What's the first news event you have a clear memory of?

[freeatlast]

I am really giving away my age here - John F Kennedy assassination. I was about 4 years old and I remember getting up from my nap and found my Mom crying in front of the TV. When I asked her why she was crying she told me that our President had been shot and killed.

[Gravekeeper]

First Gulf War, and watching the Iraqis torching the wells.

Same, actually. Was in Florida on a trip to Disneyland at the time. I remember still being up after my mom went to bed, watching CNN in the hotel room.

[hecubus]

For me, it's the 1968 My Lai Massacre in Vietnam. I was about 8 at the time.

As far as a major event that I remember exactly where I was at the time, that would be the first Moon landing. My family and I were shopping at a Woolco store in Wisconsin Rapids, and we watched the landing in the TV department.

[Misanthropical]

The day Elvis died. My long time babysitter suddenly broke out in tears and I asked her why and she told me Elvis died. I had no idea who Elvis was so I just assume he was a family member of my babysitter. Hey, give me a break I was only 6 years old.

Wow, I hadn't thought of that day in a long time.

[Lachrymose]

I got a second one that is more clear for me and not so much my mom telling me about it.

The rescue of "Baby Jessica." I was in the bathtub when my mom came in and told me to hurry up and get out cause they were getting the baby out of the well. I remember watching the footage of her being carried.

Challenger first, then this for me.

I was 7 for Challenger, 8 for Baby Jessica.

I actually remember that I was watching a show called "Rags to Riches" when it was interrupted by the Jessica thing.

ETA: Actually, there was an Amtrak derailment that made national news (and Rescue 911) in between those events that happened about a mile or two from where I lived. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase,_Maryland_rail_wreck

ETA2: It's also pretty funny that I don't recall actual news stories before Challenger because I have clear memories from when I was two years old. Guess I really didn't pay much attention to the news then. Actually...nothing has changed.

[cewfa]

For me it would be the Gulf War in 1990-91.

[Sonoma]

I remember snippets of the day Elvis died, primarily because my Mom & Aunt were big fans, and we were camping together at the coast when we heard.

The earliest news event I have a solid memory of was the Iran Hostage crisis, that & Reagan's election. Would have been around 9 at the time.

[Lyra]

I was born in '68, and I don't remember a specific story, but I do remember all the stories talked about Vietnam, or Vietnamese people. I had no clue what it was all about, just that it was very important and a lot of people were mad.

[Shpepper]

Me, too.

Gawd I feel old!

It was the moon landings for me too. I wasn't more than a year old or so but to this day I can remember seeing it on tv. I had to look up to see the tv as it was on a counter.

[Lachrymose]

The smell of Ben-gay and moth balls in this thread is overwhelming!

[taxguykarl]

The smell of Ben-gay and moth balls in this thread is overwhelming!

Excuse me...I used Ben-gay in my teens--I played in sports and started weight-lifting.

[Lachrymose]

Excuse me...I used Ben-gay in my teens--I played in sports and started weight-lifting.

Okay, fine. Replace Ben-gay with Geritol.

[Custard Chick]

The first big news story I really remember is the OJ Simpson car chase (I was 9 years old). I was watching TGFI's "Hanging with Mr. Cooper", and they were getting to a reeeaaally good part where the principal was hitting on Mr. Cooper when they broke away and started showing OJ's now-infamous white Bronco being chased.

I was SOPISSED!

[Peppergirl]

Very, VERY vague memories of Watergate. I was really little, but I distinctly remember my parents talking about it and the grainy speeches on the TV.

First clear memory was Elvis dying. I was 8 or 9, I think. My mom wasn't a fan, but my best friends mom was crying and carrying on and calling her kids into the house like there was a terrorist attack or something.

[blas]

The Oklahoma City bombings.....and it wasn't until several years later that McVeigh finally got the needle.

I remember being...8 years old or so when the bombings happened.