Ice Out Contest 2012

ROCKY'S BATTLE IS SUNK

Congratulations to the 2012 winner of the Ice out Contest

 

   The official Rocky plunge date and time was February 22nd @ 1:17 PM EST

Private Rockwell “Rocky” Pond hails from Leominster Ma. Where he lived on the third floor of 98 West Street, which is now the Leominster Senior Center parking lot. Rocky attended Saxon Trade School and specialized in metal works.  Like many lads his age he only made it to the middle of his senior year when he volunteered for service during the Korean War. While in Korea he fought in many battles to include the Chosen Reservoir. Private “Rocky” once spent three long winter months on the ice at Chosen Reservoir fighting the enemy and fighting the bitter cold. During his third month, as spring neared, the ice began to thaw and Private Rockwell Pond fell thru the ice but was saved by his fellow soldiers.

After the war Rocky returned home to Leominster and found employment at Leominster Ice Company where he worked for many years. Rocky’s favorite past time has always been fishing including ice fishing. It was the middle of March 1954 while he was ice fishing on the pond off of West Street and a group of kids were skating near by, when one of them fell thru the ice. Without any hesitation Rocky raced over to where the youngster went down, searched under the ice till he found him and pulled him to safety.

As a result of his heroic action the City of Leominster renamed the pond off of West Street to “Rockwell Pond” in his honor.