THE SCOTTISH RITE JOURNAL--ARTICLE--MAY 1990--ARLAVELE.MAY

                 A Victim of the Tragedy in Panama


     The death of Ill... Brother Raymond Monroe Dragseth, 33, is
directly attributable to the political situation in Panama over the
past two years.  He was abducted by members of the Panama Defense
Forces (PDF) at approximately 2:00 a.m. on the morning of December
20, 1989, as troops of the United States were engaged in the first
hours of Operation Just Cause which liberated the Republic of
Panama from the tyranny and despotism of General Manuel Antonio
Noriega.  
     The reasons that Brother Dragseth was singled out for
abduction are unclear.  He did live in the city of Panama and not
in the former Canal Zone or Panama Canal area, and because of that
he was more readily accessible than were other Americans.  He lived
in the affluent residential community, known as Punta Paitilla, in
an high-rise complex which housed several American families who
were associated with agencies of the United States Government.  
     It is a well-known fact that Noriega and the PDF had lists of
Americans who resided in and outside the Panama Canal area.  The
PDF's reported intention was to start a systematic campaign of
terror which included the execution of all Americans on the lists. 
It also has been reported that Brother Dragseth was on the lists. 
For that matter, I have been told that I was also on the lists. 
Intelligence of these lists and their purpose was supposed to have
been one of the reasons that the United States took the military
action it did.
     When the three members of the PDF knocked on the door of the
Dragseth apartment at around 2:00 a.m., Mrs. Dragseth, Victoria,
answered the door, and the PDF told her that they wanted her
husband.  She immediately shut and locked the door.  She and Mr.
Dragseth hid in their bedroom and refused to answer again the
repeated poundings on the door, hoping that the members of the PDF
would give up and go away.  The PDF then forced their way into the
apartment and took Brother Dragseth into custody.  Mrs. Dragseth
and her daughter, who was home from college, pleaded with the PDF
not to take Brother Dragseth, but to no avail.  
     Just as they took him into custody, the electricity in the
complex was cut off and the PDF abductors became very nervous. 
The other Americans in the complex lived on the floors above the
Dragseth apartment, and Mrs. Dragseth assumes that the reason they
did not pursue the others is because the electricity went off. 
The PDF took Brother Dragseth forcibly down the stairs, made him
get into a car they had waiting and then drove away.  That was the
last time his family or anyone else in the American community saw
Brother Dragseth alive.
     For a period of seven full days the family was frantic because
there was no word of Brother Dragseth.  This was especially
bothersome when all of the other known hostages had been safely
recovered by the end of this period.  In desperation, Mrs. Dragseth
put her plea for help on the air.   M...W... Rodolfo Endara, the Grand
Master of Panama, and I were actively involved with every official
we know of trying to enlist aid in searching for Brother Dragseth. 
     As time passed, the reality that Brother Dragseth might well
not be found alive dominated all of our thoughts.  His family
members and the Brethren, however, were relentless in their search
for him, reacting to and following up on each and every report. 
Finally, on Wednesday, December 27th, the family was told that
there was a possibility that Brother Dragseth's body was in the
public hospital, Santo Thomas, in Panama City.  They went there and
were told that there had been a body of an American there, but that
it had been taken along with six other bodies to be buried. 
     Fortunately, when they had buried the remains they had buried
the American body in a separate grave because they figured it would
probably be exhumed.  The morgue did have the clothes that were
taken off the body, and Mrs. Dragseth identified them as belonging
to her husband.  The family obtained the necessary orders to exhume
the remains the next day, at which time Mrs. Dragseth identified
the body.  
     Brother Dragseth had been shot point blank to the head.
     The body was cremated and the family held three memorial
services for Brother Dragseth.  The first was a Catholic mass in
Spanish held in Panama City on January 4th.  The second was a
Catholic mass in English held in the Canal area on January 5th. 
Finally, his Lodge, Balboa Lodge, A...F... & A...M..., working under the
jurisdiction on the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, held a Masonic
Memorial Service at the Scottish Rite Temple in Balboa immediately
following the mass on January 5th.  It was my privilege as the
District Grand Master at the Panama Canal of the Grand Lodge of
Massachusetts, and the Deputy of the Supreme Council at the Panama
Canal, to deliver the eulogy during the Masonic service.
     Brother Dragseth's death was senseless.  It was the vicious
act of the desperate despot, Noriega, who unleased his troops and
so-called Dignity Battalions (who were nothing more than ruthless
thugs) to pillage, maim, and murder all Americans and every
Panamanian who was not loyal to him.  Noriega fell, but he fell at
a tremendous price.  The value of Brother Dragseth's life cannot
be measured in the terms of dollars to his family, his community,
his profession or the Masonic Fraternity, but to all of us who knew
him, his death raises the real cost of the capture of Noriega and
the liberation of Panama immeasurably.  
     There is a special place in our hearts and the hearts of all
mankind for this man who had the patience, ability, drive,
dedication and God-given gift to teach and influence our lives and
the lives of our children.  Ray Dragseth touched literally
thousands of our young people.  He was the kind of teacher who
motivated, excited and challenged young people to learn--not only
in school, but in our Masonic youth organizations as well.  I know
of few people who will ever be able to say honestly that they
affected the lives of more young people in such a positive manner. 
The work of his hands was indeed blessed, and his legacy will
endure and triumph in the lives and achievements of those fine
young people who will profit immeasurably from the touch of his
gentle guiding hand and who will be a part of those who will one
day be the leaders of the United States and the Republic of Panama.
     Grand Commander Albert Pike, whose writings and rituals Ray
adored, wrote: "Alone, the mind wrestles with the great problem of
calamity, and seeks the solution from the Infinite Providence of
Heaven, and thus is lead directly to God."  We must in this dark
hour turn to our God, we must seek solace in His promise of eternal
life and bear in mind that our Worshipful Brother is at God's side,
at peace with this world and prepared to assume that which has been
appointed unto him. 
     We love him for what he was, for what he accomplished, and for
what he meant to each of us.  We may never understand why Ray was
touched by the brutality of despotic power, but Mason and non-Mason
alike will remember him in a very loving and brotherly way.
     Brethren and my friends, no eulogy can adequately portray the
qualities of our Brother, but it is our sincere hope that these
words will aid us to sustain his memory and do justice to the gifts
that he shared with us.  It only remains to say: Farewell my true
and faithful Brother, take God's hand and find eternal peace!

[Editor's Note: This article was excerpted from a eulogy written
and delivered by Right Worshipful Charles R. Lavallee, 33, Deputy
of The Supreme Council, Orient of the Panama Canal, on January 5,
1990, at the Scottish Rite Temple, Balboa, Republic of Panama.  The
group suspected of abducting and killing Brother Dragseth has been
taken into custody.  Let us hope that justice will be served.]

___________________________________________________________________
It was the PDF's intention to start a systematic campaign of terror
which included the execution of all Americans on the list.

Brother Dragseth had been shot point blank to the head.

Brother Dragseth's death was senseless.  It was the vicious act of
the desperate despot, Noriega, who unleased his troops and so-
called Dignity Battalions (who were nothing more than ruthless
thugs) to pillage, maim, and murder all Americans and every
Panamanian who was not loyal to him.

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