The flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honour guard in Houston.
Camera IconThe flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honour guard in Houston. Credit: AFP

George H W Bush’s body transported to Washington where it will lie in state ahead of funeral

AP, staff writersNews Corp Australia Network

A military honour guard has loaded the body of former US president George H W Bush on to Air Force One for a final trip to Washington and the start of four days of mourning for the man who led the nation as the Cold War ended.

Cannons fired in tribute on Monday at a Texas Air National Guard base outside Houston where the 41st president’s flag-draped casket was loaded on to the presidential jet, called “Special Air Mission 41” for the flight to Joint Base Andrews outside of Washington.

His son and daughter-in-law, former president George W Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, were among those relatives and friends who boarded the aircraft shortly after the body was loaded aboard.

The deceased Mr Bush will lie in state at the US Capitol Rotunda from Monday through Wednesday, when a state funeral is scheduled at the National Cathedral.

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Members of the US Secret Service carry the casket with former President George H W Bush to a hearse at a Houston funeral home.
Camera IconMembers of the US Secret Service carry the casket with former President George H W Bush to a hearse at a Houston funeral home. Credit: AP

It comes as reports emerged that Mr Bush wanted Donald Trump to attend his funeral, despite tensions between his family and the US President, putting the institution of the presidency above personal animosities.

Mr Trump has confirmed he will attend the Washington service on Wednesday. He did not attend Barbara Bush’s funeral in April or Republican Senator John McCain’s in August.

Mr McCain’s family had requested he not be there.

George H W Bush’s coffin is placed in a hearse.
Camera IconGeorge H W Bush’s coffin is placed in a hearse. Credit: AP

Mr Trump, who has been accused of not behaving adequately during similar situations in the past, has seemed to handle this occasion in a much more appropriate fashion.

He cancelled his final press conference at the G20 summit in Argentina on Saturday out of respect for Mr Bush, while he also sent his 747 aircraft Air Force One to carry Mr Bush’s coffin to Washington.

The body of George H W Bush is placed onto Air Force One.
Camera IconThe body of George H W Bush is placed onto Air Force One. Credit: AP

Mr Trump has declared Wednesday a day of mourning in America.

“We’ll be spending three days of mourning and three days of celebrating a really great man’s life,” Mr Trump said.

“So we look forward to doing that, and he certainly deserves it. He really does. He was a very special person.”

Former US President George W Bush and Laura Bush board the plane after the coffin of his father, George H.W. Bush.
Camera IconFormer US President George W Bush and Laura Bush board the plane after the coffin of his father, George H.W. Bush. Credit: AFP

SON TO EULOGISE HIS FATHER

Mr Bush will be eulogised by his son, former President George W Bush, along with other family and friends on Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral.

Along with his son, he will be remembered by former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, whose time in power overlapped with Mr Bush, former US senator Alan Simpson, who became a close friend to Mr Bush, and presidential historian Jon Meacham, the late president’s biographer.

Mourners pay their respects at a makeshift memorial in tribute to former US President George H W Bush outside a gated community where Bush lived in Houston.
Camera IconMourners pay their respects at a makeshift memorial in tribute to former US President George H W Bush outside a gated community where Bush lived in Houston. Credit: AFP

HOUSTON TURNS OUT IN FORCE

Earlier, family and onlookers watched on as Mr Bush’s remains made the journey from a Houston funeral home to Ellington Field, where Air Force One waited.

Texas Land Commissioner George P Bush, one of George H W Bush’s grandsons, was among more than 100 invited guests seeing off Mr Bush’s remains on Monday.

The guests witnessed a ceremony including a military band and a 21-gun salute.

Angela Savage one of the people who stood outside the funeral home to watch the passing of the hearse carrying Mr Bush’s casket as it headed to Ellington Field, calling it “a once-in-a-lifetime kind of event”.

George H W Bush had a penchant for colourful socks. Hostonians are being encouraged to do their brightest in tribute
Camera IconGeorge H W Bush had a penchant for colourful socks. Hostonians are being encouraged to do their brightest in tribute Credit: AP

“It was amazing and very respectful,” she said, adding, “I feel like that’s what he deserves.”

Mr Bush’s casket was draped in an American flag and was carried by six pallbearers. It was placed into a hearse headed to Houston’s Ellington Field, where Air Force One waited to carry Mr Bush’s body to Washington for a state funeral.

The hearse was part of a motorcade escorted by Houston police officers on motorcycles.

Secret Service personnel who had been assigned to protecting Mr Bush served as honorary pallbearers.

The coffin carrying George H W Bush is loaded onto Air Force One.
Camera IconThe coffin carrying George H W Bush is loaded onto Air Force One. Credit: AP

The former president’s spokesman, Jim McGrath, tweeted that for “this first movement in Houston” members of “the current Secret Service Bush Protective Division will serve as honorary pallbearers.”

Earlier, Houston honoured the former president with a City Hall tribute, urging people who attend to dress in colourful socks, a nod to one of Mr Bush’s favourite fashion accessories.

Mayor Sylvester Turner tweeted that Texans should “wear their own colourful socks.”

Mr Bush, who died on Friday at the age of 94, often sported bright socks, sometimes with loud, unusual patterns.

Family members of Mr Bush, including former President George W Bush, second from left, watch on.
Camera IconFamily members of Mr Bush, including former President George W Bush, second from left, watch on. Credit: AP

An invitation-only funeral service is set for Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral, to be attended by Mr Donald Trump and other dignitaries.

Mr Bush will then be returned to Houston for burial on Thursday at his presidential library at Texas A & M University.

He will be laid to rest alongside Barbara Bush, his wife of 73 years who died in April, and Robin Bush, the daughter who died of leukaemia at the age of three. Mr Bush was president from 1989 to 1993.

Sully, George H W Bush's service dog, lies in front of his coffin in Houston.
Camera IconSully, George H W Bush's service dog, lies in front of his coffin in Houston. Credit: AP

CARTER WILL ATTEND FUNERAL

A spokeswoman has confirmed former President Jimmy Carter will attend the state funeral for Mr Bush.

Rosalynn Carter will not attend. The 91-year-old former first lady has limited her travels in recent months.

With Mr Bush’s death, Jimmy Carter becomes the oldest living former president, at age 94. Both men were born in 1924, Mr Bush on June 12, Mr Carter on October 1.

Mr Bush served as CIA director when Mr Carter first ran for president 1976. Mr Carter replaced Mr Bush with Stansfield Turner.

Four years later, Mr Bush joined the Ronald Reagan Republican ticket that routed Mr Carter in the 1980 presidential election.

George H W Bush, left, with Barack Obama, George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter in 2009. Mr Carter will attend Mr Bush’s funeral.
Camera IconGeorge H W Bush, left, with Barack Obama, George W Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter in 2009. Mr Carter will attend Mr Bush’s funeral. Credit: AP

Originally published as Why Bush wanted Trump at his funeral