Contributed by Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum
Description
In September 2003, this monument was placed on the site of the former Houlton Army Air Base. The Air Base was established in 1941 because of its proximity to Canada.
Prior to the United States entry into the war, planes were flown to Houlton Army Air Base but U.S. military pilots could not fly the planes directly into Canada, a British ally, because that would violate the official U.S. position of neutrality. Local farmers towed the planes across the border to Canada with their tractors.
In 1944 a major part of the air base was made into Camp Houlton, a Prisoner of War (POW) internment camp. The base was closed in 1946 after the prisoners were repatriated.
When the POWs returned home to Germany, conditions there were desperate. Some former POWs wrote letters to their former farm employers requesting assistance. Some farmers responded to these requests generously, establishing life long relationships.
This monument commemorates the role Houlton and Aroostook County played in World War Two and the human bonds that were created.
About This Item
- Title: Site of the Houlton Army Air Base, 2003
- Creation Date: 2003-12-12
- Subject Date: 2003-12-12
- Location: Camp Houlton, Houlton, Aroostook County, ME
- Media: Photographic print
- Dimensions: 10 cm x 15 cm
- Object Type: Image
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- United States. Army. Bases--Monuments
- World War, 1939-1945--Prisoners
- Prisoners of war--German--Maine--Houlton
- Internment camps--Maine--Houlton
- Camp Houlton (Me.)--Monuments
- Monuments--Maine--Houlton
Other Keywords
- Army Air Base
- Camp Houlton
- Canada
- Geneva Convention
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Houlton Army Air Base
- monument
- Nazi
- POW
- POW camp
- prisoners of war
For more information about this item, contact:
Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum109 Main Street, Houlton, ME 04730
207-532-4216
Website
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. No Permission is required to use the low-resolution watermarked image for educational use, or as allowed by the applicable copyright. For all other uses, permission is required.
Please post your comment below to share with others. If you'd like to privately share a comment or correction with MMN staff, please send us a message with this link.
