Published: November 21, 2008 07:21 pm            

Former BDT staffer remembers 45 years ago today...

BLUEFIELD — Americans have witnessed many world-altering moments during the past 45 years, but for many people who are old enough to remember Nov. 22, 1963, the images of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy remain as one of the pivotal images of the last half-century.

“I told my wife (Helen) to look at me, but I couldn’t get Jack to do it,” Vernon Fields recalled of his April 1960 encounter with then, Senator Kennedy. “When you’re taking a series of pictures like that, it can be hard to get the picture you want.”

Fields, 80, was a Korean War veteran who was severely wounded in combat. He returned home to Mercer County after an extended recovery period, and eventually got a job as a portrait and commercial photographer with Mel Grubb.

At that time, Grubb Photo Service processed film for Bluefield Daily Telegraph reporters and photographers and also went on assignment if the newspaper didn’t have anyone else available. Fields knew that Kennedy’s Mercer County visit during his West Virginia Democratic Primary race was going to be a major news event. Kennedy was running against Senator Hubert Humphrey in a tight race for the party’s nomination.

“The world loved him, except for Castro,” Fields said. “I took my wife and daughter to meet him. He talked to my daughter (Vickie Ann Fields Akers) about his daughter, Caroline. I got pictures of them together. When they were there at the 4-H Camp in Glenwood Park, I asked my wife to go over and shake his hand. I told Jack to look up, but he didn’t do it.”

Fields traveled with Kennedy and his brother, now U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., on their visit to Montcalm as well as at other stops. “The best shot I got — I think — was of Jack when he was getting on the plane at the Mercer County Airport,” Fields said. “He put his hand on his back and leaned back like he was in pain from where he got hurt during World War II when he was captain of PT 109.”

In November of 1963, Fields had taken a job as a full-time staff photographer with the Daily Telegraph. He was on his way to work when he heard local radio broadcast personality, the late Mel Barnett, announce that the president had been assassinated.

“We didn’t realize how important that was at first,” Fields said. “After it started to sink in, that was some feeling! I ran into a few celebrities during my time, but nothing like meeting President Kennedy coming to town. I often think about those times. It was the biggest moment in my newspaper career.”

— Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.