After memorial services in Arizona and Washington D.C., Sen. John McCain will be buried Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland.
McCain, who died Saturday at age 81 from brain cancer, will be buried at the Naval Academy next to his friend Adm. Chuck Larson.
He and Larson, who passed away in 2014, became friends when they were classmates at the academy in the late 1950s and remained friends throughout their lives.
McCain’s service Sunday will include readings by friend retired Gen. David Petraeus and two of his sons, Jack McCain and David McCain, who were both Navy officers.
Two other generals, Secretary of Defense James Mattis and chief of staff John Kelly, and national security adviser John Bolton will be at the service to represent the administration.
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The service, an invitation-only memorial, will be attended by family, friends, members of his 1958 academy graduating class, and the brigade of midshipmen.
Here’s the schedule for McCain’s interment:
McCain’s motorcade is scheduled to arrive at the academy around 1:45 p.m. Navy Body Bearers will carry his casket into the Naval Academy Chapel, and the Navy Band and Navy Ceremonial Guard will “provide a formation consistent with Arlington National Cemetery honors for retired Captain,” a website with details of McCain’s memorial services said.
The order of the service will be:
- Hymn, "Amazing Grace" led by U.S. Navy Choir.
- Invocation by Rear Adm. Margaret G. Kibben, chief of chaplains of the Navy.
- Reading of Psalm 107:23-32, read by Mark Salter, McCain's former chief of staff.
- Tribute by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina
- Tribute by Petraeus.
- Hymn, "Faith of our Fathers," sung by the U.S. Navy Choir.
- Tribute by son Jack McCain.
- Reading of Ephesians 6:10-18 by son Doug McCain.
- Final blessing by Kibben.
- Hymn, "Eternal Father," and recessional.
Following the ceremony, McCain’s body will be carried by the U.S. Navy Body Bearers, and placed on the caisson for a procession to the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery for interment.
The pallbearers for Sunday’s service are Ben Domenech; Joseph Donoghue; Everett Alvarez Jr.; Col. Jon Fer; Capt. Frank Gamboa; Michael Harper; Rear Adm. Thomas Lynch; Gen. James Mattis; Andrew McCain Jr., his grandson; Andrew McCain Sr. his son; Caroline McCain, his granddaughter; Douglas McCain, his son; Margaret McCain, his granddaughter; Shep McCain: his grandson; Ronald Perelman; John Raidt; and Adm. John Richardson.
McCain will lie in state Friday at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. A formal ceremony will be held in the Capitol Rotunda at 11 a.m. ET.
On Saturday, McCain will be taken by motorcade to the National Cathedral in Washington. Along the way, McCain’s wife, Cindy, will lay a wreath at the Vietnam Veteran Memorial, around 8:30 a.m. The service will begin around 10 a.m. ET.
For a complete list of McCain's memorial services, click here.
Credit: Jae C. Hong
Credit: Jae C. Hong
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