The Last Salute Civil And Military Funerals 1921 1969

Our national tradition of honoring prominent officials is never more in evidence than following the death of an American dignitary. The ceremonies of the public funeral salute his accomplishments in life and demonstrate the Nation's recognition of a debt owed for his services. Long-standing military customs and the wishes of the next of kin are the foundations of these ceremonies. The military departments consequently have important roles in performing last rites, although many other agencies of the Federal Government participate in varying degrees. Collectively, these agencies conduct several types of funerals, ranging from the modest to the elaborate. This gradation permits the Nation to recognize properly the wishes of the next of kin and the rank or public station held by an official prior to or at the time of his demise. This book presents accounts of funerals conducted for civil and military officials, active and retired, and for the unknown servicemen of three wars between 1921 and 1969. Also described are farewell ceremonies honoring foreign dignitaries who died while on duty in the United States. Since the pattern for present-day public funerals has evolved from these ceremonies, this volume, in addition to being a valuable historical record, contains guidance for arranging final honors.

Presents accounts of funerals conducted between 1921 and 1969 for 26 American officials, 4 foreign diplomats on assignment in the U.S., and the unknown servicemen killed in WWI, WWII, and the Korean War. Intended primarily for use as a reference work by agencies of government involved in arranging and conducting public funerals. Includes: Pres. Taft, Hoover, Eisenhower, and Kennedy, plus MacArthur, Stevenson, Marshall and others. Contains over 200 photos, tables, charts, and diagrams.

*Updated Edition* A fun, anecdote-filled, encyclopedic look at the circumstances surrounding the deaths of every president and a few “almost presidents,” such as Jefferson Davis. Packed with fun facts and presidential trivia, The President Is Dead! tells you everything you could possibly want to know about how our presidents, from George Washington to George H. W. Bush (who was the most recent president to die), met their ends, the circumstances of their deaths, the pomp of their funerals, and their public afterlives, including stories of attempted grave robbings, reinterments, vandalism, conspiracy theories surrounding their deaths, and much more. The President Is Dead! is filled with never-before-told stories, including a suggestion by one prominent physician to resurrect George Washington from death by transfusing his body with lamb’s blood. You may have heard of a plot to rob Abraham Lincoln’s body from its grave site, but did you know that there was also attempts to steal Benjamin Harrison's and Andrew Jackson’s remains? The book also includes “Critical Death Information,” which prefaces each chapter, and a complete visitor’s guide to each grave site and death-related historical landmark. An “Almost Presidents” section includes chapters on John Hanson (first president under the Articles of Confederation), Sam Houston (former president of the Republic of Texas), David Rice Atchison (president for a day), and Jefferson Davis. Exhaustively researched, The President Is Dead! is richly layered with colorful facts and entertaining stories about how the presidents have passed. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.