Video: 'The Beatles Arrive in America - [ Queens, New York, February 7, 1964 ]'

(Friday, February 7, 1964, landed at 1:20 p.m. EST, disembarked at 1:30 p.m. EST) — Thousands of screaming fans greeted The Beatles this afternoon as the rock music band from Liverpool, England, dressed in mod suits and sporting their trademark pudding bowl haircuts, disembarked from their Pan Am flight at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport for their first-ever visit to the United States.

Video: 'The Beatles Arrive At JFK Airport, New York, USA - BBC News - 7 February 1964'

Between 3,000 to 5,000 fans waited on the roof of JFK Airport in New York as a Pan Am jet discharged four pleasantly surprised passengers. George Harrison was first to emerge, then John Lennon (who removes his leather cap after the wind nearly whips it away), followed by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

Video: 'The Beatles Arrive At JFK Airport, New York, USA - Reuters - 7 February 1964'

They spent several moments taking it all in and waving before turning themselves over to the NYPD for an escort to customs.

Video: 'The Beatles Arrive At JFK Airport, New York, USA - Beatles Hit New York - 7 February 1964'

Once they had cleared customs, The Beatles (at approximately 2:00 p.m. EST) were lined up in front of a Pan Am logo, behind a bank of microphones, facing a swarm of TV cameras, still photographers, newspaper and magazine writers, and radio reporters.

Video: 'The Beatles Arrive At JFK Airport, New York, USA - Associated Press - 7 February 1964'

Their press officer, Brian Somerville, lost his cool trying to maintain order amid the chaos.

Video: 'The Beatles Arrive At JFK Airport, New York, USA - British Pathe - 7 February 1964'

Meanwhile, in the front row, brash WINS-AM disc jockey Murray “The K” Kaufman angered many of his colleagues by attempting to hold his own private rap session with the Liverpudlians, who in turn were ignoring shouted questions from the back.

Video: 'The Beatles Arrive At JFK Airport, New York, USA - NBC News (Raw Footage) - 7 February 1964'

Although the enormity of the situation was still sinking in, The Beatles were quick on their feet, and by the end of the questioning, only the most skeptical journalists would remain unpacified.

Video: 'The Beatles Arrive At JFK Airport, New York, USA - ABC News (Raw Footage) - 7 February 1964'

Outside the terminal, four Cadillac limousines waited to speed The Beatles to their hotel in Manhattan. In the confusion, the group’s manager, Brian Epstein was left behind and forced to hail a taxi.

Video: 'The Beatles Arrive At JFK Airport, New York, USA - CBS News (Raw Footage) - 7 February 1964'