and by the way, he passed these genetic defects along to us. reporter: and praised him for teaching him how to lead in public life and in private. through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man, the best father a son or daughter could have. and in our grief, i just smile knowing that dad is hugging robin and holding mom s hand again. reporter: and a final departure from washington for the 41 st president. aboard the same 747 he used while in office. taking him home to texas for the last time. tonight s special air mission 41 has landed back in texas. there will be a final memorial tomorrow and former president george h.w. bush will be laid to
the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man, the best father a son or daughter could have. and in our grief, i just smile knowing that dad is hugging robin and holding mom s hand again. reporter: a rare dare of reprieve in washington from the vitriol and division as trump lent the bush family air force one to fly the late president home to texas as trump returned to a white house still under a deepening cloud from the russia investigation. now, wolf, this evening the plane, special air mission 41, is landing at ellington field outside houston as we speak here, in that blue sky. again, we are going to see the pageantry of the state funeral continuing in the president s home state of texas. of course, taking that three-hour ride or so. i m told family members aboard the plane were allowed to exhale, they were allowed to
to be playing hail to the chief. they will be a 21-gun salute as the casket is loaded onto the aircraft. the band is going to play the him going home, and finally, the special honor guard will render the final salute of special air mission 41. as it takes off to houston, texas. before it lands, it s going to be making a flyover over his final resting place, which is at his presidential library on the campus of texas and m university. the big flyover that is going to be taking place tomorrow. it is the largest missing man formation ever in history. 21f18 super hornets, and the lead jet is going to have the former president and the first lady s name stenciled on the side of the jet. it s very fitting tribute for a former navy pilot, a war hero who was shot down over the pacific during world war ii. on monday, when the
the parting before st. martin s episcopal church. casey stegall is outside saint martin s church in texas. casey? we re just getting information from the president s office saying special air mission 41 will be conducting a fly-over at about 2,000 feet above the george h.w. bush presidential library and museum down in college station on its way to houston. that is supposed to happen at 4:20 standard time. so 5:20 eastern, the fly over at texas a&m is expected. from there, the aircraft will come down here to houston ellington field. it s carrying much of the bush family and there will be an arrival ceremony, once the plane gets on the ground. then there will be a motorcade. they will start making their way to the location where we are, st. martin s episcopal church.
moving ceremony at washington s national cathedral, which we, as a nation, have watched together today. celebrating the former president s remarkable life of service and sacrifice. five u.s. presidents, among the world leaders in attendance. kristin fisher now joins us from joint base andrews with a look ahead. so, this would be the ceremony, and more to come. that s right, harris. you stand here at joint base andrews, you can t help but think about the many times that president george h.w. bush left here on board air force one. he made 26 international trips to 58 different countries during his first four years in office. today, this aircraft has been given a different name. a special name. this is special air mission 41, a nod to our 41st president. when this departure ceremony gets underway, here, you can expect to see the kind of military precision that would make this former navy pilot proud. the u.s. air force band is going