©I.C.Rapoport

plate 13

John F. Kennedy at White Sand Missile Proving Grounds, 1963

©I.C.Rapoport       

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John F. Kennedy and Madame Alphand               

©I.C.Rapoport

John F. Kennedy seen with Madame Alphand (the French Ambassador's wife) at the reception for the Mona Lisa in the French Embassy, Washington D.C., 1963      

I was serving as a photojournalist in the U.S. Army assigned to Office of the Chief of Information in the Pentagon.  Part of my duties were to photograph any Army news worthy events taking place at the White House.  One Wednesday afternoon in the Rose Garden President Kennedy noticed I had missed getting the picture of him shaking a General’s hand and joked “One more time for Private Rapoport” (I wore a name tag on my uniform).  Every time afterwards he would get a laugh at my expense by asking “Did you get that, Private Rapoport?” 

Months later, working on my own time covering an assignment in Washington for my former employer Paris-Match Magazine, I photographed the events surrounding the unique display of the famous Mona Lisa painting at the National Art Gallery.   Sent by Paris-Match to the French Embassy, dressed in a rented tuxedo, the Ambassador’s wife, Madame Alphand, grabbed me and instructed me to photograph her with “Le President” and warned me that journalists were “interdit” (forbidden) at the reception.  

After Kennedy arrived and was ushered through the crowd of celebrants he kept staring at me.  Madame Alphand, realizing the White House had instructed that there be no press, felt the need to explain my presence at the affair.  She told him I was working for Paris-Match and explained “This fellow flew all the way from Paris, today, just to be here, and I could not say ‘No’ to him.”  Kennedy was grinning his famous grin, looked at me and commented: “You’re out of uniform Private Rapoport.”

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JFK SHOT TO DEATH

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November 22nd, 1963

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Jackie and Bobby at JFK's funeral

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