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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
Central Pacific Campaign (1941-43)/Marshall Islands Operation
From Month/Year
November / 1943
To Month/Year
December / 1943
Description In the Pacific Theater of World War II, the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, from November 1943 through February 1944, were key strategic operations of the United States Pacific Fleet and Marine Corps in the Central Pacific. The purpose was to establish airfields that would allow land based air support for the upcoming operations across the Central Pacific. The campaign began with a costly three-day battle for the island of Betio at the Tarawa atoll. The campaign was preceded a year earlier by a diversionary raid on Makin Island by U.S. Marines in August, 1942.
About 4,000 kilometers southwest of the Hawaii Islands, the Marshall Islands represented part of the perimeter of the Japanese Pacific empire. The former German colony was given to Japan after the closure of WW1, and had since been an important part of both offensive and defensive plans of the Japanese Navy. By the end of 1943, Admiral Mineichi Koga of the Japanese Combined Fleet knew the Americans were eyeing the islands, but he could not figure out where they would strike. His difficulties were further complicated by the lack of carrier aircraft, as they were taken away from him in an attempt to reinforce land-based squadrons. With his hands tied, all Koga could do was to send his submarines out as forward observers and order the regional commander in Truk Admiral Masashi Kobayashi to reinforce the island garrisons that were most exposed to American attacks. Kobayashi shifted men to the outer islands of Jaluit, Mili, Wotje, and Maloelap. In total, Kobayashi had 28,000 troops available to him in the Marshall Islands. For a garrison that size ground fortifications were sub-par, but that was rather by design at this stage of the war, for that Tokyo had since decided that the Marshall Islands were to serve only as a part of a delay action campaign. The new defensive perimeter was to be established much closer to the home islands.
American intelligence decoded Japanese messages and detected movements for the outer islands, and decided to change the invasion plans. Unbeknownst to the Japanese, the Americans were now bypassing the reinforced outer islands; they were now directly attacking Kwajalein and Eniwetok.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
November / 1943
To Month/Year
December / 1943
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Invasion of the Marshall Islands
Harry Lee participated in rehearsal landings in Hawaiian waters after her arrival at Pearl Harbor 7 December 1943, and sailed 23 January 1944 for the invasion of the Marshall Islands, next step on the island road to Japan. She arrived off Kwajalein 31 January. She effectively carried out her role in this complicated operation by landing troops on two small islands in the atoll; they met little opposition. Harry Lee remained off Kwajalein until departing for Funafuti 5 February. From there she sailed to Noumea 24 February and by 14 March was anchored off Guadalcanal to load troops and continue her amphibious preparations.
