2nd Lt. Ormond E. Powell
475th Fighter Group (475th FG), 431st Fighter Squadron (431st FS)
P-38 Lightning Pilot Missing In Action (MIA)

Background
Ormond Eugene Powell was born September 8, 1921 to parents Charlie Powell and Annabell (née Currens) Powell in Richmond, Madison County in Kentucky. He was the middle child between older sister Ellen A. Powell born 1920 and younger sister Suda B. Powell born 1923. He graduated high school, attended one year of college and worked in a bakery.

Wartime History
On January 20, 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as an aviation cadet with serial number 15097089. He trained at Turner Field in Georgia, Shaw Field in South Carolina and Columbia Army Air Base in Columbia, South Carolina. In November 1942, he graduated flight school class 42-K, earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-798636. Afterwards, he was sent overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), Powell was a bomber pilot assigned to Headquarters in Australia. He flew a total of 43 missions then transfered to 5th Fighter Command (V Fighter Command) and was assigned to the 475th Fighter Group (475th FG) "Satan's Angels", 431st Fighter Squadron (431st FS) "Hades" as a fighter pilot flying the P-38 Lightning.

Mission History
On December 28, 1943 took off from North Embi Airfield (Dobodura No. 12) piloting P-38G "Beautiful Lass" 43-2204 on a patrol mission over Cape Gloucester on western New Britain. Powell was flying as the wingman for Captain Verle E. Jett in the second flight. The other two P-38s in this flight returned to base due to mechanical problems.

Over Cape Gloucester, the P-38s patrolled until relieved at 12:35pm, the weather had closed in and the formation was forced to fly to 25,000', but Powell was seen to be falling behind, and 1st Lt Paul Morris called for him on the radio not to enter the overcast, and got no reply.

1st Lt. Paul V. Morris again observed Powell's P-38 flying directly into the weather front east of Aisega on western New Britain. Three minutes later, the formation broke out of the weather, returned to base and reported Powell as lost. When he failed to return, Powell was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).

Memorials
Powell was officially declared dead on January 16, 1946. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. Powell also has a memorial marker at Richmond Cemetery in Richmond, KY.

Relatives
Ellen A. Rader (sister born 1920 died 1993)
Suda B. Powell Jones (sister born 1923, died 1990)

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Ormond E. Powell
Missing Air Crew Report 1502 (MACR 1502) created December 30, 1943
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ormond E. Powell
FindAGrave - Ormond Eugene Powell (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Ormond E Powell (tablets of the missing)
Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Special Collections & Archives - Ormond E. Powell in Army Air Forces uniform 2009A003-34 (photo)
475th Fighter Group Historical Foundation - 431st Hades Fighter Squadron 2nd Lt. Ormond E. Powell (MIA)

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