(Radio Iowa) – Tomorrow (Saturday) will mark 60 years since the funeral for President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated on November 22nd of 1963. Dick Anderson, of Webster City, was in the U-S Coast Guard at the time and was called upon to march in the funeral procession through Washington D-C. Anderson says their long march started at the U-S Capitol and went to St. Matthew’s Cathedral.

Anderson says he’ll never forget the simple, solemn beat of the drum all along the procession route.

Photo from U.S. National Archives

Anderson says it was considered a great privilege to be singled out to march in that procession, as the slain president was being laid to rest. He says they repeatedly practiced all of their moves to make sure everything went smoothly.

A guidon (GUY-don) is military term for a flag bearer. It’s estimated that one-million people lined the route of the funeral procession that morning.