What happened to the original casket that carried John F. Kennedy’s body after his assassination? The answer is stranger than most people realize — and it’s a true story.
The Bronze Casket
Right after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963, his body was placed in a beautiful bronze casket at Parkland Hospital. It cost $3,995 at the time — the equivalent of around $38,500 in today’s money. This was the coffin flown back to Washington on Air Force One.
During the autopsy at Bethesda Naval Hospital, the bronze casket became heavily stained with blood. It was no longer suitable for the public funeral, so the Kennedy family chose a different mahogany casket for the burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
What Happened to the Original Casket?
The blood-stained bronze casket was stored away. In February 1966, the Kennedy family (especially Robert Kennedy) decided it was time to dispose of it properly.
Officials worried that if it were buried, someone might find out and dig it up as a morbid souvenir. So they came up with a practical — and dramatic — solution.
They drilled **42 holes** in the casket to make sure it would sink. They placed it inside a wooden crate with heavy sandbags for extra weight, attached two parachutes so it wouldn’t break apart when it hit the water, and loaded it onto a U.S. Air Force C-130 plane.
On February 18, 1966, the plane flew about 100 miles off the coast of Maryland/Delaware over the Atlantic Ocean. The casket was pushed out and gently parachuted down into the sea, where it sank to the ocean floor.
Why This Was Fitting
John F. Kennedy was a Navy veteran who had served with distinction during World War II. Dropping his original casket into the Atlantic Ocean felt like a respectful, private sea burial — fitting for a man who loved the ocean and had once considered being buried at sea.
The entire operation was carried out quietly and documented by the U.S. military and National Archives. It remained largely unknown to the public until the records were released years later.
A Piece of Hidden History
This story shows how carefully the Kennedy family and the government tried to protect the dignity of the President even after his death. What started as a simple transport coffin became a piece of history that needed to disappear — not out of disrespect, but to preserve privacy and prevent it from becoming a strange tourist attraction.
Today, the story reminds us of the many hidden details surrounding one of America’s most tragic events.
What do you think?
Was this the right way to handle the casket, or should it have been preserved? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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Image and video animated by AI for storytelling purposes. Based on real historical events and declassified records.