Maury Seitz Oral History

Object number2002.001.0004

Date02/13/2002

ClassificationsOral Histories

Oral history interview subject Maury Seitz

Oral history interviewer Gary Mack (1946 - 2015)

Oral history interviewer Arlinda Abbott

Oral history interviewer Stephen Fagin

ObjectOral history

Credit LineOral History Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

MediumHi-8 videotape

DimensionsDuration: 59 Minutes

Terms

Collections

DescriptionVideotaped oral history interview with Maury Seitz. A former U.S. Air Force captain who later served as a longtime captain for American Airlines, Seitz was co-pilot on numerous chartered flights that backed up Air Force One during the Kennedy presidency. Seitz met the Kennedy family and spent time with Caroline and John Jr. During the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, Seitz recalled that his plane once carried a Kennedy decoy during a top-secret flight. Interview conducted at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza on February 13, 2002 by Gary Mack, Arlinda Abbott and Stephen Fagin. The interview is fifty-nine minutes long.

Curatorial Commentary

As discussed in this interview, Captain Seitz shot a color home movie of President Kennedy's visits to Detroit and Muskegon, Michigan and Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 6, 1962, two weeks prior to the Cuban missile crisis. His home movie may be viewed here: https://emuseum.jfk.org/objects/23223. - Stephen Fagin, Curator

Curatorial Commentary

Captain Maury Seitz passed away on August 1, 2019. Following this 2002 oral history, he participated in three Living History educational programs at the Museum recorded between 2008 and 2010. His program from July 15, 2009 may be viewed here: Living History with Captain Maury Seitz (youtube.com). - Stephen Fagin, Curator