"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- While each former president is entitled to a state funeral, the desires of family members are always paramount.
Once the President announces his regret and joins the nation in paying homage during this solemn observance, the Secretary of Defense is designated as his representative for planning a State Funeral. The Secretary of Defense, in turn, has designated the Secretary of the Army, as the senior military service, to be his representative.
The Secretary of the Army has designated the commanding general of the Military District of Washington, as his representative. The commander of the MDW is responsible for making all ceremonial arrangements for the funeral in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in the continental United States.
Each of the Armed Forces provides members and support to the Military District of Washington. Support includes an Armed Forces Honor Guard.
Historically, this special ceremonial unit has participated in the state funerals for former presidents Kennedy, Eisenhower, Truman, Johnson and Nixon. A state funeral was also held for the Vietnam Unknown in 1984."
Official Schedule - Gerald R. Ford State Funeral
Wednesday, December 27, 2006 - Military District of Washington
***OFFICIAL SCHEDULE***
GERALD R. FORD STATE FUNERAL
38th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
FORT LESLEY J. MCNAIR, D.C. - The family of President Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States, has announced the official schedule of President Ford’s state funeral and the related services and ceremonies. The funeral and other services will occur in three stages. Stage One will occur in Palm Desert, Calif., Stage Two will occur in Washington, D.C. and Stage Three will occur in Grand Rapids, Mich.
STAGE ONE – California Portion of the State Funeral
President Ford’s remains will be received with military ceremony at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, Calif., approximately 12:20 p.m. PST, Friday, Dec. 29.
After the arrival ceremony and a private family prayer service and visitation, the remains will lie in repose at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church from 4 p.m. PST, Friday, Dec. 29, until approximately 8:00 a.m. PST, Saturday, Dec. 30. A Guard of Honor will attend the remains while in repose. The public is invited to attend this repose at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church.
The remains of President Ford will depart the church with ceremony at approximately 9:45 a.m. PST, Saturday, Dec. 30, and be transported to Palm Springs Regional Airport. The public is invited to pay their respects along the motorcade route. The remains will depart the airport with ceremony at approximately 10:15 a.m. PST and be flown to Andrews Air Force Base, Md. This will conclude the ceremonies in California.
STAGE TWO – Washington Portion of the State Funeral
1. President Ford’s remains will arrive with ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Saturday, Dec. 30, at approximately 5:20 p.m. EST.
2. En route to the U.S. Capitol, the motorcade will travel through Alexandria, Va., in remembrance of President Ford’s long residence in that city as a Congressman and as Vice President of the United States.
3. The motorcade will pause at the World War II Memorial located on the National Mall at 17th Street, between Constitution and Independence Avenues at approximately 6:00 p.m. EST, Saturday, Dec. 30. World War II and other veterans, as well as the public, are invited to attend this tribute.
4. The motorcade will then proceed to the U.S. Capitol and be received with ceremony at approximately 6:30 p.m. EST, at the East Steps to the U.S. House of Representatives. President Ford’s casket will proceed up the East House Steps on the East Capitol Plaza in honor of his 24 years as a U.S. Congressman. His remains will be met by a group of his former House colleagues. His casket will lie in repose at the open House doors honoring his time in Congress. The casket will then be carried through Statuary Hall. His remains will then move to the Rotunda for the Lying in State portion of the state funeral. President Ford’s remains will lie in state with a Guard of Honor until 9:15 a.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 2. Public viewing will be allowed during this time.
5. At approximately 9:30 a.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 2, the remains will depart the Rotunda and rest at the closed Senate doors in honor of his service as the Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate. The motorcade will then proceed to the Washington National Cathedral, passing the White House en route.
6. At approximately 10 a.m. EST, President Ford’s remains will be received with ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. A national funeral service will then be conducted at approximately 10:30 a.m. EST.
7. Following the service, the remains will depart with ceremony from Washington National Cathedral at approximately 11:30 a.m. EST. A motorcade will transport the casket from the cathedral to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., for a departure ceremony at approximately 12:15 p.m. EST.
This concludes ceremonies in Washington, D.C.
STAGE THREE – Michigan Portion of the State Funeral
President Ford’s remains will arrive from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and be received with ceremony at Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Grand Rapids, Mich., at approximately 2:15 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan 2.
His casket will then be moved by motorcade to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, Mich., for a brief private service. During the service, wreaths will be placed at the casket by the presidents of Yale University and the University of Michigan in honor of President Ford’s law degree and undergraduate degree, from those institutions respectively. Following the service, President Ford’s remains will lie in repose from 5 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Jan. 2 until 11 a.m. EST, Jan. 3. The public is invited to pay their respects at the museum during repose.
President Ford’s remains will depart the museum with ceremony at approximately 1 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 3, and proceed to Grace Episcopal Church, Grand Rapids, Mich., for a private funeral service for invited guests only. President Ford’s remains will be received at the church with ceremony at approximately 1:30 p.m. EST. Following the service, the remains will depart the church with ceremony at approximately 3 p.m. EST and proceed to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum for a private interment service.
The casket will arrive with ceremony at the museum for a private interment service at approximately 3:30 p.m. EST. The private interment service will be conducted immediately following the arrival ceremony.
This will conclude the funeral schedule for President Gerald R. Ford.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Public participation varies at each location. Separate releases will be issued with further instructions on motorcade routes and hours of repose at ceremony sites. For more information and for an interactive FAQ resource, we encourage your viewers/readers to visit the Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region Web site at www.jfhqncr.northcom.mil or the Gerald R. Ford Memorial website at: www.GeraldFordMemorial.com.
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6. At approximately 10 a.m. EST, President Ford’s remains will be received with ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. A national funeral service will then be conducted at approximately 10:30 a.m. EST.
The Lying in State portion of the state funeral is the exact wording on the official list of events. It is a more honest description of the formerly brief ceremony. Thanks for posting it, Garvin.
The MSM is so despicable.