John James Powers

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Powers while in service

John James Powers was a United States Navy officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War II. He was born in New York City on 3 July 1912 and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1935.

[edit] World War II naval career

After serving at sea for 5 years, he underwent flight training, reporting 21 January 1941 to Bombing Squadron 5, attached to the USS Yorktown (CV-5). As the fleet moved to prevent further Japanese expansion in the Solomons on 1942, Powers took part in the 4 May raid on Tulagi, flying without fighter cover to score two hits on Japanese ships.

As the main Battle of the Coral Sea developed on 7 May, Powers and his companions discovered carrier Shōhō and, bombing at extremely low altitudes, sank her in 10 minutes. "Lieutenant Powers, flying a divebomber in the face of blasting enemy anti-aircraft fire, [also] demolished one large enemy gunboat, put another gunboat out of commission, severely damaged an aircraft tender and a twenty thousand ton transport." [1]Next morning while the carrier battle continued, he joined the attack on Shokaku, scoring an important bomb hit.

[edit] Awarded the Medal of Honor

His low-bombing run, however, brought Powers into heavy antiaircraft fire, and his plane plunged into the sea. Powers was declared dead and, for his actions in this series of attacks, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously. According to the citation: "... completely disregarding the safety altitude and without fear or concern for his own safety, he courageously pressed home his attack, almost to the very deck of an enemy carrier and did not release his bomb until he was sure of a direct hit."

"He sacrificed his life when he deliberately dove his plane from 18,000 feet to an extremely low altitude before release in order to insure a direct hit on the Japanese aircraft carrier, making good his words to his pilots prior to takeoff: "Remember—the folks back home are counting on us. I am going to get a direct hit if I have to lay it on the flight deck." This, according to "20 Year Rendezvous: 1935 Lucky Bag," a 20th graduation anniverary book published by the Naval Academy for members of that class.

President Roosevelt spoke at length about Lt. Powers in a September 1943 radio address saying that "He led [his squadron] down to the target from an altitude of 18,000 feet, through a wall of bursting anti-aircraft shells and swarms of enemy planes. He dived almost to the very deck of the enemy carrier, and did not release his bomb until he was sure of a direct hit. He was last seen attempting recovery from his dive at the extremely low altitude of two hundred feet, amid a terrific barrage of shell and bomb fragments, smoke, flame and debris from the stricken vessel. His own plane was destroyed by the explosion of his own bomb. But he had made good his promise to "lay it on the flight deck." [2]

His mother christened the USS John J. Powers, (DE 528),[3] which was named after him, in February 1944. There is a plaque bearing his name in Mem Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy.