Everett P. Pope, a member of the Class of 1941 and a decorated World War II hero, was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday, September 15, 2009….
Pope’s Medal of Honor Award for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty” was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but presented after Roosevelt’s death by President Harry S. Truman at a White House ceremony in June 1945. The award citation recounted the harrowing circumstances that faced Pope and his men:
Subjected to pointblank cannon fire which caused heavy casualties and badly disorganized his company while assaulting a steep coral hill, Capt. Pope rallied his men and gallantly led them to the summit in the face of machinegun, 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 machineguns 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, machineguns, 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, and 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 Capt. Pope and the U.S. Naval Service.
Read it all and if you have time watched the video (link provided in article). They are all dying so fast now, one hopes they get the thanks they so richly deserve–KSH
What a remarkable description of heroism and valor.