SPRINGFIELD — With the eternal flame burning brightly, members of the community gathered in Forest Park to honor the late John F. Kennedy, whose life was taken by an assassin’s bullet 62 years ago.

A crowd of about 100 paid tribute on Saturday to a man who was a U.S. representative and then a senator in Massachusetts before becoming 35 th president of the United States in 1960.

“We hearken back to the days of Camelot, and now we’re dealing with the age and the days of chaos,” Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said. “We had President Kennedy, a war hero, an individual (who) governed with intelligence, with honor, with self-deprecating humor, whose caring and inspiration inspired many, many people — young people, all creeds, colors and backgrounds — not what the country could do for you

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