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especially for the extraordinarily successful measures by which
American Samoa was kept absolutely immune from the epidemic of influenza at a time when in the neighboring islands of the Samoan group more than 10,000 deaths occurred, and when the percentage of deaths throughout the Polynesian Islands as a group, is reported to have ranged from 30 to 40 per cent of the population
444:
451:
The
President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Commander John Martin Poyer, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Governor of American Samoa, for wise and successful administration of his office and
285:
during World War I. While the territory was not directly involved in the war, Poyer focused on enhancing the education and public health systems. In his honor, a Junior High School was named after him. He arrived in
American Samoa shortly after a devastating hurricane that destroyed much of the
405:, Poyer quarantined American Samoa after hearing news reports of worldwide deaths on the radio. This action caused American Samoa to be one of the few places in the world to not suffer any flu deaths. Angered by the quarantine of ships,
396:
and became the twelfth
Governor of American Samoa, the eleventh man to hold the office. He is one of only three men to hold the office of naval governor after having already retired from the navy. As governor, Poyer ended
524:
The
Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps: With a History of Naval Operations During the Rebellion of 1861–5, and a List of the Ships and Officers Participating in the Great Battles
310:. This decisive action resulted in zero influenza casualties in American Samoa. Poyer was highly popular, and the Samoan people overwhelmingly wanted him to remain in office when his term ended.
294:
to await the harvest of new crops, which resulted in many residents choosing to remain in
Tutuila, significantly reducing Manua’s population. In 1918, a deadly influenza epidemic struck
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on June 10, 1919, ending his governorship. His term is the longest of any naval governor of
American Samoa. After his retirement, Poyer lived in
486:
420:, cut off communications with American Samoa. For his leadership in preventing the spread of Spanish influenza, Poyer received the Navy Cross.
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722:
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33:
679:
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243:
306:. Governor Poyer implemented a strict quarantine on all incoming items from Western Samoa, with mail being delivered well outside the
635:
575:
Register of the
Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and Reserve Officers on Active Duty
246:, from March 1, 1915, to June 10, 1919. He held the longest term of any American governor appointed over the territory by the
573:
668:
The Yellow Flag of
Quarantine: An Analysis of the Historical and Prospective Impacts of Socio-Legal Controls Over Contagion
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graduate, Poyer served in numerous positions and retired in 1906 on account of failing health; however, the
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Puputoa: Host of Heroes - A record of the history makers in the First
Century of American Samoa, 1900-2000
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in May 1898. Poyer retired from active duty on June 30, 1906, on account of ill-health as a
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270:. Because of his actions, no deaths occurred in American Samoa, and he received the
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in June 1897, back to the Washington Ship Yard from 1897 to 1898, and the
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recalled him to service in 1915 to serve as governor. During the
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476:. Suva, Fiji: Oceania Printers. Pages 109-110. ISBN 9829036022.
290:. In 1915, Poyer evacuated over 50% of Manua’s population to
670:. Doctoral dissertation, University of South Florida, p. 232
605:"Commander John Martin Poyer: March 1, 1915 – June 10, 1919"
442:
274:. Upon his final retirement, Poyer had reached the rank of
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the territory to stop the spread of the pandemic to
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423:Poyer transferred command of American Samoa to
298:, killing one-fifth of the population on both
16:US Navy officer and Governor of American Samoa
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8:
1183:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
737:
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693:"Navy: The Culture That You Take With You"
516:
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351:in December 1894. He was stationed to the
31:
20:
1178:Military personnel from Washington, D.C.
584:United States Government Printing Office
501:United States Government Printing Office
401:of alcohol in the territory. During the
570:United States Bureau of Naval Personnel
465:
1188:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
492:Official Register of the United States
487:United States Civil Service Commission
57:March 1, 1915 – June 10, 1919
536:
534:
472:Sunia, FofĹŤ Iosefa Fiti (2001).
7:
599:
597:
595:
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1153:United States Naval Academy alumni
666:Okin, Peter Oliver (January 2012)
634:Sims, Keith (September 23, 2009).
431:until his death. He was buried at
14:
521:Hamersly, Lewis Randolph (1902).
389:On March 1, 1915, Poyer relieved
327:in 1861. He was appointed to the
1168:Prohibition in the United States
789:
244:Naval Governor of American Samoa
212:
187:
171:
1173:Military personnel from Indiana
362:from August 1894 to 1897, the
242:(1861 – May 12, 1922) was the
1:
680:Burial Detail: Poyer, John M
609:Government of American Samoa
527:. J.M. Carroll. p. 216.
1163:United States Navy officers
1148:Governors of American Samoa
746:Governors of American Samoa
433:Arlington National Cemetery
329:United States Naval Academy
148:United States Naval Academy
128:Arlington National Cemetery
1204:
550:. May 14, 1922. p. 26
283:Governor of American Samoa
45:Governor of American Samoa
786:
641:Greene County Daily World
349:lieutenant (junior grade)
233:
85:
50:
39:
30:
248:United States Government
542:"Obituary 1 – No Title"
394:Charles Armijo Woodruff
355:from 1892 to 1894, the
68:Charles Armijo Woodruff
611:. 2009. Archived from
454:
447:
449:
446:
201:Years of service
1158:Spanish flu pandemic
379:lieutenant commander
353:Washington Navy Yard
347:in February 1884, a
204:1879–1906, 1915–1919
439:Navy Cross Citation
416:, administrator of
286:development in the
699:. February 5, 2020
648:on January 4, 2010
547:The New York Times
448:
425:Warren Jay Terhune
407:Lieutenant Colonel
323:Poyer was born in
195:United States Navy
80:Warren Jay Terhune
1125:
1124:
1074:
993:
992:(1951–1978)
946:
804:
803:(1905–1951)
757:
756:(1900–1905)
636:"The Spanish Flu"
403:1918 flu pandemic
364:Naval War College
335:in October 1879.
260:1918 flu pandemic
240:John Martin Poyer
237:
236:
115:(aged 60–61)
25:John Martin Poyer
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644:. Archived from
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497:Washington, D.C.
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429:Washington, D.C.
414:New Zealand Army
343:Poyer became an
308:Pago Pago Harbor
281:Poyer served as
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162:Military service
118:Washington, D.C.
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90:Personal details
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495:. Vol. 1.
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314:Life and career
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682:– ANC Explorer
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586:. p. 178.
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503:. p. 473.
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373:. He became a
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288:Manuʻa Islands
268:American Samoa
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418:Western Samoa
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1073:(since 1978)
902:Landenberger
846:
701:. Retrieved
696:
687:
675:
662:
650:. Retrieved
646:the original
639:
629:
617:. Retrieved
613:the original
574:
564:
552:. Retrieved
545:
523:
491:
481:
473:
468:
455:
450:
422:
410:Robert Logan
388:
385:Governorship
369:
358:
342:
339:Naval career
322:
280:
239:
238:
113:(1922-05-12)
111:May 12, 1922
75:Succeeded by
52:
18:
1143:1922 deaths
1138:1861 births
917:Fitzpatrick
753:Commandant
703:January 15,
399:prohibition
264:quarantined
137:Emma Porter
63:Preceded by
1132:Categories
960:Hungerford
652:October 6,
619:October 6,
554:October 6,
460:References
391:Lieutenant
375:lieutenant
370:Saint Paul
359:Montgomery
319:Early life
272:Navy Cross
228:Navy Cross
167:Allegiance
154:Occupation
143:Alma mater
780:Underwood
697:USNI Blog
333:Wisconsin
276:commander
218:Commander
53:In office
1107:Tulafono
1070:Elected
1036:Aspinall
907:Latimore
842:Woodruff
572:(1906).
489:(1887).
262:, Poyer
1092:Coleman
1082:Coleman
1056:Barnett
1046:Mockler
1026:Coleman
1006:Elliott
932:Wallace
912:Dowling
897:Lincoln
892:Emerson
882:Lincoln
867:Kellogg
862:Pollock
852:Terhune
832:Stearns
412:of the
325:Indiana
304:Savaiʻi
292:Tutuila
101:Indiana
1112:Moliga
1097:Lutali
1087:Lutali
1041:Haydon
1001:Phelps
989:Civil
980:Darden
970:Houser
942:Larsen
927:Hanson
877:Graham
817:Parker
800:Naval
775:Minett
770:Sebree
765:Tilley
345:ensign
224:Awards
192:
176:
134:Spouse
103:, U.S.
1117:Mauga
1102:Sunia
1011:Ewing
975:Huber
965:Canan
955:Hobbs
950:Moyer
922:Milne
887:Spore
872:Bryan
857:Evans
847:Poyer
822:Crose
812:Moore
331:from
300:Upolu
1051:Ruth
1021:Lowe
1016:Judd
937:Wild
837:Post
827:Post
705:2024
654:2009
621:2009
556:2009
368:USS
357:USS
302:and
256:navy
250:. A
209:Rank
108:Died
98:1861
95:Born
1061:Lee
1031:Lee
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695:.
638:.
607:.
592:^
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578:.
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533:^
509:^
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278:.
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623:.
558:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
