Oakfield native subject of new book

    Oakfield native, Second Lieutenant James Frederick Dow, hasn’t been forgotten.
    Dow, for whom Dow Air Force Base in Bangor was named, is profiled in a recently-published book, In Their Honor: The Men Behind the Names of Our Military Installations.
    With a foreword written by retired USAF Major General Edward J. Mechenbier, In Their Honor is a collection of 524 biographies that gives the reader a glimpse into the lives of military heroes from privates to generals, aviation pioneers, prisoners of war, civilians, astronauts, and explorers and scientists who either gave their lives for our country or in some way made a major contribution to our nation.
    The well-organized book is the result of six years of extensive research to find the story behind every man who ever had a military installation named in his honor. Author, Linda D. Swink, an Air Force veteran, said that many names have faded into obscurity after a military installation closed. Once no longer needed, many airfields were abandoned and much of its history lost. Little or no biographical information about the man for whom the installation was named survived. “My intention is to honor theses men and keep their memory alive in the hearts of today’s generation, as well as those in the future.”
    Other military heroes from Maine profiled in the book are: Major Charles Joseph Loring, Jr. of Portland; Sergeant George Dalton Libby of Bridgton; and Lieutenant Colonel Tobias C. Eastman of Fryeburg
    Swink’s book is available in area bookstores and from the publisher, Little Miami Publishing Co., Milford, Ohio: (513) 576-9369 and www.littlemiamibooks.com. A preview of the book can be found at www.intheirhonor.info.