Lee Humiston, the museum’s founder, director, and curator, was born and raised in South Portland, Maine. After joining the United States Air Force in 1956, he spent the next fifty years of his life serving his country. It wasn’t until a visit home several years ago that he met Maureen, who would later become his wife, and he decided to stay in Maine.
With a lifelong passion for the United States military and a deep interest in history, Mr. Humiston has amassed one of the largest collections of prisoner of war (POW) artifacts and related items in the world. He has extensive experience building exhibits, having played a significant role in creating exhibits at the Nixon Library celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Homecoming, as well as two exhibitions at the Smithsonian and the museum in the Hindenburg hangar at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Mr. Humiston built the Maine Military Museum & Learning Center with a deep purpose and a desire to honor Maine’s men and women who have served the state and the nation for the last 300 years. His dedication and passion for preserving the history of Maine’s military heritage are evident in everything he does. His contributions to the museum and the community are deeply appreciated and admired.
If the museum is open, Lee is likley there.
Lee Humiston’s book, Voices From The Dark, is a powerful collection of poems written by prisoners of war in the cells of Hanoi, Vietnam, and Peking, China. The book is a testament to the strength and resilience of those who suffered through the brutal realities of captivity and torture during the Vietnam War.
Mr. Humiston collected these poems from prisoners of war, each a powerful expression of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity. These poems are a testament to the power of the human spirit to endure and overcome, even in the darkest of circumstances.
Through Voices From The Dark, Mr. Humiston honors the sacrifices of those who served their country and those who endured the horrors of captivity. He reminds us of the importance of preserving the stories and experiences of those who have served and sacrificed so that we may never forget their courage and resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship.
