Reflections from the Presidents final trip home. . .

[Ben Wilson]

1) Has anyone heard any estimates on the number of people who lined the route from the the naval station to the Reagan library?

I wasn't there -- but from the pictures, it was beyond anything I could imagine. The freeway in the opposite direction became a literal parking lot as what must have been thousands of cars stopped and people got out and went to the freeway meridian to watch the motorcade go by.

And the number of people on the overpasses!! There must have been hundreds of thousands of people gathered!! I was touched by the number of fire trucks parked on the overpasses with firemen on top of the trucks saluting the motorcade. The mounted patrol around the library with the officers on horseback saluting was touching.

2) Did anyone else sense that Air Force 1 -- the 747 that bore the President to Washington and Back -- also seemed a part of the memorial services? I don't know if that particular plane was the one that carried Mr. Reagan to so many of the places where he displayed his greatness (Iceland, Berlin, Moscow, Cape Kennedy, etc) but it seemed somewhat appropriate that this huge, graceful bird was literally a part of the farewell ceremonies -- a little like the riderless horse with the boots on backward.

[hukser2]

Originally posted by Ben Wilson:

2) Did anyone else sense that Air Force 1 -- the 747 that bore the President to Washington and Back -- also seemed a part of the memorial services? I don't know if that particular plane was the one that carried Mr. Reagan to so many of the places where he displayed his greatness (Iceland, Berlin, Moscow, Cape Kennedy, etc) but it seemed somewhat appropriate that this huge, graceful bird was literally a part of the farewell ceremonies -- a little like the riderless horse with the boots on backward.

I don't belive so. I think the first 747 Air Force One was put into service by President G.W.H Bush Sr (I remember a PBS 'Nova' special on this.) But I do know that the Reagan Library is to be vastly expanded, including a rotunda that will feature the 'actual' 727 AF-1 that he did use.

[The Finman]

The 747 that carried President Reagan's body back to California was actually ordered by Reagan during his Presidency, but arrived two weeks after he had left the White House.