re: What is the first major news event you recall watching?

I was 7 in 1975. I remember scenes and talk about the Vietnam War, but I have vivid memories of watching the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.

All the people hanging off of the legs of the helicopters as they flew away.

The boats and barges packed bow to stern with people, including small kids as the big waves tossed and turned the boats.

I was pretty traumatized. My parents usually didn’t let us watch upsetting news at that age, but for some reason I watched that.

I didn’t get any explanation, except when Vietnamese kids who spoke almost no English started showing up in our Catholic school classes later that year. I went home and started semi-complaining about the weird new kids in school, and my momma scolded me and said, remember seeing those kids in the boat on the news? They were some of the kids in the boat!

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Watergate

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^^^This. Unlike many other big news events, Watergate seemed to last ALLLLL summer. And I didn't want to watch ANY of it.

The Moon landing was the first thing I can recall. I also remember the news covering Viet Nam and all the casualties.

I’m a bit of on oddball in that from a very young age, I always loved watching the 5:30 World News. In the 70s, the 24 hour new cycle really didn’t exist yet and we lived out in the country, so cable wasn’t an option. So, every evening at 5:30, I’d sit down with momma to watch ABC World News Tonight. The earliest stories I can vaguely remember are watching Nixon’s resignation in ‘74 and the fall of Saigon in ‘75. I vividly remember watching Elvis Presley’s funeral in 1977 because (1) the hearse was white and I had never seen a white hearse and thought they were all black up to that point and (2) watching my momma cry as she watched it. I’d also never seen her cry either.

I also remember anytime they interrupted regular programming with one of these…



I expected the news to be that WWIII had started and nukes were already in the air.

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First I remember was probably the moon landing

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How can you remember something that didn't happen?

The funeral of JFK live and my mom weeping.

The Warren Report after JFK assassination.

I wasn't more than 3 y.o. I remember it being on the TV at my grandparents and at home.

92 election, my older brother said of clinton didnt win we would have no more summer break for school.

moon landing