A memorial to a Kennebunkport man who died serving in the Vietnam War is decorated with American flags on an October afternoon.  Tammy Wells photo

KENNEBUNKPORT – A memorial to one of the community’s fallen, a young man who died in the Vietnam War in 1969, stands tall in a triangle of land near the First Congregational Church on North Street. American flags flank the memorial stone.

This election season, the area around the memorial became a magnet for political signs representing candidates from all parties.

The memorial stone that bears Terry F. Drown’s name was placed some years ago.

Drown was a son of Kennebunkport, a soldier in the U.S. Army, who died on June 11, 1969 in Vietnam.

Kennebunkport Town Manager Laurie Smith said the town removed the signs from the memorial.

“It was not an appropriate place,” said Smith on Oct. 19.

A sign promoting  re-election of  President Donald Trump, among signs placed at the memorial supporting Joe Biden and other political candidates, was vandalized with what appeared to be spray paint a day or two prior to the removal of all of them, as was a sign that referred to the August shooting death of a 5-year-old North Carolina boy.

Sign theft and sign vandalism is a common occurrence during elections, in Maine and elsewhere.  Some individuals in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport – Republicans and Democrats – have notified the Kennebunk Post that signs in their yards were taken, and some reported intense vandalism.

The individual who informed the Post about the vandalism to the Trump sign requested anonymity, citing possible backlash.

Theft and vandalism to political signs isn’t always reported to police.

Police Chief Craig Sanford said the department has had few complaints of theft and vandalism to signs supporting political candidates this year. He said the department gets more complaints about issue-related signs than candidate signs.

As to the removal of the signs, Smith said the town took that action because they were all inappropriately placed at the Drown memorial, just as signs at  veterans’ memorials elsewhere in town are inappropriate.

Political sign placement is also off limits at Veterans Memorial Park in North Yarmouth,  according to information on that town’s website.