Jerome Luther Pounder was born September 27, 1916, in Lee County, Texas. He died December 30, 2007 in Yucca Valley, California. Pounder served 4 years in the Texas National Guard before enlisting in the Marines July 13, 1938 in San Diego, where he remained until September, 1938. In October, Private Pounder is shown on the USS Phoenix, and was stationed on that ship until June, 1939. He made PFC in May of that year. In July, he is shown on the USS Portland, but then back to the Phoenix until October, and then briefly on the USS Quincy on "neutrality patrol". He was back on the Phoenix in December until April of 1940 in San Pedro, California. In May of 1940 he is shown on the USS Portland in Hawaii, until September. In October, he is shown as attached to Battery , 3'' Antiaircraft Gun, Second Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California. The muster rolls for Pounder do not go beyond 1940. Pounder was SgtMaj of the 2nd LAAM Bn. in 1962.
Not much else is known about Pounder except that he retired as Sgtmaj and lived in Yucca Valley, California, which is close to the Marine base at 29 Palms. SgtMaj Pounder retired after 35 years of service.
His medal group is extensive. The first mounted medal bar includes his Good Conduct medal with a gold and bronze star, China Service medal, American Defense medal with Fleet bar, American Campaign medal and Asiatic/Pacicic medal with one star. His Good Conduct medal is engraved "No A 7645 Jerome L. Pounder 2nd Enlistment 1938-1944". The second mounted medal group includes the WW2 Victory medal, Occupation medal with Asia bar, American Defense medal, Korean Service medal with 3 stars, UN Korea medal, and "For Service in Korea" medal. There is a 14 bar ribbon rack included.
Pounder must have been quite a shooter. His shooting medals in the group include three 1955 dated shooting medals which are marked "USARCARIB". All three of these medals are made by Blackinton. Two are for pistol and one for rifle. In addition, there is a rifle competion Leatherneck medal for Division A Third Quarter First Place in 1954, engraved on the back "TSgt J.L. Pounder". There are 2 additional shooting medals that are duplicates: rifle competition Leatherneck High Rifle First Quarter 1955. They both are engraved on the back "MSgt J.L. Pounder". One of 2 is marked Blackinton.
A Master GySgt Marine friend of SgtMaj Pounder has recently supplied additional information that has been added in the narrative above.
