Presidential Assassinations and Attempts,

and a Typical Motorcade

by John T. Marck
 

During the history of the United States Presidency, there have been numerous attempts on the life of the President. Tragically, some met with success, others fortunately did not. Since 1835, there have been thirteen attempts on eleven Presidents. Since the Presidency began in 1789 all went well in this regard until 1835. At this time there was no protection detail for the President, by either the local police or federal authority. In 1901, Secret Service protection began. Outlined herein is a listing of the various attempts and their dispositions.

(USSS denotes United States Secret Service)

1.) Year: 1835

President: Andrew Jackson

Assassin and age: Lawrence, 35

Location: Departure from U.S. Capitol

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: None

Security: None

Range: 13 feet

Disposition of Assassin: Mental Hospital

2.) Date/Year: April 15,1865

President: Abraham Lincoln

Assassin and age: John Wilkes Booth, 26

Location: Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., Seated in Balcony

Weapon used: Handgun (Derringer)

Injury to President: Death

Security: None

Range: Point Blank

Disposition of assassin: Killed by Federal authorities.

3.) Date/Year: July 2, 1881

President: James Garfield

Assassin and age: Charles J. Guiteau

Location: Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Station, Washington, D.C.

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: Death (died 80 days later from injuries)

Security: None

Range: Close

Disposition of assassin: Hanged

4.) Date/Year: September 6, 1901

President: William McKinley

Assassin and age: Leon F. Czolgosz, 28

Location: Temple of Music, Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, New York

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: Death

Security: None

Range: Point Blank

Disposition of assassin: Death by electrocution

5.) Year: 1912

President: Theodore Roosevelt

Assassin and age: Shrank, 36

Location: Departure from Hotel

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: Injured

Security: None

Range: 6 feet

Disposition of assassin: Mental Hospital

6.) Year: 1933

President: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Assassin and age: Zangara, 32

Location: Departure from Hyde Park

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: None

Security: United States Secret Service & local police

Range: 25 feet

Disposition of assassin: Death by electrocution

7.) Year: 1953

President: Harry S. Truman

Assassin's) and age(s): Torresola, 25 & Collazo, 36

Location: Blair House, Washington, D.C.

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: None

Security: United States Secret Service

Range: Relative distance (exact footage unknown)

Disposition to assassins: Torresola was killed by USSS, Collazo was sent to prison and later pardoned.

8.) Year: 1960

President: John F. Kennedy

Assassin and age: Pavlick, 69

Location: Motorcade before departure

Weapon used: Explosives

Injury to President: None

Security: United States Secret Service and local police

Disposition of assassin: Mental Hospital

9.) Date/Year: November 22, 1963

President: John F. Kennedy

Assassin and age: Lee Harvey Oswald (accused), 24

Location: Riding in open Motorcade, Dallas, Texas

Weapon used: Rifle

Injury to President: Death

Security: United States Secret Service and local police

Disposition of assassin: Shot and killed by Jack Ruby in basement garage area of Dallas Police Department headquarters.

10.) Year: 1974

President: Richard M. Nixon

Assassin and age: Byck, 44

Location: White House

Weapon: Handgun/Airplane (piloting an airplane, assassin made landing on White House grounds, crashing into the outside of the Oval Office.

Injury to President: None

Security: United States Secret Service

Range: N/A

Disposition of assassin: Killed by USSS

11.) Year: 1975

President: Gerald R. Ford

Assassin and age: Fromme, 26

Location: On street at Park, as he prepared to depart in limousine

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: None

Security: United States Secret Service and local police

Range: 15 feet

Disposition of assassin: Prison

12.) Year: 1975

President: Gerald R. Ford

Assassin and age: Moore, 45

Location: Departing Hotel

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: None

Security: United States Secret Service and local police

Range: 41 feet

Disposition of assassin: Prison

13.) Year: 1981

President: Ronald Reagan

Assassin and age: Hinckley, 25

Location: Departing Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Weapon used: Handgun

Injury to President: Wounded in chest and upper body, recovered.

Injuries to others: Others wounded were USSS agents/police and James Brady.

Security: United States Secret Service and local police

Range: 16 feet

Disposition of assassin: Mental Hospital

In modern times, since the 1970s, when the President travels out-of-town, generally his motorcade consists of about 27 vehicles. Listed here is the approximate order and occupants of a typical presidential motorcade, whereby each vehicle may contain up to five people. Additionally, the vice-presidential motorcade generally consists of 16 vehicles, in a similar arrangement.

List indicates the vehicle #, type, purpose and occupants.

Car #1 - Marked Police Car/Bomb Sweep/Police

Car #2 - Route Car, Marked Police Car/Intersection Control/Police

Car #3 - Pilot Car, Marked Police Car/Coordinator/Police

Car #4 - Lead Car, Marked Police Car/Command Police Personnel

Car #5 - Armored Limo/Spare Limo/USSS

Car #6 -Armored Limo/The President and USSS

Car #7 - Follow-Up Car/USSS

Car #8 - Control Car/Staff Personnel

Car #9 - Swat Car/Swat Team/USSS

Car #10 -Support Vehicle/Staff/Staff Personnel

Car # 11 - Staff I/Staff/Staff

Car #12 - Staff II/Staff/Staff

Car #13 - Staff III/Staff/Staff

Car #14 - ID Car/ID Team/USSS

Car #15 - White House Personnel

Car #16 - Camera I Car/Photographers/Staff

Car #17 - Wire I/Writing Press/ Staff

Car #18 - Camera II/Photographers/Staff

Car #19 - Camera III/Photographers/Staff

Car #20- Camera IV/Photographers/Staff

Car #21 - Press Pool Van/Press Pool/Staff

Car #22 - Press Van/Press/Staff

Car #23 - Guest Van/VIP Guest/Staff

Car #24 - Ambulance/Fire Department Personnel

Car #25 - Press Bus/Press/Staff

Car #26 - Tail Car I, Marked Police Car/Maintains integrity of motorcade/Police

Car #27 - Tail Car II, Marked Police Car/Maintains integrity of motorcade/Police

Copyright © 199302022 by John T. Marck. All Rights Reserved. This article and their accompanying pictures, photographs, and line art, may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author.