address. we'll see you then. captioning sponsored by cbs [cheering] >> mason: america cheers the darkness as the moon has its day in the sun. the first coast-to-coast total eclipse in 99 years. >> that is legit. >> it look just a tiny bit like pacman. >> mason: also tonight, the navy ordered a worldwide pause in operations as it investigates the second deadly collision in two months. president trump lays out his new strategy for america's longest war. and a class reunion of astronomical achievers under the sun. ♪ please don't take my sunshine away ♪ this is the "cbs evening news."

reporting tonight from carbondale, illinois, here's anthony mason. >> mason: and this is our western edition. good evening. it was the greatest show on earth. the sun and the moon put on a celestial performance for an audience of hundreds of millions, a matinee that saw the moon upstage the sun and bring darkness to daytime. the sun was completely blocked for a couple minutes in a band 70 miles wide that stretched across 14 states from oregon to south carolina. it was the first coast-to-coast total eclipse in 99 years, for many americans a once-in-a- lifetime chance to witness and celebrate a wonder of the universe. we have a team of correspondents at key locations across the zone of totality, and we begin with mark strassmann. >> oh, my god, it's almost complete. >> reporter: across america, the clockwork of the cosmos turned day into night and then day again.

and for one afternoon, millions of people looked up at the sky rather than down at their phones. >> oh, my gosh. there it goes. >> reporter: 200 million americans live within a day's drive of the path of totality, and many hit the road to witness the laws of nature go topsy- turvy. >> have a good time. >> reporter: 100,000 stargazers swarmed into madras, oregon, population 7,000. when the magic moment arrived, totality, people across the country gaped in wonder, including our team of cbs news correspondents. >> this is just incredible to watch. >> it's gone. it's gone. >> it's gone. we're in darkness. >> wow. >> reporter: satellite imagery showed the trajectory's sweep. from the pacific northwest, the eclipse raced 2,500 miles across america's heartland in roughly 90 minutes. it was just as riveting from 30,000 feet.

>> you have a nice view of the sun off the right-hand side of the aircraft. >> reporter: in greenville, south carolina, a baby girl born early was named eclipse, and people everywhere tried to preserve this once-in-a-lifetime moment, using their protective glasses to take photos on their smartphones and post them on social media, which exploded in wonder. this nasa image shows the international space station crossing the eclipse. >> it looks just a tiny bit like pacman. >> reporter: the charleston harbor resort and marina threw an eclipse beach party-for 2,000 people. when totality arrived, the clouds parted just in time for jenelle and will alexis. humbling? >> very. that's the word. >> reporter: in many states highways are jammed because tonight's great migration of stargazers heading home. anthony, some of them have already begun planning for the next big solar eclipse, which is in april 2024. >> mason: and the crossroads,

mark strassmann, will be right here again in carbondale, illinois. we had a total eclipse today. another one in seven years. tens of thousands came here to southern illinois university in carbondale to watch the total eclipse. some came for fun. some for the science. here's adriana diaz. [cheering] >> reporter: totality was a golden opportunity for nasa scientists like lou gallo. >> this is game day. this is like the superbowl of eclipses. >> reporter: they gave superbowl worthy roars as the u.s. caught its first eclipse glitches in oregon. >> it's amazing. it's fantastic. >> reporter: and because of the potential for data collection, nasa covered it like the big game. they aimed 14 satellites, flew ten airplanes, launched upward of 70 data-collecting balloons, and deployed telescopes along the path of totality. >> this piece of machinery is caused a heliostat. >> reporter: including this trailer-sized global telescope. the eclipse does more than turn

day into a 360-degree sunset says michelle nichols of the adler planetarium. it brings scientists closer to unlocking the mysteries of the sun we depend on for life. >> the temperature of the bright part of the sun we see is about 11,000 degrees. the temperature of the corona, several million degrees. what's going on to cause that? we don't know. so when the moon completely covers the sun, we get to study that part of the corona. >> reporter: why it is important to study the sun's corona? >> the most simple answer is that we're explorers. we've always been explorers. it's in our genes. so we explore the universe. >> reporter: even though carbondale only got a clear shot of totality for about ten seconds, nasa scientists told us they were able to collect valuable data in that short time, which will add to the information they gathered nationally. they said the results of that data could take months. anthony? >> mason: and those ten seconds were mighty impressive, adriana.

maybe that's all there was, but it was great. monday means day of the moon, and for most folks it was a day to celebrate the moon, the sun, and have fun. we have reports from david begnaud in nashville and jamie yuccas in madras, oregon. first jamie. >> reporter: tiny madras, oregon, was one of first places to watch day turn to night. the big moment happened at exactly 10:19. >> whoa. look at that. >> reporter: it lasted precisely two minutes and two seconds. eclipse watcher rebecca boyd. >> the light got so weird. it was like, oh, the world never looks like this. >> reporter: the town of 6,200 estimates it packed in 100,000 spectators, including mona thompson. what did you think? >> i totally cried. >> reporter: why did you cry? >> i don't know. it was just so awesome. >> reporter: carl brown came to celebrate his 92nd birthday. this is a once-in-a-lifetime. >> reporter: that's it. at least mine. >> reporter: old and young

cheered the celestial event. [cheering] like chris and ely white. >> we all came for the same reason, and we kind of like came like a small community. i love that. >> the sun looked like the moon instead of the sun. >> reporter: wasn't that weird? >> yes. >> reporter: people came here from 30 countries and every one of the 50 states. once the sun's party ended, many jumped in their car to head home, like brits susan and paul weston. >> it was the place to come and see it. >> reporter: little madras, oregon? >> yep. you're on the map. >> reporter: a number of people at this campsite actually packed up before the eclipse happened so they could hit the road immediately after it ended, but if you go ahead and take a look at the highway behind me, it's pretty slow moving hours later. there's a couple people who told me they may stay camped here until wednesday to avoid any traffic jams. >> reporter: i'm david begnaud in nashville, where music city celebrated the eclipse with a twang right in front of the

grand ole opry. this was the largest city in the path of totality. when the moon swallowed the sun, the skies went dark, and the glasses came off. >> you look through the peephole. >> reporter: grade schooler josh taylor proudly showed off his hand-made viewing box. at the local zoo, many animals didn't know what to do. the giraffes were clearly confused by nightfall at mid- day. and then there was gary parkerson. >> for 50 years i've been waiting for today and it's finally come. >> reporter: he edits an astronomy magazine. he spent 15 months promoting the event. he even missed the birth of his granddaughter. today was everything to him. >> you know, i didn't sleep at all last night. i was too excited. i'm exhausted. i'm exhilarated. i want this to last as long as possible. >> reporter: but, as the moment of totality approached, so did a large cloud. parkerson's moment in the sun

was ruined, but not his spirit. >> i wish i had seen the totality, but i got to see so much. i got to experience so much. i got to meet so many wonderful people. >> reporter: so it wasn't a total loss. gary's going to go home to louisiana and get some sleep, but he does plan to be there for the eclipse of 2024. he'll be 70 then. anthony? >> mason: only seven years away. david begnaud, thanks. among those who put on glasses to watch the eclipse in kennebunkport, maine, were four generations of the bush family, including two former presidents. president and mrs. trump watched from the truman balcony at the white house. about 81% of the sun was blocked in washington, though. tonight, in a nationally televised address to the nation, president trump will outline his strategy for america's longest war. president george w. bush first sent troops to afghanistan to target al qaeda after the 9/11 attacks. 8,400 remain, down from 100,000

during president obama's first term. major garrett has a preview of mr. trump's address. >> we've been there for now close to 17 years, and i want the find out why we've been there for 17 years, how it's going, and what we should do in terms of additional ideas. >> reporter: that was in july. now, after delaying a decision for months, president trump is on the verge of increasing u.s. troop deployments by roughly 4,000. he will also look to turn up the heat on pakistan, widely considered a safe haven for terrorists. the president has been pulled in two directions. the u.s. military has pushed for more special operations fighters, fewer battlefield restriction, and no timetable for withdrawal. on the other side, ousted white house chief strategist steve bannon pushed for a complete u.s. pullout, arguing afghanistan was no longer a vital u.s. interest.

new ideas, a third option had been considered. fearing a battlefield and diplomatic disaster, the pentagon and state department shot that idea down. on twitter mr. trump has argued as far back as 2011 that afghanistan was a waste of tax dollars and must money could be better spent at home. as president his ideas have been tempered. seth jones, a former defense department official now with the rand corporation, does not expect a dramatic turnaround in afghanistan. >> it is unlikely, at least in my view, to significantly change the outcome of the war or at least to significantly increase the afghan government with its foreign allies that are going to win this one on the battlefield. >> reporter: the president will address a military audience here at fort meyer, a base just outside of d.c. just under eight years ago president obama at west point announced his new idea for afghanistan, a troop surge for 30,000 designed, it was said at the time, to end the war. anthony?

>> mason: major garrett, thanks. more than 2,200 americans have given their lives in nearly 17 years of war in afghanistan. charlie d'agata is in the capital, kabul. charlie, will an increase in troops make a difference this time? >> well, anthony, there's no guarantees that it will, but afghan officers that we spoke to said something has to be done. after 16 years of war, the taliban now control 40% of the country. isis have established a stronghold here. the hope is that more u.s. forces could help tip the balance. now, earlier this year, the top u.s. commander here, general john nicholson, warned the war had come to a stalemate. >> mason: charlie, the president is expected to ask the government to help provide stable government. >> that's a big ask. the government is divided. they're weak, and they're fighting amongst themselves.

corruption and incompetence continue to cripple any efforts. u.s. marines we spoke to in helmand province expressed their frustration that they're still running into afghan forces that are corrupt, but they say there is a big difference now. now, when they have identified even senior officers who are found to be corrupt or incompetent, kabul reacts much more quickly. >> mason: charlie d'agata in kabul tonight. thank you, charlie. cbs news will bring you live coverage of the president's address tonight at 9:00, 8:00 central, that's 6:00 in the west. in steubenville, ohio, today, a judge was ambushed and shot outside the county courthouse. the judge returned fire and a probation officer shot and killed the attacker. turns out the dead man was the father of a young man convicted of raping a 16-year-old in 2012. judge joseph raziz was not involved in that case. the motive for the shooting is not known. still ahead, the navy calls for a full review after another deadly collision at sea.

and some very bright people hold a class reunion in the shadows of the moon. when the "cbs evening news" continues from carbondale, illinois. continues from carbondale, illinois. nick was born to move. 3 toddlers won't stop him. and neither will lower back pain. because at a dr. scholl's kiosk he got a recommendation for our custom fit orthotic to relieve his foot, knee, or lower back pain, from being on his feet. dr. scholl's. born to move.

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>> mason: president trump tweeted that his thoughts and prayers are with our u.s. navy sailors aboard the "u.s.s. john s. mccain." ten are missing after the guided-missile destroyer named for the father and grandfather of senator john mccain, collided last night with an oil tanker off singapore. the navy has ordered a full investigation of the seventh fleet. here's david martin. >> reporter: the sight of the "u.s.s. john s. mccain" limping into port with a gaping hole in its port side was almost not to be believed. another navy warship in another deadly collision during routine steaming.

it comes just two months after the "u.s.s. fitzgerald," almost identical twin to the "mccain," lost seven sailors in a collision. the chief of naval officers has the idea that something has gone fundamentally wrong in the way the navy operates ships at sea. >> our thoughts and prayers go out to the sailors and families of the "u.s.s. fitzgerald" and the "u.s.s. john s. mccain." we need to get to the bottom of this. >> reporter: this time it happened 10 miles east of singapore. the mccain and a liberian flag tanker, alnic mc, both were headed into one of the world's busiest ports. damage to the alnic was almost invisible, and it's crew suffered no injuries, but it's bow punched a hole into the mccain, which flooded compartments where crews slept. divers will search below decks for the missile sailors. which vessel was to blame is not yet clear. like the june collision between the "fitzgerald" and a philippine flag container ship off the coast of japan.

just last week a dozen officers and men from the captain on down were punished for mistakes made by the crew on watch. whether the "mccain" or the alnic turns out to be at fault, a war ship should be nimble enough to stay out of the way of a tanker four times its weight. the chief of safety operations has directed a safety stand down for all ships to review the basics of seamanship. he has also ordered a search of underlying cause, everything from the way of pace of operations to the way surface warfare officers are trained. anthony? >> mason: david martin at the pentagon tonight. thank you, david. next up, from wacky actor to fund-raiser extraordinaire. the remarkable life of jerry lewis. remarkable life of jerry lewis. joint pain and clearer skin. this is my body of proof that i can take on psoriatic

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he died yesterday of natural causes at 91. jerry lewis was a born entertainer, and his decade-long comedy partnership with dean martin was the stuff of legends. >> i fell in love with him the day we met. >> mason: on his own, lewis made more than 30 movies. while american critics were sometimes harsh, he was revered in france. laughs aside, lewis also dedicated himself to charity work. over four decades his labor day telethon raised more than $2 billion for the muscular dystrophy association. dick gregory was another comedian with a social conscience and an edginess rarely seen on tv in the 1960s. >> be a good audience and treat me nice, because with housing deals, i might be your neighbor now. >> mason: gregory told cbs sunday morning this year that he had to fight to have a chat with

jack paar on "the tonight show." >> a white comic could sit on the couch. a black comic couldn't. >> mason: gregory moved his activism from the stage to the streets, rallying for civil rights and against the vietnam war and police brutality. on facebook his family said his death on saturday was caused by an aortic aneurysm. dick gregory was 84. up next, some star students hold a special class reunion under the sun. ♪ oh, yeah. i used to think maybe ♪ i used to think maybe ♪ i used to think maybe ♪ dh dr. scholl's. only dr. scholl's has massaging gel insoles that provide all-day comfort to keep him feeling more energized. dr. scholl's. born to move. we danced in a german dance group. i wore lederhosen.man. when i first got on ancestry i was really surprised that i wasn't finding all of these germans in my tree.

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>> oh, my goodness, there's venus. >> no one in colin field's physics class would have imagined they'd be together again this way. but something extraordinary took root in that classroom more than 50 years ago in bethesda, maryland. 32 students, 16 ph.d.s. >> seven of them in physics. >> reporter: along with five lawyers, three doctors, a judge, and a five-time jeopardy champion. what was the special sauce? >> they were all above me intellectually, and i'm going to keep them damn well entertained. >> reporter: it's interesting you say they were all above you intellectually. >> i knew what their i.q.s are. every doggone one of them was above mine. >> he used to tell us that, but i'm not dead sure. i think this was one of his secret schticks. >> reporter: barbara harrison was one of steele's students who made the trip to wyoming to watch the eclipse and share a few stories at the mangy moose. michael higgins is another.

>> he still is teaching us. i think one thing about mr. steele is he was also actually a philosopher. >> the first day of class... >> reporter: maura smith sulllivan is the judge. >> ...he said, maura, can you come up and see me after class. i said, sure. and i went up and he said, you know, maura, i think you got in this class by mistake, but if you want to be here, i want you in this class, and that made a big difference in my life. >> ♪ you are my sunshine, my only sunshine ♪ you make me happy when skies are blue ♪ >> reporter: are these like your kids? >> yeah. ♪ please don't take my sunshine away ♪ >> reporter: jeff glor, cbs news, jackson, wyoming. >> mason: and that's the western edition of the cbs evening news, thanks to everyone here at southern illinois university for their extraordinary hospitality. i'm anthony mo

cook. we're this is kpix5 news. >> we're just a moment away from a special report. president donald trump will address the nation on the next steps in afghanistan. but first, some headlines. >> the solar eclipse captivates america. [cheers and applause] our camera captured the moment of totality in kaiser, oregon. crowds watched at a minor league baseball game as the skies went dark. it's the first time a pro game has been declayed because of -- delayed because of an eclipse. >> and the clouds cleared just in time for a pack look at the eclipse. >> our own ken bastida was in oregon and was blown away by the total eclipse. he'll share his experience and live report coming up. >> and the president donald

trump will deliver liz speech in arlington, virginia, tonight. coverage begins right now. this is a cbs news special report. i'm anthony mason. good evening. we're coming to you from carbondale, illinois, where we've been covering the eclipse. but just a moment, we'll take you to virginia where president donald trump is about to address the nation. the topic? america's longest war. president george w. bush ordered u.s. troops into afghanistan in october of 2001. less than four weeks after the 9/11 attack. they rejected an ultimatum to turnover osama bin laden. in 2011, there was over 100,000 under obama. by the time he left in january, it was down to 8400. but the war,