thedrifter
05-24-08, 10:39 AM
Always faithful to his 'boys': Parade marshal embodies Marine Corps ideals
Christopher_Cousins@TimesRecord.Com
05/23/2008
TOPSHAM — Everett Pope doesn't care how he's referred to during Monday's Brunswick-Topsham Memorial Day pa-rade, as long as he can ride through it in a rusty Hum-vee instead of a shiny convertible.
Parade organizers, who are honoring National Guardsmen and reservists this year, have Pope listed on literature and a Web site as the parade's grand marshal — a fact that came as somewhat of a surprise to the 89-year-old Topsham resident when interviewed Wednesday.
"They've asked me to take some part in the parade and I'm happy to help out however I can and get dressed up or whatever they want me to do," he said. "As long as I can ride with my boys."
Those "boys" are the Marine reservists in Alpha Company of the 25th Marines, 1st Battalion, based in Topsham. They leave for California on Monday afternoon, soon after the parade. From there, they're going to Iraq. This marks the first year they have marched in the local parade, said Jim Grant, a parade organizer.
"It's quite an honor to have them involved, and an honor to have (Pope)," he said. "We'll do anything we can to accommodate him. We certainly understand when a former Marine wants to be with his men."
Pope served for only five years in the Marine Corps Reserve, but it was long enough to mark him for life as a national hero. As a Congressional Medal of Honor winner — the only living one in Maine, he said — he's been grand marshal for many parades and in 2005 was a guest of honor at the Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., alongside President Bush.
But none of it makes him as proud as standing side by side with his "boys."
Pope was a company commander in September 1944 when he and 235 Marine reservists captured a strategic hill on Peleliu Island. Japanese suicide attackers nearly overwhelmed the company with mortars and field guns fired from adjoining peaks, according to an account of the battle written by Technical Sgt. Joseph Alli, a combat correspondent. The hill they took is called "Suicide Ridge."
Things only got worse from there as the Marines struggled to hold Suicide Ridge through the night. Teams of 25 to 30 Japanese fighters stormed the hill repeatedly, testing the courage and resolve of the thinly spread Marines. The Marines fired at the attackers with everything they had. When grenades ran low, they hurled rocks. When ammunition was gone, they threw ammunition boxes and fought the Japanese off with their bare fists.
When day broke, the order to withdraw finally came, but it was too late for too many Marines, said Pope.
"I took the shore with 235 Marines," said Pope. "Eight of us walked out. They gave me the Medal of Honor and I don't know why. A lot of guys deserved it a lot more than I did."
Pope caught shrapnel "in places I can't talk about," which earned him the Purple Heart, but he was back in service within a day.
Pope, a Bowdoin College graduate and later chairman of its board of trustees, moved to Topsham last July to live near his two sons. He spends his days visiting his wife, Eleanor, who is confined to a nursing home in Bath. He hopes she can attend Monday's parade, because she has as much respect for those who serve as he does.
"Every day of my life, I will never forget those Marines who gave their lives," he said. "I'm very impressed with these young men today."
And those young men are impressed with him. A mention of Pope's name to Sgt. Richard Serrano, an administrative non-commissioned officer for the Marine Reserve Rifle Company in Topsham, drew an instant reaction.
"It's a great honor to have a Medal of Honor recipient around," said Serrano. "It's just amazing."
When Pope sees Alpha Company off to battle Monday, he'll volunteer a piece of advice he's given to many Marines before.
"There is one decoration I don't want them to see," he said. "They can get the Bronze Star and the Silver Star and anything else they want, but not the Purple Heart. It's OK to get shot at, but duck."
Ellie
Christopher_Cousins@TimesRecord.Com
05/23/2008
TOPSHAM — Everett Pope doesn't care how he's referred to during Monday's Brunswick-Topsham Memorial Day pa-rade, as long as he can ride through it in a rusty Hum-vee instead of a shiny convertible.
Parade organizers, who are honoring National Guardsmen and reservists this year, have Pope listed on literature and a Web site as the parade's grand marshal — a fact that came as somewhat of a surprise to the 89-year-old Topsham resident when interviewed Wednesday.
"They've asked me to take some part in the parade and I'm happy to help out however I can and get dressed up or whatever they want me to do," he said. "As long as I can ride with my boys."
Those "boys" are the Marine reservists in Alpha Company of the 25th Marines, 1st Battalion, based in Topsham. They leave for California on Monday afternoon, soon after the parade. From there, they're going to Iraq. This marks the first year they have marched in the local parade, said Jim Grant, a parade organizer.
"It's quite an honor to have them involved, and an honor to have (Pope)," he said. "We'll do anything we can to accommodate him. We certainly understand when a former Marine wants to be with his men."
Pope served for only five years in the Marine Corps Reserve, but it was long enough to mark him for life as a national hero. As a Congressional Medal of Honor winner — the only living one in Maine, he said — he's been grand marshal for many parades and in 2005 was a guest of honor at the Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., alongside President Bush.
But none of it makes him as proud as standing side by side with his "boys."
Pope was a company commander in September 1944 when he and 235 Marine reservists captured a strategic hill on Peleliu Island. Japanese suicide attackers nearly overwhelmed the company with mortars and field guns fired from adjoining peaks, according to an account of the battle written by Technical Sgt. Joseph Alli, a combat correspondent. The hill they took is called "Suicide Ridge."
Things only got worse from there as the Marines struggled to hold Suicide Ridge through the night. Teams of 25 to 30 Japanese fighters stormed the hill repeatedly, testing the courage and resolve of the thinly spread Marines. The Marines fired at the attackers with everything they had. When grenades ran low, they hurled rocks. When ammunition was gone, they threw ammunition boxes and fought the Japanese off with their bare fists.
When day broke, the order to withdraw finally came, but it was too late for too many Marines, said Pope.
"I took the shore with 235 Marines," said Pope. "Eight of us walked out. They gave me the Medal of Honor and I don't know why. A lot of guys deserved it a lot more than I did."
Pope caught shrapnel "in places I can't talk about," which earned him the Purple Heart, but he was back in service within a day.
Pope, a Bowdoin College graduate and later chairman of its board of trustees, moved to Topsham last July to live near his two sons. He spends his days visiting his wife, Eleanor, who is confined to a nursing home in Bath. He hopes she can attend Monday's parade, because she has as much respect for those who serve as he does.
"Every day of my life, I will never forget those Marines who gave their lives," he said. "I'm very impressed with these young men today."
And those young men are impressed with him. A mention of Pope's name to Sgt. Richard Serrano, an administrative non-commissioned officer for the Marine Reserve Rifle Company in Topsham, drew an instant reaction.
"It's a great honor to have a Medal of Honor recipient around," said Serrano. "It's just amazing."
When Pope sees Alpha Company off to battle Monday, he'll volunteer a piece of advice he's given to many Marines before.
"There is one decoration I don't want them to see," he said. "They can get the Bronze Star and the Silver Star and anything else they want, but not the Purple Heart. It's OK to get shot at, but duck."
Ellie