John Jr. lived in the White House during the first three years of his life and remained in the public spotlight as a young adult. His father was assassinated on November 22, 1963 and the state funeral was held three days later on John Jr.'s third birthday. At his mother's prompting, John Jr. saluted the flag-draped casket as it was carried out from St. Matthew's Cathedral. NBC News vice-president Julian Goodman called the video of the salute "the most impressive...shot in the history of television," which was set up by NBC Director Charles Jones, who was working for the press pool. Lyndon B. Johnson wrote his first letter as president to John Jr. and told him that he "can always be proud" of his father. Stan Stearns, who took an iconic photograph of the salute, served as chief White House photographer during the Johnson administration. Over the years, Stearns showed Johnson the image as it was a symbol of what Johnson said in his letter to John Jr.