World War II Honoree

Everett P. Pope

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Quincy, Massachusetts

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. CAPTAIN, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMPANY C, 1ST BATTALION, 1ST MARINES, 1ST MARINE DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: PELELIU ISLAND, PALAU GROUP, SEPTEMBER 19-20, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT: MASSACHUSETTS. BORN: JULY 16, 1919, MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS. CITATION: FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY WHILE SERVING AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF COMPANY C, 1ST BATTALION, 1ST MARINES, 1ST MARINE DIVISION, DURING ACTION AGAINST ENEMY JAPANESE FORCES ON PELELIU ISLAND, PALAU GROUP, ON SEPTEMBER 19-20, 1944. SUBJECTED TO POINTBLANK CANNON FIRE WHICH CAUSED HEAVY CASUALTIES AND BADLY DISORGANIZED HIS COMPANY WHILE ASSAULTING A STEEP CORAL HILL, CAPTAIN POPE RALLIED HIS MEN AND GALLANTLY LED THEM TO THE SUMMIT IN THE FACE OF MACHINE GUN, MORTAR AND SNIPER FIRE. FORCED BY WIDESPREAD HOSTILE ATTACK TO DEPLOY THE REMNANTS OF HIS COMPANY THINLY IN ORDER TO HOLD THE GROUND WON AND WITH HIS MACHINE GUNS OUT OF ORDER AND INSUFFICIENT WATER AND AMMUNITION, HE REMAINED ON THE EXPOSED HILL WITH 12 MEN AND 1 WOUNDED OFFICER DETERMINED TO HOLD THROUGH THE NIGHT. ATTACKED CONTINUOUSLY WITH GRENADES, MACHINE GUNS, AND RIFLES FROM 3 SIDES, HE AND HIS VALIANT MEN FIERCELY BEAT BACK OR DESTROYED THE ENEMY, RESORTING TO HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT AS THE SUPPLY OF AMMUNITION DWINDLED, STILL MAINTAINING HIS LINES WITH HIS 8 REMAINING RIFLEMEN WHEN DAYLIGHT BROUGHT MORE DEADLY FIRE AND HE WAS ORDERED TO WITHDRAW. HIS VALIANT LEADERSHIP AGAINST DEVASTATING ODDS WHILE PROTECTING THE UNITS BELOW FROM HEAVY JAPANESE ATTACK REFLECTS THE HIGHEST CREDIT UPON CAPTAIN POPE AND THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.