John Powers

Birthplace: New York, New York

Branch of Service: Navy

Unit: Squadron Commander, Bomber Squadron 5

Theater of Operation: Pacific

Highest Rank: Lt.

Military Honors: Medal of Honor Purple Heart, Air Medal with a Gold Star

Honored By: The Eisenhower Foundation

World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. Born New York City, New York, served as a Lieutenant U.S. Navy, Squadron Commander, Bomber Squadron 5 at the Battle of the Coral Sea. On May 8, 1942 an attack was launched against Japanese airplane carriers and other units of the enemy’s invasion force in the Coral Sea. Lieutenant Powers led his section of dive bombers down to the target from an altitude of 18,000 feet, through a wall of bursting antiaircraft shells and into the face of enemy fighter planes. Again, completely disregarding the safety altitude and without fear or concern for his safety, Lt. Powers 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 was last seen attempting recovery from his dive at the extremely low altitude of 200 feet, and amid a terrific barrage of shell and bomb fragments, smoke, flame and debris from the stricken vessel. Lieutenant Powers was awarded his Medal of Honor posthumously and it was accredited to the state of New York. His other Navy awards included the Purple Heart and Air Medal with Gold Star. Courtesy of findagrave.com.