BANGOR, Maine — Capt. John “Jay” Brainard III of Newport will make his final trip home Thursday morning when his remains arrive at the Army Aviation Support Facility at Bangor International Airport.
Brainard died on Memorial Day when the Apache helicopter he was piloting went down while on patrol in Afghanistan. His funeral is Saturday.
His casket is scheduled to arrive at 9 a.m. Thursday in Bangor and, after plane-side honors, will be taken by motorcade to Newport.
Maine State Police will lead the procession, which also will include members of the Maine Patriot Guard Riders. The procession will make its way down Hammond Street to the southbound ramp of Interstate 95 and will take Exit 157 in Newport.
Brainard’s wake is 4-7 p.m. Friday at the Crosby & Neal Funeral Home, 117 Main St. in Newport, and his military funeral service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church, 64 Free St. in Dexter. He will be buried at Sawyer Cemetery in Plymouth.
Maine Patriot Guard Riders also will escort Brainard’s casket from the funeral home to the church and from the church to the cemetery, said Mike Edgecomb, the group’s state captain and a U.S. Navy veteran.
“We do it to show the family they’re not alone — we mourn with them — and to show the fallen officer respect,” he said.
Veterans from as far away as Massachusetts and New Hampshire plan to ride as part of Saturday’s services, Edgecomb said.
“We should have a real big turnout,” he said.
Brainard, 26, was a 2004 graduate of Foxcroft Academy and a 2008 graduate of the University of Maine, where he earned the rank of U.S. Army lieutenant through the ROTC program.
Brainard was born in Waterville to John and Susan (Bresnahan) Brainard but lived with his maternal aunt and uncle Donald and Nancy White starting at the age of 11, Capt. Shanon Cotta, spokesman for the Maine Army National Guard, has said.
He was an active-duty helicopter pilot with Headquarters Company of the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, based in Katterbach, Germany, and deployed with the unit to Afghanistan on April 30.
Last week, soldiers in his unit held a Task Force Gunslinger Memorial Service for Brainard and Chief Warrant Officer Five John C. Pratt, 51, of Springfield, Va., who also died in the helicopter crash. A second memorial service was held in their honor in Germany for their brothers-in-arms and family members. Both services were captured in photos and posted on Facebook.
Brainard’s wife, Emily, and both of his parents will be presented with the military medals he earned by Brig. Gen. Michael Bills at the end of the wake. Those include the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal and a NATO Medal.
Command Sgt. Maj. Terrence Harris of the Maine National Guard also will present the three family members with the Maine Silver Star Honorable Service Medal and the Maine State Flag.
Brainard will be buried with full military honors, which will include a gun salute, honorary casket flag folding and the playing of taps.
At the end of the burial ceremony, the flag that draped Brainard’s casket will be presented to his wife and the Maine Select Honor Guard also will present Bills with three additional flags to give to Brainard’s mother, father and aunt.
I graduted with this fine young soldier, his memory will be honored by myself and my family, no greater sacrifice than to give your life for your fellow citizen and your country. Salute.
I feel your pain ! I too have a son that has served in Iraq and Afghanistan….and lost another son a accient at 22….I pray that God will be by your side to hold you all up…I know He will….Please remember this world is Not our home , God has a better hope and future for us …..I send hugs and love and prayers to you , Eda Stoll
Rest in Peace Capt. HooRaa!
My heart goes out to his family.
Continuing to keep your family in my prayers! Thank you for your sacrifice and his willingness to serve… RIP, soldier, job well done.
Welcome Home Brave young Soldier. Thank you for your love and service to this country. I don’t know you personally, But I respect you. Sleep well Brave Warrior.
Farewell to a great man, leader, and soldier, the world will surely miss out on his offerings! RIP my friend, and I’m sure I’ll catch up sometime.. Job well done, now rest easy.. You and your family have my thoughts and prayers with you in these impossible times..
I could not sleep last night because of this story. I am a former Army Infantry Operating Enduring Freedom Combat Veteran an there is nothing more heart wrenching than to see a brother in arms lose his life in combat. But I was also an enlisted soldier not an officer. How many Soldiers from Maine have lost their lives in war during OIF and OEF? Has every other soldier from the state of Maine who have lost their life fighting for this country given the same publicity and respect and the families awarded medals and there behalf and also have a senior ranked officer at their funeral or a Maine State Police escort from Bangor to there resting place as this soldier is getting? If this is only happening because he was an officer and not enlisted ill be even more upset, or is it that the family has requested all of this? I want to know if every soldier who have given there lives under much worse circumstances got the same treatment as this soldier. I would like to remind you that I have served this country and live with physical and mental scars of my service to this beautiful nation, and these scars allow me to have say and input about this situation.
You need to chill out bro. You should be ashamed of yourself for posting such a petty, jealous, and callous comment. MSP and the patriot riders have escorted many other fallen hero’s. The flags have flow @ half staff 60 times for Maine’s fallen sons.
If you really are a veteran then you should realize the military, the army in particular is steeped in deep tradition. Officers represent less then 20% of the armed forces and many traditions reflect the esteem this select cadre is held to. However, when they (commissioned officers) make the ultimate sacrifice they are missed no more or no less by those who loved them and knew them best. I knew jay and he could have been an e-1 and it wouldn’t change the sorrow I feel for his family and the loss to our community.
By no means was my intention to disrespect CPT Brainard or his family. Being the second brother of four brothers who have also served this country in my family, my thoughts and prayers are with CPT Brainards family. I would like to apologize for my impression my comment may have given that I am mad or upset for the Honors he has and will be given for his service to this country. As Gen. Patton said ” It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God such men have lived”. My intention was to have a better understanding of if the same steps in Honoring CPT Brainard and his family for his valiant service were happening at the families request or that of the State of Maine? Tom you said “60” of Maines sons have given there lives to protect this country. Some of which were also Officers and Senior enlisted which also are shown a great deal of respect in todays military. I would like to know if they also had the same honors given to them? or is this something that must be requested by the loved ones? And again my sincere apologies to CPT Brainards family and friends for any disrespect my previous comment may have presented in which was not my intention.
Any serviceman who dies doing their duty is entitled to a military service and honors. Being the first casualty in over a year and the fact it happened on memorial day I believe the BDN has definitely remained focused on this tragedy.
If memory recalls the last serviceman to die in the line of duty was a young man from the newport area who went to nokomis. I remember the BDN did several articles on him and he had a military funeral and such. I believe his rank was PFC.
Private First Class, Tyler Springmann. I am aware of what Soldiers past and present are entitled to for burials. I have had to sit down and make my own funeral arrangements and write a “Legacy letter” and make sure my body was sent to the right place and go over all of the plans with my wife and father in the case that I may not have made it home. I am going to assume that the passing of CPT Brainard being the first one in a year and that it happened on Memorial day is why BDN has written so much about it. And that the State of Maine or the Military or the family has taken so many steps for the correct way in Honoring a fallen Soldier. Hope steps like these were taken with other Soldiers from Maine and all across our Country who have also given their lives and selfless service to this country. Tom by steps I mean having a high ranking Officer and NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) present. And giving three flags to the family members. And also having all medals and ribbons earned presented to the family. I think this is the way every young man and woman of our Armed Forces who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom should be treated.
Tom – the Patriot Guard Riders have provided escorts. The Patriot Riders are a different organization. I know what you meant, but thought best to clarify.
This has nothing to do with CPT. Brainard’s rank and quite frankly, you should be ashamed of yourself. As a sister of a fallen soldier who was a SSG when he died, he was welcomed home by hundreds of people lining the streets, yellow ribbons posted on utility poles and trees along the route, and had every branch of the law enforcement community escorting him home. It has nothing to do with what rank a person is. It’s about welcoming home a fallen hero the way that they should be recognized. Have some respect.
TimOEF asks “Has every other soldier from the state of Maine who have lost their life fighting for this country given the same publicity and respect and the families awarded medals and there behalf and also have a senior ranked officer at their funeral or a Maine State Police escort from Bangor to there resting place as this soldier is getting”?
The answer is yes! As a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, I have been to almost every funeral service, officer and enlisted, and I have seen senior military officers at each one.
(The Patriot Guard Riders attend, and provide escort, only by the invitation of the family)
There have been Generals and other high ranking officers in attendance at several enlisted funerals. The Congressional Delegation, the Governor, and other State and local officials have been in attendance at enlisted and officer alike.
The National Guard has been present at most if not all funerals and have awarded the Maine Silver Star Honorable Service Medal and the Maine State Flag, to the families, regardless of rank.The Respect, Honors given, and the community support in Maine has been there regardless of rank or service at every service I have been to.
The Maine State Police, Sheriffs and local police have also provide escorts. The MSP does all escorts if it involves the interstate, and they have participated in most local escorts.
I believe the Maine count for losses is now at 52.
thanks for chiming in! sadly Jay brings the toll of fallen to 59 for maine since 2001.
Capt. Brainard Thank you; you have made the ultimate sacrifice! Thank you for all you have done, all you have given. I thank your family I feel thier pain. Please R.I.P. God Bless you and your family. God give His wife and family the strength to make it through these trying times.
Welcome home, Capt. Brainard. Thank you for your service, may you rest in peace.