Montville, Maine Cemetery Vandalized: Officials Seek Answers

Out in Montville over the weekend, something happened that’s got a lot of Mainers shaking their heads.

Dan Masessa, who’s part of Montville’s Cemetery Committee, was driving past Halldale Cemetery when he noticed a flag lying on the ground. He pulled over to fix it… and what he found was heartbreaking.

According to WABI, every single American flag placed on veterans’ graves had been ripped out, broken, and tossed aside. And it doesn’t stop there as dozens of headstones, some dating back over 150 years, were knocked over and even smashed.

“I know of one Revolutionary War vet buried there,” Masessa said. “We’ve also got folks from the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War II, Korea, Vietnam... it’s part of our town’s story” he told WABI.

These weren’t just markers. These were pieces of history and graves of the people who built that community and many who fought for this country.

Dan’s already replaced the flags, but restoring the headstones? That’s a different story. Some may be repairable, but many are so old they might never look the same again.

WABI went on to explain that the cemetery committee is now working on offering a cash reward for any info that leads to an arrest or conviction. They haven’t set an exact amount just yet, but there will be a monetary reward.

And the big question still hangs in the air—why? Why destroy something so sacred, so rooted in history? As Dan put it, “They’re not bothering anybody. These are people who served their country. Why would you destroy their markers? Why would you throw away the American flag?”