Anthony Rose
Graduating class: 1935
Inducted into Hall of Fame: 2026
Hall of Fame Category: Lifetime Achievement
Anthony was born in neighboring New Bedford but lived most of his life in Fairhaven. Graduating from Fairhaven High School in 1935, he enlisted in the Army on February 9, 1942 and attended Officer’s Candidates School at Fort Benning Georgia where he received a commission in June 1943. He later served in the Italian campaign as well as in southern France.
In August of 1944 Rose was with Company F of the 179th Regiment when he was taken prisoner by the Germans after his unit was all but annihilated. After being taken to a hospital in France he escaped and joined the French Forces of the Interior engaging in numerous raiding parties before being captured again.
But once again Anthony escaped, this time during a forced march with 1200 officers of Allied Forces from a German concentration camp in Poland. He was recaptured and held at the Luchenwalde Prison Camp in Poland until he was liberated by the Russian Army.
Following his hospitalization in the United States, Rose was assigned to Fort Meade in Maryland where he was later discharged and became a member of the Organized Reserve Corps until retiring as a major.
Returning to Fairhaven with a cache of medals that included the Bronze Star with cluster, the Purple Heart and several battle stars and bronze arrowheads for invasion duties, Tony operated Rose’s Market – a Fairhaven market previously owned by his father. He later joined the Fairhaven Police Department where he served for several years.
Tony was also a licensed real estate broker and worked at the Otis Air National Guard Base from 1975 until his retirement in 1983. He was a Registrar of Voters as well as a Town Meeting member in Fairhaven, and a former President of the New Bedford Retail Grocers Association. A former football player in high school, Tony later played semi-professional
football with the Fairhaven Varsity Club as well as the Whalers. He was also among the original founders of the Touchdown Club. His many titles included: President of the Fairhaven Association of Businessmen, Commander of Fort Phoenix Post 2892 Veterans of Foreign Wars; Corporator of the Fairhaven Savings Bank and Chairman of the Fairhaven Republican Town Committee.
Tony was also a member of the Disabled American Veterans; Reserve Officers Association; Voiture Local No. 577, 40 and 8; Military Order of the World Wars; Fairhaven Police Association; American Ex-Prisoners of War; Military Order of the Purple Heart; Massachusetts Chief of Police Association; Post 166 American Legion and charter member of the Damien Council 4190 Knights of Columbus. Tony Rose passed away unexpectedly at home on December 13, 1988 at the age of 71.