Maine Memory Network

The threat of German U-boat, or submarine, attack was very real for coastal communities. Fortunately, vessels along the Maine coast were spared the dreaded wrath of the U-boat. However, other areas of the American coast were not so lucky.
This picture was taken by Sewall Merritt, a native of South Portland, from a life boat off the coast of New Jersey. Merritt was 2nd Mate aboard the Dorothy B. Barrett when she was hit by the German submarine U-117, one of the most successful U-boats to patrol the American coast.

Commercial vessels were often given advanced notice before being torpedoed by the German U-boats, but as the war dragged on, more attacks came without warning.

The American-made Colt M1895 machine gun was used as a training weapon by the A.E.F. during the first World War. By 1917, the American field machine gun of choice was the Hotchkiss M1914 and the Colt-Vickers M1915.

Designed in the early 1890s, the M1895 was used during the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars. It shot about 400 rounds per minute and weighed roughly 35 lbs. It was updated during WWI to the M1895/14 model, which became popular with the Russian army. A modified version, made by Colt and the Marlin Arms Corporation, was used by the American military in aircraft during WWI.

The M1895 is an air-cooled, gas-powered, belt-fed machine gun. It was nicknamed the “potato digger” because of the down-swinging, reciprocating lever underneath the barrel. As a result, the gun would dig into the earth if fired too low to the ground.
The first self-powered machine gun was invented in 1883 by Sir Hiram Maxim, a native of Sangerville, Maine. Using recoil technology, the ‘Maxim Gun’ was the first weapon to load automatically. It was patented in England, where the inventor lived during the second half of his life.

While attending Harvard, Raymond Stanley of Kingfield, Maine enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves in May of 1917. In addition, he leased his own vessel, known as the U.S.S. Empress, to the U.S. Navy for $1 per month. Known as “Armed Yachts,” private vessels patrolled the American coastline during the Spanish-American War, as well as WWI and II.

After serving along the Maine coast, Stanley enlisted in the Naval Aviation Corp. He is pictured here in his aviator uniform. He was discharged by the Aviation Corp after his evaluation determined he was color blind. Undeterred, Stanley enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corp, where he illustrated aviation manuals for military pilots. Cpl. Stanley was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army on January 21, 1919.

Landscape photograph of Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth at the start of the first World War. Established in 1872, the batteries were built in 1898. Ft. Williams served as a sub-post to Fort Preble located at Spring Point in South Portland.

Fort Williams became fully manned when WWI broke out, hosting Coast Artillery Corps and Maine National Guard in preparation for potential air raids coming from overseas.

A disappearing gun, added to the Fort Williams battlements before World War I, is pictured manned by National Guard members stationed at the fort in Cape Elizabeth to protect the country's coast lines before, during and after America's official involvement in World War I.

The four men pictured on the left do not appear to be in uniform, and it is likely they are members of the Coast Artillery Corps, who were recruited for weapon and machinery installation. The man pictured on the right may be overseeing the work, due to his being in uniform and carrying a clipboard.

Fort Levett on Cushing Island was one of the prominent manned military forts in the Greater Portland Area during World War I. Soldiers are pictured in training formation uniformed and with guns. They appear to be instructed by six leaders.

Other active forts were Fort Preble in South Portland, Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth, and Fort Mckinley on Great Diamond Island.

On these sites, soldiers were housed and trained in preparation for America's potential involvement in the war, which occurred by April of 1917, and to act as a national guard should any attacks have made their way stateside.

The city of Portland’s population increased dramatically during World War I, largely due to the influx of soldiers at Casco Bay military installations. Forts located in Cape Elizabeth, South Portland, Cushing Island, Great Diamond Island, House Island and even Cow Island, played a role in coastal defense. Maine’s proximity to Europe made it vulnerable to attack by sea or by air, and as a result, coastal defense was increased even before America joined the war. In addition to Portland, the Coast Artillery Corps also manned Fort Baldwin in Phippsburg.

Examples of coastal defense included the wireless station at Fort Levett and the disappearing guns at Fort Williams. A disappearing gun was a piece of heavy artillery able to retract to avoid detection or evade direct fire.

Jane Jeffery was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for her bravery while serving as a Red Cross nurse attached to the U.S. Army. While serving at a military hospital in Seine-et-Marne, France, on July 15, 1918, Jeffery was severely wounded during an air raid but refused to abandon her post. The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military award, second only to the Medal of Honor.

Originally from Massachusetts, after the war she married Alvan Ricker of Poland, Maine. Upon her death she bequeathed funds to establish the library in Poland Spring.

Zépherin Lessard, a Canadian born Franco-American resident of Lewiston was conscripted into the Royal Canadian Army when he returned to Québec for a visit. Lacking the proper paperwork to prove American residency, he was drafted by the Canadian military. Canada had been at war since 1914, and was in need of soldiers.

In May of 1918, Lessard wrote to his father from British Columbia "They caught me with no papers on me and they left me no choice but to enlist. I don't care, because I would have had to join the Army later anyways."

While supportive of Canada’s entry in the war, French-Canadian military enrollment was relatively low. One major reason was a lack of French-speaking regiments or officers. Coupled with anti-British sentiment, and vocal opposition to the Canadian Conscription Act (which they shared with Anglo-Canadians), French-Canadians were targeted as draft dodgers.

Henry W. Marr of Portland was a member of the 116th Infantry Headquarters Company band at Alsace and Meuse-Argonne, France. In this letter dated November 5th, he wrote home to his cousins in Portland about the circumstances of his recent injury.

On October 24th, 1918 Marr was exposed to mustard gas and received very painful and unpleasant (but not fatal) burns from the chemical weapon. He spent a few weeks in the hospital as a result. By the time he recovered, the war had officially ended. He was honorably discharged June 3rd, 1919.

Chemical weapons were used by both the Allied and Central Powers during the war. Examples of chemical weapons used during WWI range from an irritant like tear gas to lethal gases like phosgene. The two most commonly used chemical weapons were chlorine and mustard gas.

Mustard gas is a heavy gas that lingers long afterward, settling onto the ground and surfaces throughout the infected area. While not necessarily lethal, the burns will blister or disfigure, and are very painful. Henry Marr suffered chemical burns on his back-side and upper legs when he went outside shortly after a mustard gas attack, and mistakenly sat down on a surface covered in the settled gas.

While the League of Nations issued the Geneva Protocol in the late 1920s banning their use, chemical weapons continued to be used, although never again to the scale as seen during WWI. While the United States used very few chemical weapons during WWI, it did not agree to the Geneva Protocol until the 1970s.

Herbert Cobb and his younger brother William both served as musicians in the University of Maine Cadet Band prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army during WWI. Herbert, as part of the 2nd Maine Regiment band, was stationed in the Mexican Border Patrol during the summer of 1916. Both Herbert and William served overseas as members of the 103rd U.S. Infantry Band, part of the “Yankee Division” (26th Division).


William and Herbert are pictured in cadet uniforms. William is holding a drum on the far left of the first row and Herbert is directly behind him holding a trumpet (both young men are circled).

Sumner Chase Cobb, twin brother of Herbert Cobb, served at Camp Zachary Taylor during the war. The Field Artillery Officers Training School (F.A.C.O.T.S.) was located at the camp in Louisville, KY. Like his brothers, Sumner was a cadet at the University of Maine, although he was not a member of the cadet band. While in Kentucky, Cpl. Cobb often wrote to his parents about camp life. This letter included details about the Spanish Flu epidemic.

The Spanish Flu was a worldwide pandemic during 1918 and 1919. A deadly strain of the H1N1 virus, it was dubbed “Spanish Flu” early on. Despite the name, the flu’s origins are somewhat unknown, but is thought to have originated in the United States or in British army camps. The name stems from early 1918 media reports in Spain which acknowledged the virus. Spain was neutral during WWI, and it is thought its neutrality offered a greater willingness to acknowledge the effects of the virus.

It does not appear as though Sumner ever contracted the illness.

After joining the army in 1917, William B. Cobb continued his role as a musician. He was deployed to France in September 1917 where he served as part of the 103rd Regiment, 26th Division. The 103rd was heavily comprised of boys from Maine. Cpl. William Cobb was involved in numerous engagements, including the Battle at Aisne-Marne, Saint-Mihiel, and the grueling Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

He was overseas between September 1917 and April 1919. William survived the war, and was responsible for preserving the collection donated to Maine Historical Society.

Billet tickets were used during WWI to help create order on naval ships when soldiers were being transported between The U.S. and Europe. This ticket from the U.S.S America was given to William Cobb upon his leaving France. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in April of 1919, five months after the war ended.

This ticket kept order amongst soldiers returning home by providing them with information such as compartment number, banking number, washroom number, mess hall call group, life raft number and "Abandon Ship" deck. Soldiers carried the ticket on them at all times to ensure their return home was as efficient as possible. The bottom of the ticket also encouraged the soldiers to take a moment to relax and breath whenever feeling frustrated, because the war was officially over.

A certificate recognizing the honorable death of Herbert Cobb, a WWI U.S. Army Soldier, who died in the line of duty on October 14, 1918. It was signed on the 28th of April, 1919 by Joseph F. Janda at the Adjutant General's office in Washington D.C.

Herbert Cobb was one of three brothers recruited by the army to serve in World War I in 1917. Herbert and his brother William both served overseas during the course of the war. Herbert's twin brother, Sumner, was the only of the three to remain stateside.

Herbert's last letter home to his mother is dated October 7, 1918, six days before his death on October 14, and tragically just one month short of the armistice on November 11. Herbert was serving as a Lieutenant in the 103rd U.S. Infantry when he was killed. In the letter, Herbert expresses his apologies to his mother for not writing frequently and recounts current events of his work.

William Cobb wrote a letter home to his mother explaining his brother Herbert's death, and how he came to learn of it. William traveled to Chaumont to visit friends and met two men who informed him of his brother’s death. Lt. Herbert Cobb died on October 14, 1918 when a shell crashed into the shack where he sleeping. William didn't learn of his brother's death until January 1919, and could not get this letter home until mid-February.

Herbert Cobb enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1916. He was sent overseas to France in October of 1917 during WWI. He died on the front lines on October 14, 1918 in Brieulles-sur-Meuse, France, when a shell crashed into the shack where he was sleeping.

His tombstone is engraved with the title 1st Lieutenant, the rank he held at his death. His family was unaware he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant until his twin brother, Sumner, visited Herbert's grave site.

The physical location of the grave is unknown. He was either buried in Brieulles-sur-Meuse or Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery.

Members of the Passamaquoddy Nation, including Samuel Dana (center left), Gov. William Neptune (second from right) and Noel Francis (far right) posed with Gen. Clarence Edwards (center), at the Maine Centennial festivities in Deering Oaks. The Wabanaki community recreated an “Indian Village” during the week-long festivities in 1920. Gen. Edwards, commander of the 26th “Yankee Division” during WWI, attended the centennial celebrations in 1920, along with a number of WWI dignitaries.

William Neptune and Samuel Dana’s sons served under Gen. Edwards in the Yankee Division during World War I. Samuel Dana, Jr. was severely wounded in June 1918, but survived the war. Moses Neptune, William Neptune’s son, was killed in action in France, the day before the armistice was signed.

Postcards were all the rage in the early 20th century, and personalized cards were available to send to that special soldier or sailor during the Great War. In Biddeford and Saco, residents were actively encouraged by the local newspaper to put together gifts, treats and pass-times for the soldiers at home and abroad.

The text on this unused postcard reads: "Three Cheers for the Soldier-Boy from Biddeford, Maine - Because he has RED blood - in his veins; - His record is WHITE - He's true BLUE".

A candid photo of Herbert Cobb in his cadet uniform. He was a cadet at the University of Maine before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1916. He was first stationed in Laredo, Texas. In October 1917, he was sent overseas to France, where he died on October 14, 1918. He was the only one of three brothers who served to die in the war.

William Cobb wrote a letter home to his mother explaining his brother Herbert's death. William traveled to Chaumont to visit friends and met two men who informed him of Herbert's death. Herbert died on October 14, 1918 when a bombshell crashed into the shack where he sleeping. William didn't learn of his brother's death until January 1919, and could not get this letter home until mid February.

William Cobb, one of three brothers enlisted to fight in World War I, was stationed in France. For the majority of his time he was on the move and in the trenches. He also played in his regiment's band alongside his brother Herbert before they were separated. The third brother, Sumner, served stateside.

Thomas Rose McPhail served in World War I overseas from July of 1918 to April of 1919. He was from Thomaston and enlisted in the army in Rockland in 1917. He served as a Corporal in the 303rd Field Artillery Headquarters Company. He held the rank of Gunner, 2nd Class.

He was honorably discharged from the army on May 1, 1919.

Brothers William and Herbert Cobb both served as musicians in the University of Maine Cadet Band prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army during WWI. Herbert, along with members of the band, was stationed in Laredo, Texas for Mexican Border patrol during the summer of 1916.

During the war, both brothers were later sent overseas to France as official members of the 103rd U.S. Infantry Band, 26th Division. Their third brother Sumner, twin to Herbert, also attended UMaine, but was not a member of the band and remained stateside for the war.

William and Herbert are pictured in cadet uniforms. William is holding a drum on the far left in the first row and Herbert is directly behind him, far left in the second row, carrying a trumpet (both circled).

Edmond Leblond was the first solider from the Lewiston-Auburn area killed in WWI. Leblond was wounded in action during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in October 1918 while serving with the 39th Infantry, known as the “Fighting Falcons”.

Despite the American tradition to return war dead to their families, due to the sheer number of fallen soldiers during World War I coupled with complicated logistics, a decision was made by the military to bury soldiers in Europe (mostly France). Many American families disagreed.

As a result, nearly 60% of fallen American soldiers were returned to the United States, mostly after the war. The fallen soldiers buried in Europe were permanently interred in American cemeteries, now meticulously maintained green spaces revered by the French. The tradition of foreign burial was practiced extensively during WWII, but since the Korean War, returning remains to the U.S. is the general rule.

Dogan Goon was born about 1893 in southwestern China. He later immigrated to the United States, eventually making his way to Boston by 1917. In August of that year, he was arrested by a Chinese Inspector for violation of the Chinese Exclusion Act.

The Chinese Exclusion Act was passed by the U.S. Government in 1882 with the specific intention of barring Chinese immigration. Essentially, it aimed to eliminate the importation of Chinese laborers. The rationale for such legislation is similar to modern complaints about Central American migrant workers – immigrants coming into America in large numbers to work for less pay, therefore taking jobs from American citizens.

Goon was acquitted of violating the Chinese Exclusion Act, but was asked to serve in the U.S. military to demonstrate patriotism. He served in the Army Medical Corp from June 1918 until January 1919, when he was honorably discharged. His newly confirmed citizenship allowed Goon to marry a Chinese woman and bring her to the United States.

His wife, Toy Len Goon, was named American Mother of the Year in 1952, just nine years after the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act.