John W. McCormack letter on the Presidential Succession Act

A piece of American history. A treasure.

In 1979 when I was a freshman in college, I received a hand-written letter, written with a fountain pen, from former Speaker of the House John W. McCormack, who was 88 years old at that time, with his thoughts on the Presidential Succession Act, his love for JFK and his prayers for LBJ during those difficult days.

His office was in a the John W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse and the stamp included an image of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, so all 3 branches of government are reflected.

The letter is a time capsule to a different time in American history.

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. All of my poems are at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

in black and white – v2

in black and white

flickering grainy images

wonder at our nation’s progress

Apollo 11 landing on the moon

in black and white

in wonder, in amazement

woken from our slumber

to watch men walk on the moon

in black and white

returning, landing in the Pacific

brought aboard the Hornet

our victory complete

---------------------------

edited July 17,  2019

in black and white – v2

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/07/in-black-and-white-v2.html

adding the third stanza

July 17, 2019

in black and white

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/07/in-black-and-white.html

watching the July 16 launch

and the July 20, 1969

Apollo 11

moon walk on our family’s

black and white TV.

I was 9 years old then.

We didn’t get a color TV

until 1976, when we moved.

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com)  for usage. See all 50,810+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Apollo, Apollo 11, moon, moon walk, America, United States, NASA, pride, John F. Kennedy, achievement, success, victory, Soviet Union, Space Race, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, 50^th Anniversary, Walter Cronkite, Wally Shirra, CBS,

#Apollo #Apollo11 #moon #moonwalk #America #UnitedStates #NASA #pride #JohnFKennedy #achievement #success #victory #SovietUnion #SpaceRace #NeilArmstrong #BuzzAldrin #MichaelCollins #50^thAnniversary  #CBS #WalterCronkite #WallyShirra

in black and white

in black and white

grainy images

wonder at our progress

landing on the moon

in black and white

in wonder, in amazement

woken from our slumber

to watch men walk on the moon

---------------------------

edited July 17,  2019

in black and white – v2

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/07/in-black-and-white-v2.html

adding the third stanza

July 17, 2019

in black and white

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/07/in-black-and-white.html

watching the July 16 launch

and the July 20, 1969

Apollo 11

moon walk on our family’s

black and white TV.

I was 9 years old then.

We didn’t get a color TV

until 1976, when we moved.

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com)  for usage. See all 50,810+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Apollo, Apollo 11, moon, moon walk, America, United States, NASA, pride, John F. Kennedy, achievement, success, victory, Soviet Union, Space Race, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, 50^th Anniversary, Walter Cronkite, Wally Shirra, CBS,

#Apollo #Apollo11 #moon #moonwalk #America #UnitedStates #NASA #pride #JohnFKennedy #achievement #success #victory #SovietUnion #SpaceRace #NeilArmstrong #BuzzAldrin #MichaelCollins #50^thAnniversary  #CBS #WalterCronkite #WallyShirra