Photograph by Larry Gauper
Clint Hill, the man at the podium in the photo above, was the Secret Service agent who was physically closest to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, on November 23, 1963. Photographer Justin Newman captured agent Hill as he attempted to use his body to protect the President and Mrs. Kennedy as the presidential limousine sped, at speeds up to 80 m.p.h., to Parkland Hospital. To view that photo, please click here. Use your browser's "back arrow" to return to this page.
Before getting one of his legs into the back seat of the Presidential limousine, Hill grabbed a small handrail on the left rear of the trunk of the Lincoln Continental. This hold-on-point was normally used by bodyguards to stabilize themselves while standing on small platforms on the rear bumper.
According to the Warren Commission's finding, there were no bodyguards stationed on the bumper that day because the President had frequently stated he did not want agents to ride on these steps during a motorcade "except when necessary." Kennedy had repeated this wish only a few days before, during a visit to Tampa, Florida.
Although there was a failure by the Secret Service to adequately protect the President that fateful day, virtually everyone agreed that Clint Hill's rapid and brave actions had been without blemish. He was honored at a ceremony in Washington just days after JFK's funeral and presented with the U. S. Treasury Department's top award for Secret Service agents. Mrs. Kennedy, despite being in deep mourning, made a rare appearance at this event to personally thank Agent Hill.
An alumnus of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., Hill spoke in the Centrum on the institution's campus Wednesday, October 12, 2011, preceding his being honored with an Alumni Achievement Award. Also on the dais and contributing to Mr. Hill's talk was Lisa McCubbin, co-author, with Secret Service Agent Gerald Blaine, of a book about the role of Agent Hill and the work of the Secret Service prior to, during, and after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The book, published in 2010, is entitled The Kennedy Detail: JFK's Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence.
Mr. Hill, a native of Washburn, North Dakota, was reluctant to talk about his experiences during the assassination, until now. Although it took much dramatic license, a 1993 movie about the personal effect the assassination had on a Secret Service agent that very much paralleled Hill's experience starred Clint Eastwood as the agent. The movie was titled In the Line of Fire.
Hill was very candid throughout his talk at Concordia and took questions from the floor. One fellow asked, "Are the news stories and pundits right about JFK's extramarital affairs?" Hill, who was one of the agents closest to both the President and Mrs. Kennedy, replied, "I didn't ask the President about his sex life and he didn't ask about mine." This drew much laughter and understanding applause.
I wrote a Wordchipper print column last year about Clint Hill and the mission of Concordia College, entitled Living the Mission.
Clint Hill also spent a good deal of time as the chief protector of Jacqueline Kennedy and the Kennedy children. McCubbin is now working with Hill on a book about his those experiences. Mrs. Kennedy & Me is scheduled for publication in April, 2012. A draft cover for the book is shown below and will include a photograph of both the First Lady and Agent Hill during the Kennedy Presidency.
Photograph from Hill presentation at Concordia College
Watch an Interview with Clint Hill (via YouTube, not sure of date it was produced, probably during the late 1970s or early 80s)
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