WWI HONORED FOR BRAVERY Raymond Badger, Gilbertsville, NY

Badger, Raymond WWI  HONORED FOR BRAVERY

Editor of the Journal: By your courtesy may I pay my tribute of respect and honor to Raymond Badger, who has honored us all by his record as a soldier on the battlefields of France? In times of peace and in the common round of daily life we do not suspect that many of our fellow citizens are true heroes, capable of great deeds of daring and self-sacrifice. Unusual occasions, like fire or flood or tornado, or war are a trumpet call to the front of these hidden qualities. Who would have prophesied before the war that our boy, Raymond, would come back from the other side of the world wearing decorations for distinguished efficiency and bravery on the battlefields, which for centuries will be memorable in history?

Raymond was a Corporal, in time of action, an Orderly. The names suggest little of the glory of war, but when the battle is on the names become instantly electric. The Orderly is at once a central nerve in the terrific action. He must convey messages back and forth between headquarters and the front. Any failure here may mean disaster to the entire army. The enemy accordingly concentrates upon the messenger, this most deadly fire and strategy of capture. They know that he is the bearer of precious secrets. Few positions in the ranks demand such coolness, swiftness and daring. That order must be delivered though death stand in the way. In such a service as this the qualities which we never suspected in our modest, unassuming Gilbertsville boy came to leadership. The soldier in him answered the call of duty with such steadiness, adriotness and courage that he became a marked man among his commanding officers. By distinguished efficiency and valor he won his honors in the most exacting and dangerous service. In his office as Corporal his duties were discharged with such thoroughness and accuracy as to win the most cordial approval of all whom he served.

We, citizens of Gilbertsville, honor ourselves in doing honor to one who has proved himself so worth a type of the American soldier.

James H. Ecob.

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Addendum:  Raymond's WWI  Draft Registration: from Chenango County, NY.   He would have been 21 years old:  

WWI Draft Registration--Short, slender, blue eyes, brown hair. Lived on Conkey Ave, Norwich, NY.   Employed at Borden's Condensed Milk Plant. 

According to my Ancestry.com bio of Raymond, he is buried in Celina, Ohio.  His father was Sprague Badger and his mother was Ida Bell (Herrick) Badger.  She was my Great Grandmother's sister.  His parents have Find A Grave memorials at Brookside Cemetery, Gilbertsville, Otsego County, NY
 His Mother's Find a Grave Memorial:Find A Grave Memorial for Ida Bell (Herrick) Badger