Tribute for Dallas Officer Slain After JFK

Officer J.D. Tippit shot by Lee Harvey Oswald after president was shot

Law enforcement from all across Texas came to Dallas to pay tribute to the other man killed in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.

Every day, Marie Tippit thinks about him. Her husband, Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit, was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald in Oak Cliff shortly after President John F. Kennedy had been shot.

"You still remember, and you still think about him every day," she said. "It's part of history. He was killed trying to apprehend the killer of the president, so this is history."

Her husband was 39 years old when he spotted Oswald walking near East 10th Street and North Patton Avenue 45 minutes after the president had been shot. Tippit started questioning Oswald when the other man pulled a gun and killed him.

"They both had a job to do that day," his wife said. "President Kennedy was being the president and J.D. was doing his job as a policeman."

At Dallas Police Association headquarters, officers and deputies from all over Texas gathered on Friday to honor Tippit. A large wreath with Tippit's badge number was displayed. Bagpipers played music, and a choir sang hymns.

And 50 years later, Marie Tippit finally received the last honor that was accidentally forgotten about at her husband's burial.

"One tradition in law enforcement was never carried out at J.D.'s funeral," Police Chief David Brown said. "It was the presentation of the flag to the widow and, today, we are righting that forgotten tradition."

Brown put on his hat, was handed a folded flag, walked over to Tippit's widow, took a knee, took off his hat and presented the flag to the 85-year-old woman.

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