
Nathaniel Honors Six Veteran Brothers in a Museum Exhibit
Nathaniel “Nat” Pope and his cousins grew up hearing countless stories of their fathers’ service during World War II. Starting in 1943, five of the Pope brothers were drafted and assigned to non-combat duties, as was common for African Americans at a time when the U.S. military was just beginning to desegregate. Their efforts were crucial to the war’s success and several brothers earned exemplary honors for their service, despite the racial discrimination they experienced.
“No matter how small your job may seem, it fits into the bigger picture,” Nat said. “Maybe their jobs were low on the pay scale, but they helped the nation. They helped the soldiers to be strong.”



Nat’s uncle Olie, the first to serve, joined the U.S. Navy on August 6, 1943. Just ten days later, Nat’s father Rufus received his notice from the U.S. Army, where he served as a supply truck driver. Next was Jimmie, a Navy sailor at a transport center; Johnnie, part of an Army combat replacement unit; Raymond, a stateside Army cook. Too young to be drafted into WWII and inspired by his brothers’ dedication, the youngest brother, Alfonso, enlisted in the Air Force and served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
In a time when so many families lost loved ones to war, all of the Pope brothers returned home safely. The six men went on to raise families of their own. Over the years, they would gather in the small town of Franklin, Virginia, where their grandparents lived, hearing wartime tales of heroism and hardship.
“It just made me so grateful to God that they all came back so that we can be this next generation,” Nat said.
Nat, now 73, recalled his father’s service with the 664th Quartermaster Trucking Corps, delivering ammunition, food, gasoline, water, and other needed supplies to troops as they advanced toward the German frontier, often under the threat of gunfire and buried bombs. Utilizing special headlights called “cat-eyes” which prevented light from being seen overhead, the 664th evaded enemy detection. The mobilization of supplies by the 664th substantially contributed to General Patton’s Third Army assault on the Germans, ensuring the Allies victory at the Battle of the Bulge.


With his father and uncles’ stories firmly planted in his memory, Nat envisioned a museum exhibit that would honor their miliary service. He hoped such an exhibit would inspire patriotism, an appreciation of family, and a desire to lead wholesome lives, just as the Pope brothers exemplified.
Wish of a Lifetime was honored to help Nat preserve a vital piece of his family’s cultural and military heritage. Along with 13 of his cousins, Nat traveled to the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, where museum staff helped the family compile a display of photographs, stories, and memorabilia about the Pope brothers’ service. The Pope Collection was then donated to the museum, to be highlighted in a 2026 exhibit centered around African American military history.


Nat is filled with gratitude about having a tangible collection for future generations. “Most of us are now grandparents, and what a legacy we now have to pass down to our families as well as to our country,” Nat shared. “We didn’t come from money or fame, but the love of God, family, and country has brought us a long way.”
Since the assembly of the museum display, Nat feels inspired to tackle other endeavors with his family by his side. He hopes to research where his adopted grandfather came from and is looking forward to planning a family reunion in 2026.
“This is not something that is over,” Nat said. “It will help us move on to something else that we can accomplish as a family. These guys kept us close. Family was special to them, and that also made it special to us.”
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