This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Honor Thy Father

In Honor of My Father On Memorial Day

In honor of Memorial Day, I thought it fitting that I remember my dad, William “Bill” Power.  His sacrifice, along with so many other of our military and their families, are why we enjoy the life we have today. 

My father, William “Bill” Power, was raised in Bridgeport, CT attending St. Charles Grade School and Harding High School spending free time helping with his dad’s electrical contracting business.  After high school my dad enlisted in the Army National Guard on Gardner’s Island, Long Island, New York.  When his unit was called up in 1942, dad went for training in Birmingham, Alabama transferring from Artillery to the Air Force.

Now a lieutenant, he was posted to Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod.  Trained as a pilot, dad was shipped to Africa and then Foggia, Italy to fly the B17, also known as the “Flying Fortress”. 

Find out what's happening in Simsburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dad’s plane was shot down on February 26, 1944 during a bombing mission where he parachuted to a small farm in Austria.  Discovered by the Nazi’s, dad was captured and interred in Stalag #3 in Barth Germany  for approximately 14 months before being liberated by the Russian Army.  Dad received the Purple Heart and Air Medal in recognition of his service during World War II.

Dad reconnected with my mom, Faith, and married in Chicago in 1946.  As a USAF Captain, married with two daughters, Hope and Charity, he entered the MBA program at the University of Oklahoma. Several moves and now a Major our family moved to Oslo, Norway where he was Commanding Officer of an air squadron for NATO.  While stationed in Norway, my brother David was born at the US Military Base Hospital in Weisbaden, Germany.  Shortly thereafter, dad resigned his commission in the Air Force and moved back to Fairfield, Connecticut to start life in the corporate world in New York City and raise our family.

Find out what's happening in Simsburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Thank you, dad.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?