MILTON -- A 21 gun salute and taps filled the air at the funeral of Staff Sgt. Thomas Baysore Jr.
Friends and family attending his funeral on Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Milton said that military service was truly his passion.
His brother-in-law recalled how the Army transformed "Tommy" from a "wild child" to an ideal soldier.
"It was definitely good for him. It gave him structure, and a direction, and things he needed to do, and he did very well," said Keith Maibus.
Baysore's magnetic smile served him well during his three years as a recruiter in Harrisburg. His colleague 1st Sgt. Jeffrey Martin said, "How he interacted with people, in the community, you could tell he was genuinely concerned about what they wanted and what they needed and showed them how the Army could help them."
Baysore loved soccer, snowboarding, and most of all his family. His wife Jamie said their 5 year old son Darren is struggling to understand what happened to his dad.
"He is still thinking that God is going to let him come down to give him a hug and play trains," said Jamie.
Though Baysore thrived in the military, when it came time to leave for his third tour of duty, he told his family he believed he would not return.
Jamie Baysore said before he left he tried to get her ready for life on her own.
"He kept trying to tell me how to do things and to be prepared, and I just didn't listen," said Jamie.
Baysore's premonition proved true on September 26 when he was killed in Afghanistan.
His father, a Navy veteran Thomas Baysore Sr. said,"I told him if you are going to go down, go down fighting and that is exactly what he did."
Baysore will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.