Medical pioneer buried at Arlington cemetery

At the funeral for pioneering heart surgeon Michael DeBakey, his widow, Katrin, joined by their daughter Olga, at left, watch as the American flag is folded over his casket at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Friday, July 18, 2008. Debakey, who died at age 99, served in the Army in World War II. ARLINGTON, Va. -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates lowered onto one knee to present the flag from the coffin of medical innovator Dr. Michael DeBakey to his widow, Katrin, at Arlington National Cemetery on Friday. The presence of Gates and Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake at the burial reflected DeBakey's pre-eminence but couldn't burnish a name already immortalized as a brilliant saver of lives. He "viewed death as a personal enemy," said presiding Chaplain Harry Rauch III. As a young boy, DeBakey devoured a set of... [read full story]