Robert Poikonen from "Spencer Volunteers for the Winter War"

From the book: Finnish-Americans in War and Peace. St. Magnus Press, 2015. Pages 96-98. Author: Rainer Långstedt

Spencer’s Robert Poikonen/Reuben Buchanen

Robert Poikonen was the oldest of 13 siblings. The family lived in North Spencer. He was born on June 15, 1910 in Karstula, Finland. Poikonen was a gifted athlete who gained a baseball scholarship to college as well as a talented musician who played the accordion, guitar, banjo, and chromatic harmonica. Despite his college scholarship opportunity, a shortage of labor necessitated Poikonen to remain on the family farm to work.¹⁸⁴

His sympathy for the underdog and dislike of communism inspired him to volunteer to fight for Finland in the Winter War. He enlisted in the Finnish army as Robert Johannes Poikonen. He arrived in Finland January 22, 1940 and was one of the early arrivals. He was assigned to the 1^st Company of the Finnish-American Legion as a private. He signed on for the duration of the war. (Appendix D, page 158)

The April 11, 1940, issue of the Spencer Needle newspaper refers to a letter received by Mrs. Robert Leinonen from her son, Robert Poikonen who according to the article “Left here in January and enlisted in the Finnish Army. He wrote that he is much pleased with army life and urged others to come.”

Poikonen was in the unit that arrived at the front line on the day of the cease – fire. Poikonen returned to the United States on the ship “Mathilda Thordén” which sailed from Petsamo. Finland on April 25, 1940. Poikonen was apparently a dual citizen who had anglicized his name at naturalization to Reuben John Buchanen. That is the name he is listed under on the passenger list on the “Mathilda Thordén’ as well as the Honor Roll of WWII vets in the Spencer Museum. He also used the name Buchanan.

Reuben Buchanen with his sister Lila Poikonen Savunen (Photo courtesy of Ronald Savunen)