December 23, 2024
Column

‘Service pages’ gave due to troops

It was Kaye Sakahara who several years ago wrote to tell me that Nov. 22, 1943, had been Abbot’s “day” in the Bangor Daily News. My dad was among the 44 servicemen from that town honored with Abbot in the newspaper.

Sangerville’s day, I knew from grandmother Edith Steeves’ scrapbook, was Jan. 3, 1944.

So three years ago Family Ties began, with the help of readers, to compile a list of towns that were so honored during the war years.

The list has grown markedly since then, most recently with considerable help from BDN librarian Charlie Campo. Here is the list of World War II “service pages” as we have it:

. Danforth, Dec. 1, 1942.

. Brownville, Dec. 7, 1942

. East Millinocket, Jan. 8, 1943.

. Van Buren, Jan. 26, 1943.

. Fort Kent, Feb. 10, 1943.

. Millinocket, Feb. 23, 1943.

. Mount Desert, March 9, 1943.

. Lincoln, March 22, 1943.

. Milo, March 26, 1943.

. Wytopitlock, April 1, 1943.

. Limestone, April 13, 1943.

. Winterport, April 20, 1943.

. Medway, April 22, 1943.

. St. Francis, April 27, 1943.

. Madawaska and environs, May 4, 1943.

. Hampden, May 11, 1943.

. Howland-Enfield, May 18, 1943.

. Corinna, May 25, 1943.

. Orono, May 31, 1943.

. Stockholm, June 8, 1943.

. Island Falls, June 15, 1943.

. Stockton Springs, June 17, 1943.

. Winn, Chester, Woodville, June 22, 1943.

. Harrington, June 24, 1943.

. Woodland (Baileyville), June 29, 1943.

. Dennysville, July 6, 1943.

. Guilford, July 13, 1943.

. Greenville, July 20, 1943.

. Dover-Foxcroft, July 27, 1943.

. Orrington, Aug. 3, 1943.

. Frankfort, Aug. 10, 1943.

. Seboeis, Aug. 12, 1943.

. Brownville Junction, Aug. 17, 1943.

. Jonesport, Aug. 24, 1943.

. Patten, Aug. 31, 1943.

. Hodgdon, Sept. 7, 1943.

. Eagle Lake, Sept. 14, 1943.

. Carroll, Sept. 21, 1943.

. Newport, Sept. 28, 1943.

. Corinth, Oct. 5, 1943.

. Stacyville, Oct. 6, 1943.

. Parkman, Oct. 11, 1943.

. Shirley, Oct. 13, 1943.

. Lee, Oct. 14, 1943.

. Springfield, Webster, Lakeville; Nov. 1, 1943, & Nov. 2, 1943.

. Dedham, Nov. 2, 1943.

. Cutler, Nov. 3, 1943.

. Portage, Nov. 8, 1943.

. Greenbush, Nov. 10, 1943.

. Carmel, Nov. 15, 1943.

. Hermon, Nov. 16, 1943.

. Abbot, Nov. 22, 1943.

. Lubec, Nov. 25, 1943.

. Pittsfield, Nov. 25, 1943.

. Pembroke, Dec. 1, 1943.

. Passadumkeag, Dec. 7, 1943.

. Milford, Dec. 20, 1943.

. Prospect, Dec. 27, 1943.

. Etna, Dec. 30, 1943.

. Sangerville, Jan. 3, 1944.

. Glenburn, Jan. 4, 1944

. St. John, Jan. 5, 1944.

. Gouldsboro, Jan. 13, 1944.

. Hudson, January 18, 1944.

. Brooklin, Jan. 25, 1944.

. University of Maine, Feb. 4, 1944.

. Harmony, Feb. 8, 1944

. Daigle, Feb. 23, 1944.

. Ashland, March 1, 1944.

. Veazie, April 13, 1944.

. Sedgwick, May 1, 1944.

. Burlington, May 5, 1944.

. Plymouth, May 17, 1944.

. Monson, May 26, 1944.

. Former B&A Railroad employees, May 30, 1944.

. Topsfield, June 6, 1944.

. Cherryfield, June 19, 1944.

. Bridgewater, June 26, 1944.

. Dixmont, July 5, 1944.

If you find a page that interests you, you can photocopy it in pieces by going to a library that has the Bangor Daily News on microfilm: Bangor Public Library, University of Maine Fogler Library, University of Maine at Presque Isle, Maine State Library. Ask your local librarian where the nearest set of BDN on microfilm is.

Keep in mind that each town page is not complete. Many more people joined the military service after the pages were published.

If you know of a town page from the BDN that is not listed here, do let us know so we can add it to the list.

We close with the names of the 44 from Abbot as they were listed in the Bangor Daily News on Nov. 22, 1943:

Lester Boutilier, Bernard Bennett, Anton Brown, Thomas Brown, Mervyn Brown, Kenneth Brasier, Gilbert Crabtree, Howard Crabtree, Colby Crabtree, Richard Carr, Clifton Carr Jr., Dana Carr, James Davidson, Andrew Duffy, Douglas Ellis Jr., Giles Fogg, Warren Fogg, Guy French Jr., George Fitzsimmons, Guy Fitzsimmons, Stephen Flaherty, Willie Goodridge, Ervin Hunt, Ralph Harmon, Clifford Harmon, Elmer Jewett, Harold Jewett, Gayland Moore Jr., Byron Norton, Basil Patterson, Vern Patterson, Guy Patterson, Frank Patterson, Stanley Patterson, E. Lewis Page, Fleetwood Pride Jr., Waldon Pride, Malcolm Page, Walter Stone, Amos Skidgell, Blair Thomas, Clyde Tompkins, Robert Tompkins and C. Lewis Weymouth.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or familyti@bangordailynews.net.

Correction: The Fort Kent date has been changed to reflect the correct date of publication. CAC

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