In Memory of Secret Service Agent Jack Walsh

Jack Walsh, loyal agent to the Kennedy family was laid to rest today.

I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Jack Walsh in September 2011, just four months ago, when Clint Hill spoke at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum.  Director Tom Putnam had arranged for Mr. Hill and I to go to the private "family room" upstairs in the library prior to the presentation.

We had been there just a few minutes when a group of people walked in, and Clint's face lit up with a smile as he recognized his old friend, Jack Walsh, whom he hadn't seen in more than thirty years.

"John Frances Michael Walsh!" Hill exclaimed.

As we sat on the sofas, the Kennedy memorabilia all around us, Jack and Clint reminisced about funny stories in New York City and at Hyannis Port.  Jack spoke with that lilting Boston accent and had such an exuberant personality, it was easy to imagine him with Caroline and John as young children.  It was a memorable evening and what a special treat to be there as these two old friends reconnected.

Clint Hill joins me in expressing our deepest sympathies to the Walsh family.  For a touching tribute to Jack Walsh, read this article in today's Boston Globe. jack-walsh-secret-service-agent-who-guarded-jfk-family

Recording History

Article in JFK Library Foundation LEGACY Magazine




Former Secret Service agent Clint Hill sits down with Kennedy Library metadata catalogers working on our digitization project. During the administration, Mr. Hill was assigned to protect Jacqueline Kennedy, and he became a nationally recognized figure because of his quick action during the events of November 22, 1963. Mr. Hill collaborated with former Secret Service agent Gerald Blaine and writer Lisa McCubbin (in photograph, on Mr. Hill’s left) on the recent book The Kennedy Detail. While here to do research for his own upcoming book with Ms. McCubbin on his experiences guarding Mrs. Kennedy, Mr. Hill took the time to help our archivists and metadata catalogers with some of the unknown people and places in our photographic holdings.

The staff at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston have been invaluable to Clint Hill and me as we wrote MRS. KENNEDY AND ME.  We are so grateful to Laurie Austin and Maryrose Grossman in the audiovisual department who gave so freely of their time and expertise--their enthusiasm and devotion to their jobs is admirable.  

Click here to read the article