As President Kennedy and Governor Connally were being removed from the limousine onto stretchers, a protective circle of Secret Service agents surrounded Vice President and Mrs. Johnson and escorted them into Parkland Hospital through the emergency entrance.[C2-237] The agents moved a nurse and patient out of a nearby room, lowered the shades, and took emergency security measures to protect the Vice President.[C2-238] Two men from the President’s followup car were detailed to help protect the Vice President. An agent was stationed at the entrance to stop anyone who was not a member of the Presidential party. U.S. Representatives Henry B. Gonzalez, Jack Brooks, Homer Thornberry, and Albert Thomas joined Clifton C. Carter and the group of special agents protecting the Vice President.[C2-239] On one occasion Mrs. Johnson, accompanied by two Secret Service agents, left the room to see Mrs. Kennedy and Mrs. Connally.[C2-240] Concern that the Vice President might also be a target for assassination prompted the Secret Service agents to urge him to leave the hospital and return to Washington immediately.[C2-241] The Vice President decided to wait until he received definitive word of the President’s condition.[C2-242] At approximately 1:20 p.m., Vice President Johnson was notified by O’Donnell that President Kennedy was dead.[C2-243] Special Agent Youngblood learned from Mrs. Johnson the location of her two daughters and made arrangements through Secret Service headquarters in Washington to provide them with protection immediately.[C2-244] When consulted by the Vice President, O’Donnell advised him to go to the airfield immediately and return to Washington.[C2-245] It was decided that the Vice President should return on the Presidential plane rather than on the Vice-Presidential plane because it had better communication equipment.[C2-246] The Vice President conferred with White House Assistant Press Secretary Malcolm Kilduff and decided that there would be no release of the news of the President’s death until the Vice President had left the hospital.[C2-247] When told that Mrs. Kennedy refused to leave without the President’s body, the Vice President said that he would not leave Dallas without her.[C2-248] On the recommendation of the Secret Service agents, Vice President Johnson decided to board the Presidential airplane, _Air Force One_, and wait for Mrs. Kennedy and the President’s body.[C2-249] Secret Service Emergency Security Arrangements