Death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, assassinated
Role range: 1961-1965 – 1961-1963
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
John Fitzgerald Kennedy Biography and Timeline — Page 6
Follow John Fitzgerald Kennedy through 249 dated historical records for United States of America.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
249Distinct records
6 of 7Page
1963–1963Years on this page
1963
Bethesda Autopsy Completion
The autopsy of President Kennedy was concluded at approximately 11 p.m. at Bethesda Naval Hospital.
Bethesda Autopsy Photography
Photographs of President Kennedy were taken at Bethesda as part of the preliminary autopsy documentation.
Bethesda Burial Preparation Begins
After the autopsy ended, President Kennedy's body was prepared for burial at Bethesda Naval Hospital.
Bethesda Casket Arrival
President Kennedy's body arrived at Bethesda Naval Hospital for autopsy at approximately 7:35 p.m.
Bethesda Cranial Fragments Recovered
Two small irregular metallic fragments were recovered from Kennedy's head during the Bethesda autopsy and transferred to the FBI.
Bethesda Cranial Metal Fragment Pattern
X-rays showed numerous tiny metal fragments extending from the rear head wound toward the front of Kennedy's skull.
Bethesda Fragment Above Right Eye
The Bethesda X-rays showed a sizable metallic fragment positioned above President Kennedy's right eye.
Bethesda Intermuscular Bullet Track
The autopsy found that the neck bullet passed between two large muscles without leaving a permanent channel through either muscle.
Bethesda Neck Track Misses Bone
The Bethesda pathologists found that the bullet passing through Kennedy's neck did not strike any bone.
Bethesda Neck Wound Measurements
The posterior neck wound measured approximately seven by four millimeters and had clean, sharply defined edges.
Bethesda Pathological Cause of Death
The Bethesda autopsy report listed the pathological cause of President Kennedy's death as a gunshot wound to the head.
Bethesda Pathological Examination Begins
The pathological examination of President Kennedy began at Bethesda at about 8 p.m. on November 22.
Bethesda Physical Measurements
The autopsy report recorded Kennedy as 46 years old, 72.5 inches tall, approximately 170 pounds, with blue eyes and reddish-brown hair.
Bethesda Pleural Contusion
The neck bullet produced a contusion on the upper part of Kennedy's pleural cavity without penetrating that cavity.
Bethesda Posterior Neck Wound
The autopsy revealed another bullet wound near the base of Kennedy's neck, slightly to the right of his spine.
Bethesda Posterior Skull Entrance
The autopsy identified a small wound in the rear of Kennedy's skull as a bullet entrance wound.
Bethesda Preliminary X-Rays
Preliminary X-rays of President Kennedy were taken at Bethesda before the pathological examination began.
Bethesda Right Lung Apex Bruising
The Bethesda examination found bruising at the top portion of President Kennedy's right lung along the neck bullet's path.
Bethesda Right Skull Exit Defect
The pathologists identified the large defect on the upper right side of Kennedy's skull as the head bullet's exit area.
Bethesda Skull Fragment Reconstruction
Recovered skull fragments were fitted together during the Bethesda examination, accounting for much of the missing portion of Kennedy's skull.
Bethesda Tracheal Injury
The examining pathologists concluded that the neck bullet damaged Kennedy's trachea as it passed through his neck.
Bethesda Tracheotomy Obscures Exit
The front neck wound could not be directly examined because the Parkland tracheotomy incision had removed visible evidence of that wound.
Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
After Air Force One lands at Andrews Air Force Base, just outside Washington, D.C., Kennedys body is taken to Bethesda Naval Hospital for an immediate autopsy
Role range: 1961-1963
Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
At 1:00 p.m., CST (19:00 UTC), after all heart activity had ceased and after a priest administered the last rites, the President is pronounced dead. Assassinated while on a Presidential campaign
Role range: 1961-1963
Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
A few minutes after 2:00 p.m. CST (20:00 UTC), and after a confrontation between Dallas police and Secret Service agents, Kennedys body is placed in a casket and taken from Parkland Hospital and driven to Air Force One
Role range: 1961-1963
Autopsy
After Air Force One lands at Andrews Air Force Base, just outside Washington, D.C., Kennedys body is taken to Bethesda Naval Hospital for an immediate autopsy
Role range: 1961-1963
Autopsy
The body is removed before a forensic examination can be conducted by the Dallas County coroner, which violated Texas state law (the murder was a state crime, and occurred under Texas legal jurisdiction)
Role range: 1961-1963
Badge Man
The Warren Commission later concludes that Lee Harvey Oswald is the lone assassin
Role range: 1961-1965 – 1961-1963
Death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
At 1:00 p.m., CST (19:00 UTC), after all heart activity had ceased and after a priest administered the last rites, the President is pronounced dead. A few minutes after 2:00 p.m. CST (20:00 UTC), and after a confrontation between Dallas police and Secret Service agents, Kennedys body is placed in a casket and taken from Parkland Hospital and driven to Air Force One
Role range: 1961-1963
Lone Assassin
The Warren Commission later concludes that Lee Harvey Oswald is the lone assassin
Role range: 1961-1965 – 1961-1963
Parkland Memorial Hospital
At 1:00 p.m., CST (19:00 UTC), after all heart activity had ceased and after a priest administered the last rites, the President is pronounced dead. A few minutes after 2:00 p.m.
Role range: 1961-1963
Parkland Memorial Hospital
CST (20:00 UTC), and after a confrontation between Dallas police and Secret Service agents, Kennedys body is placed in a casket and taken from Parkland Hospital and driven to Air Force One
Role range: 1961-1963
Parkland Memorial Hospital
The Very Rev. Oscar L. Huber, the priest who administered the last rites to Kennedy told The New York Times that the President was already dead by the time he had arrived at the hospital.
Role range: 1961-1963
Warren Commission
The Warren Commission later concludes that Lee Harvey Oswald is the lone assassin
Role range: 1961-1965 – 1961-1963
Death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Death of John F Kennedy
Role range: 1961-1963
Bethesda Burial Preparation Completed
Preparation of President Kennedy's body for burial was completed at approximately 4 a.m. on November 23.
Bethesda Departure for White House
After the burial preparation was completed, President Kennedy's body left Bethesda for the White House East Room.
Burial
Representatives from over 90 countries, including the Soviet Union, attend the funeral, after the service, the casket is taken by caisson to Arlington National Cemetery for burial
Role range: 1961-1963
Charter
The US & 22 Latin American countries sign a charter defending democracy
Role range: 1960-1963
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.