Marine Lance Corporal Brandon T. Lara made his final trip home Sunday, not alone, but accompanied by hundreds of Texans.
A mile-long caravan of family, friends, bikers and police escorted the 20-year-old’s body from Randolph Air Force base in San Antonio to his hometown of New Braunfels.
Lara was killed July 19 supporting combat operations in the Al-Anbar province in Iraq.
Hundreds of people lined the roadways from San Antonio to New Braunfels, standing in groups or by their cars with American flags, hands held over their hearts or clasped solemnly behind their backs. Fire and EMS vehicles blocked overpasses, their occupants standing at attention or draping flags from the railings as Lara’s body passed beneath them.
It was clear that even though the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have slipped from the forefront of American consciousness, those who have died serving their country are far from forgotten.
Civilians, local police, firefighters and military personnel on the Loop 337 overpass provided an official welcome home to New Braunfels as the caravan exited Interstate 35 and proceeded to Zoeller Funeral Home.
There, beneath the stars and stripes flown from New Braunfels’ ladder truck, more than 100 people looked on as a Marine Corps honor guard conveyed Lara’s casket inside.
Family members said serving with the Marines was a life long dream for Lara, beginning when he was a young boy.
“He had long waited for his 18th birthday so he could join,” father Jacob Lara said. “When his classmates were walking the stage, Brandon was serving his first tour.”
Lara volunteered for his second tour, his father said.
“He was full of life – he never got in trouble, but he was mischievous,” Jacob Lara said. “His personality was amazing and he had that effect on people that just drew them to him.”
Lara’s father said he was amazed at the outpouring of support he witnessed during the trip from San Antonio to New Braunfels.
“I texted my children and said this is beautiful and wonderful, and I told them they should be very proud of their brother,” he said. “My son texted me back and said ‘You should be the proudest daddy in the world.’”
“I am,” he said emotionally. “Not only did I raise a good son, I raised a Marine.”
Lara’s grandfather, Jacob Sr., spent 26 years in the Army, and supported Lara’s decision to join the Marines.
“He wanted to be a man and he wanted to be a Marine,” said Jacob, Sr. “I’m very proud of him for serving his country and I’m proud of his mother and father for giving me a beautiful grandson. It hurts me a lot, and sometimes I wish I could go back and say ‘don’t go’ but I could never have done that to him, because that’s what he really wanted.”
At least 100 people came to pay their respects Sunday evening during the public visitation hours. Lara will be buried Monday at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery with full military honors.
“My heart goes out to the Lara family,” said Placido Salizar, a Vietnam veteran who attended Lara’s departure from Randolph. Salizar lost his grandson in combat in 2003.
“We went what they are going through and it’s something we live forever,” he said as he stood by himself with a large American flag propped on his crutches. “I do not agree with the war but that does not diminish the heroism of our troops.”
