JFK Assassination Forum

Speaking off the top of my head here, but as I recall several of the women along Elm near the Stemmons sign were consistent in saying that the first shot occurred when JFK was pretty much right in front of them. I was impressed by how many times this leaped out of the FBI statements when I was looking into the Gloria Calvery issue. Isn't that pretty close to where most three-shot fans think the second shot occurred? I don't have Phantom Shot handy at the moment to see how this is dealt with there.

It didn’t, the book Phantom Shot was basically about LHO and also the evidence that were only two shots not three. Media reporting influenced eyewitnesses. The page count restraints of the book also limited its scope. 

An early missed shot is no different than an earlier than early missed shot, a shot after the headshot or a missed second shot or four shots. Clint Hill supposedly not hearing a shot because he was running is a prime example. He doesn’t start running until the headshot. He heard the headshot. What exactly did he miss hearing?

Only because this Early missed shot issue seems to be the go-to theory, more research since the book was published has revealed that there are no eyewitnesses to an early missed shot. That in itself is telling. Especially when the HSCA Sound Analysis stated there is no mistaking how loud a rifle shot is in Dealey Plaza.

What is the need for a third shot that is never fully explained, nor is there any proof of its occurrence when two shots sum up the whole event?

Not only did the Secret Service miss this early shot, so did everyone else standing in Dealey Plaza. Maybe that should be a clue.

   So "EVERYBODY" in Dealey Plaza "missed" the Early Shot? What's THAT tell you? There was NO "early shot"!
   Please Stop talking about an "early shot" like it is a Fact. It ain't. This is exactly why we have numerous JFK "Urban Legends". People endlessly repeat what they think "might" have happened to the point of it getting accepted as being a Fact.
   And this "early shot" stuff also ties in with: (1) the "early shot" hitting the traffic signal support beam, and (2) Oswald firing his weapon Downward through a 1/2 open window while in a Standing Position. Know it or not, You guys are building a snowball of  JFK Urban Legends.

Some did. Some didn't. JBC heard the first shot and recognized it for it was. So did Agent Bennett. Strictly speaking, neither of these men were "standing in Dealey Plaza" but it shows that others likely heard what they did. I'm not going to go look up what the various witnesses had to say about what they heard. I do know that some of them said they thought the first sound was fireworks or a motorcycle backfire. I don't pretend to know why some people recognized the first sound as a gunshot and some didn't. It's clear that was the case.

No. JBC did not think it was a miss. Bennet is a two shot witness.

Not only did the Secret Service miss this early shot, so did everyone else standing in Dealey Plaza. Maybe that should be a clue.

Some did. Some didn't. JBC heard the first shot and recognized it for it was. So did Agent Bennett. Strictly speaking, neither of these men were "standing in Dealey Plaza" but it shows that others likely heard what they did. I'm not going to go look up what the various witnesses had to say about what they heard. I do know that some of them said they thought the first sound was fireworks or a motorcycle backfire. I don't pretend to know why some people recognized the first sound as a gunshot and some didn't. It's clear that was the case.

Apparently, the Secret Service agents did not recognize the first sound as being a gunshot. We can speculate why that was but it's possible the roar of the motorcycles accelerating out of the sharp turn onto Elm St. partially muted the sound of the first shot. Clint Hill only remembered hearing 2 shots which tell me he either didn't hear the first shot or could not identify it as a gunshot. When he heard the second shot and saw JFK raise his arms up to his throat level, he started to race toward the limo. Altgens 6 shows us he did not take off until about two seconds after JFK was hit. That seems like a rather slow response time, but it's not surprising he would take that long to figure out what was happening. The photo also shows us the two agents on the other side of the limo were still looking back at the TSBD. Neither of them ever made a move toward the limo even after JFK was shot.

So, yes, the Secret Service response time was slow. I'm sure the agents were trained on what to do in various scenarios, but nothing can prepare one for the actual event when it happens suddenly and unexpectedly. Had the agents immediately recognized what was happening when the first shot was fired and started racing toward the limo immediately, they might have got there in time to prevent the 3rd shot from killing JFK. Had he only been hit in the upper torso, that would have been a serious wound, but he likely would have survived. For many years after the assassination, Clint Hill felt guilty that he did not react sooner than he did. I've always wondered whether the other agents on the running boards had the same feelings of guilt.

Not only did the Secret Service miss this early shot, so did everyone else standing in Dealey Plaza. Maybe that should be a clue.