Where were you 24 years ago today?

Today marks the 24th year since John Wayne passed away. So I thought I'd ask you guys where you were when you heard the news of his death? I know some on the board wasn't a twinkle in there fathers eye back then, but some of the old members, might remember.

So where and what were you doing 24 years ago on this date?

Kevin

I had just graduated from High School, and back from my senior trip to Washington D.C. I'm not for the beach, where most of the area people go to from here, so we had a group of us go to D.C.

I did get to see the John Wayne Commemorative Medal while in Washington D.C. It was not the one Duke received but a copy that was displayed at the capital. It was exciting to us that congress passed the resolution of making a congressional medal in honor of Duke. I didn't get a picture, but I do remember that moment in my life. That was great.

After we returned from D.C., I remembered the passing of Duke. I was heart broken. Some of my friends who were bigger Duke fans than I was then, were very upset, and we all knew it was a matter of time. I use to have a newspaper article of the passing, but either lost it or thrown it away.

There was a lot of Duke movies shown on TV around that time, but I don't remember what movies were shown. I think that the networks were showing some of the movies, but not sure. I've never heard of TBS (Atlanta), WGN (Chicago), or WOR (New York) at the time, so it must have been some local stations. It was summer, and I was working. So, I didn't watch much TV at the time.

If I remember correctly, we thought Duke was getting better, and getting through it, but that wasn't the case.

Hondo :)
Duke Head

I was about 3 months along inside my mom, and hardly knew who John Wayne was for more than 15 years after that. I am glad that his movies are on tv so often that I have gotten to know him posthumously.


Duchess

I wasn't anywhere as big a John Wayne fan in 1979 as I am now. I mean, I enjoyed his movies, but I wasn't as into it as I am now, so I don't have a clear memory of hearing of his passing. I'm sure I must have heard it on the radio or on the TV news that evening, or perhaps during the day while at work. I'm sure I was probably sad to hear it, but at the same time realized that he'd led a fairly full life. The closest I'd gotten to him previously was sponsoring a showing of his film "No Substitute for Victory" at the Oakland Auditorium theater in Oakland, CA, in 1970. As a Vietnam vet, I closely related to his comments about winning the war in Vietnam instead of dragging it out, so certain influential parties could make their money off our country's life blood.

Certainly his death would have a much greater impact on me today, and thank goodness we have the freedom to watch any of his movies we want, when we want, in the comfort and privacy of our own homes!

Chester

It was impossible not to notice: every programm was playing John Wayne movies. My family finally settled for The Man who Shot Liberty Valance. It was then that I realised he was gone. The next few days the newspapers were full of articles. After having seen several of his films, this was the first chance I got at reading facts about him. Without knowing it then, I started my collection with those newspaper clippings. Is that really 24 years already?!

hi all,

twenty-four years ago i was in year 8 (our high school) it was big news that the duke had died and his passing was a shock as it was thought that he was getting better. to honour his passing we went to the units mess on the weekend (my dad was in the army) and we watched a movie though it wasn't one of the dukes as they were very rare to get we watched "the odd angry shot" a vietnam movie made here in australia. so that is what i was doing when the duke died the tv stations showed some of his movies for the next 2 weeks just the ones they concidered his best. it is hard to believe that 24 years has passed.


cheers smokey

I was just finishing up the 4th grade and was watching the ABC Evening News (we only could get one channel). The news of John Wayne's death was the 1st topic.

Howdy Guys and gals i was nineteen i was in my sitting room in England my mom was cooking tea i was fooling about with my brother.When My nephew came running in and told me with a smerk on his face and said "never guessed who's Just died"
I said "who"
he said "JOHN WAYNE"
I was totally blown away you could have knocked me over with a feather.
I couldn't believe it my dad had died a couple of years before i know this sounds crazy i though of John Wayne as a Father figure and now he's gonei was shattered.
Thats my memory of the day.
Chance :(

Well, I can tell ya I was 9 at the time. I remember seeing it in our local paper. I probably heard it first on the news. The one memory I do have is seeing him on the oscars. I went to bed that night thinking to myself, that did not look like John Wayne. I felt so sad to see him that way. I guess being a kid I just figured nothing could ever happen to him. He was larger than life.
Little Duke

24 years ago, Camp Swab Okinawa Japan playing Marine. Many of us got very drunk in Hinoko that night after hearing the news.

Brian
Tulalip Wa

24 years ago I was a 1 year old and didn't have a clue who John Wayne was. I was about 8 or 9 when I remember seeing my first John Wayne Movie. It was the War Wagon.

Monique ;)