Jared Raymond honored, laid to rest

Hundreds filled St. John the Evangelist Church and thousands lined Swampscott streets and the town cemetery Thursday, Sept. 28, to say good-bye to U.S. Army Spc. Jared John Raymond, killed in the line of duty Sept. 19 in Balad, Iraq, when the tank he was driving struck an explosive.

Speakers at Raymond’s full military funeral reminded the congregation that “Jared was a hero” and told his grandmother her grandson was “everything a Catholic Christian is meant to be.”

Raymond’s fellow Swampscott High School students, past and present — he joined the Army a week after graduation in June 2004 — choked back tears several times during the funeral. Raymond had vowed soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America that he must do something for his country. Not even his love for fast cars could deter him from his mission, they added.

As Raymond’s casket lay on the very spot where he was baptized 20 years earlier, several priests commended his spirit to God and promised, “We need not be afraid. God will take care of Jared and God will take care of us.” A Swampscott native, Raymond lived all his life in the town, taking part in youth baseball and basketball in younger years

Jimmy Raymond of Lexington, a cousin of the deceased soldier, recalled his days driving around town with Jared in their Firebirds, adding they had been “brothers, in craziness and a lot of stupidity.” Jared’s uncle, James Raymond, remembered seeing Jared for the first time and called him “a cornerstone of our family.”

The uncle remembered the day Army officers came to take Jared Raymond to boot camp at Fort Knox in Kentucky.

“He said ‘let’s do it,’ blew a kiss to his mom and they were off,” James Raymond said. From Iraq, Jared called his mom twice a week and his uncle once a month, he said.

“America called and Spc. Jared John Raymond answered,” his uncle concluded.

After the Mass, Raymond was posthumously awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

Bishop Francis Irwin recalled the words of Mother Teresa, “God doesn’t call us to success; He calls us to faithfulness,” and said Jared Raymond’s life was a success because of his faithfulness to his family, his church and his nation.

Jared Raymond’s body was carried from the church to the cemetery by a horse-drawn caisson with full military honors as representatives of area and state police, firefighters, veterans groups and active duty officers joined hundreds of townspeople in the long walk to his final resting place.

Respectful silence for 10, perhaps even 15, minutes filled Humphrey Street before the procession began and before the graveside service as well. Not even small children spoke, apparently aware of the special moment they were seeing.

Raymond had been assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

From the Swampscott Reporter

Related Link:
Swampscott soldier killed in Iraq (Jared Raymond)