Charles Brehm (center) talking to reporters, 11-22-63
Charles Brehm, an eyewitness to the assassination of President Kennedy, has died of cancer at the age of 71. He passed away in his home in Carrollton, Texas, on August 11.
Brehm was among the closest witnesses to the Presidential motorcade when JFK was slain. In spite of that, he was never called to testify before the Warren Commission. However, a statement he gave to the FBI, dated November 25, 1963, appears in Volume 22 of the Commission's published evidence. It reads, in part:
When the President's automobile was very close to him and he could see the President's face very well, the President was seated, but was leaning forward when he stiffened perceptibly at the same instant what appeared to be a rifle shot sounded. According to BREHM, the President seemed to stiffen and come to a pause when another shot sounded and the President appeared to be badly hit in the head. BREHM said when the President was hit by the second shot, he could notice the President's hair fly up and then roll over to his side, as Mrs. KENNEDY was apparently pullin him in that direction.BREHM said that a third shot followed and that all three shots were relatively close together. BREHM stated that he was in military service and he was had experience with bolt-action rifles, and he expressed his opinion that the three shots were fired just about as quickly as an individual can maneuver a bolt-action rifle, take aim, and fire three shots.
BREHM stated he definitely knew that the President had been shot and he recalled having seen blood on the President's face. He also stated that it seemed quite apparent to him that the shots came from one of two buildings back at the corner of Elm and Houston Streets...
As soon as the President's car went on its way out of sight, numerous reporters and police officers came running down the hill to the general area where he was standing and many of them gathered around him and began asking him questions...
Among the comments given to reporters by Brehm in the immediate aftermath of the assassination:
Brehm: I was probably fifteen to twenty feet away from the President when it happened to him...Reporter: Tell us exactly what you saw, sir...
Brehm: He was coming down the street, and my five year old boy and myself were by ourselves on the grass there on [Elm] Street. And I asked Joe to wave to him, and Joe waved, and I wave, and the man...the man... [at this point Brehm chokes back tears]
Reporter: That's all right, sir...
Brehm: As he was waving back, he was -- he was -- the shot rang out, and he slumped down in his seat. And his wife reached up toward him, and he was slumping down and the second shot went off, and just knocked him down in the seat. I'm positive that it hit him, I hope it didn't but I'm positive that it hit him. And he went all the way down in the car. Then they speeded up and I didn't know what was going on. So I just grabbed the boy and fell on him in hopes there wasn't a maniac around ... I'm sorry I can't help you more, but ... I won't forget it ...
Brehm always maintained the shots on the motorcade came from one of two buildings at the corner of Elm and Houston, and discounted arguments for shots coming from the grassy knoll.
As an Army Ranger during World War II, the 19-year-old Brehm was wounded on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion.
Charles Brehm is survived by six children, sixteen grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
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