The Ladies Auxiliary to the
Frank L. Mitchell, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, Post 3335, Jay, Maine approached the veterans of 3335, in December of
1991 asking for the post's participation in a project they were planning. That
was to hold a dedication at the POW-MIA Remembrance Bridge, in Jay. The bridge
had been so named in 1987, by the request of VFW Auxiliary member Holly Dube
whose dream it was to have a monument near the bridge. Legislature approved the
name, but at the time no construction of the monument or ceremonies were held
because of a strike at International Paper and one of it's Unions. The bridge
is the main route to the paper mill.
A committee was formed
with two post members, John Dube and Timothy Getz, both Vietnam veterans, and
life members of the VFW post 3335. Also on the committee were VFW Auxiliary Life
Members, Holly Dube, Diane Getz, Betty Houle and Polly Darnell, who was Auxiliary
president at the time.
The main source of concern was finances..letters were composed
and sent to area businesses asking for donations and support. It was soon evident
that the entire community, Jay, Livermore Falls, Livermore, Canton and Fayette
wanted to become involved, for donations began arriving, especially from the
many volunteer organizations throughout the community. The two men of the
committee both work at Otis Specility Papers in Jay and felt their company could
help donate the material for the yard arm which was designed by Timothy Getz.
The request was met with great admiration. The company paid employees to
construct the yardarm, which was completed by Raymond St. Pierre. Otis also
furnished the paint and man power to spray several coats of paint on the yardarm.
Otis Repair Department was responsible for providing the men, the materials and
the construction of the form which would hold the yardarm. John and Tim also
participated in the construction of the form. Otis also provided the lazer
printing of the invitations.
When the commitee realized that the Maine Department of
Transportation has specifics (this area of the site sits on State owned property),
rules had to be follwed from the DEP and OSHA, the committee complied with them
all. Donated hay bales and stakes were placed near the sight to protect the
Androscoggin River and OSHA rules followed for safety.
Ken Finley of Livermore Falls, Owner of Finley Funeral Home
donated the two pieces of granite and the engraving. Clarence Gordon of Livermore,
Maine donated over 60 yards of fill to provide support around the cement form
before the cement could be poured. The additional cost of fill (145 yards) was a
major concern as was the cement (7yards). Contact was made with International
Paper Co, Jay through an employee, Jean Nadeau, who had suffered an almost life
threatening accident in California at the time, but he felt strongly about the
project and made calls to IP from his hosptial bed. Internatonal Paper responded
quickly, donating both fill and 3000 pounds of cement for the project. Landscape
stones were donated by Dragon Cement of Canton, Maine. Fencing was purchased from
the funds of donations as well as purchasing of the American flag, State of Maine
and the POW-MIA flags. Landscaping was done by the committee with small shrubs
purchased from the donations.
Invitations were mailed to dignitaries in Washington, D.C.,
Augusta, Maine (our capitol), local selectmen of the five towns (Jay, Livermore,
Livermore Falls, Canton and Fayette), and Otis and International paper companies.
Invitations were sent to dignitaries in the Department of Maine Veterans of
Foreign Wars and the Department of Maine Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of
Foreign Wars. Color guards were requested from the Lane-Dube AmVets Post 33 and
Auxiliary, Jay, American Legion and Auxiliary Post 10, Livermore Falls, Jay Fire
Department, Knights of Columbus, Jay, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and
Brownie Scouts. Anyone and everyone was asked to participate in the major goal
of the POW-MIA Remembrance Bridge Committee.
After five months of planning and worry about the one
thing in Maine that we cannot change, namely the weather, the committe
held their first dedication of the POW-MIA All Wars Monument on April
25, 1992. It would never have happened without the support of an entire
community who was still healing from a strike that crippled this area,
or the dedication of the POW-MIA Remembrance Bridge Committee, VFW Post
3335, and Ladies Auxiliary to get the job done.
Ceremonies are held on National POW-MIA Remembrance Day
every year on the third Friday in September. The United Bikers of Maine,
Franklin and Androscoggin County and their guests, are the committees
biggest supporters, and plan a POW-MIA bike run each year in conjunction
with the ceremony.
