Joseph Harry Powers Jr
Military![Lieutenant Joe H. Powers of the 56th Fighter Group, 7 February 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'Passed By The Censor - No. 303819. "Aces" Who Fly The P-47. Associated Press Photo Shows:- One of the crack Thunderbolt pilots in ETO - Lt. Joe H. Powers of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has seven enemy planes to his credit. (See companion p[iece?]). WOR 264594. 7-2-44-Y.' On reverse: Associated Press [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/wysiwyg_x2/public/freeman/media-401435.jpg.webp?itok=legQ8SV9)
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 2688 - Lieutenant Joe H. Powers of the 56th Fighter Group, 7 February 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'Passed By The Censor - No. 303819. "Aces" Who Fly...
Captain Joseph H Powers, was born 8-Jun-20 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended school in Tulsa and graduated Tulsa Central High School.
He was attending The University of Oklahoma on 7-Dec-41 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, causing the US to enter WWII. He entered the U.S. Army Air Forces through the U.S. Army Air Forces' Aviation Cadet Program.
He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces based at Halesworth, England.
He became an Ace in 1943 flying a P-47C. He was officially credited with 14.5 enemy aircraft shot down at the time World War II was over. He was just one half an aircraft short of being a triple Ace.
After World War II Powers remained in the USAAF which in 1947 became the USAF. During the Korea War he was assigned to the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 18th Fighter Bomber Group at the time of his death, 18-Jan-51, when he was shot down. His remains were never recovered.
Awards: SS, DFC (4OLC), AM (4OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars), PH.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 495th Fighter Training Group 56th Fighter Group 552nd Fighter Training Squadron 61st Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Snow White
- Unit: 56th Fighter Group 61st Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Powers Girl
- Unit: 6th Fighter Wing 495th Fighter Training Group 56th Fighter Group 552nd Fighter Training Squadron 61st Fighter Squadron 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Power's Girl
- Unit: 56th Fighter Group 61st Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Power's Girl Pam
- Unit: 56th Fighter Group 62nd Fighter Squadron 63rd Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Holton
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Tulsa, OK, USA | 8 June 1920 | Son of Joseph Harry Sr and Ruth Isabella [Grant] Powers. |
|
Died |
Korea | 18 January 1951 | Shot down with 67th Fighter Bomber Sqn, 18th Fighter Bomber Group KIA. His remains were never recovered. |
|
Other Promoted |
Promoted to Captain. | ||
|
Other Assigned |
Halesworth, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19, UK | Assigned as 2nd Lt to the 61FS, 56FG, 8th AF, USAAF based at Halesworth, England. Wingman to Bob Johnson and Frank "Gabby" Gabreski. | |
|
Other Transferred |
Halesworth, Halesworth, Suffolk IP19, UK | Transferred to 62FS, 56FG, 8AF USAAF. | |
|
Other Post war |
Jinhae-gu, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea | 18 January 1951 | Served in the USAAF and later in USAF post war. Flew F-51D's in combat in Korean war. |
|
Buried |
Memorial Park Cemetery, Tulsa, OK | Commemorated: Memorial Park Cemetery, Tulsa, Oklahoma. | |
|
Buried |
Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, HI | Commemorated: Tablets of the Missing Honolulu Memorial. |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia
![Lieutenant Joe H. Powers, of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt, 7 February 1944. Passed for publication 8 Feb 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Lt. Joe H. Powers. Halesworth. 61FS/56FG. 7/2/44 stamp. 303819 - WOB 264594.' Printed caption removed from reverse. On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-401297.jpg.webp?itok=N9T_7Lw9)
![Lieutenant Joe H. Powers of the 56th Fighter Group, 7 February 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'Passed By The Censor - No. 303819. "Aces" Who Fly The P-47. Associated Press Photo Shows:- One of the crack Thunderbolt pilots in ETO - Lt. Joe H. Powers of Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has seven enemy planes to his credit. (See companion p[iece?]). WOR 264594. 7-2-44-Y.' On reverse: Associated Press [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-401435.jpg.webp?itok=Qoyc9arR)
