James F. Dow Houlton’s hometown boy leaves legacy

Thousands of seasoned Aroostook County residents on their way south have passed by or boarded an airplane at Bangor International Airport. Many of those residents knew BIA as Dow Field or Dow Air Force Base prior to its closing in 1968. But did you know that the original field was named for Oakfield native and Houlton High School alumnus of 1941, the late James F. Dow.     Born in Oakfield in 1913 to Harold and Sarah Dow. James’ father was the superintendent for the northern division of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad at the Oakfield station. Later the family moved to 34 Green Street in Houlton where Dow, his brother, Harold and sisters Norma and Gloria attended local schools.
Dow, from all reports was an outstanding student, excelling not only in the classroom, but also on the playing field and other extra-curricular activities. He played all sports, but favored football and track. At a track meet in Presque Isle, he won all the sprints placing first in both the 100 and 220-yard dashes and in the hurdles. Dow was a member of the 1930 Aroostook County football champs playing Caribou for the title. He was tagged with the name “Houlton’s Speed King.” Dow was a popular athlete drawing many fans from the local community.
From the 1931 Houlton High School yearbook, The North Star, Dow was noted for being the chairman of the Athletic Committee, president of the Drama Club and taking on the role of Don Pedro Martinez in the play entitled, “The Smiling Cow.” Dow was popular not only in the community, but in the school setting as well. He was noted for his quiet nature, but there was also a humorous side of him.
In 2008, an article published in the county’s Echoes magazine, by David Burgquist who had researched the life of Dow included this account.
James loved to tease, especially his younger sister Norma and she would tease him back. At the time of the birth of the youngest sister, Gloria at their Green Street home, Norma said to James after the doctor left, “Now I know what they carry in that bag.”
The 13-year-old James responded by saying he couldn’t believe how stupid she was and always teased her about that statement for the rest of her life. Norma later married Hunter Cotton and resided here until her death just a few years ago.
After his high school graduation, James attended Hebron Academy before enrolling in the University of Maine in the fall of 1933.
Dow tackled college life as exuberantly as he had high school, participating in indoor track, basketball and football. He became an expert at punting, passing and kicking. From all accounts, he was a perfectionist. Dow would practice and practice until he was the best.
When not participating in sports, Dow was involved in the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and also joined the Scabbard and Blade, an honorary national military society, a precursor to ROTC.
While at Maine, he majored in mechanical engineering. Dow had always been into airplanes as a child, making model after model of balsawood to hang from the rafters in the basement of his home. He had dreamed of a career in aviation.
After his college graduation in 1937, Dow wanted to work for the railroad, but there was a freeze on hiring. He stayed home that winter building model railroad cars out of tin cans.
In the spring, Dow decided to join the Army Reserves and was stationed in Maine at Forts Williams and McKinley. At this time, the United States had only a volunteer army and ranked 13th in the world. As the U.S. political and military leaders saw the need to increase spending for military armament, they encouraged civilian air schools to expand and train military flyers. Dow would begin to fulfill that dream of being a pilot when he enrolled at the Parks Air College in East St. Louis, Ill.
Dow’s determination to be the best led him to the role of Cadet Captain and he went on to Randolph Field in Texas, the main Air Corps pilot training program.
Through this rigorous training he experienced dual flying and solo flying training in low-wing monoplanes. He learned night flying techniques, instrument flying and other strategic maneuvers.
Dow continued to be a standout student, and at the completion of the basic training, had earned the honor of Cadet Sergeant.
After advanced flight training at Kelly Field for three months he received his wings and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, Air Corps, United States Army Reserve.
Following the completion of training Dow hoped to return to the east coast to be closer to his family. That wish was fulfilled with his assignment to Mitchel Field in New York. He was immensely happy and in a letter to his parents he said that, “it is the first time I have really been satisfied.”
At Mitchel Field, Dow was a member of a bomber crew flying in a group of four Douglas B-18 Bolo bombers. On a training mission, the quartet practiced a variety of formations that were extremely dangerous, but had to be learned.
When Hitler’s forces advanced to the outskirts of Paris, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called for an increase of more planes and ships. Automobile factories were turned into factories for planes. The bomber squadrons were crucial for the anticipated involvement of American troops.
In June of 1940, while on a training mission, Dow’s plane and one other clipped each other sending both to the ground over Queens, N.Y. Eleven crew members were killed; five on one plane and six on another. One plane crashed in the median strip of a neighborhood and the other along the sidewalk igniting one house leading to the death of one civilian.
News of the death of 26-year-old Dow was heart wrenching for more than just Houlton, as he had made his mark throughout the county and beyond. He especially made an impression on his Air Corps family.
Dow was honored with a military funeral in Houlton, where flags were lowered and citizens lined the streets as his funeral procession passed by. The American Legion was hosting its annual convention in town at the time and they paused to recognize Dow’s ultimate sacrifice.
A letter received by Dow’s sister, Norma in November of 1942, from Lt. George Blase said this, “Jim was well liked at the squadron and many times the nicest thing that can be said about a young officer, ‘Jim Dow was darn good officer material…’ was said by the Commanding Officer and others before and after Jim’s passing.”
Dow’s reputation, one who had set the bar high continued to be recognized when in 1942, the Army Air Force honored his memory and name its new Bangor army base, “Dow Field.” It took only three months to build the complex, using the labor of 1,000 men round the clock.
Thousands of soldiers passed through Dow Field on their way to and from Europe. For some of the soldiers, it was the last American soil for them to see.
After the war Dow Field would become Dow Air Force Base and one of the most important bases in the Strategic Air Command during the Cold War period.
In 1968, the base was deactivated and the facilities became Bangor International Airport.
As Burgquist was researching material for his Echoes magazine article, he received many family letters and photos from Dow’s niece Ellen Cotton. He also located a painting in the possession of Dow’s niece Margo Pelletier, daughter of Dow’s youngest sister, Gloria of New York. The painting had originally hung in the Dow AFB Officers’ Club from 1959 until its closing. After Burgquist shared what he had learned about Dow, Pelletier made the decision to donate the portrait painted by Bangor artist Waldo Pierce to Bangor Public Library where it has been on display since March 6.
On May 1, the painting was moved once again to the Bangor International Airport to be on display for the next year. There is also another painting of Dow done in 1946 by a Russian prisoner of war that hangs in the Troop Greeters Room at the airport.
So the legacy of James Dow, an all-American boy from Aroostook County will continue to be remembered by many.