GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI — A West Lafayette native who gave his life for his country recently had a fitness center named for him at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Mississippi. 

Builder Chief Petty Officer Raymond J. Border was killed by an improvised explosive device on Oct. 19, 2011, in Patika Province, Afghanistan, while serving during Operating Enduring Freedom. 

Raymond Border

More than 400 people attended a ceremony, where the building’s name and a plaque were unveiled at the entrance of the Raymond J. Border Fitness Center. More than 1,000 people viewed the ceremony as it streamed live on the NCBC Facebook’s page. 

This was the first building on base named after a Seabee who died in action while serving during Operation Enduring Freedom. The Seabees, which celebrate their 80th anniversary this year, were formed during the outset of the United States entry into World War II and serve as the construction arm of the U.S. Navy.

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