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

[Caveat Emptor]

I vaguely remember parts of the Iran hostage crisis, but I do clearly remember the day Reagan was shot.

[crazylegs]

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

[CaroPhoenix]

For me, I was 4 1/2 years old and it was in August, 1977. Elvis had just died. Family was in England. They interrupted the soaps on the channel to bring the late breaking news information.

After that it is a vague memory of John Lennon being shot and killed.

Then about a year later(?) was the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan.

[Sheldonrs]

The starving children in what was then called Biafra. I remember the pictures on the news and even the reporters name, Frank Reynolds.
I remember it so well because my Mom was crying her eyes out at the pictures they showed. This was around 1968.

[Nurian]

Challenger. I was in Germany at the time when I heard about the shuttle exploding. I saw on the news when my dad was watching it how a teacher had been killed. I cried as I was worried it was one of my teachers.

[taxguykarl]

If this isn't dating myself: The Apollo moon landings.

[Elspeth]

Mt St Helens Eruption

We could see the plume from where we were living at the time

[LibraryLady]

If this isn't dating myself: The Apollo moon landings.

If you're dating yourself, Taxguykarl, I'm even worse. One of the earliest news event I remember were radio reports about fighting on Hamburger Hill during the Korean War in the early 1950s.

[sms001]

Nixon and Agnew winning the Republican nomination. I vaguely remember bits and pieces of things before then, but some of it may be "filled in after the fact" sort of stuff. Memory's a funny thing.

[draggar]

I vaguely remember parts of the Iran hostage crisis, but I do clearly remember the day Reagan was shot.

I remember hearing about that - but I thought "the hostages" were people like terrorists.

They were also building a large development in my town and I thought these "evil" people were going to move into my town. Finally, I asked my mom why did they have to move them all to our town?

I think she had a good laugh over that one.

Of course, I remember seeing Star Wars in the theatre but that really wasn't a news event.

[AdminAssistant]

Berlin Wall...vaguely.

The first Gulf War, pretty clearly since one of my friends had an uncle in the military, and my Girl Scouts troop made Christmas cards for his unit.

And, of course, it was a huge deal when our Governor ran for President, and WON!

[It shouldn't]

If this isn't dating myself: The Apollo moon landings.

Me, too.

Gawd I feel old!

[It shouldn't]

Oh, just remembered:

Challenger. I was in Germany at the time when I heard about the shuttle exploding.

We had brought our car to a repair shop. It was running poorly and they were going to do some type of pressure test on the engine, anlong with brake replacement. Me and hubby went to pick the car up after work (We were in Germany at that time too, so with time difference it was early evening there) Everybody, except the counter guy at the repair shop had already gone home. When we asked what the results of the pressure test were, he offered to call the tech at home and find out. I only heard one side of the convo .....

Counter guy: Hey Frank, you did the pressure test on the blue '65 Mercedes, right?
CG: They are here to pick it up. What were the results?
*pause*
CG: Wow, it blew up?
Me:
CG: What caused it?
Me:
CG: So how far up did it get?
Me: *looking around the celing in the shop
CG: Now what about the car?
Me:
Turns out the tech was at home watching the launch when Counter guy called.

[protege]

Lebanon civil war...early 1980s. Didn't know what was going on at the time...but I remember seeing people throwing rocks and things burning on the news. I also remember the various airline-related terror scares then, many of which were also constant news items.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Probably Desert Storm for me.

One of the janitors at my elementary school ended up going over there with his Army unit. He came back fortunately.

I also remember the San Fransisco Earthquake in 1989 because the news bulletin interrupted whatever it was I was watching at the time.