JFK Up-Close at Logan Airport in 1960 and the Day I Interviewed His brother Teddy in 1962

Reminiscing can be bittersweet

By Elizabeth Kaldeck Smith

Photo of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy by HD on Unsplash

One our weekly Sunday visits to see my grandmother in Boston was cut short and became a visit to Logan Airport instead. It happened in the middle of a hot but dry July, in 1960. I had been glued to the TV, watching the democratic convention and that dreamboat, senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy. I was over the moon about the prospect that such a handsome guy could become president.

I had it in the back of my mind that it would be exciting to see him arrive at Logan coming back from the convention. He had just accepted the Democratic party’s nomination for President! I was imagining what it would be like during the forty minute car ride into Boston. But I didn’t share my thoughts with my mom or two brothers.

I was thirteen at the time and have to admit that I had a huge crush on JFK. When I asked my sensible mom to take us to Logan to see JFK’s triumphant return to Boston I fully expected her to say “no”. We were there to visit with our grandmother and the airport would be crowded with fans just as eager to see JFK as we were. Surprisingly, It didn’t take much convincing to get…