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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jul '94
Reuben Pomerantz No.15665 Class of 1946
Died 15 May 1993 in Washington, D.C., aged 71 years. Interment:
Washington Hebrew Congregation Memorial Park, Washington, D.C.
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Reuben (Reub) Pomerantz was born in Hartford, Connecticut
on 10 August 1921. He grew up in Hartford, graduated from Weaver
High School in 1939, entered Trinity College in Hartford immediately
after high school and gained a bachelor's degree in chemistry.
In 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, obtained his appointment
to West Point and joined the class of 1946 on 1 July 1943.
Life as a cadet offered Reub an opportunity to
display the talents that were to characterize him throughout
his life: attention to detail and a great imagination. His gregarious
outlook soon made him well known among his classmates. Classmate,
friend and fellow Quartermaster officer George E. Hall remembered:
"During Beast Barracks, Reub received a package of baked
goods from home almost every day. During these moments, we learned
of Reub's generosity as he shared every crumb of his bounty with
his beast hungry classmates. It is not at all surprising that,
in later years, this trait would come full circle with his extremely
generous contributions in founding the Cadet Jewish Chapel."
Reub made a niche for himself on the Howitzer staff
and became business manager. He met the love of his life, Harriet
Shapiro, who was from nearby Newburgh, New York. One of his roommates,
Warren Jungerheld, recalled: "I remember the many good times
with Reub and Harriet. I can remember how impressed I was with
the unyielding devotion that characterized their relationship.
Reub was a good and loyal friend to me, and l trust l was to
him. He truly personified our by words of Duty, Honor and Country,
and I was privileged to have known him and called him my friend."
At graduation, Reub became a second lieutenant in the Quartermaster
Corps.
Following basic schooling at Fort Benning, Georgia
and Camp Lee, Virginia, Reub was assigned to the Canal Zone in
1948 as a purchasing and contracting officer. He returned to
marry Harriet in Cullum Hall at West Point on 4 July 1948. In
1950, Reub moved to the Office of the Quartermaster, US Army
Caribbean. He received a masters in food technology from MIT,
and the Pomerantz's traveled to Chicago where Reub was assigned
to the Quartermaster Food and Container Institute. The Army began
the study of irradiated food in the mid 50s, and Reub was named
technical director and deputy commander of the Quartermaster
Radiation Planning Agency in Washington in 1956. He served in
that capacity for two years before becoming director, Quartermaster
Radiation Laboratories at Natick, Massachusetts. In 1962, Reub
left the Army to try his hand in civilian life. He maintained
his commission in the Army Reserves and retired as a major in
1968.
His first position in civilian life was as special
assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Science
and Technology. After several years with the Department of Commerce,
Reub and a friend, Murry Schott, went into business together.
Murry recalled: "We spent weekends on end driving around
Washington, D.C. with our respective wives, looking for property
or business ideas. We were lucky to find a small motel on US
Route 1 in College Park Maryland--about a mile from the University
of Maryland main campus. With a caretaker, we were able to operate,
maintain and pay the taxes on that little motel. In 1967, we
tore down the existing cabins and built a 68 unit motel complete
with lobby, restaurant, lounge and pool. We got a Holiday Inns
franchise and the project was an immediate financial success.
We built a second Holiday Inn, and Reuben became active in the
national Holiday Inns organization. He served as national treasurer
and vice president, heading the Franchise Division. Reuben was
a great detail person with the added quality of being imaginative.
Reuben participated with great pleasure and enthusiasm at Army
reunions. He was one of the founders of the Jewish Chapel at
West Point. He and his wife were avid workers and supporters
of many Jewish causes, assuming leadership roles with the United
Jewish Appeal; the American Society for Technion; the Chiam Weitzman
Institute; the Washington Hebrew Congregation; and the State
of Israel Bonds. Harriet and Reuben were inseparable. She was
at his side always, an aide and assistant to his many endeavors...."
Reuben Pomerantz died 15 May 1993 from pancreatic
cancer. He was survived by his wife, Harriet; two daughters,
Debra and Sharon; and brother Sydney Pomer. His friend, Murry
Schott, commented: "Harriet, whose health seemed very good
while caring for him incessantly, died three month later-- also
of pancreatic cancer. We miss both of them intensely."
Reuben Pomerantz was proud to be a West Pointer.
Reub's friend, George Hall, remembered: "The Reub I knew
was fun. He possessed a well developed sense of humor but one
that was very subtle and gentle. He was generous to a fault.
I never knew him to be angry." Reub was determined to apply
the same leadership qualities that served him so well on active
duty to his business endeavors. His brother, Sydney, recalled:
"In all his business undertakings, he strove for perfection
and demanded high standards of performance. He was strong willed;
determined to overcome any and all obstacles. He never accepted
'no' as an answer; and to him there was no such thing as impossible.
He was the leader for the entire family; a devoted husband, a
loving father and always willing and eager to help others. I
was blessed and honored to have Reuben as my brother. He was
one in a million and we miss him dearly."
The thoughts and respect expressed by Reub's family,
friends and classmates are echoed by all who had the privilege
of knowing this proud son of West Point. The Class of 1946 is
honored to join them in stating: "Well Done, Reub; Be Thou
At Peace."
'46 Memorial Article Project and his family
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