Maine to be nearer their sons. The couple entered the Hill House assisted-living facility in Bath in September 2008. His wife died there in January 2009, and Pope himself died six months later, on the morning of his 90th birthday. Everett and Eleanor Pope were cremated and, on September 15, 2009, buried together in Arlington National Cemetery. Medal of Honor citation The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to for service as set forth in the following CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer of Company C, First Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Peleliu Island, Palau Group, on 19–20 September 1944. Subjected to point-blank cannon fire which caused heavy casualties and badly disorganized his company while assaulting a steep coral hill, Captain Pope rallied his men and gallantly led them to the summit in the face of machine-gun, 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 machine-guns out of action and insufficient water and ammunition, he remained on the exposed hill with twelve men and one wounded officer, determined to hold through the night. Attacked continuously with grenades, machine-guns, and rifles from three sides and twice subjected to suicidal charges during the night, 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 eight 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 Captain Pope and the United States Naval Service /S/ FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT See also List of Medal of Honor recipients List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II References Inline General Further reading Hallas, James. The Devil's Anvil: The Assault on Peleliu, Praeger Publishers, 1994. () McMillan, George. The Old Breed: A History of the First Marine Division in World War II, Zenger Pub., 1983. () 1919 births 2009 deaths Bowdoin College alumni United States Marine Corps officers United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II United States Marine