The Secret Burial of JFK’s First Casket
When the world lost President John F. Kennedy on 22nd November 1963, history was set in motion in ways no one could have foreseen. The tragedy in Dallas altered the course of American history, leaving a nation in mourning and a government scrambling to manage the logistical and political implications of an event that had unfolded in full public view. While much has been written about the assassination, the autopsy, and the funeral, the fate of JFK’s original casket remains a lesser-known yet intriguing postscript to the tragic day.
JFK’s First Casket: Fit for a President
As the attempt to save President Kennedy’s life at Parkland Memorial Hospital proved futile, Secret Service agent Clint Hill, famous for leaping onto the back of the limousine in a desperate effort to shield the First Lady and the wounded President, was tasked with securing a casket. The call went out to Vernon O’Neal, a Dallas undertaker, who delivered a Handley Britannia model from the Elgin Casket Company. This was no ordinary coffin—it was a solid bronze structure lined with white satin, weighing over 400 pounds and costing $3,995 (the equivalent of over $36,000 today). It was, in every sense, fit for a head of state.
A Hastily Arranged Departure
Loading JFK’s first casket into the hearse was a challenge due to its sheer weight, but with the assistance of O’Neal’s staff, it was transported to Parkland Hospital. However, when O’Neal and medical staff saw the condition of the President’s body, they realised immediate measures were necessary. The gunshot wounds were still oozing blood, and to protect the integrity of the casket, nurses wrapped Kennedy’s body in linen sheets, while plastic lining was placed inside the coffin to prevent blood from seeping into the satin interior. Despite these efforts, the damage was severe, and the casket would later be deemed unsuitable for the President’s final viewing.
The plan was to transport Kennedy’s remains to Bethesda Naval Hospital near Washington, where an autopsy would be performed. However, there was an unexpected roadblock in Dallas.
The Standoff at Parkland Hospital
As Secret Service agents and Kennedy aides prepared to move the casket out of the hospital, they were confronted by Dr. Earl Rose, the Dallas County Medical Examiner. In accordance with Texas law, he insisted that an autopsy must be conducted in Dallas before the body could leave the state. Dr. Rose physically blocked their path, arguing that the President’s assassination was a homicide and should be treated as such. The situation escalated when Justice of the Peace Theron Ward was summoned, who, siding with Dr. Rose, stated bluntly,
"It’s just another homicide as far as I’m concerned.”
This remark infuriated Kennedy’s team, particularly Kenny O’Donnell, one of the President’s closest aides, who reportedly lost his composure. The Secret Service, already on edge from the assassination, were in no mood for bureaucratic delays. Accounts differ on what happened next. Some reports suggest that the agents forcibly removed the casket, pushing aside Dr. Rose and the Dallas police, while others—most notably Clint Hill himself—later stated that Dr. Rose eventually relented, provided the body was accompanied by a qualified medical professional. In either case, the casket was hurriedly taken out of the hospital and placed aboard Air Force One, where Lyndon B. Johnson was soon sworn in as the 36th President of the United States.
A Damaged Relic
Upon arriving at Bethesda Naval Hospital, it became clear that the precautions taken in Dallas had been insufficient. The casket’s interior had suffered irreparable damage. This was no longer an appropriate vessel in which to present the President’s body for public mourning. Instead, another casket was chosen for the official lying in state and funeral proceedings.
With no further use for the original casket, the funeral home responsible for Kennedy’s embalming kept it in storage for over a year. During this time, it became a point of contention, not just because of its history, but also due to financial disputes. Vernon O’Neal found himself in a disagreement with the U.S. government over the cost of the casket. Though he reduced his price in the hopes of receiving payment, negotiations stalled. Meanwhile, as public fascination with the assassination grew, so too did the commercial interest in Kennedy memorabilia. Reports emerged that O’Neal had been offered $100,000 for the casket by collectors who wished to put it on public display as a macabre relic of history.
The Kennedy family, appalled by the idea of the casket becoming a sideshow attraction, intervened. They requested the U.S. government take possession of it and ensure its disposal in a manner befitting the dignity of the late President.
A Burial at Sea—Without a Grave
On 18th February 1966, the Air Force executed a discreet and carefully planned disposal of the casket. First, it was filled with sandbags to add weight, then encased in a solid pine box. More than 40 holes were drilled into the structure to guarantee that it would sink. To ensure it remained secure, metal banding tape was wrapped around the entire box. As a final precaution, parachutes were affixed to the casket to control its descent into the ocean.
Aboard a C-130 transport plane, the casket was flown to an undisclosed location in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 100 miles off the coast, at a depth of around 9,000 feet. At precisely 10:00 AM, the rear hatch was opened, and the casket was pushed out. The parachutes softened its landing, and as planned, the weight of the sandbags and the drilled holes ensured that it sank immediately. The plane circled the area for 20 minutes to confirm that no debris or remnants resurfaced. The operation was a complete success, ensuring that the casket would never be recovered.