Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s remains, which had been in repose at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta since Saturday, were transferred to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday morning. Accompanied by his children and extended family, the remains were flown aboard Special Air Mission 39, departing from Dobbins Air Reserve Base. The flight will land at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, followed by a motorcade to the U.S. Capitol, where members of Congress will pay their respects at a service scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST.
Carter will lie in state at the Capitol from Tuesday evening until Thursday morning.
In Georgia, military pallbearers transported Carter’s casket while cannons fired in honor. It was then loaded onto a vehicle and placed into the iconic blue-and-white Boeing 747 variant, which serves as Air Force One when the sitting president is on board. While Carter did not use this aircraft during his presidency, it was first designated Air Force One in 1990 under President George H.W. Bush.
Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100, will lie in state at the Capitol through Wednesday night. A state funeral will be held on Thursday at Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden will deliver the eulogy.
The memorial will follow traditional rituals, including the Air Force flight to Washington, a military honor guard carrying the flag-draped casket up the Capitol steps, and the placement of the casket on the Lincoln catafalque in the Rotunda.
The ceremony will also reflect Carter’s personal life and legacy. Hymns like “Amazing Grace” and “Blessed Assurance” were played as his casket was transported from the presidential center, reflecting his strong Baptist faith.
Upon arriving in Washington, Carter’s remains will be transferred to a horse-drawn caisson at the U.S. Navy Memorial, honoring his status as the only U.S. president who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy.
The funeral ceremony, though steeped in tradition, also carries a certain irony. Carter’s journey from a family peanut warehouse to the White House was marked by his promise to reform Washington. Known for his outsider status, he eschewed political norms and sought to bring change to the American political system.
