November 24, 2003
JD Tippit

I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the 40-year retrospectives about the Kennedy assassination. It's just a subject that doesn't interest me much. I did, however, take the time to read this touching article about Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit, who was murdered by Lee Harvey Oswald as he attempted to escape after the shooting, and the wife and three children he left behind.


On the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, Mrs. Tippit made breakfast for her husband, who routinely left the house no later than 6:15 a.m. She, too, had a hectic schedule. To make extra money, she was baby-sitting a boy during the day and other children during the evening.

Later that morning, she received a call from the nurse at Allan's school, telling her he was vomiting and needed to come home. So he was there when his dad came home for lunch one last time.

"I made J.D. a sandwich, and he had some fried potatoes with it," she says. Officer Tippit left to return to duty, while his wife and oldest son turned on the television in hopes of hearing details about the visit of the president, for whom both the Tippits had voted.

What they heard instead was the news of his death.

"When I heard about the president, it just blows your mind," she says. "You think, 'This cannot be happening.' "

Within an hour, the news got worse. Officer Tippit's sister, Christine Christopher, called to ask, "Have you heard from J.D.? Do you know if he's all right?"

"Why?" his wife asked, her startled tone followed by Ms. Christopher's admission that she had heard a news report about an Officer Tippit being shot in Oak Cliff, possibly by the same man who murdered the president.

"So I called the station," says Mrs. Flinner. "There was so much confusion going on. But they told me he was dead. I just freaked out. I couldn't believe this was happening. 'Here the president and now my husband! You've got to be wrong!' It was total devastation."


You should read it, too. Via Barefoot and Naked.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on November 24, 2003 to National news | TrackBack
Comments

Is there some controversy over one of JD Tippit's brothers death. There is no mention of his name...only that JD had 4 brothers and 3 sisters? Doing research for a paper for school...thank you

Posted by: M Sobelman on July 7, 2004 3:16 AM

I'm just curious to know where JD Tippit was during the assassination of JFK...I dont have any proof on this besides the fact that a police officer or a person in a police officers uniform was seen behind the grassy nowl and perhaps that could of been Tippit
Then to save Tippits reputation he got killed by Oswald to make him sound like a hero and have Oswald be the patsy....this is PURLY speculation and I do not believe that this is true I just thought I would throw it out there for a question

Posted by: n/a on January 6, 2005 12:09 AM

I have just finished reading the book "With Malice" Lee Harvey Oswald and the murder of Officer J.D. Tippit. The book is authored by Dale K. Myers. A complete, and I mean complete investigation of the events that happened that day (Nov 22/63). All the conspiracy theories are examined and refuted by a methodical and logical examination of the events. Although only GOD knows what really happened that day, I can only surmise to say that Officer J.D. Tippit is a true hero in every sense of the word. Had it not been for his actions, Lee Harvey Oswald would never have been captured. This cannot be refuted or questioned. A read of this book should answer all questions for the gentleman who left the previous post.

Posted by: Robert Bagshaw on February 20, 2005 10:31 AM

I think Oswald was running for his life when he ran into Tippit and he killed him to get away to a place where I beleive someone was going to pick him up, but since he killed tippet, he had to change his route in which he was picked up. and instead of the people who were to pick him up and didn't, they had to kill him. by the way i live only 12 miles from the JD TIPPIT family farm.

DUSTY

Posted by: JERRY on March 9, 2005 8:02 PM

He was my great uncle, and I'm trying to find out as much as I can. Does anyone know the name of his brothers?

Posted by: Jo Tippit on August 14, 2005 8:26 PM

For information on J.D. Tippit's life and family have a look at a website dedicated to him. http://www.jdtippit.com

Posted by: Robert Bagshaw on August 18, 2005 6:05 PM

if oswald shot officer tippit,with a revolver,,or whoever for that matter,,why would there be shell casings on the ground,,,everybody knows that a revolver does not eject casings,,,,just something i have thought about

Posted by: nick on August 30, 2005 5:32 PM

I heard that J D Tippit is the picket fence shooter, and a man called Charles Nicoletti killed Tippit

Posted by: Jim on December 7, 2005 1:55 PM

Interesting comment from Nick. What has been the official explanation for revolver casings found at the site of the murder of Tippet?

Posted by: Ard on December 19, 2005 5:18 PM

The killing of officer Tippit was a desparate act of desparate people involved in the assasssination of President Kennedy. It has always been my contention that Tippit was killed because he was about to apprehend one, possibly two, of the assassins. There is much that is not in the public domain about the events surrounding Tippit's murder. The eye witness testimony confirms Oswald did not act alone in the Tippit murder...or was, in fact, the lone assassin of President Kennedy. Tippit was killed to silence him. He was part of the double-cross to frame Oswald. There was, in fact, advanced knowledge of the Kennedy assassination within the Dallas Police Department, the FBI, the CIA, the DIA and certain people,strategically placed, within the WHITE HOUSE. Folks, stop wondering about the "mysteries" involved in this case. There is only one "entity" within this couintry that can murder a Head of State with impunity,that is the Military. The seamless meld between the Military and the CIA, ensures that this assassination will never fully come to light. When you consider the times, the prevaling issues, the mind set of those times, given the threat by the military industrial complexes of the US, Russia and China, it(Kennedy's assassination), is placed within the proper context of interpretation, historically speaking.
On the more mundane level of the criminal investigation, that was a total whitewash, designed to provide fodder for the endless debate. I offer the 42 years of debate that has ensued since the assassination(s).
The american public should wake up and smell the scent of Fascism presented Military-Industrial Complex style. After wolrd War Two, who do you think was running this country? The Politicians? The Mob? Big Business? The CIA? Folks, there was a vortex of confluence of all these groups. Does the term "networking" mean anything to anyone? Does anyone notice how the same people were showing up in administration after administration? How the same bureaucrats were calling the shots contrary to what the laws and stated policy were? Does Cuba, Berlin, Vietnam, integration, Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, Detente, rapproachment with Cuba, the Oil depletion allowance, mean anything? Most of the Johnson administrations actions were the fruits and plans of the Kennedy Administration. There was one hugh exception: Vietnam and escalation. There can be no question as to why this single disaster points to the "reason" Kennedy was murdered. The mechanics and details will always be debatable, but the root of the murder stems from the militaristic mindset of capitalism vs communism. Given the false cover of Lee Harvey Oswald as a left-wing lone nut, do the actions of President Kennedy sound threatening to one of the left? Kennedy wanted to pursue avenues of peace in a world bent on nuclear confrontation. Who controls the worlds cache of arms? The military -industrial complexes of the nations. Don't the personnel of these entities amorphously move in, out,and between organizations? Don't such groups have vast resources and assets, both human and financial? Are not their lobbyist some of the most powerful people associated with government? In fact, most of todays modern conveniences come from the military -industrial complex(computers, cell phones, microwave, etc.
In conclusion my follow citizens of the world, when the Head of State is a deterrent to the aims, designs, goals, schemes, plans, and profits of the Military-Industrial complexes of the world, they must be neutralized...murdered by any means necessary. I hereby state the solving of the Kennedy assassination. The triggermen were just part of the actions necessary to accomplish the fiendish deed. Kennedy was just one man, but his far seeing ideas were for us all to embrace. Imagine a world where there is no war or threat of war...this would truly be a peace dividend for everyone to globaly share. There would be no need for a Military-Industrial complex anywhere. Hunger, disease, poverty would be a thing of the past. If nations would or could embrace this possibility, then we would divert a vast amount of resources away from "destructive" ends towards productive achievements. Who's demise is inherent in such actions? The global arms merchants and the vast strangling militarys of the world and there component suppliers and support. Ask yourself this question: If you were the Head of State of the most powerful military force on earth, and you wanted to explore peace in the face of constant pressure to solve conflicts by military force, who would your prime enemies be?

Posted by: kennedy_1231 on December 23, 2005 8:56 AM

in Mathew Smith's book, he presents an interesting idea that I've never really heard before, but which seems to make some logical sense. Smith contends that Oswald was being led to believe that he would be flown via Red Bird airfield, to Cuba, to begin the second "phase" of his intelligence mission---that as a low-level CIA operative feigning communism and defection, but really a 'plant' (as per his Minsk, Russia, days), to secure information on Castro. Tippit was ordered to pick Oswald--and possible other conferatess----up on the afternoon of Nov. 22. This explains the honking outside of Oswald's rooming house by a lone police car with, as Oswald's landlady stipulated, the numbers "1" or "0" on its side (Tippit vehicle=#10). When Tippit became suspicious after realizing he was the only officer not ordered to Dealey Plaza, and the mission ordered to him that day occured within the hour of JFK's murder, the plot broke down (whether intentionally, or not) and either Oswald, and another individual shot the officer. I really don't know much about this end of the events, but Smith's account is said to be based on inside facts.

Posted by: Ron on January 25, 2006 9:59 PM

Nick and Ard raise a legitimate question, but it has a clear answer. Oswald emptied the .38 revolver and reloaded it as he ran away from the crime scene. The casings found were those he discarded.

Several witnesses to the Tippit shooting testified to seeing him do this.

Posted by: John Schofield on March 26, 2006 4:00 PM

It absolutely astounds me to read the absolutley ridiculous sceanrios on these type of forums. The conspiracy community finds conspiracy in their cornflakes in the morning, I have no doubt. To understand a relatively simple murder, one only has to know about the murderer, in this case Mr. Oswald. His entire life is one of total and complete failure. He attempted to stab both his uncle an brother as a younger man. He confessed in 1956 as a 17 year old to a friend that he'd like to kill a president. He failed in the Marine Corps, court-martialed twice. He failed in his marriage becoming a spousal abuser. He was pro-castro even wanting to name his 2nd child "Fidel". On 9/07/1963, AP Reporter Daniel Harker interviewed Fidel Castro in Havana. During this interview Castro went on record stating "if American authorities continue their attempts to eliminate Cuban leaders, these attempts will be met in king". The interview curiously enough first appeared two days later in the Times Picyune, New Orleans where Oswald was handing out Fair Play for Cuba Committee pamphlets.
Oswald returned to Dallas shortly thereafter where in received a letter from the U.S. Navy refusing to overturn his undesireble discharge. He worked menial jobs, had no money, his wife was pregnant and threw him out of the house. On October 15th, a friend got him his temporary job at the Texas School Book Despository. His attempts at reconcilation with wife Marina failed. Oswald had the means, the motive and the opportunity over a failed life. This isn't rocket science. No PROOF exists of other involvement.

Posted by: Razr blade on September 7, 2006 1:27 PM

many may see this as another conspiracy buff.but as with everything to do with the jfk assassination questions must be asked,the last radio report to tippit was to tell him to hold hid position in oak cliff incase of an emergance.
the attendant working at the gas station where tippit was parked up said he was just sat there for a little while then suddenly when screaming off at high speed WHY? what made him dive off like that when no radio report had been made to him,oswalds landlady saw a police car with the number 10 on the side of it outside oswalds lodgeings beeping its horn with two men in it WHAT WAS HE DOING THERE?
the radio report giving a description of the man that shot jfk was so vague it could have discribed a thousand people but tippit just by chance finds the right man HIGHLY UNLIKELY
tippit may have been commended for bravery in the past but lets face facts in the sixtys every man had his price and cops were corrupt,did tippit know what was going on was he the man sent to pick up oswald (or the person that shot jfk) to take them to a safe house? as there was a second police uniform in tippits car no one has ever been able to explain this.was tippit just in the wronge place at the wronge time or did he know more and was takeing a bribe.he had a wife and children to support so the extra money would have been a great help.im not saying this is what happened and we will probably never know the true answers but if we keep asking the questions maybe the goverment will start telling the truth,thay have always lied to the public and often been caught out nixon is the perfect example of that but how often have thay covered there tracks and got any with it?

Posted by: s.compton on September 12, 2006 11:41 AM

Tippit was killed by two men. He was chosen ahead of time to use his skull in place of kennedy's tp validate autopsy reports suggesting the president was hit from the back/

Posted by: Bill H on October 10, 2006 8:03 PM

I read that Oswald's landlady of the boarding house, said a police car cameby and honked after the assasination and before Tippitwas killed/ I wonder who was driving the patrol car?

Posted by: Doug Erhard on November 26, 2006 10:49 AM

Two questions that will never be answered. 1. What events or actions led P.O. Tippit to stop LHO on East 10th and Patten? 2. What did LHO say or what actions did he make that made P.O. Tippit exit his car and remove his gun from its holster? From reading several studies on LHO's personality, I can only assume this: That LHO saw the police car coming towards him and in a state of panic, made overt actions raising P.O. Tippit's suspicion. Next while leaning into the patrol cars window to talk with P.O. Tippit, LHO ( whi detested authority which is well known) may have said something to P.O. Tippit to warrant a more physical stop of LHO. All actions of LHO have shown that the murder of the president or P.O. Tippit was not planned as would a professional hit. Just my thought.

Posted by: NYPDLT(Ret) on December 25, 2006 7:43 PM