Escanaba Daily Press — April 2, 2011
RAPID RIVER - Alvin Arnold Pomeroy will be honored during a Veteran of the Month ceremony Tuesday at the Walter W. Cole American Legion Post 301 of Rapid River.
Patterned after a national program established by the American Legion, a new Veteran of the Month is honored each month in a formal service at the Legion. The program will begin at 7:15 p.m.
Born Nov. 20, 1909, in Turin, Mich., Pomeroy was the son of Albert and Jennie "Russell" Pomeroy.
He attended schools in McFarland, completing the eighth grade before entering the U.S. Navy, where he attained the rank of Carpenter’s Mate First Class.
As a Carpenter’s Mate First Class, Pomeroy was expected to maintain the ships ventilation, making sure the ship was water tight, in addition to painting and drainage maintenance. In times of battle, a Carpenter’s Mate would fight fires which may have broken out, and repair any holes in the hull which may have occurred as a result of the battle.
During his time in the Navy during World War ll, he served aboard the U.S.A.T. Tabinta, nicknamed the “Flying Dutchman.”
The Tabinta was a Holland, Netherlands, merchant ship, which was acquired by the U.S. under the U.S. Maritime Commission’s Ship Acquisition Act. Under the act, any foreign merchant or passenger ship anchored in a U.S. harbor could be seized to aid in the war effort.
During her time in service, the U.S.A.T. Tabinta was deployed as part of the liberation fleet to Leyte, Philippines, which marked the return of Gen. Douglas MacArthur between Nov. 15, 1944, and Dec. 10, 1944.
The Tabinta was also one of 176 ships involved with “Operation Iceberg” which involved the assault and occupation of Okinawa, Japan, from June 17, 1945, to June 28, 1945.
Following his honorable discharge from the Navy on Nov. 18, 1945, at Great Lakes Naval Station, Ill., he returned to the Upper Peninsula where he found employment as a carpenter working for Olson and Flath Construction Company.
On Nov. 5, 1949, he married the former Loretta Groleau in Nahma, raising their three children.
Alvin was also a member of the Big Bay de Noc School Board and a member of American Legion Post 301.
He passed away April 10, 1967, at OSF St. Francis Hospital in Escanaba, and was survived by his wife Loretta, and three children, Gayle (Mark) Nelson, Herb (Donna) Pomeroy, and Russ (Diane) Pomeroy. He was also survived by 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He is buried at the Rapid River Cemetery.
One of his grandchildren, followed in his footsteps, entering the U.S. Air Force. T/Sgt. Ashley A. Pomeroy was recently recognized as Joint Junior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year in 2010. Pomeroy is currently stationed in Islamabad, Pakistan.
