J. D. Tippit
Clarksville vicinity, Red River County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Slain in the line of duty while on alert for President John F. Kennedy's assassin, J. D. Tippit (1924-1963) grew up on his family's farm near this site. He served as a paratrooper in the 17th Airborne Division during World War II and received the Bronze Star. J.D. married his high school sweetheart in 1946 and started a family in Red River County. He joined the Dallas Police Department in 1952 and later was honored for his quick thinking and outstanding judgment. On November 22, 1963, Tippit was working a beat in central Oak Cliff when he stopped Lee Harvey Oswald for questioning. Oswald shot and killed him. J.D. Tippit, who left a wife and three children, is buried at Laurel Land Memorial Park in Dallas. (2001)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
J. D. Tippit grew up on a farm near this spot, served as a decorated World War II paratrooper, and joined the Dallas police in 1952. On November 22, 1963, working a beat in Oak Cliff shortly after President Kennedy was shot, he stopped a suspicious man for questioning and was gunned down. The man was Lee Harvey Oswald, and Tippit's killing helped lead to the assassin's capture.
Why it matters
Tippit's death is forever bound to one of the most traumatic days in modern American history, a reminder of the ordinary officer caught up in the Kennedy assassination.
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Related people
- · J. D. Tippit
- · Lee Harvey Oswald
- · John F. Kennedy
Related events
- · Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Themes & tags
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