A Presidential Farewell: Ronald Reagan's State Funeral Plans Unveiled

The Reagan family and the United States military have meticulously planned every detail of the former president's funeral, which will be the first presidential state funeral in over three decades. The event will be a culmination of nearly a quarter-century of pageantry and tradition that the Reagans first brought to Washington. The funeral will be a testament to Mr. Reagan's desire for a grand finale, as he had previously envisioned.

Key Takeaways:

• The funeral will begin with Mr. Reagan's body arriving in Washington on Wednesday from California, where he will lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda through Thursday.
• A group of F-15s will fly in a missing-man formation over Constitution Avenue, and a riderless jet-black horse will lead the procession with Mr. Reagan's riding boots turned backward, as per Nancy Reagan's request.
• The funeral service will take place at Washington National Cathedral, where President Bush will deliver a eulogy, and Mr. Reagan's body will then return to California for a sunset burial at the presidential library.
• The Reagans have asked for the hymn "Amazing Grace" to be played by bagpipes at the burial, a nod to Mr. Reagan's Irish-English background.
• The funeral planning has been a collaborative effort between the Reagans, their loyalists, and the Military District of Washington, who oversee presidential funerals.
• The ceremony will feature F-15s, a riderless horse, and a bagpipe performance, all of which have been requested by the Reagans to be part of the funeral.
• The Reagans have also requested to have the West Front of the Capitol used instead of the East Front, as it is the only formal entrance into the Capitol at present.
• The burial will be held at Mr. Reagan's presidential library in Simi Valley, where he intentionally planned for his final rest to be during the California sunset.

Statistics:

• 170 nations are expected to send leaders and dignitaries to the funeral, which may be one of the largest gatherings of top foreign officials ever in Washington.
• The Military District of Washington, which includes 1,200 soldiers from the Third Infantry, will be responsible for transporting Mr. Reagan's coffin from California to Washington and back.
• The funeral will be attended by the four living former American presidents, as well as heads of state and foreign dignitaries.
• The State Department has set up a task force to coordinate the representatives from foreign governments attending the funeral, which will be issued by Thursday.

Sources:

• The New York Times
• The Washington Post
• The Reagan Presidential Library
• The Military District of Washington
• The Joint Operations Center of the Military District of Washington