The flag hangs at half-staff at Lindsey Air Station, Wiesbaden, as massed servicemembers honor the slain President John F. Kennedy. (Stars and Stripes)
The flag hangs at half-staff at Lindsey Air Station, Wiesbaden, as massed servicemembers honor the slain President John F. Kennedy. (Stars and Stripes)
A large wreath placed by the city of Darmstadt, Germany, rests beneath a picture of President Kennedy at the city's Amerika Haus, which the city council renamed in honor of the fallen president. (Gus Schuettler/Stars and Stripes)
The flag is lowered to half-staff at a U.S. base in Darmstadt, Germany, following the death of President Kennedy. (Merle Hunter/Stars and Stripes)
Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara's announcement of the death of President Kennedy is read during a troop assembly in Darmstadt, Germany. (Bob Milnes/Stars and Stripes)
Americans in Darmstadt, Germany, listen to the announcement of President Kennedy's death. (Bob Milnes/Stars and Stripes)
Troops in Darmstadt, Germany, read about President John F. Kennedy's death. (Stars and Stripes)
Many fought back tears Monday as more than 1,500 soldiers and Army families pressed into Mark Twain Village Chapel in Heidelberg as posts throughout USAREUR held religious services for prayer and homage to the memory of the late President Kennedy.
On Saturday morning, commanders of USAREUR units and posts held troop formations to read Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara's official announcement of the President's death.
Thus tributes Monday in Army communities throughout the command mainly were Masses and mourning memorial services at chapels with 21-gun salutes at noon and 50-gun salutes fired at retreat to close the day of military mourning for Mr. Kennedy.
A mingling of Germans as well as Americans jammed into Mark Twain, which was barely large enough to allow all to stand in out of a steady rain, for prayer and tribute to the late President at interdenominational services conducted by chaplains of three faiths.
Gen and Mrs. Paul L. Freeman Jr., headquarters top staff officers, soldiers and many wives and children paid their final respects at the services led by Chaplain (Col) John O. Woods, Chaplain (Lt Col) Joseph B. Messing and; Chaplain (Col) U. J. Wurm.
Chaplain Wood, USAREUR chief of chaplains and a Protestant clergyman, opened the Mark Twain Village services, followed by prayer and tribute of Chaplain Messing, Heidelberg Post and Jewish chaplain, and Chaplain Wurm, USAREUR deputy chaplain and Catholic vicar of Army troops in Europe.
An eloquent eulogy was delivered by Col James T. L. Schrenk, Heidelberg Post CO, during the solemn 20-minute services. The chapel's Protestant choir, directed by Sp5 Jack Jordan, provided music for the religious tribute.
The 5th Bn (Airborne), 81st Artillery, based at Wiesbaden, provided gun crews at the Northern Area Comd Hq, Lindsey Air Station, Lee Barracks at Mainz, and at Orleans, France.
At noontime, each dispersed battery and gun crew fired a 21-gun salute at one-minute intervals.
At official retreat ceremonies, the crew fired a 50-volley salute — one for each state of the Union — at two-second intervals.
Frankfurt Post held three-faith memorial services in the main chapel, with similar religious ceremonies for the deceased President at Gibbs and Drake-Edwards caserns.
Lt Gen Creighton W. Abrams, V Corps CG, delivered the eulogy at the Frankfurt Chapel, with salutes fired in front of the I.G. Farben Building both at noon and. at sundown.
The University of Heidelberg scheduled a torchlight ceremony Monday night in the university's inner court in tribute. A parade to the Amerika Haus followed the ceremony. Participants in the parade signed the book of condolences.
A similar torchlight ceremony was conducted by students at the German technical university in Aachen.
University of Cologne students on Monday night made a silent march from the university to the Amerika Haus downtown to place a wreath before a portrait of the late-President.
The group numbered in the thousands, and was by Burgomeister Dr. Franz Lemmens and the university director, Prof. Dr. Theodor Schieder.
