ly ▁fire , ▁Pope ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁withdraw . ▁ ▁For ▁these ▁actions , ▁Pope ▁was ▁presented ▁with ▁the ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁by ▁President ▁Harry ▁Tr uman ▁during ▁a ▁ceremony ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁It ▁was ▁Tr uman ' s ▁first ▁Medal ▁of ▁Honor ▁presentation , ▁and ▁he ▁told ▁Pope ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁rather ▁have ▁the ▁medal ▁than ▁be ▁president . ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁military ▁service , ▁Pope ▁began ▁a ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁bank er . ▁He ▁was ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Work men ' s ▁Co - oper ative ▁Bank ▁in ▁Boston , ▁Massachusetts , ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 5 ▁years ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁At ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁his ▁ten ure , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁young est ▁bank ▁president ▁in ▁New ▁England ▁at ▁age ▁ 3 4 . ▁He ▁worked ▁in ▁sav ings ▁and ▁lo ans ▁and ▁supported ▁the ▁federal ▁student ▁loan ▁program , ▁serving ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁High er ▁Education ▁Ass istance ▁Corporation . ▁After ▁ret iring ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Brun sw ick , ▁Maine , ▁and ▁lived ▁near ▁his ▁al ma ▁mater , ▁Bow do in ▁College . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁active ▁on ▁Bow do in ' s ▁gover ning ▁bo ards ▁for ▁ 2 7 ▁years , ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁serving ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁over se