Video: 'The Beatles Arrive in J. F. K. Airport, New York City 28. August 1964'

(Friday, August 28, 1964, The Beatles landed at JFK Airport at 2:55 a.m. EDT; during The Beatles’ 1964 North American tour) — The Beatles landed at Kennedy Airport early this morning, greeted by 3,000 fervent fans as they arrived from Cincinnati to continue their first full North American tour.

The band was whisked away to the Delmonico Hotel on Park Avenue and 59th Street, where even more fans had gathered despite efforts to keep their stay under wraps.

Any joy at returning to the city of their first American triumph was dampened by the struggle to navigate through the crowd outside the hotel at approximately 3:30 a.m.

Amid the chaos, a pair of hands tore away the St. Christopher medal from around Ringo Starr’s neck, a cherished gift from his aunt for his twenty-first birthday.

The fans were dispersed by police at 4:00 a.m. By the time The Beatles awoke later that morning thousands more fans were outside.