Sgt. Major Raymond Jones traveled 9,700 miles from Vietnam to supervise a benefit barbeque in the tradition of his father, the late John W. Jones, a member of the Marion Lion’s club which sponsored the event.
The veteran of 20 years and 4 months service is quick to explain that the 20,000 mile round trip from his post 70 miles north of Saigon was not for the barbeque affair alone, but he did arrange his 30 day leave to coincide with the benefit staged by the Lion’s Club and the Gent Addition Improvement Association.
Proceeds of the affair which will be divided equally between the Lion’s Club and the association for its benevolences have already totaled more than $1,000 according to Lion’s chairman Bill Young, and more money is still being turned in from sales of tickets in the hands of members.
But returning for the benefit barbeque as he did this year and this since his father’s death is not the extent of Sgt. Jones’ good work. In Vietnam, he has been the leader in the establishment and operation of an orphanage for little victims of the war.
“We found 29 children and built them an orphanage”, he said “My men go to visit with them on Sunday, and when the forecast of security conditions in the vicinity of Hue permits, we include them in our Sunday church services. Last year we tried to provide Christmas for them”
Jones told the Lions that the men of the 4th Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division who maintain the orphanage need supplies of clothing for youngsters, especially the little girls.
The Marion veteran of service in both Korea and Vietnam has completed a year in Southeast Asia and had six months to serve there when he came home on leave.
The only Negro sergeant major in the 101st Division, Jones wears many decorations from both his own and foreign governments. He has been awarded the Bronze Star three times, the Air Medal four times, the Army Commendation three times and the Good Conduct Medal six times. He has been decorated by both the South Korean and Vietnamese governments and has won the United Nations decoration for five campaigns. He holds Korean citations and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with star and palm and numerous other citations.
His other decorations include medals attesting to his qualification as an expert in the use of every Artillery piece used by his Division, including aerial rocket artillery with which the 4th Battalion is equipped. He has also qualified as an expert in use of hand weapons.
For fourteen years he has been qualified as an expert driver of military vehicles, an accomplishment which provoked some kidding from members of the Lion’s Club who rode with him in a truck hauling hot hams to the benefit barbecue. He explained that the hauling of hot barbecue dictated rapid transit.
(Glances at Life, Homer Butler, October 3, 1970)