Today is the 48th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas.

I don’t recall how we got on to this, but a former colleague, who is about my age, and I were discussing the most memorable historical events from our childhoods.

It always is interesting, and a snapshot into the minds of people, when you ask them, “What events in your lifetime do you associate with Where Was I When I Heard moments?”

I can understand how Americans who are 80 and older might well bring up “Pearl Harbor.” December 7, 1941, “the day that will live in infamy” … and the event that took the United States into World War II. I always am aware of December 7 — even though I was not alive when Pearl Harbor was bombed.

For younger people, September 11, 2001, comes up a lot. Most living Americans remember that. I’ve also heard people say, “When Ronald Reagan Was Shot”, which strikes me as a bit odd. The event happened on March 30, 1981, but I had to look it up to find out. Not like I remark upon the day each time it comes around.

My friend and former colleague came up with another interesting choice. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

Here is what he said about the “brush with nuclear annihilation” that the crisis represented:

“The Cuban missile crisis … which I remember more vividly than the assassination, because of the fear factor – milling about on the playground with other kids at school, talking about WWIII and the end of the world, which seemed in our minds a real possibility, probably planted there by our parents’ paranoia … plus, they still had those yellow air-raid sirens in every neighborhood, and on Friday mornings once a month they blared for several minutes, as a “test” … but when they sounded during the fall of 1962, you couldn’t help wondering, “is it for real this time?”  Not to mention teachers having us scrunch down under our desks with hands over heads and heads between knees, as a drill IN CASE OF AN ATTACK! … Not to mention, too, that I was TEN EFFING YEARS OLD at the time …

“The 50^th anniversary of that is NEXT YEAR.”

I don’t remember the Missile Crisis with nearly as much detail. I remember the drills, and discovering that the basement of First Lutheran School was an official bomb shelter, with supplies and everything. I even remember asking about whether I would be killed if a nuclear bomb hit Los Angeles. But I don’t remember picking up as much on generic adult angst.

Back to the JFK assassination, which I believe remains The Gold Standard for “where were you when …” events for Americans now 55 years old (or up).

I wrote back, to my friend:

“I remember JFK much more clearly. I can tell you where I was when we found out that Oswald had been shot. (Park Pantry restaurant, Broadway and Junipero, Sunday morning.) I can also tell you where I was when I found out about Kennedy (at the lunch tables at school) and who it was who came out with the news (Curtis Taplin) and who my teacher was (Mr. Guise) who went inside to make sure Curtis (not a reliable source) had it right.”

Anyway, November 22 can never roll around without me thinking of that day in Dallas, and Lee Harvey Oswald and the School Book Depository, and the Zapruder Film and all that.

And yes, I believe Oswald acted alone. But that we’re still talking about it is another indication of how big this event was. And is. And will be until Baby Boomers have left the scene.