US SECRET SERVICE AGENT CLINT HILL TELLS HIS STORY ABOUT DALLAS, 1963 AT RARE PUBLIC APPEARANCE...
I've been a student of the Kennedy assassination for a very long time. Ever since I was old enough to understand what happened, I would always seem to find myself studying books, films, movies...anything that had to do with the horrific six seconds in Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas 47 years ago this month. Beyond all the conspiracy theories, the right-wing whatevers, the "Magic Bullet", and everything else, the facts were plain and simple: the president had been murdered in broad daylight, and it changed everything.
When I was in college, I think it might have been sometime in 1991 when this happened, I was somehow lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of the original 8mm home movie taken by Abraham Zapruder. Probably one of the most famous pieces of film in history, "The Zapruder Film" is the only moving image that documents the assassination of president Kennedy. I was writing a research paper at the time, and somehow, although due to my advancing Mad Cow disease I can't accurately recall, I was able to get in touch with one of Mr. Zapruder's sons, I believe, who graciously allowed me to borrow a copy of the original film! I was pretty stunned at that since there hadn't been too many duplicates made to my knowledge (at least at THAT time), and when it arrived at my college mailbox, and I took it out of the box, I felt quite honored to be holding such an important piece of American history. I screened the film, which is silent, several times in my AV center at school, and was just as shocked the 10th time I watched it as the 1st. It's a gruesome shooting, and even though I wasn't even a twinkle in anyone's eye at the time, I have always been saddened and outraged that something like this really had happened...
Anyway, back to the real issue behind this blog entry...
Of all the Secret Service agents in president Kennedy's detail in Dallas that day, only ONE agent responded immediately upon hearing the shots. Agent Clint Hill, who had been assigned to protect Mrs. Kennedy, was positioned on the left front running board of the Secret Service follow-up car, directly behind the presidential limo. As everyone in modern generations has no doubt seen the Zapruder film, they can probably recall seeing Agent Hill running full out towards the limo just at the precise moment the fatal shot to president Kennedy's head finds its mark. Agent Hill reaches the limo as it begins to speed away and he grasps the handrail at the rear of the limo, almost losing his grip and footing as he pulls himself onto the back of the car. Mrs. Kennedy had crawled out of the back seat, and onto the trunk of the limo to, according to Hill, retrieve a piece of president Kennedy's head that "had been blown off". Agent Hill, holding on the handgrip with one hand, pushed Mrs. Kennedy back into the relative safety of the limo with the other, then covered both her and the mortally wounded president with his body for the breakneck speed journey to Parkland Hospital. What Clint Hill did was truly heroic. Brave and selfless, he leapt into action, and reached the limo in less than 2 seconds. Everyone of course knew that the president was not likely to survive the massive head wound, and Hill's reaction upon seeing the president in the car was to immediately give a "thumbs down" signal to the Secret Service follow-up car as they sped towards the hospital. Clint pounded his fist in disparity on the trunk of the limo during the ride there.
For years and years following the assassination, Clint Hill blamed himself. He felt that if he had only reacted a second sooner, he might have been able to take that fatal shot, and "that would've been fine" with him. Clint lived with his guilt and his other demons about Dallas for almost half a century, battling alcohol, depression and shattering feelings of guilt over the president's death, even in the shadow of being given a citation for bravery above and beyond the call of duty at a ceremony attended by Mrs. Kennedy herself. Clint would later take that citation and medal, and throw them into a box with other personal papers about Dallas, tape the box closed, and shove it into a corner of his basement at home.
In 1990, Clint went back to Dallas. He needed closure. He needed to know some things that only returning there would answer for him. After walking Dealey Plaza for hours, he came to the realization that in fact, there was nothing he could have done more than what he had to try to save the life of the president. Although he still does feel guilt, and a sense of sadness about Dallas, he has slayed his demons about it, and no longer feel responsible for president Kennedy's death. there is a remarkable interview Clint gave to Mike Wallace of "60 Minutes" back in 1975, where a distraught Hill expresses extreme feelings of responsibility and guilt for what happened. He was truly a broken man, whose life was forever changed.
This year marks the 47th anniversary of the assassination, and Clint Hill's friend and fellow Dallas agent Jerry Blaine has written a book called THE KENNEDY DETAIL. In it, Blaine and many other agents and their families (so many of them are now gone) recall their time spent with president Kennedy. Most important for me, is the participation of Clint Hill in this book. For years, Clint has refused interviews, book offers and has always shunned the spotlight with regard to his actions in Dallas. Because of his trust and confidence in his friend, Jerry however, Clint decided to finally, and in his own words, share his story and his raw emotions about that horrible day. For me, it was also very emotional and as I read his entry in the book, I could feel the sadness still so present behind his voice and his eyes.
I had always wanted to meet Clint, and many years ago, as a result of a fortuitous meeting with yet another of my heroes in the Secret Service--Jerry Parr, the agent in charge of president Reagan's detail on the day of his assassination attempt, and who saved his life outside the Washington Hilton Hotel in 1981--I was able to get a letter to Clint Hill through agent Parr. A few months later, I was overwhelmingly surprised to get a letter returned from Clint. Two typed sentences, and a handwritten signature. It was one of the greatest things I've ever gotten, even to this day. I had figured this was as close to him as I would ever get, and I considered myself very lucky indeed.
This past month, as I mentioned before, Clint Hill contributed to his friend Jerry Blaine's new book by not only writing the forward, but also by penning what so many had been wanting to hear or read for 47 years: HIS OWN STORY about Dallas. To support the book, Jerry Blaine and Clint HIll have been appearing at various bookstores for discussions, signings and Q & A sessions. When I discovered they would be in NYC on the 11th of November--Veteran's Day--I knew without fail that I would be there, and I would FINALLY get to meet one of my truest heroes, Clint HIll. I had been waiting over 25 years to be able to see him in person, shake his hand and tell him how honored I was to do so.
There was a fairly large turnout that evening at 82nd and Broadway's Barnes & Noble bookstore, and of course, I was in the front row, waiting anxiously to see Clint. As he walked out with Jerry Blaine and the co-author of the book, a journalist named Lisa McCubbin, I got goosebumps. Clint looked right at me a few times as they were settling in behind their table. I waved slightly to him, which he returned with a nod and brief smile. I was already grateful beyond words to be sitting with these American icons of heroism and bravery. I awaited their stories, and hung on every word.
Finally, Lisa, who was also serving as sort of a moderator for the panel, suggested to Clint that now might be a good time to discuss his actions.
"You want me to talk about Dallas..." Clint said matter of factly. I held my breath, and waited. I had only seen brief rare interviews with Clint about that day, and he always...ALWAYS was terribly emotional and upset as he told the story. This time though, Clint was focused, and although still emotional, he was completely composed and straightforward. The video clip attached at the beginning of this blog is his story, in his words. I shot the clip myself at the Barnes & Noble appearance. The second clip (the one at the end of the blog) is from a Secret Service documentary that aired some years ago, where Hill was interviewed, that also includes some archive film footage of the assassination. Watch these two clips, and I think you'll agree that Clint Hill is truly a hero's hero...
After the discussion, I got my copy of the book signed by Cling and Jerry, and finally, after 25+ years of waiting and hoping, went over to Clint, who graciously posed for the picture I have attached here as well, leaned in and said: "Mr. Hill, it is a true honor and privilege to meet you, and I have waited over 25 years to shake your hand and say thank you. You are one of my heroes, and I will never forget this evening."
Clint turned in his chair to face me, and for the first time a long, long time, I saw him smile as he replied quietly: "Thank you very much, that means a lot to me..."
Not as much as it did to me, though....not by a long shot. This is now one of my favorite and import photos...with Clint.
This second video clip is the earlier interview Clint did for a documentary about the Secret Service...perhaps around 2004 or thereabouts...
This final video clip is the famous Zapruder film. It is a powerful and graphic piece of film. Towards the end of the clip, you can see Clint Hill appear from the left side as he bolts towards the presidential limo and leaps onto the trunk to save Mrs. Kennedy, etching Clint into our collective history forvever with his immediate and selfless act of bravery...
Thanks for taking a look at the latest bit of coolness from JonnyLand...for those of you who haven't yet partaken of the RICHARD DREYFUSS blog from my afternoon with him this past Sunday, scroll a bit further down for parts 1 and 2...as always, I welcome your comments...
'Til next time, this is your pal, JonnyB reminding you to play every day as if it's your last night on stage!
LIVE IT UP...ROCK IT OUT!!! :) ~JB
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