Johnson City Post Office building named after Pease

Representatives from the United States Postal Service were joined at last Friday’s ceremony by members of Homer Pease’s family, Johnson City Mayor Jenny Brock and Congressman Phil Roe, who introduced the bill that paved the way for the post office building to be named in Pease’s honor. PHOTOS BY DAVE ONGIE

Congressman Phil Roe and the United States Post Office hosted a dedication ceremony last Friday morning to rename the Johnson City Post Office building in honor of Major Homer L. Pease.

Representatives from the USPS were on hand along with Roe, Johnson City Mayor Jenny Brock and members of Pease’s family to unveil the plaque that will hang on the post office. The renaming of the building required an act of Congress, which came after Roe introduced the original bill.

James Cochran, Homer Pease’s nephew, speaks during a ceremony to rename the Johnson City Post Office building after his uncle.

Pease enlisted in the Army at the age of 13 and served as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne during World War II. He landed at Normandy on D-Day and was wounded, but returned to his unit to fight in the Ardennes Forrest, the Battle of the Bulge and Berchtesgaden before being wounded again. At that point, the Army discovered Pease was 15 and sent him home to Johnson City.

Pease eventually became a U.S. Army Ranger at age 36, and was killed in Action while fighting in Vietnam in 1966.