60 years later, former Fort Bend Co. sheriff recalls riding in motorcade behind JFK on day of his assassination

Former Fort Bend County Sheriff Milton Wright was working in JFK's security detail when the president was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963.

HOUSTON — Sixty years ago, John F. Kennedy was touring Texas when he was assassinated in Dallas.

Former Fort Bend County Sheriff Milton Wright was working JFK’s security detail that fateful day: Nov. 22, 1963.

“It was unbelievable,” Wright said during an interview with KHOU 11 News’ Ron Treviño. “During the motorcade, I remember what a crowd there was down Elm Street.”

Wright was a young Texas State Trooper at the time. He was assigned to the motorcade as Kennedy rode through Dallas. He was several cars behind the president in a car with other dignitaries, including a congressman, when they heard the first shot.

Wright then heard a second shot. And then a third shot.

That’s when he said a police officer on a motorcycle pulled out in front of his car and parked his bike.

“He pulled his weapon and was pointing to the school book depository, and I did the same thing because he was pointing that way,” Wright said.

He said he eventually caught back up with the motorcade after it sped away. They ended up outside the emergency room of Parkland Memorial Hospital.

He said he remembered seeing an injured Gov. John Connally, who was also shot while he was riding in JFK’s car.

“He said, ‘Well boys, they got me.’ That stuck in my head. That was kinda unusual,” Wright said.

Wright said he helped Connally onto a gurney just before he was rushed into the emergency room.

Then, he came across JFK’s limo and saw the fatally wounded commander-in-chief.

“One of the agents pulled off his coat and covered up the president’s head and they picked him up and handed him to us and I think I was in the middle and we laid him on the gurney and they took him inside,” Wright said.

To this day, the events of that day still affect him physically whenever he talks about it.

“If you’ve been noticed while I’ve been talking to you this eye keeps closing. I had a psychiatrist tell me it’s civilian PTSD,” Wright said.

It was a traumatic event for the country and the retired lawman still feels it 60 years later.

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