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Home Town born in San Francisco raised in Seattle, Wash.
Last Address Burial: Calvary Cemetery Seattle King County Washington, US
Date of Passing Aug 30, 1984
Location of Interment Calvary Cemetery - Seattle, Washington
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
JOSEPH GEORGE POMEROY
Rear Admiral
J. G. Pomeroy was born in San Francisco on February 12, 1889. At a young age he moved with his family to Seattle, Washington. He entered the Navy reserve in 1918 and attended the Naval School of Engineering in Seattle. In 1919 he married Marie Doyle. In 1920 he entered the regular Navy as an ensign. Marie died in 1921, shortly after giving birth to their son, George Edward Pomeroy.
In 1928 he married Josephine Thompson, having met her at a White House State Dinner. They had three children, Mary Elizabeth in 1930, Corbin Thompson in 1932 and David Gilbert in 1936.
Mr. Pomeroy stayed in the navy and worked his way up the ranks. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1939 and 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.
Other Comments:
During World War II USS Harry Lee was first assigned to the European Theater and later to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater participating in the following campaigns:
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
Sicilian occupation
Scoglitti, 10 to 12 July 1943
Gilbert Islands operation
Tarawa, 20 to 21 November 1943
Marshall Islands operation
Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls, 31 January to 5 February 1944
Hollandia operation, 23 April 1944
Marianas operation
Capture and occupation of Guam, 21 to 25 July 1944
Luzon operation
Lingayen Gulf landings, 9 to 10 January 1945
Iwo Jima operation
Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima, 3 February to 6 March 1945
1943-1945, USS Harry Lee (AP-17)
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Chain of Command He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his performance at the invasion of Sicily. Commander of the USS Harrry Lee March 1943 and on his 56th birthday, 2/12/1945, he was relieved of command of the USS Harry Lee.
Other Memories Mediterranean Fleet Service
Returning to Boston on April 6, 1943, the Harry Lee was designated for use in the upcoming offensive in the Mediterranean, and sailed June 8, 1943, for Algeria. She anchored at Oran on June 22, 1943 to prepare for the landing and she found herself off the southwest coast of Sicily on July 10, 1943, with Vice Admiral Hewitt's Western Naval Task Force. During these giant invasions the Harry Lee debarked her troops through the heavy surf at Scoglitti and withstood several Axis air attacks before retiring two days later.
Pacific Fleet Service
1943
After the success of the Sicilian operation, the transport returned German prisoners of war to the United States, arriving at Norfolk on August 3, 1943. It was then decided that her amphibious prowess was needed in the Pacific and she sailed August 24, 1943 for Wellington, New Zealand, via the Panama Canal and San Francisco, arriving October 12, 1943. At Wellington, the Harry Lee loaded Marines in preparation for the big push of the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. She proceeded to Efate, New Hebrides, November 1-7, 1943, and for the next few weeks held amphibious practice landings in preparation for the landings on Tarawa. The transport departed for Tarawa on November 13, 1943, and arrived offshore on November 20, 1943. There she launched her Marines onto the bloody beaches, under threat of submarine attack and air attack. In action between November 20 and November 30, she buried 12 United States Marines at sea. The Harry Lee then sailed on November 30th for Pearl Harbor. (See the declassified after action report below.)
1944
The Harry Lee participated in rehearsal landings in Hawaiian waters after her arrival at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1943, the second anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and sailed January 23, 1944 for the invasion of the Marshall Islands, next step on the island road to Japan. She arrived off Kwajalein on January 31, 1944. She effectively carried out her role in this complicated operation by landing troops on two small islands in the atoll; they met little opposition. The Harry Lee remained off Kwajalein until departing for Funafuti on February 5, 1944. From there she sailed to Noumea on February 24, 1944 and by March 14, 1944, she was anchored off Guadalcanal to load troops and continue her amphibious preparation.
After carrying troops to Bougainville and New Guinea in April, the Harry Lee sailed to Aitape, New Guinea, under Rear Admiral Barbey for the Hollandia operation. She arrived April, 23, 1944, after the initial assault, unloaded her troops, and proceeded to bring reinforcements from other points in New Guinea to the landing area. This accomplished, the transport arrived in Espirtu Santo on May 11, 1944.
The Harry Lee was next to take part in the invasion of the Marianas. After landing operations conducted around Guadalcanal the ship sailed to Kwajalein and got underway in convoy for Guam on June 12, 1944. During this gigantic operation, in which troops were projected over 1,000 miles of ocean from the nearest advance base, the Harry Lee was held in reserve for the Guam landings. She arrived off Agat, Guam, on July 21, 1944 and debarked her troops. The transport then remained offshore loading and relanding troops for tactical purposes until July 25, 1944, when she steamed with her fellow transports to Eniwetok. They arrived on July 29, 1944, and two days later sailed for Pearl Harbor.
Arriving Pearl Harbor on August 7, 1944, the Harry Lee set course for California and a much-needed overhaul. She arrived San Pedro on August 18, 1944 and remained in California until departing on October 21, 1944, with troops for Seeadler Harbor, Manus. Until December 31, 1944, the ship conducted practice landings in New Guinea and the Solomons for the upcoming invasion of Luzon, in the Philippines, and departed the last day of 1944 for Lingayan Gulf. Enroute, Japanese planes attacked the task force savagely with suicide planes and bombers, but the Harry Lee by effective gunfire and luck escaped damage.
1945
She entered Lingayen Gulf on January 9, 1945, and began landing troops under constant air alert. That night the transports retired off the beaches under smoke screens, returning the next day to resume the dangerous job of landing supplies. Harry Lee sailed on January 10, 1945, for Leyte Gulf, anchoring there on January 14, 1945. With troops ashore at Lingayen, the Harry Lee departed on January 19, 1945 for Ulithi, northeast of Palau and southwest of Guam, and arrived two days later. The ship went to Ulithi to take on fresh water as there was a larg desalinization plant there. She soon was back in action, however, sailing on February 17, 1945, for Iwo Jima and her last amphibious operation of the war. The transport arrived via Guam on February 22, 1945, three days after the landings , and after sending a reconnaissance unit ashore on February 24, 1945, disembarked her troops. The ship remained off Iwo Jima until March 6, 1945, acting as a hospital evacuation vessel. She then sailed with casualties to Saipan from March 6-9, 1945.
Harry Lee spent the rest of her time in the Pacific transporting troops and supplies, as the American thrust at Japan neared its final phase. She touched at Tulagi, Noumea, New Guinea, Manus and the Philippines, bringing reinforcements and vitally needed supplies. The ship was at Leyte Gulf on July 20, 1945, when ordered back to the United States and she arrived for a brief stay on August 8, 1945. It was during this time that news of Japan's surrender reached the veteran transport.
