History of American Legion – Lee Graham Post 97 – Howland, Maine
In the year 1917 Private Lee Graham was 22 years old and serving his country in France during the First World War. He was corresponding with his brothers, Arthur, who had also been serving in the Armed Forces since 1914 with the 49th Battalion and his eldest brother, Ernest, who was serving in the Armed Forces in Canada. Their letters to each other were heart felt, often speaking of family and friends, and the brothers obviously relied on each other for support.
In one of Lee’s letters to Ernest in October Lee mentioned that he was currently living in the trenches of Belgium, sleeping in a hole in the ground like a ‘gopher’. Lee also mentioned that he had recently seen Arthur, whom he described as doing well however had ‘changed a lot’ and told Ernest that Arthur only had a few days left before his next leave. Lee stated that he needed to stop writing so that he could clean his rifle and asked Ernest to send chewing tobacco to Arthur if he could, as when he saw Arthur he had mentioned that he was out.
Lee, Arthur and Ernest frequently wrote to each other keeping each other appraised of where each were currently stationed, the conditions they were serving in and how the war was progressing for each. They also spoke of friends who were serving and would regularly update each other if anyone had come across people they knew and hoped everyone continued to be safe.
On November 7 of 1917 the correspondences between the brothers was interrupted by a letter to their mother, Harriet Graham, from the armed services notifying her of her son Lee’s untimely death.
On October 30, 1917 Private Lee Graham, who was a machine gunner, gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country when he was struck by shell fire while advancing on the enemy during an attack on what was known as the Second Battle of Passchendaele Ridge, otherwise known as the Third Battle of Ypres in West Flanders, Belgium. The battle had been ongoing from July through November of 1917.
In one of many letters to his family by American, Canadian and British Armed Forces and from his comrades Lee was described as a ‘brave’ and ‘good’ soldier and gave his life for the great cause of Human Liberty. One comrade wrote to Lee’s mother, “Lee had his face to the enemy and experienced a glorious death of a brave soldier”.
Lee’s mother Harriet, following the death of her child, wrote to her son Ernest not knowing if he’d been informed as of yet saying she was glad that Lee’s death was instant and that the enemy had not captured him. She also stated she was having difficulty writing the letter and hoped Lee was safe in Heaven.
On December 19, 1917 the Bangor Daily News carried the story of Lee’s death in honor of his mother Harriet. The story made mention of the many letters that Lee wrote and received from his family members during his service.
In 1926 the Town of Howland named its American Legion Post #97 after Lee Graham.
In total, the Graham family saw four sons serve their respective countries, with two serving for the American Armed Forces, one for the Canadian Armed Forces and one in the British Army.
Lee Graham is one of many names listed on a wooden structure memorial that was erected in 1976 and stands in the Howland Veteran’s Memorial Park. The memorial lists the names of brave men and women who resided in Howland at the time of their enlistment and who have served their country from the Civil War to the Vietnam War.
The current memorial, with its wooden structure, has deteriorated, leans to one side and tragically no longer serves as a monument that is worthy of the names listed on it, nor does it list the names of individuals that have and continue to serve since the Vietnam era.
About three years ago the American Legion in Howland began the task of fundraising to erect a new monument for the men and women who have served our great nation from the Town of Howland. The estimated cost of the new black and gray marbled monument is $30,000.00. To date the Legion has managed to raise approximately $11,000.00 through fund-raising activities and through private donations. Unfortunately the fund raising efforts have been slow in coming and many veterans have watched the surrounding recreational park and trail system receive improvements but are still waiting for their monument to be erected.
The new monument will carry the names of approximately 500 men and woman who have served with the Armed Forces, with space to continue to add names as more volunteers enlist and more battles are fought. The Town has an ongoing effort in place to seek the names of those who are or have served that need to be added to the existing names for the new monument. The new monument will sit on a new, lighted platform where the existing wooden monument stands today and will be built by SMET Monuments of New Brunswick.
