John Edward Powell

Military

The B-24D Liberator, 41-23112, named, The Captain & His Kids, had an accident upon landing. 3 November 1943.



Lt. John Powell flew as the navigator on aircraft, 41-24024, Bewitching Witch, on Operation Tidal Wave, the low-level bombing mission to Ploesti, Romania. The aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft hits over it's target and was limping home when it was attacked and shot down by German and Romanian fighters over the Ionian Sea, and forced to ditch, 127 km North of Benghazi, Libya. Lt. Powell was rescued after the ditching. 1 Aug 43.

2nd Lt. Powell was awarded the Silver Star for the 1 Aug 1943 low-level mission to Ploesti under G.O. #86, Hq. 9th US Air Force, Sept. 11, 1943 and the citation reflects he was on attached service from the 389th Bomb Group to the 415th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bomb Group. This is an anomaly, but the information is directly from the citation. The 44th Bomb Group Ploesti sortie reports reflect he was flying with the 67th BS, 44th BG with Capt. Reginald L. Carpenter as the pilot.

He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters in general orders during 1944.



Shot down, 22 Apr 1944, in B-24D, 42-63963, Prisoner of War (POW). He separated from service on Dec. 27, 1945.

 

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The 'semiofficial' insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Bewitching Witch
  • Unit: 376th Bomb Group 44th Bomb Group 67th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Captain and His Kids Rides Again - Bucksheesh Benny Rides Again
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 44th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Round Trip Ticket
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Bismarck, North Dakota, USA 2 December 1916 Galesville, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

Enlisted

19 August 1941 NARA records confirmed enlistment date from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 22 April 1944 Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11

Died

In January 1986, actual date not published but deduced from newspaper article

9 January 1986

Revisions

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

Information is from NARA enlistment records and Find a Grave data.

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

Updated decorations per GOs and NARA entry date.

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

Updated records from GOs and Ploesti Sortie Reports.

Date
Contributordecwriter
Changes
Sources

Updated ASN based on entry date in NARA as an enlisted member and decorations based on official documents from the USAAF during WW II and Ploesti Sortie Reports.

Added Find a Grave data. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/233064356/john-edward-powell

Date
ContributorKickapoo
Changes
Sources

Best Web - B-24 - 41-23112 - The Captain & His Kids

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added POW Camp info to the POW event and a S/N from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added an association to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.

Date
Changes
Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Brought in information from duplicate record. Source:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15859, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey p. 218

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4290 / MACR 4290 & MACR 15859, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 357 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database