The morning internment was largely private, with reporters and news cameras kept far back from the service. A crew from Veterans Affairs videotaped the service for the family. DeBakey's hearse-carried casket arrived at the burial site shortly after 10 a.m., followed by a cortege of dignitaries, family, friends and colleagues, including several from Texas. With precise formality, military aides lifted the flag-covered coffin from the vehicle and slowly carried it toward its resting spot. Overheard, birds sang and a nearby firing party waited in formation to deliver the traditional salute. Rauch read from a sheet of many of DeBakey's accomplishments in his life, including his contributions to medicine and particularly heart surgery. DeBakey was born in Lake Charles, La., and graduated from Tulane University in 1930. At Tulane...
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