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American Morning

The Big Question: What Does It Take to be Buried as a War Hero?

Aired December 07, 2001 - 07:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back onto another story this morning, one that's very difficult for a lot of Americans to accept. When hijackers stormed his cockpit and crashed his plane into the Pentagon on September 11, pilot Charles Burlingame became an early victim of what is now being called the war on terrorism.

The family of the navy reservist asked that he be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. But the army said no, citing age requirements.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Everybody who serves our nation knows that national cemeteries, Arlington included, have a series of regulations that have been promulgated over a considerable period of time to try to address the concerns of so many who seek to be buried at Arlington with the recognition that it's a final resting place that's running out of space.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: Captain Burlingame's family pressed their case and Congress is now considering a bill that would waive the age requirement for reservists.

Joining me now from New York are Burlingame's sister Debra and brother Brad. Good morning.

BRAD BURLINGAME, PENTAGON PILOT'S BROTHER: Good morning.

DEBRA BURLINGAME, PENTAGON PILOT'S SISTER: Good morning.

ZAHN: Delighted to have you with us this morning.

BRAD BURLINGAME: Thank you.

ZAHN: And joining us from Washington, Virginia Senator George Allen, who has lobbied the president on the family's behalf. Good to see you, as well, sir.

SEN. GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA: Good morning. Good morning to you all. ZAHN: It's one thing for your family to have to deal with the grief that you've been subjected to. It's another thing to have to fight with the government. First of all, tell us this morning whether you think you are, in fact, making progress.

BRAD BURLINGAME: Well, we're absolutely making progress and it's due to the fact that we have support like people like Senator George Allen. He's been joined by others, as well, of course, the senior senator from Virginia, Senator Warner, the senators from Pennsylvania, the senators from California, other congressmen, my brother's congressman, Frank Wolf. So we couldn't be doing this without them. We are just plain American citizens.

ZAHN: Debra, why is this so important to your family?

DEBRA BURLINGAME: We come from a military background. My mother and father are buried there. We view Arlington as very sacred territory, a place where American patriots and people who have died serving their country should be buried if they qualify. We think that our brother qualifies. In fact, on the merits he does. It is just this age 60 rule.

And we feel that if he's denied his own grave as opposed to putting him in with his parents, like as if he were a dependent of them, we think he deserves his own grave because of his remarkable distinguished career, but also the unprecedented events of September 11. We feel he quite deserves it.

ZAHN: And Senator Allen -- I don't think anyone, including members of the U.S. government, doubt the commitment your brother made to this country. But it seems to be simply a space issue. Help us understand what Ari Fleischer, the president's spokesperson, was trying to communicate yesterday when he said that Arlington is simply running out of space. Basically the army says the same thing, that there's just not room for all of the heroes of September 11. Senator?

ALLEN: Well, Brad and Debra were very eloquent in stating the sentiments and where they, what they're doing is at this moment still just simply reading the rules and regulations. They need to find space in their heart and understand what's at stake here.

And that is not just that Captain Burlingame would be buried with his parents, but if that is the solution, as they suggest, then his wife Sheri could not be buried alongside her husband. This is an issue that has touched the hearts of many Americans. There are veterans who can be buried at Arlington National Cemetery that have offered their plots. That's been denied. I've had letters from a lady in Montross, Virginia wanting to offer a spot so that Captain Burlingame's widow, Sheri, could rest in eternity with her husband. And let's all recognize that we'd like to be buried next to our spouse or our loved ones.

And this situation is one that is a very unique situation. This is why the president is granted the powers to grants a wavier or maybe can order the secretary of the army to grant a wavier here because but for this terrorist attack of war, then Captain Burlingame meets all the requirements and they cut short his life.

So he meets all the requirements and regulations. Let's show some space in our hearts, some compassion and allow Captain Burlingame's wife to some day, hopefully very many years from now, but nevertheless have that piece of mind that they'll rest together through eternity next to one another. That's the right thing to do and I hope the president and the secretary of the army will recognize that fact regardless of regulations.

ZAHN: But Senator...

ALLEN: One grave will not make a difference.

ZAHN: But Senator, despite what you've said here this morning, it would appear as though you might be hitting a bit of a roadblock with the administration. You personally wrote a letter to the president asking him to make an exception in this case. You've also appealed to some of his top aides to grant a waiver and yesterday White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said that despite congressional concerns, the president is leaving this in the hands of the navy.

Let me listen to -- all of us listen to his response right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLEISCHER: The president is keenly aware of the congressional interest in the matter and of the family's sensitivities in the matter and he's also aware that there will be other sensitivities from other families in the future, as well, that also have to be taken into consideration, as regulations are looked into.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: So what did you read into that answer yesterday, Senator?

ALLEN: What I read into it is they're looking at regulations and they need to look beyond regulations. This is not going to set any precedent. This is a very unique situation. The gentleman, Captain Burlingame, met all the requirements. The only reason that he didn't live another eight years to reach age 60 is because of this terrorist act of war. And recognize that he met those criteria and that I'm not asking for some broad exception, but in this particular case I think the president should find it in his heart to direct, maybe, however he wants to do it, direct the secretary of the army to grant a waiver.

There's always exceptions to rules. No one had predicted a situation like this happening to the country. And the point is is that the Congress overwhelmingly, if allowed to vote on this and the bill would ever get to the president, feels that this is appropriate. The problem is is the funeral is on December 12th. The way things move in the legislative process it takes too long. That's why I've been pleading with the president and really appealing over the secretary of the army to get the president, the White House, to get them to look it over again and also look in their own conscience and see the expression of support from in the Congress and -- which is reflecting, I think, the will and the desires and the sentiments of the American people, including veterans who recognize that this is the right thing to do.

ZAHN: The Senator just brought up the issue of veterans, and I understand your family was very touched by the offer of a veteran named John Smith of Prince Frederick, Maryland who apparently offered your brother his space so he could be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, which, of course, is not allowed. Just your thoughts on this this morning before we leave you.

BRAD BURLINGAME: We have received dozens of those types of offers and I have to tell you, with as grateful as we are for the support from the many congressmen over this issue, those offers have been absolutely emotionally overwhelming for us and something I know my brother Chick, as we called him, would never refuse or would never accept. He would never take the place of another serviceman. It's that kind of outreach, really, that has expressed the sentiment of this country about his disposition and final resting place.

And one other thing I want to talk about that the regulations, the army has already granted an exception with the case of the CIA agent, Mike Spann, who was killed. He does not qualify for burial at Arlington but they've made an exception in this case because he was killed over there and he absolutely belongs in that cemetery. He is an American hero. And he was killed by the same enemy that killed my brother in that cockpit and bludgeoned him to death, probably in hand to hand combat up in the air, just as agent Mike Spann was killed on the ground. They both qualify under different circumstances.

ZAHN: Well, we are delighted to have you come and share part of your story with us this morning and we'd like to...

ALLEN: Paula, may I say...

ZAHN: ... follow your progress. Senator, you're going to have to do it quickly because we have to go to Fort Bening, Georgia here.

ALLEN: Yes, I just wanted to say to Debra and Brad, keep fighting. I hope to be with the president this afternoon and I'll make a personal plea to him. So stay strong, keep fighting, we're going to get the right thing done.

BRAD BURLINGAME: Thank you, Senator.

DEBRA BURLINGAME: Thank you.

ZAHN: We'd love to have you come back, Senator, too, if there's any change of policy here. Love to have you back to describe that to us. The best of luck to your family.

BRAD BURLINGAME: Thank you so much.

DEBRA BURLINGAME: Thank you.

ZAHN: And as you know, a lot of American hearts go out to you this morning as you struggle not only with your grief, but this latest challenge that's been thrown your way.

BRAD BURLINGAME: Thanks very much.

DEBRA BURLINGAME: Thanks very much, Paula.

ZAHN: Thank you for your time.

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