President Jimmy Carter, the nation’s 39th chief executive, began his final journey with a procession that combined the small-town rhythms of Plains, Georgia, and the weighty traditions of American military pageantry. As the first U.S. Naval Academy graduate to serve in the Oval Office, Carter’s life exemplified the academy’s motto of “not for self, but for country.” His journey began with a procession from Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, where an honor guard of service members and midshipmen escorted his flag-draped casket, highlighting his roots from the Depression era.
Despite resigning his naval commission to manage his family’s peanut warehouse and farmland, Carter’s impact on the nation was profound. His son, James Earl “Chip” Carter III, highlighted the collaboration between his father and mother, Rosalynn Carter, in changing the world. The procession through Plains showcased the local reverence for Carter, who never forgot his origins. Carter’s early years in the military shaped his values, with his time at the U.S. Naval Academy teaching him self-control, leadership, and a reverence for absolute truth.
Carter’s naval career included service on experimental gunnery ships before transitioning to the submarine force under Admiral Hyman G. Rickover. Carter was instrumental in developing nuclear reactors during a time when nuclear science was in its infancy. His naval background and the lessons he learned from Rickover and the Naval Academy’s Blue Jacket’s Manual laid the foundation for his political career. Elected as the 39th president in 1976, Carter was the only Annapolis graduate to occupy the White House.
The tribute at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta highlighted Carter’s military ties, with a performance by the 282d Army Band honoring his service as a naval officer. Grandson Jason Carter expressed gratitude to the staff and volunteers who witnessed Carter’s dedication to public service. The culmination of Carter’s journey will be in Plains, where he will be buried next to Rosalynn. The military presence throughout the ceremony reflects Carter’s lifelong commitment to his country, forged during his time at the Naval Academy and tested on submarines. The funeral procession will include a 21-gun salute, a transfer to a horse-drawn caisson, and a service at Washington National Cathedral, reaffirming Carter’s place in the Naval Academy’s storied lineage.
