What is your first (real) memory of a world event?

[suzannen]

The JFK assassination, I was in 2nd grade and it was hard to understand why every single adult I knew was crying, my teacher, my principal, my father, all of my aunts and uncles. I vividly remember watching the funeral procession and JFK, Jr saluting his father (that made all the adults cry even more).

And, Paras4ri, until you mentioned it, I had completely forgotten about the body counts with the Vietnam War. When I read your post, I had an instant flashback of Walter Kronkite and others giving the "casualty reports" from Vietnam during the evening news while we ate dinner!!! Maybe that's why I'm not such a fan of red marinara sauce on my spaghetti?

 

[preshi]

The Challenger Disaster and then I have to say Desert Storm.

 

[NancyIL]

Originally posted by Princess_Aurora
This will show how young I am...the earliest world news memory I have is of the presidential election between Regan and Bush. I think I was in the second grade. The only reason I remember that is because our teacher made us do a report on it or something.

Hmmm...not sure which election you mean. Bush was Reagan's VP - not his opponent, so that's either 1980 or 1984.

My earliest recollection is of JFK's assasination when I was in 1st grade. Whenever I hear the hymn "Eternal Father Strong to Save" (Naval hymn) it always reminds me of his funeral.

 

[Patrick IL.]

JFK assasination...I was three in the operating room having my tonsels taken out, they rushed me through the surgery so all could get to TV sets. I rememeber watching the funeral.

 

[fklhou]

I remember the MLK and RFK killings very well.

 

[Boots]

Kennedy's assasination. I was in 5th grade.

 

[MerryPoppins]

I remember when Bobby Kennedy was shot and when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. Before that big news events are fuzzy.

 

[nativetxn]

I remember our first satellite. I think I was about 8 1/2 at the time or almost 9. We lived in Phoenix back then and skies were often clear and we would go outside at night and watch for it to move across our portion of the sky. It was way too small for us to see, I think. But we never tired of watching for it.

Everyone was so excited because we'd finally caught up with the Russians finally in the space race.

 

[Rajah]

Actually, does the release of the TV show Cosmos count? I was younger when that was released (1980?) but I actually remember sitting in the living room and watching Cosmos with my parents -- specifically remember certain scenes when they first were released. I may not have understood everything being talked about in the show, but I *loved* that Ship of the Imagination. Does that count?

 

[Buckalew]

I remember watching man on the moon in '69. I was 4 and watching it at my grandparents house.

I remember watching those men go to war in Vietnam--now I see those pictures and I see "boys" going off to war. Our neighbor fought in Vietnam and I remeber thinking that war was life too.

I remember watching Nixon resign in '74. I was visiting Townsend, TN from NJ that August and was allowed to do a night swim. I thought that was bigger news than Nixon...


I remember Elvis dying '77. I was out at the pool of that same motel. It was so unbelievable. Grown women were crying and in shock.

I remember President Reagan being shot. I was in class and was horrified.

I remember when Lucille Ball died. I cried and cried.

 

[cgcw]

I think I remember pieces of JFK being assassinated and the days that followed. My mom will tell anyone I was too young and have it confused with either MLK or RFK. I was 2 1/2 when JFK died. My just turned DS3 will tell us events that happened a year or more ago so I know the memories are there that young. Whether they keep with a person, I won't ever be certain.

I definately remember either RFK or MLK because the Flintstones were not on TV. Shows where my priorities were then.

 

[DebbieB]

My earliest memory is JFK's funeral, I was almost 4. I remember seeing the processional. Then the glass broke on our TV Cabinet and my Dad took me with him to a glass store to get a new piece of glass. I also remember turning on the TV one morning and hearing about RFK.

 

[ahutton]

I remember being at the Poly when President Reagan was shot... I remember being in 5th grade and watching the first space shuttle go up and seeing the USA win the gold in hockey. And I remember hearing John Lennon had been killed.

 

[Pin Wizard]

When President Kennedy was shot. I was 4 at the time and remember sitting on the living room floor in front of the TV. My mom was sitting on the sofa. I mainly remember seeing the train going by that carried the casket.

 

[EltonJohn]

The Wedding of HRH the Prince of Wales to the Lady Diana Frances Spencer.

Growing up my mother, who is about a month older than Prince Charles, was an avid "royal watcher" of his. I remember her getting up at dawn to tape "the wedding of the century". To this day I still have a crush on the handsome Prince Charles LOL! (And yes, I do believe that Harry, who takes after his father, is much better-looking than Wills.)

The other event that stands out in my memory was the Challenger explosion. After the event I remember being in a class with my teacher showing us two pictures. He said, "this is her reaction when she found out she was going into space". He then showed us the picture showing us the reaction of Christa McAullife (sp?). Then he said, "this is the last day of her life", and he showed us a photo of the explosion. I remember Mr. Solomon's words that day very clearly.

Unfortunately, for all involved, both of these stories had tragic endings

diane

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

Moon Landing.
Viet Nam on the news every night.
The first event that I remember recognizing as a significant event was Nixon's resignation and I, like the original poster, was at camp and was informed at our morning flag raising.

 

[DStar4cup]

I must not have paid attention to things when I was younger. I was 5 when Man first walked on the moon(don't remember), I don't remember ever thinking about the Vietnam war until after it was over. When I was in elementry school we got alot of refugees from the war so at that point I realized that we had been in a war. What is really sad is what I do remember is the day Elvis died. I can tell you where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing.