| October | Day of the Week | Covered by Tape # | Events |
| 14 | Sunday | * | First clear U-2 flight. JFK in New York after Midwest campaign trip. |
| 15 | Monday | * | U-2 photos processed; JFK returned to DC & visited by Ben Bella of Algeria. |
| 16 | Tuesday | 28, 28A | JFK informed of read-out results of photos; first NSC meeting on missile crisis; visit of Crown Prince of Libya; Walter Shirra & family received at White House; Kennedys dined at Joseph Alsop's in evening. |
| 17 | Wednesday | * | Gerhard Shroeder (German foreign minister) visited; JFK to lunch at Libyan embassy; JFK attended national day of prayer commemoration at St. Matthew's; JFK Connecticut for campaign trip in afternoon; back to DC in evening |
| 18 | Thursday | 30-31 | Third NSC meeting on Cuba; Cabinet meeting; Eisaku Sato (Japanese minister for trade and industry) visited; meeting with Andrei Gromyko (USSR foreign minister). |
| 19 | Friday | 31 | JFK met with JCS prior to campaign trip to Cleveland, Springfield, Chicago |
| 20 | Saturday | * | JFK back to DC; meetings at White House in afternoon, evening. |
| 21 | Sunday | * | JFK to mass at St. Stephen's; missile crisis meetings |
| 22 | Monday | 32-33A | Milton Obote visited; NSC meeting; Meeting with legislative leaders; Radio & television report to the people; Letter to Khrushchev. |
| 23 | Tuesday | 34-35 | Khrushchev response & JFK reply; meetings on crisis; proclamation of quarantine signed |
| 24 | Wednesday | 35-37 | Quarantine in place; ships turn back; Khrushchev message; Franco Nogueria of Portugal visited; meeting with legislative leaders. |
| 25 | Thursday | 38 | JFK message to Khrushchev; meetings on crisis |
| 26 | Friday | 39 | BK Nehru calls to discuss Sino-Indian border clash; Long message from Khrushchev |
| 27 | Saturday | 40-41A | Ambassador from Trinidad calls; Duke & Duchess of Devonshire call; 2nd Khrushchev letter received; meetings on crisis; JFK reply to earlier Khrushchev message. |
| 28 | Sunday | * | Khrushchev accepts terms of JFK message; JFK to mass at St. Stephen's; NSC meeting; JFK to Glen Ora in afternoon and back to White House in evening; acknowledged Khrushchev message. |
| 29 | Monday | 42-43 | NSC meetings; Philippine ambassador called. |
*No tape these days