John Sidney McCain III laid to rest at the U.S. Naval Academy

John Sidney McCain III, American politician and military officer who served as a Senator from Arizona from January 1987 until his death in August 2018, is being laid to rest at the U.S. Naval Academy.

John McCain died Aug. 25 from brain cancer and was stretched to Washington.

His funeral was held on Saturday at the Washington National Cathedral.

Even though McCain didn’t become President, there was a definite presidential feel about the occasion.

Speeches were made by many on Saturday, including his daughter Meghan and former US presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

John McCain's official Senate portrait
John McCain’s official Senate portrait, taken in 2009.

 

“So much of our politics, our public life, our public discourse can seem small and mean and petty, trafficking in bombast and insult and phony controversies and manufactured outrage,” said former President Barack Obama. “It’s a politics that pretends to be brave and tough but in fact is born in fear. John called on us to be bigger than that. He called on us to be better than that.”

“John’s voice will always come as a whisper over our shoulder — we are better than this, America is better than this,” Bush said.

Lieutenant McCain
Lieutenant McCain (front right) with his squadron and T-2 Buckeye trainer, 1965.

John’s daughter Meghan, overwhelmed with emotion, paid tribute to her father and openly rebuked President Trump for the remarks he had made against – Trump dismissed the notion that the military officer was a war hero for his service in the Vietnam war as he was “captured”.

“The America of John McCain,” John’s daughter Meghan said “has no need to be made great again because America was always great.”

John’s family, including his 106-year-old mother, Roberta, are escorting his remains to Annapolis on Sunday.

John McCain chose to be buried at the same location his father and grandfather, both admirals, were buried – overlooking the Severn River by the Arlington National Cemetery.