/internal/media/dispatcher/17861/fullBlack and white photograph of the pilot car of the Kennedy motorcade in Dallas11/22/19633 1/4 x 4 3/4 in. (8.3 x 12.1 cm)PaperJim Walker Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza2006.020.00010Original b&w first-generation prints of JFK motorcade. Image on Kodak paper. Shows a white car.
Back reads:
"1" (black ink)
"Secret Service car 1st in parade" (blue ink)
In the accompanying binder, Jim Walker has written a summary of the image, which reads:
"The Lead Car"
"This car made several runs along the parade route before the parade started. It was driven by Chief of Police Curry and occupied by Secret Service Agents Sorrels and Lawson along with Dallas County Sheriff J. E. Decker. Its purpose was to spot trouble before it happened. They stayed four to five car lengths ahead of the Presidential limo. It was described as a "rolling command car"."
Curator Gary Mack points out that Walker is mistaken. Curry is not driving the car in the photo. "The pilot car was a white Ford sedan driven by Dallas Police Deputy Chief George L. Lumpkin with Dallas homicide detectives Billy L. Senkel and F.M. Turner, along with Army Lt. Col. George Whitmeyer, commander of the local Army reserve unit."
The Pilot car drove ahead of the motorcade behind a group of motorcycle officers. Sheriff Decker rode in the next car, driven by Chief Curry, which was actually the fifth vehicle counting the groups of motorcycles, and JFK’s car was #6.
Photographs6381112.06502413008.255016510027348Photograph (b&w)0E-10Black and white photograph of the pilot car for the Kennedy motorcade in Dallas.
This vehicle was the pilot car for the motorcade. It was a white Ford sedan driven by Dallas Police Deputy Chief George L. Lumpkin. Other occupants included Dallas homicide detectives Billy L. Senkel and F.M. Turner and Army Lt. Col. George Whitmeyer, commander of the local Army reserve unit.
The pilot car drove ahead of the motorcade, behind a group of motorcycle officers. Sheriff Bill Decker rode in the next car, driven by Chief Jesse Curry. Including the leading group of motorcycles, the president's limousine was actually number 6 in the motorcade.MotorcadePhotographsWalker, JimLumpkin, GeorgeSenkel, Billy L.Turner, F.M.Whitmeyer, GeorgeDallasThis amateur photograph of the pilot car for the presidential parade was taken by Jim Walker, a mail sorter at the Terminal Annex building in Dealey Plaza. Walker took photos of the motorcade from the corner of Main and Market Street. Following the assassination, he also photographed the scene at Dealey Plaza and outside the Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff. Mr. Walker, who donated all of his images to the Museum in 2006, recorded an oral history about his experiences on June 6, 2006. - Stephen Fagin, Associate Curator