Commander in 1939 and Commander in
1940. He took over command of the USS Harry Lee, from
Commander Loomis, in March of 1943.
He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his performance at the
invasion of Sicily. On his 56th birthday, 2/12/1945, he was
relieved of command of the USS Harry Lee.
His next command was of the USS
Dauntless in Washington D.C., the flagship for the Chief
of Naval Operations. At that time he held the rank of “Captain
under temporary appointment”. He assisted with it’s
decommissioning in 1946, and then requested retirement. On
January 8th, 1947, he received a letter from the Secretary of the
Navy transferring him to the retirement list with the permanent
rank of Captain. On 1/22/1947 he received a second letter stating
“Having been specially commended by the head of the Executive
Office for performance of duty in actual combat with the enemy,
you were, when placed on he retired list, advanced to the rank of
Rear Admiral”.
After he retired, Mr. Pomeroy moved
with his daughter and youngest son David to Redlands, California, where he bought a
small orange grove and became a “gentleman farmer”. For many
years he was active in civic duties and sat on many boards.
He was a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers,
active in the American Legion and the local camera club. For many
years, one of his photographs was displayed in the lobby of the
Eastman Kodak Company in NYC. He also worked with a local
agronomist on experiments in citrus husbandry. In his
retirement Mr. Pomeroy enjoyed traveling, salmon fishing, and was
never without his camera, taking photos wherever he went. At
his death in 1984, at age 96, Mr. Pomeroy had four children, nine
grandchildren and several great grandchildren. |