[ 41 ] MIA Memorial Park

Heading west from Route 6 at the Pleasant Point/Paine Hollow sign, or at Way 112, go to Paine Hollow Road, following it to “Dead End” sign where you should turn left on Pond Avenue, continuing toward Blackfish Creek until you see Spruce Street/ Wigwam Street. A short distance along Spruce Street you will see this sign marking the beginning of the trail leading to the Memorial Park. You will have traveled about eight-tenths of a mile from Route 6.

The Howard family set aside this lovely pine grove on the shore of Blackfish Creek and dedicated it to the memory of Robert W. Howard. Army Sgt. Howard had been a Prisoner of War in Korea in 1951, and was later reported to have “died of malnutrition on a forced march”. At the dedication in 1983, presided over by Board of Selectmen Chair, Florence Schmidt, Robert’s father, Alvah Howard, and other relatives, friends and members of the American Legion gathered to honor “All American Service Men and Women Missing in Action”.

At the time this was the only memorial to Missing-in-Action service personnel in Massachusetts.