"I have enjoyed Mr. Youngblood's book immensely, as I know personally so many people of whom he writes. This is an excellent description of the duties--both personal and official--of the Secret Service, and I am a great admirer of their organization."

--Mamie Doud Eisenhower

(Original endorsements from first edition in 1973)

"This is an 'insider's book' simply because there is no one more inside the public and private personalities of top government executives than Rufus Youngblood. His matchless description of the senseless murder of President Kennedy in Dallas could be written only by someone like Youngblood. I was there in Dallas, but like so many others, I saw fragments. Rufus saw it all and lived every horrible minute. And his portrait of LBJ, strong leader, great heart, large warts, is history stuff. It's a simple book about complex men and absorbing events. Funny thing, I never knew Rufe could write this well, which shows the Secret Service is pretty good at keeping secrets about themselves as well as presidents."

--Jack Valenti, 1973

President, Motion Picture Association

Former Special Assistant to President Johnson

(Original endorsements from first edition in 1973)

"After all that happened in Dallas, our father trusted Rufus completely. They shared a special connection. No question, Daddy was a difficult taskmaster. Not wanting to be bridled, he often rushed into crowds not wanting to follow Secret Service requests. Rufus knew how to work with him. I never saw any breakdown in trust on either side. All of our family respected and loved Rufus."

--Lynda Johnson Robb

"Rufus was a patriot and a friend. He was an elegant gentleman who put his country first and did his duty always. We loved him dearly. His story is a noble one that deserves being shared."

--Luci Baines Johnson

"I began working in the U.S. Secret Service in 1955, during President Eisenhower's term, and I worked with 'Rufe.' Over the years, I saw his leadership help modernize the Secret Service. He was a great asset to the agency and a great man to work with."

--Herbert C. Dixon

Former SAIC of the Eisenhower Protective Detail

"During my career in the U.S. Secret Service, I worked very closely with and for Rufus Youngblood. During these years, I was always impressed with his work ethic and devotion to duty. I am proud to have worked with such a man and to have been his friend. He was truly an agent who lived up to the Secret Service code as 'Worthy of Trust and Confidence.'"

-Paul Rundle

Special Agent USSS 1958-1978

"I am pleased to be asked to recall the friendship and contributions of Rufus Youngblood, whom I knew as an outstanding symbol of the United States Secret Service. I was a member of the White House Press Corps, so for a long time I had the pleasure of seeing or talking to Rufus and observing his dedication to duty. He was always pleasant, yet always a Secret Service agent fully occupied with the assignment at hand. Rufus's bravery during the tragic events in Dallas was not surprising. His trained reflexes took over at the sound of gunfire. He never lost his sense of duty to country nor worried about his own safety."

--Sid Davis

Former White House Correspondent

"It was my genuine honor to have know Rufus. When I arrived at the White House in 1965 as a young (twenty-three-year-old) presidential aide, Rufus had already become somewhat of a legend because of the publicity surrounding his heroic actions in Dallas. We both had personal family roots in Macon, Georgia, and became good friends over the years. I saw Rufus catch hell from President Johnson--at times when he did not deserve it. I also saw Rufus standing duty in rain, in snow, in storms--never asking more of the agents who worked under him than he did of himself. I saw him splattered with red paint from anti-war protestors in Australia. The life and times of a true American hero are captured magnificently within the pages of this book."

--Tom Johnson

Former Special Assistant to the President

Publisher and CEO, Los Angeles Times

Chairman and CEO, Cable News Network

Chairman-emeritus, LBJ Presidential Foundation