1984 Summer Olympics opening ceremony Antwerp flag was then present to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley as Bradley was not present at the closing ceremonies of the 1980 Moscow games. Speeches are made by LAOOC President Peter Ueberroth and IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch. The first time a sitting US president officially opened the games in person. President Ronald Reagan declared the competition officially open. The Olympic Flag entered the stadium. The Olympic Hymn is played with no words. Homing Pigeons were released. The same cauldron was used as in the 1932 Summer Games. The orchestra played "The Olympian" composed and conducted by Philip Glass.
USS Ronald Reagan did not attend either the launch or the commissioning due to Alzheimer's disease, died 11 months later. At the end of the graveside services, the ship's commanding officer at that time, Captain James Symonds, presented the flag that draped the former president's casket to Mrs. Reagan at her request. This was also the flag that had flown over Capitol Hill on 20 January 1981, when the president was inaugurated. At a later date, Captain Symonds also presented Mrs. Reagan the flag that had been flying over "Ronald Reagan" when the former president died. "Ronald Reagan" was the first nuclear-powered warship