties of his newly acquired
[3:09] office. There is another somber first of
[3:12] its kind event that happened in regards to this.
[3:16] On November 25th, 3 days after the assassination, a funeral
[3:21] procession carrying Kennedy to his final resting place at
[3:24] Arlington National Ceremony was conducted.
[3:27] Just before Jacqueline Kennedy lit the eternal flame, a
[3:31] contingent of 50 fighter aircraft streaked across the
[3:35] sky. Of those, thirty were from the
[3:37] Air Force and 20 from the Navy. The 50 was supposed to represent
[3:42] all 50 states. Then Air Force One followed
[3:45] these fighter planes, concluding the flyover as a mark of respect
[3:50] to Kennedy. The unique event which happened
[3:53] here was that usually fighter aircrafts do not escort the
[3:57] presidential aircraft over the United States.
[4:00] In this one instance, however, it did happen, and that was the
[4:03] first time that it ever happened.
[4:06] Coming back to Sam Two 6000. Presidential plane under JFK.
[4:12] It remained the primary means of transport for American
[4:15] presidents all the way till 1972.
[4:18] It was then replaced in President Nixon's second term by
[4:22] Sam Two 7000. However, Sam Two 6000 remained a
[4:27] backup plane till 1998. And that brings us to the end of
[4:32] this very short and special episode of Are You Quizzing Me?
[4:36] I hope you enjoyed it. Cheers and have a good day.

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