Video: 'The Wedding of John F. Kennedy & Jacqueline Bouvier in Color'
(Saturday, September 12, 1953, 11:00 a.m. EDT) — U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy, 36, married Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, 24, today at St. Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island, in a mass celebrated by Boston’s Archbishop Richard Cushing. Continue reading U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy marries Jacqueline Lee Bouvier in Newport, Rhode Island 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 12 1953)
Video: 'CIA, Chile & Allende' (Sept. 11, 1973, at 8:51)
(Tuesday, September 11, 1973, approximately 2:00 p.m. Chile Standard Time; during the 1973 Chilean coup d’état) — Chilean President Salvador Allende, the first Marxist to be elected president in a liberal democracy in Latin America, shot himself with an AK-47 assault rifle today during a U.S.-backed violent coup d’état led by General Augusto Pinochet, commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army. Continue reading Chilean President Salvador Allende dies during violent military coup d’état supported by CIA 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 11 1973)
Video: 'Hidden History: Integration of Alabama Schools'
(Monday, September 9, 1963, morning, local time; during the civil rights movement) — Sonnie Hereford IV, 6, became the first African-American student to integrate public schools in Alabama this morning following a lengthy court battle. Continue reading Sonnie Hereford IV becomes first African-American child to integrate an Alabama public school 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 9 1963)
Video: 'CBS Evening News [9-2-1963] First broadcast under new title/format'
(Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 1963, 6:30 p.m. EDT; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite was expanded from 15 to 30 minutes tonight, becoming network television’s first half-hour nightly newscast in the United States. Continue reading U.S. President Kennedy warns Buddhist crisis imperils Vietnam as ‘CBS Evening News’ becomes network TV’s first half-hour nightly newscast 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 2 1963)
Video: 'August 28, 1963 - President John F. Kennedy meets with the leaders of the March On Washington'
(Wednesday, August 28, 1963, 5:00-6:12 p.m. EDT; during the civil rights movement) — Following the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, highlighted by the “I Have A Dream” speech delivered by American civil rights activist and Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr., 10 leaders of the event walked over to the White House today for a 72-minute meeting with President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson in the Oval Office. Continue reading U.S. President John F. Kennedy meets with civil rights leaders following March on Washington 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 28 1963)
Video: 'Benjamin Harrison: Make Grandpa Proud (1889 - 1893)'
(Tuesday, August 20, 1833) — Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president of the United States from 1889 to 1893 and a grandson of President William Henry Harrison (1841) and a great-grandson of Benjamin Harrison V, a Founding Father, was born today on a farm by the Ohio River in North Bend, Ohio. Continue reading U.S. President Benjamin Harrison born in North Bend, Ohio 190 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 20 1833)
Video: 'Richard Nixon-Address to the Nation About the Watergate Investigations (August 15, 1973)'
(Wednesday, August 15, 1973, 9:00 p.m. EDT; during the Watergate scandal) — In a nationwide radio and television address from the Oval Office, U.S. President Richard Nixon denied anew tonight any involvement in the Watergate conspiracy, road-tested the executive privilege argument about the Watergate tapes, decried a “backward-looking obsession” with the scandal, and appealed for Americans to help him “get on with the urgent business of our nation.” Continue reading U.S. President Richard Nixon says Watergate tapes must remain confidential 50 years ago this hour #OnThisDate #OTD (Aug 15 1973)
Video: 'Aug. 9. 1963 - Pierre Salinger Announces Death of Patrick Bouvier Kennedy'
(Friday, August 9, 1963, 4:04 a.m. EDT) — Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, fourth child and second son of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, died today from complications of hyaline membrane disease (HMD) at the Children’s Hospital Boston only 39 hours and 12 minutes after being delivered by emergency caesarean section, five and a half weeks early, at the Otis Air Force Base Hospital in Bourne, Massachusetts. Continue reading President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy’s fourth child dies at age 39 hours and 12 minutes 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 9 1963)
Video: 'Warren G. Harding: America's 29th President' (Aug. 8, 1923, at 8:56)
(Wednesday, August 8, 1923; the caison bearing Harding’s body arrived on the Capitol plaza at 11:21 a.m. EDT, ceremonies were completed by noon) — Warren G. Harding, the 29th U.S. President who died of a heart attack on Aug. 2, 1923, while in office, was honored today by a state funeral inside the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C. Continue reading State funeral held for U.S. President Warren G. Harding in Capitol rotunda 100 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 8 1923)
Video: 'Press Secretary Pierre Salinger announces the birth of Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, August 7, 1963'
(Wednesday, August 7, 1963, 12:52 p.m. EDT) — First lady Jacqueline Kennedy became the first sitting U.S. first lady to give birth since Frances Folsom Cleveland in 1897 when Patrick Bouvier Kennedy was born today by emergency caesarean section, five and a half weeks early, at the Otis Air Force Base Hospital in Bourne, Massachusetts.
He was quickly transferred to the Children’s Hospital Boston, and would die 39 hours later of respiratory problems.
Mrs. Kennedy had suffered a miscarriage in 1955, followed the next year by a stillborn baby girl that the Kennedys planned to name Arabella after a ship with that name.
Two healthy children followed: Caroline in 1957 and John Jr. in 1960.
Jackie had taken Caroline and John Jr. for a pony ride this morning in Osterville, Massachusetts. While the children were riding, Kennedy felt labor pains.
Her obstetrician, John W. Walsh, was summoned, and they were taken by helicopter to Otis Air Force Base.
The president’s secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, hurried into the Oval Office at 11:43 a.m. EDT to report that Jackie had gone into premature labor on Cape Cod.
While his father was aboard Air Force One, the infant Kennedy was born by emergency caesarean section, performed by Dr. Walsh, who had also delivered Mrs. Kennedy of John Jr. in 1960.
Video: 'Kennedy Baby In Trouble (1963)'
The infant’s birth weight was 4 pounds 10+1?2 ounces (2.11 kg).
Shortly after birth, Kennedy developed symptoms of hyaline membrane disease (HMD), now called infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS). It was detected by breathing difficulties within minutes.
The president arrived, saw his son in distress, and sent for a chaplain. The infant was quickly baptized, named Patrick after his great-grandfather Patrick Joseph Kennedy (1858–1929). He was given the middle name of Bouvier after his mother’s maiden name.
The president was allowed to wheel the baby in an incubator to the First Lady’s bedside.
James E. Drorbaught, the pediatric specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, was flown by helicopter from Boston to consult on his case, and he recommended transfer to Boston. Five hours after birth, the infant, accompanied by Dr. Drorbaught, was rushed by ambulance to Boston Children’s Hospital, 70 miles (110 km) away, in under 90 minutes.
The transfer to the hospital in Boston was initially reported as a “precautionary measure,” the White House said. The baby’s condition was accurately reported as HMD, but it was also reported that it would take at least four days to assess his condition and that he was being given medication to assist his condition.
At the time, all that could be done for a baby with hyaline membrane disease was to keep the patient’s blood chemistry as close to normal as possible. Led by Dr. Drorbaught, who stayed awake the entire time, the hospital tried everything possible to save the infant’s life.
The baby was given hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in which he was placed in a hyperbaric chamber filled with 100% oxygen and pressurized to greater than one atmosphere. At the time, the treatment was revolutionary; The New York Times described it as “one of the newest interests of medical researchers.”
