PARENTS: Paul Chapman Powers, Sr. and Annie Sophia Johnson
WIFE: Kathleen E. Krause, married July 28, 1968 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
MILITARY: World War II, Regular Army, Place of Enlistment-Springfield, MA on December 6, 1945 Division-U.S. Army Air Corps., Grade-Technical Sergeant, Term of Enlistment-Enlistment for Hawaiian Department. Also served in the U.S. Air Force in the Korean Conflict.
DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: Distingushed Service Cross
CRITERIA: The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army, distinguishes himself or herself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor; while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing/foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The act or acts of heroism must have been so notable and have involved risk of life so extraordinary as to set the individual apart from his or her comrades.
CITATION
Technical Sergeant Paul C. Power, Jr.
United States Army
MILITARY MEDAL
On 16th December, 1944, when the advance of 277th Infantry through Fraulautern, Germany, was held up by a strongly defended enemy pillbox, Sergeant Powers, platoon sergeant of Company K, designated several men to cover his advance by fire, while he and a companion fearlessly moved forward to eliminate the resistance. When they reached the blind side of the pillbox, Sergeant Powers armed a grenade, held it for three seconds, and threw it into an embrasure. The resulting explosion put the enemy crew out of action. He then pulled the machine gun from the pillbox, setting it up in a position from which his companion could cover him, while he coolly detonated a high pressure explosive charge, which he had placed in a ventilator. His actions cleared the way for his unit to advance, and resulted in the capture of nine of the enemy.
LETTER
British Embassy - Washington,
12th January 1948
Dear Sergeant Powers,
I am sorry to hear that you will be unable to attend a ceremony at Washington to receive your Military Medal.
In accordance with your request, your decoration is being sent to you by registered post.
I should like to take this opportunity to tell you how highly your outstanding and gallant services are appreciated, and I offer you my personal congratulations on this well merited award.
OBITUARY:
PAUL CHAPMAN "BUDDY" POWERS, JR.
MERCER -- Paul "Buddy" Chapman Powers Jr., age 83, died April 11, 2008, at his home with his family by his side.
He was born September 11, 1924, in West Boylston, Mass., the son of Paul Chapman Sr. and Anna Sophia (Johnson) Powers. He was educated in the schools of Spencer, Mass. and attended the David Prouty High School.
Buddy married Kathleen E. Krause July 28, 1968, in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the U.S. Army and in the Korean conflict serving in the U.S. Air Force, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross Medal.
After the war, Buddy worked for more than eighteen years at the Etres Auto body in Worcester, Mass. He and his wife moved to Maine in 1972, where Buddy worked for Hight's Chevrolet in Skowhegan for 15 years, retiring in 1986.
Buddy was a member of the United Methodist Church of Mercer and the American Legion Gaudette-Kirk Post 138 of Spencer, Mass.
He enjoyed reading, doing home repairs, building Snoopy airplanes for children and listening to country and western and Celtic music.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen E. Powers of Mercer; a daughter, Donna R. Maska of Coatesville, Pa.; and a sister, Norma Lacaire and husband, Philip, of Worcester, Mass.
He absolutely adored children, especially his grandchildren, nieces, nephews and neighborhood children; two granddaughters, Rachel A. Ronan of Plymouth Meeting, Pa and Megan M. Maska of Coatesville, Pa.; and a grandson, Joseph P. Maska of Coatesville, Pa. Buddy was also very close to his sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws.
A memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family. Internment in the North Franklin Cemetery in Vienna later in the spring.
Friends wishing may make donations in his memory to HealthReach Hospice, P.O. Box 828, Waterville, ME 04903-0828
Arrangements under the care and direction of Dan & Scott's Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan.
FROM THE CONTRIBUTOR OF THIS MEMORIAL:
Paul "Buddy" Powers was my fathers best friend and best man at my parents wedding.
My only memories of him are this vision of him visiting California when I was a child and he had a red toolbox. The next memory was when I called him after my fathers death and asked him about an old 16 gauge shotgun my father had, it had stickers of a "Mexican Cock Fight" on the butt of it. He said that they bought the rifle from Sears and Roebuck Co., for $8 and his mom was putting these stickers on the refrigerator. They took some of the stickers and put it on the butt of the shotgun.
I still have this shotgun to this day, it is about 70 years old.
BEST FRIEND FROM CHILDHOOD: Calvin Russell Swallow
Rest Peacefully with God Buddy - I know Dad is so happy to be with you again and I am so happy that he has his best friend with him in Heaven.
PARENTS: Paul Chapman Powers, Sr. and Annie Sophia Johnson
WIFE: Kathleen E. Krause, married July 28, 1968 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
MILITARY: World War II, Regular Army, Place of Enlistment-Springfield, MA on December 6, 1945 Division-U.S. Army Air Corps., Grade-Technical Sergeant, Term of Enlistment-Enlistment for Hawaiian Department. Also served in the U.S. Air Force in the Korean Conflict.
DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: Distingushed Service Cross
CRITERIA: The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to a person who, while serving in any capacity with the Army, distinguishes himself or herself by extraordinary heroism not justifying the award of a Medal of Honor; while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing/foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. The act or acts of heroism must have been so notable and have involved risk of life so extraordinary as to set the individual apart from his or her comrades.
CITATION
Technical Sergeant Paul C. Power, Jr.
United States Army
MILITARY MEDAL
On 16th December, 1944, when the advance of 277th Infantry through Fraulautern, Germany, was held up by a strongly defended enemy pillbox, Sergeant Powers, platoon sergeant of Company K, designated several men to cover his advance by fire, while he and a companion fearlessly moved forward to eliminate the resistance. When they reached the blind side of the pillbox, Sergeant Powers armed a grenade, held it for three seconds, and threw it into an embrasure. The resulting explosion put the enemy crew out of action. He then pulled the machine gun from the pillbox, setting it up in a position from which his companion could cover him, while he coolly detonated a high pressure explosive charge, which he had placed in a ventilator. His actions cleared the way for his unit to advance, and resulted in the capture of nine of the enemy.
LETTER
British Embassy - Washington,
12th January 1948
Dear Sergeant Powers,
I am sorry to hear that you will be unable to attend a ceremony at Washington to receive your Military Medal.
In accordance with your request, your decoration is being sent to you by registered post.
I should like to take this opportunity to tell you how highly your outstanding and gallant services are appreciated, and I offer you my personal congratulations on this well merited award.
OBITUARY:
PAUL CHAPMAN "BUDDY" POWERS, JR.
MERCER -- Paul "Buddy" Chapman Powers Jr., age 83, died April 11, 2008, at his home with his family by his side.
He was born September 11, 1924, in West Boylston, Mass., the son of Paul Chapman Sr. and Anna Sophia (Johnson) Powers. He was educated in the schools of Spencer, Mass. and attended the David Prouty High School.
Buddy married Kathleen E. Krause July 28, 1968, in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the U.S. Army and in the Korean conflict serving in the U.S. Air Force, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross Medal.
After the war, Buddy worked for more than eighteen years at the Etres Auto body in Worcester, Mass. He and his wife moved to Maine in 1972, where Buddy worked for Hight's Chevrolet in Skowhegan for 15 years, retiring in 1986.
Buddy was a member of the United Methodist Church of Mercer and the American Legion Gaudette-Kirk Post 138 of Spencer, Mass.
He enjoyed reading, doing home repairs, building Snoopy airplanes for children and listening to country and western and Celtic music.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen E. Powers of Mercer; a daughter, Donna R. Maska of Coatesville, Pa.; and a sister, Norma Lacaire and husband, Philip, of Worcester, Mass.
He absolutely adored children, especially his grandchildren, nieces, nephews and neighborhood children; two granddaughters, Rachel A. Ronan of Plymouth Meeting, Pa and Megan M. Maska of Coatesville, Pa.; and a grandson, Joseph P. Maska of Coatesville, Pa. Buddy was also very close to his sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws.
A memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family. Internment in the North Franklin Cemetery in Vienna later in the spring.
Friends wishing may make donations in his memory to HealthReach Hospice, P.O. Box 828, Waterville, ME 04903-0828
Arrangements under the care and direction of Dan & Scott's Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan.
FROM THE CONTRIBUTOR OF THIS MEMORIAL:
Paul "Buddy" Powers was my fathers best friend and best man at my parents wedding.
My only memories of him are this vision of him visiting California when I was a child and he had a red toolbox. The next memory was when I called him after my fathers death and asked him about an old 16 gauge shotgun my father had, it had stickers of a "Mexican Cock Fight" on the butt of it. He said that they bought the rifle from Sears and Roebuck Co., for $8 and his mom was putting these stickers on the refrigerator. They took some of the stickers and put it on the butt of the shotgun.
I still have this shotgun to this day, it is about 70 years old.
BEST FRIEND FROM CHILDHOOD: Calvin Russell Swallow
Rest Peacefully with God Buddy - I know Dad is so happy to be with you again and I am so happy that he has his best friend with him in Heaven.
