Roscoe McMillan was part of a unit of black soldiers from the Second Battalion of the 366th Infantry who were stationed at Dunns' Corner section of North Yarmouth. They were charged with guarding the Royal River Grand Trunk Railroad Bridge, which provided an important connection between Maine and Canada.

McMillan posed in August of 1942 in front of the barn of the Atkins family, located on North Road in North Yarmouth.