SWAMPSCOTT — It’s been more than 16 years since Marine Capt. Jennifer J. Harris was killed in action when the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter was shot down in Baghdad.
With so much time gone by, it would have been easy to let Harris’ memory fall away to the annals of history. But Swampscott has not forgotten her sacrifice, a fact made clear by a somber ceremony held Sunday morning at the memorial dedicated to Harris at Windsor Avenue and Foster Road.
The ceremony, organized by The Marine Corps League Honorable Few, drew a crowd of a few dozen residents as well as state Sen. Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn) and state Rep. Jenny Armini (D-Marblehead). The intimate nature of the ceremony only added to its power, as members of the Honorable Few planted flags on the memorial to honor the lives lost when Harris’ helicopter was shot down on Feb. 7, 2007, and when another Purple Fox helicopter was shot down 38 years earlier, in 1969.
Harris’ father, Ray, watched the ceremony play out from the crowd, and in a brief interview following the event, he said the experience of losing his daughter remains painful.
“It’s very hard for me to go through this,” he said, adding he felt the ceremony was wonderful and indicative of the warm embrace he received from neighbors and the town itself. “We’ll never forget.”
The event Sunday morning featured brief speeches from members of the Honorable Few and the Director for Lynn/Swampscott Veterans’ Services Mike Sweeney, all of whom emphasized the importance of keeping the memories alive of those who have served.
Honorable Few Commandant James Summers said veterans are often thanked for their service on Memorial Day, leaving them to remind others of the true meaning of the day.
“This is not what this is about. I am here and I am the fortunate one. Think about those who couldn’t be here today, because they gave their sacrifice,” Summers said. “This is what keeps us going is to see the support of our community, the support of those around us.”
Sweeney praised the work the town has done to rally around the families who have lost loved ones in war, citing Jackie Raymond, whose son, Jared, was killed in action in Iraq in September of 2006, and Ray Harris as “an inspiration.”
“This community comes together to honor them and to remember their families and to take care of them in times of need,” he said. “There’s nothing greater than that in this in this world. I want to … thank everyone for being here and continuing this incredible tradition.”
After the ceremony honoring Harris, members of the Honorable Few and a smaller group migrated to the corner of Essex Street and Swampscott Road, where a memorial sits in honor of Jared Raymond, for a more intimate ceremony commemorating his sacrifice.
There, Jackie Raymond, Sweeney, members of the Honorable Few, Select Board member MaryEllen Fletcher, and several first responders, once again planted flags, and laid a red, white and blue wreath.
The smaller ceremony featured few speeches, with Jackie Raymond thanking those who attended, and closed with two words offered by Alex Panos of the Honorable Few.
“Never forget,” he said. “Never never forget.”
