Sen. Ted Stevens, a pioneer of Alaska statehood and a decorated World War II veteran, was laid to rest Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery.
Alaska has never known a day of statehood without Ted Stevens living in the Last Frontier.
The Indiana native was an early pioneer -- way back in the Eisenhower administration -- of bringing Alaska into the union.
Tuesday afternoon he was interred right next to the city where the battle for Alaska statehood began -- Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Air Force band played "Going Home" as the casket carrying Sen. Ted Stevens was carried into Arlington.
It was a funeral with full military honors-- a recognition of the fact that Stevens was a first lieutenant in the United States Air Force, and flew cargo planes for Gen. Lee Chenault over the dangerous Himalayan Mountains.
Stevens won two distinguished flying crosses.
Today in recognition of that service, Air Force F-22 Raptors conducted a flyover at Arlington.
As “Taps” sounded, Stevens’ widow was given the American Flag with the words, "this is from a grateful country."
Those words would have meant a great deal to Stevens.
He suffered the pain of a corruption conviction in 2008, only to see that conviction overturned for prosecutorial misconduct.
Many Alaskans held him in high regard to the end, a source of great gratification to the senator.
