sfearing
08-30-09, 12:44 AM
Maj. Everett Pope, USMC WWII, Medal of Honor
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2009/07/21/everett_p_pope_90_banker_bowdoin_college_official/
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg109/sfearing/EverettPope.jpg
Everett P. Pope, 90, banker, Bowdoin College official
EVERETT POPE
By Caitlin Castello
Globe Correspondent / July 21, 2009
For two days in September 1944, Marine Captain Everett P. Pope and his company defended themselves against enemy attacks on top of a hill on Peleliu Island in the South Pacific.
Mr. Pope endured attacks from the Japanese military from three sides, persevering until he was ordered to withdraw. His survival in that battle earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, one of the country’s highest awards.
Mr. Pope died of heart failure Thursday at the Hill House, an assisted-living facility in Bath, Maine.
He was 90.
Born in Milton, he was raised in Quincy and graduated from North Quincy High School in 1937. He and his wife, Eleanor (Hawkins), met while in high school; they were married in 1942, the year after he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in French from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
Mr. Pope enlisted in the Marine Corps after his graduation from college.
He fought in the Guadalcanal and New Britain campaigns and also received a Bronze Medal and a Purple Heart.
After the battle at Peleliu Island, Mr. Pope was sent back to the United States on assignment from the Marines to Yale University to study Japanese to prepare for the invasion of Japan. The war ended before he could put his studies to use.
After the war, Mr. Pope briefly worked at International House, a nonprofit in New York City that helps house graduate students from across the world.
Mr. Pope initially wanted to pursue a career in foreign service, according to his son Ralph of Arrowsic, Maine.
“But after he spent two years in the Pacific, he decided he didn’t want to do that anymore and he went into business,’’ he said.
After moving from New York to Braintree, Mr. Pope started working in banking.
He became president and CEO of the Workingmen’s Co-operative Bank. He was named president in 1953, which made him the youngest bank president in New England, said his son.
In 1982, he served as the first chairman of the board for the Massachusetts Higher Education Assistance Corporation, a student-loan program.
Mr. Pope always took an interest in education, his son said. He was an active alumnus with Bowdoin College.
“Bowdoin was very important to him. He put in a lot of time and did a lot of volunteer work over the years,’’ Ralph said. “He really valued the education he got at Bowdoin. He thought highly of the institution.’’
After his retirement from the bank in 1983, Mr. Pope and his wife moved to Brunswick, Maine, because of his involvement with Bowdoin.
He served 27 years on the various governing boards of the college. He was president of the board of overseers from 1973 until 1977, when he became a trustee.
Mr. Pope was chair of the board of trustees from 1984-1988, when he was elected trustee emeritus.
“He was a great American, a man totally committed to veterans and the welfare of veterans,’’ said Barry Mills, president of Bowdoin College. “He was passionately committed to Bowdoin.’’
He also spent time with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and spoke to veteran groups about the war, said Ralph.
“He very much respected the medal itself and the people who were awarded it before,’’ said Ralph.
In addition to Ralph, Mr. Pope leaves another son, Laurence of Portland, Maine; and two granddaughters.
His wife died in January. A memorial service for both Mr. Pope and his wife will be held at 4 p.m. July 31 at Bowdoin Chapel.
Burial will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be announced.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/obituaries/articles/2009/07/21/everett_p_pope_90_banker_bowdoin_college_official/
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg109/sfearing/EverettPope.jpg
Everett P. Pope, 90, banker, Bowdoin College official
EVERETT POPE
By Caitlin Castello
Globe Correspondent / July 21, 2009
For two days in September 1944, Marine Captain Everett P. Pope and his company defended themselves against enemy attacks on top of a hill on Peleliu Island in the South Pacific.
Mr. Pope endured attacks from the Japanese military from three sides, persevering until he was ordered to withdraw. His survival in that battle earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, one of the country’s highest awards.
Mr. Pope died of heart failure Thursday at the Hill House, an assisted-living facility in Bath, Maine.
He was 90.
Born in Milton, he was raised in Quincy and graduated from North Quincy High School in 1937. He and his wife, Eleanor (Hawkins), met while in high school; they were married in 1942, the year after he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in French from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
Mr. Pope enlisted in the Marine Corps after his graduation from college.
He fought in the Guadalcanal and New Britain campaigns and also received a Bronze Medal and a Purple Heart.
After the battle at Peleliu Island, Mr. Pope was sent back to the United States on assignment from the Marines to Yale University to study Japanese to prepare for the invasion of Japan. The war ended before he could put his studies to use.
After the war, Mr. Pope briefly worked at International House, a nonprofit in New York City that helps house graduate students from across the world.
Mr. Pope initially wanted to pursue a career in foreign service, according to his son Ralph of Arrowsic, Maine.
“But after he spent two years in the Pacific, he decided he didn’t want to do that anymore and he went into business,’’ he said.
After moving from New York to Braintree, Mr. Pope started working in banking.
He became president and CEO of the Workingmen’s Co-operative Bank. He was named president in 1953, which made him the youngest bank president in New England, said his son.
In 1982, he served as the first chairman of the board for the Massachusetts Higher Education Assistance Corporation, a student-loan program.
Mr. Pope always took an interest in education, his son said. He was an active alumnus with Bowdoin College.
“Bowdoin was very important to him. He put in a lot of time and did a lot of volunteer work over the years,’’ Ralph said. “He really valued the education he got at Bowdoin. He thought highly of the institution.’’
After his retirement from the bank in 1983, Mr. Pope and his wife moved to Brunswick, Maine, because of his involvement with Bowdoin.
He served 27 years on the various governing boards of the college. He was president of the board of overseers from 1973 until 1977, when he became a trustee.
Mr. Pope was chair of the board of trustees from 1984-1988, when he was elected trustee emeritus.
“He was a great American, a man totally committed to veterans and the welfare of veterans,’’ said Barry Mills, president of Bowdoin College. “He was passionately committed to Bowdoin.’’
He also spent time with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and spoke to veteran groups about the war, said Ralph.
“He very much respected the medal itself and the people who were awarded it before,’’ said Ralph.
In addition to Ralph, Mr. Pope leaves another son, Laurence of Portland, Maine; and two granddaughters.
His wife died in January. A memorial service for both Mr. Pope and his wife will be held at 4 p.m. July 31 at Bowdoin Chapel.
Burial will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be announced.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.