On November 22, 1963, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy not only shocked the world and changed the course of American history but also led to a series of critical, on-the-spot decisions aboard the presidential aircraft, Air Force One.

The ensuing hours were a testament to the crew’s respect for the office and the gravity of the situation they found themselves in.

The plane that became an emblem of the Kennedy presidency, officially designated VC-137C and known as Special Air Mission (SAM) 26000, had a storied life in the presidential fleet.

Following the harrowing events in Dallas, Texas, this Boeing 707 carried the body of the slain leader, and it did so with honor and dignity, thanks to the spontaneous actions of the crew members on board.

When Col. James Swindal, the pilot, got word of the assassination, he ordered the aircraft to be topped off with fuel and prepared for a rapid take-off.

Meanwhile, the crew faced a decision about how to handle the return of the President’s body. “The aircrew simply refused to put the president’s body in the cargo hold,” recounted Jeff Underwood, a museum historian.

Instead, the crew members removed four seats from the rear of the plane and cut out part of the bulkhead to make room for the casket in the cabin—an alteration driven by reverence for the late President.

As the world grappled with the news, onboard Air Force One, a poignant and unprecedented transition of power took place.

Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, aware of the urgent need to reassure the nation and the world of the continuity of government, decided to take the oath of office aboard the plane. This decision was symbolically crucial, signaling stability during a tumultuous time.

Johnson took the oath in the cramped cabin, standing next to a mourning Jackie Kennedy, who was still wearing the blood-stained pink dress.

“It was at that moment,” Johnson later reflected, “that I realized nothing would ever be the same again.”

The aircraft, which had seen many important moments in American history—including Kennedy’s iconic trip to Berlin where he declared, “Ich bin ein Berliner,” and Nixon’s landmark journey to China—once again found itself at the center of a critical historical event.

Visitors to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, can now see the retired Air Force One and contemplate the gravity of the decisions made aboard it.

It is a stark reminder of a pivotal moment in time, the day when a nation mourned and a new president took charge under the most extraordinary circumstances.

As the plane returned to Washington D.C. with the fallen President, the crew’s choice to honor JFK’s body within the cabin rather than relegating it to the hold, echoes as a powerful symbol of the respect and solemnity afforded to the office of the Presidency.