When a rock maple tree was planted in front of Temple Congregational Church on June 6, 1944, to commemorate two local men who had died in the Pacific theater during World War II, no one in town was aware of the invasion of Normandy that was taking place the same day.

“Wow, that was a coincidence, especially when D-day came back into perspective,” said Paul Quinn, an Army veteran who is a member of Temple’s Ex-servicemen’s Organization, a group that helps organize the annual Memorial Day ceremonies in town.

When residents gathered around the original rock maple in 1944, Quinn said, it was to dedicate it to his uncle, First Sgt. David H. Quinn, and to Gunner’s Mate Leon Blood, who had both been confirmed killed during the war.

A short time later, the tree was dedicated to a third man, Lt. Murray M. Day. At the time of the original tree dedication, Quinn said no one in town knew much about what happened to Day, except that he had been captured by the Japanese.

“There was precious little information available to [Day’s] parents at the time, except that he was a prisoner with the Japanese in the Philippines and that he was in a hellish situation,” said Quinn.

Over the years, Quinn said, residents would rally around the maple tree on the Sunday following Memorial Day. The reason, said Quinn, was so that the Temple Town Band could march in the parade.

“That goes back to when the Temple Town Band was in great demand,” said Quinn. “There was another town that the band would go to on the actual Memorial Day, then we’d have it here a week later.”

As time went on, Quinn said, the commemorative tree got sick.

“Nobody really knows what happened to it,” said Quinn, who estimates that the tree, which came from native stock, was between 25 and 30 years old when it was replaced by another rock maple tree.

The second tree didn’t fare much better and was soon replaced by a third rock maple — which is now dying.

“We think for some reason that particular spot is not friendly to maples,” said Quinn. “We had experts including the county forester take a look at it. He speculated there might be some reasons but gave no definitive answers.”

As for a replacement, Quinn said, “In all likelihood, whatever tree is being decided upon will be a different species.”

According to Vivian Nichols, a member of the Village Green Committee, a new tree needs to be planted but it needs to be special, just like all the American men and women who lost their lives in war.

“We need to concentrate on the fact that we’re not just replacing any old tree,” said Nichols on Monday, as the tree is a solemn reminder of those in town who gave their lives serving our country.

Nichols said the Village Green Committee plans to solicit feedback from residents on whether a fourth rock maple tree should be planted or what other species should be used

“I’d be happy to put a suggestion box at the [Temple General Store],” said Nichols.

And although the third commemorative tree is dying, Quinn is working to ensure that Memorial Day in Temple remains strong.

“For a long time, Temple Memorial Day was a very big deal,” Quinn said. People who moved out of town would return for the solemn event “almost like an ‘Old Home Day,’” he said.

The number of marchers in the parade started to dwindle by the late 1970s and over time, has continued to drop off, mostly because the World War II veterans were getting older.

“I feel strongly that there are a lot of veterans in Temple who have moved in recently,” said Quinn, or have lived in town for a while and would be more than willing to participate in the Memorial Day ceremonies.

Toward that end, Quinn said the Temple Ex-servicemen’s Organization is extending an open invitation to all veterans in town or who have lived in town to march on June 6. Those interested can call Joe Cournoyer at the Temple General Store at 878-1479.