Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

ORGANIZATION OF THE MOTORCADE

The Dallas motorcade followed standard Secret Service procedures for permitting public viewing while providing protection. Its vehicle order began with Dallas police motorcycles, a pilot car staffed by Dallas police about a quarter mile ahead, and additional motorcycles for crowd control. The lead “rolling command car,” an unmarked Dallas police car driven by Chief Curry and carrying Secret Service Agents Sorrels and Lawson and Sheriff Decker, ran four to five car lengths ahead of the President’s limousine. The Presidential limousine was a 1961 Lincoln convertible with a clear plastic bubble-top that was neither bulletproof nor bullet resistant; on Kellerman’s instructions, following O’Donnell’s standing order, the top was removed because of the clear weather. The President rode on the right of the rear seat with Mrs. Kennedy on his left, Governor and Mrs. Connally on the jump seats, Special Agent Greer driving, and Kellerman in the front passenger seat. Flanking motorcycles followed, then the Presidential followup car—a 1955 Cadillac convertible carrying eight armed Secret Service agents plus presidential assistants Powers and O’Donnell—whose agents were charged with scanning crowds, buildings, windows, roofs, and overpasses for trouble and moving to the President’s sides if the motorcade slowed or stopped. The Vice-Presidential car and its followup car followed two to three car lengths behind, with Senator Yarborough riding with the Johnsons, and the rear of the motorcade consisted of cars for other dignitaries, telephone and Western Union vehicles, press and staff buses, an ambulance car, and a police car with motorcycles. A base station in Dallas linked the lead car, Presidential car, followup car, communications car, Trade Mart, Love Field, and the Presidential and Vice-Presidential airplanes by radio.