TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The late Bob Dole, a former U.S. Senate majority leader and Republican presidential nominee also celebrated as a World War II hero, will be buried with military honors Wednesday in Arlington National Cemetery.
The foundation named for his widow, former Cabinet secretary and North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole, announced plans for a private service at the historic Washington-area cemetery. About 100 close family members and former colleagues are expected to attend.
Dole, a native of Russell in western Kansas, died Dec. 5 at the age of 98. He was the 1996 Republican presidential nominee, losing that year to incumbent Democrat Bill Clinton. He served nearly 36 years in Congress and was the GOP’s leader in the Senate for more than a decade.
While Dole could be sharply partisan, he has been remembered as a pragmatic congressional leader willing to compromise to pass legislation such as the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. He also was known for his self-deprecating wit.
Dole has been celebrated for his military service, advocating for veterans and spearheading the drive to get the World War II Memorial built on the National Mall in Washington.
He was severely wounded in fighting as a 21-year-old Army platoon leader in northern Italy in 1945. As he charged a German position, a shell fragment hit him, crushing two vertebrae and paralyzing his arms and legs.
He spent three years recovering in a hospital and never regained use of his right hand. He became a lawyer and began his political career in the early 1950s with a term in the Kansas House.
