OAKFIELD, Maine — “The Great War” was to be “the war to end all wars.” But, when the Allied Powers and Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, it was, in fact, not the end. It became World War I claiming a total of 37 million military and civilian casualties. Of that number, 21 million were wounded and 16 million died.
American Legion post named for local hero
Among the Allies’ nearly six million military deaths was Lt. Frank B. Holden of Oakfield. He died from combat wounds and pneumonia in France in 1918 just a few months shy of his 24th birthday. According to records of American Legion Post 52 in Oakfield, Holden’s last letter to his mother in October, indicated that he had been assigned to the 57th Infantry Brigade.
Young Holden was born and reared in Oakfield by Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Holden. He attended Ricker Classical Institute and the University of Maine where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.
When Holden entered the service, it was as a member of the Second Maine Regimental Band where he was promoted to first-class musician. After attending officer training school and earning a commission, Holden was assigned to the 103rd Infantry Brigade prior to his re-assignment to the 57th.
Holden’s regiment fought the enemy under fire facing stiff opposition near Verdun when he died. He was buried with his comrades in Flanders Field — a battlefield immortalized in one of the most notable poems written during World War I. That poem, entitled “In Flanders Fields,” was written after John McCrae witnessed the death and presided over the funeral of his friend, Lt. Alexis Helmer.
As heroes emerged from the devastation of “The Great War,” the name Frank B. Holden rose in Oakfield’s consciousness when returning veterans banded together to ask for an American Legion charter. The charter was granted on Sept. 22, 1919. The small community chose to name American Legion Post 52 for the young soldier who had given his life in service for his country.
New life for an old building
At the core of the Post’s mission is service to veterans. Members and volunteers have been renovating the building and planning a veterans memorial. Until the renovations are completed they have been meeting at the Smoki Haulers Snowmobile Club. “No work had been done at that post for about 20 years and it was falling down around their ears. I got them excited and we put a lot of work into it,” said Adjutant James Burton. “We put new sills under the building. We did some inside work. We put in a new furnace and a new water pump.”
Burton said donations of money and labor from veterans in town have underwritten the repairs. New windows, he added, will be installed in the spring along with new ceilings in the kitchen and furnace room. “People are beginning to see what we are doing and that we have taken an interest,” Burton continued. He added that he and fellow members are encouraging other veterans to join the post. “Right now we have 62 members and we are all in our 60s and 80s. Dues are $23.50 a year. And, the ladies are trying to start a ladies’ auxiliary.”
The post is represented at district meetings and conventions as well at official ceremonies and events. Fellow veterans receive support through services including fuel assistance, Christmas dinner baskets and help with mortgage or electric bills, according to Burton. The town even gets support through clean-up projects.
Planned veterans memorial
Another recognition of the contribution of veterans to the country is Post 52’s plan to erect a veterans memorial. Members of Post 52 are offering residents an opportunity to support the project through paver bricks they are selling in two sizes.
“We spent last winter gathering up names of veterans. We have over 800 names from the Civil War to the present. We’re going to build a veterans war memorial and we kicked it off last spring with an Easter supper to announce what we are doing. To date, we have roughly a little over $10,000 in the fund for the memorial,” Burton explained. Although a definite location has not been finalized, Burton said that it will be somewhere in the area of Oakfield and Smyrna. In keeping with the post’s philosophy, he added: “All gave some and some gave all. And, we don’t forget them.”
For more information on Post 52, contact Burton at 532- 8238.
