Page 14 - Chuck Larson News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Beautiful. the naval academy is a special place. it's obviously important to the mccain family and, for that matter, to the armed forces to see him go home. and by the way, he is lying in rest next to another officer i dealt with for years, admiral chuck larson, a brilliant man. conscientious. you know, we noted mccain was the fifth in the bob muellbotto class. chuck larson was nearly the number one graduate. the two were lifelong friends. both navel aviator. of course, mccain got shot down on his 23rd combat mission over north vietnam and brutalized for more than five years. look, one comment...

A private ceremony for senator john mccain is drawing to a close right now at the u.s. naval academy cemetery in annapolis, maryland. right there the ceremony ringing to an end what has become a week of mourning and celebration, including eulogies from two former presidents. the late senator is to be buried alongside his lifelong friend and naval academy classmate, admiral chuck larson. nbc news pentagon correspondent, chan hans nichols, i was looking through some of those there giving tributes. his son, doug mccain. as well as his other son, jack mccain. and others. >> yeah. >> how many folks...

Respective countries. one time we even went to -- we had dinner with one of his sons who was stationed there. so it was a very special moment for him. but it was also a very special moment for those of us that were with him to see that bond and see them have the opportunity to share a holiday together which in the military often times is just not going to happen. >> senator mccain often reached across the aisle. also sometimes a foe to his own party or a friend and foe to either party you could say. he worked with democrats on issues he felt strongly about. listen to what president obama said ...

Home going fit for a queen. queen of soul, aretha franklin. >> gospel praise from the clark sisters to an aretha classic performed by pop princess ariana grande. ♪ you make me feel like a natural woman ♪ >> reporter: two weeks after her passing the 76-year-old in a gold-plated casket was celebrated as an artist, friend, icon, and inspiration. >> i've been watching the celebration of your life from everywhere. the world is going to miss you, and i know that i'm going to miss you so much, because i miss our talks. it's really going to be different without you. >> reporter: love and respect f...

>> old friend, chuck larson, witnessed the crash and says mccain finally kicked the canopy open. >> i don't think it changed him at all. john went back to the room, went to bed for about two hours, got up, we went over to the club for happy hour and he regaled everybody with stories of his crash. >> i don't think until actually the "forrestal", which was a really miraculous that he survived, that he began to take his military career seriously. >> it was july 29th, 1967. his first combat mission aboard the "uss forrestal," an aircraft carrier assigned to bombing missions over vietnam. a plane o...