In an attempt to locate the families of fallen World War II veterans, Aimee Fogg of Guilford, New Hampshire, has founded a project dedicated to uncovering their past. Called They Speak: The Voices of Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, the project is a celebration of the lives of Americans who were laid to rest in Belgium after the war. The focus of the project now turns to Maine.

“Several of my ancestors fought in World War II, and all returned home except one — my paternal grandmother’s younger brother,” said Fogg. “No one seemed to mention him, except that he died somewhere in Europe. His service and circumstances really were a mystery, so in 2009 I decided to find some answers, primarily his burial location.”

After a year of research and a trip to the Henri-Chapelle cemetery in Belgium to visit her great uncle’s grave, Fogg returned home with a mission to research and uncover the pasts of the other 39 New Hampshire veterans buried in the cemetery. She then moved on to Vermont and the 25 men from the Green Mountain state. She founded They Speak soon afterward, and spread her outreach to the entire country and the 7,992 American soldiers who are buried at Henri- Chapelle. Now, Fogg has her sights set on Maine.

“There are 54 Maine soldiers at Henri- Chapelle, and I am looking for any family, friends, or community members who may remember or recognize them,” said Fogg. “Four of them were missing in action.”

So far families have been found in Yarmouth and Thomaston, and a veteran from Vermont was linked to Jefferson. Fogg hopes more will be uncovered soon.

“I’m curious of what I will find here,” she said. “Most families that I locate are happy to help to the best of their abilities. Others decide not to, for various reasons.”

When she locates a family or friend who knew or knew of one of the veterans, she asks a series of questions about the men, such as personality traits, any funny stories, what they liked to do for fun, what their goals and aspirations were.

“The most important question is: what do these families want a complete stranger 70 years from now to know about their relative?” said Fogg. “It’s OK if they don’t want to answer. My goal is not to upset or stress out families. I want to provide a voice for their soldier and enable each family to be the link between past and future.”

“It is nice to know that someone is keeping these souls in mind,” said Eve Anderson of the Thomaston Historical Society. Fogg discovered relatives of veteran David Wotton after reaching out to Anderson. “It is always so sad to think that they may be forgotten by family members or townspeople simply because their graves are so far away.”

All families in the Midcoast are urged to check the 54 names in Fogg’s Maine directory to see if they recognize one of the veterans. The directory can be found at www.theyspeak.org. Fogg also invites families to visit her Facebook page They Speak: Voices of Henri- Chapelle American Cemetery.

54 names

• FAMILIES IN THE MIDCOAST are urged to check the 54 names in Aimee Fogg’s Maine directory to see if they recognize one of the veterans. The directory can be found at www.theyspeak.org.

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