United States Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 00.561 W 104° 53.467
13S E 509426 N 4317819
President Kennedy was the first sitting President to give remarks at the graduation of the USAF Academy on June 5, 1963.
Waymark Code: WMPHGE
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 09/02/2015
Views: 9
"... The U.S. Air Force Academy asked President John F. Kennedy to be its first presidential commencement speaker, on June 5, 1963 (the previous year, Vice President Lyndon Johnson gave the commencement speech).
Politics aside, the President arriving in Colorado Springs was a huge deal. He spoke at 9:45 a.m. in a packed Falcon Stadium and was awarded an honorary bachelor of science degree. Afterward, he went on to visit NORAD, before flying to the White Sands Missile Range, in New Mexico.
To commemorate the Colorado visit, the Air Force Academy released a vinyl single souvenir - on standard black vinyl (and blue label), and on yellow vinyl (with a blue label). The label notes "A Reed Record," but the flip indicates it was from "J.B.B. Enterprises," out of Hollywood." (excerpted from (
visit link) )
"In his last visit to Colorado, on June 5, 1963, Kennedy was the commencement speaker at the Air Force Academy graduation in Colorado Springs. There, he spoke to 35,000 people, more than the combined total of attendees for the Academy’s first four graduations. Kennedy was made an honorary member of the class of 1963. He both joked with the graduates and gave these uplifting words:
“We believe in the ability of man to triumph over the terrible forces he has created. We believe in the eternal right to be free. And we believe, finally, that we are going to prevail.” (Rocky Mountain News, 11/23/1963, Page 16, “JFK’s Colorado Trips…”)." (excerpted from (
visit link) )
The recording of the speech may be found at (
visit link) which is the website of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (
visit link) .
NOTE: While the speech was given at Falcon Stadium, the stadium is not open to the public except for sports events. The above coordinates are for the cornerstone of the USAF Academy on the plaza that is open to the public daily throughout the year. Information to visit may be found at (
visit link) and www.usafa.af.mil/information/visitors/ .