BANGOR, Maine — Hundreds of people — some holding American flags or signs in honor of Capt. John “Jay” Brainard III — turned out to pay tribute to the fallen soldier Thursday as his motorcade made its way from Bangor to his hometown of Newport.

“Coming through Bangor and seeing people on the sides of the road with flags and signs saying, ‘We love you, Captain Brainard’ — it was the most wonderful thing,” Brainard’s mother, Susan Phelps, said after the procession ended.

She quietly thanked the Maine State Police, who led the escort, the 30 or so Maine Patriot Guard Riders and the people who came out to pay silent tribute to her son, who died on Memorial Day when the Apache helicopter he was piloting went down in Afghanistan.

John Brainard II, Jay’s father, said the entire family is grieving. He said he also wanted to send his gratitude along to those who paid tribute to his son.

“We’re saddened and definitely honored and thankful to the people of this country, especially the people of Maine,” he said.

Jay Brainard, 26, was a 2004 graduate of Foxcroft Academy and a 2008 graduate of the University of Maine, where he earned the rank of U.S. Army lieutenant through the ROTC program.

Brainard was born in Waterville. Since the age of 11, he had lived with his maternal aunt and uncle, Donald and Nancy White.

His funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church, 64 Free St., Dexter.