Powless, Elmer S.

1907 - 1987  (80 years)

• Name	Powless, Elmer S.
  Birth	16 Feb 1907  [1]
  Gender	Male
  Reference Number	POWL.E001
  _FGRAVE	19421063
  Military Service	World War II, Technician Fifth Grade, Company B, 741st Railway Operating Battalion, United States Army  [2]
  	Entered active service as a draftee on January 18, 1944 at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Selected for the Transportation Corps, completed basic training and qualified in the military occupational specialty of Locomotive Mechanic (112). Departed the U.S. on September 20, 1944 bound for the European Theater of Operations. Assigned to and served with Company B, 741st Railway Operating Battalion through the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. Earned The Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 bronze battle stars and the WWII Victory Medal. Honorably discharged as a Technician 5th Grade on November 12, 1945 at the Separation Center, Fort Sheridan, Illinois. This information has been posted on the National World War II Memorial's Registry of Remembrances website by Robert Medley Gatewood. It is entered here with his permission. Source: https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=2051624
  		American Railway Operation Battalions in European Theater of Operations During World War II
  		Flag of the United States, 48 Stars (1912-1959) In 1912, two stars were added to the United States flag, representing Arizona and New Mexico, bringing the total number of stars to 48. They were arranged in six rows of eight stars each. American fighting men would fight under this flag during four wars: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the beginning of the Vietnam War. (In 1959, a…
  		United States Army
  		Technician Fifth Grade (T/5 or Tec 5), United States Army and United States Army Air Forces (Sep 1942-Aug 1948) This insignia was worn during World War II. The Technician ranks were removed from the U.S. Army rank system in 1948, although the concept was brought back with the Specialist ranks in 1955.
  		Technician Fifth Grade, United States Army and United States Army Air Forces (Sep 1942-Aug 1948) This insignia was worn during World War II. The Technician ranks were removed from the U.S. Army rank system in 1948, although the concept was brought back with the Specialist ranks in 1955.
  		United States Army Enlisted Rank Insignia
  		Military Service Ribbons, Elmer S. Powless (1907-1987) Contributed by Carl Wayne Gray
  		Good Conduct Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		Good Conduct Medal, United States Army
  		American Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		American Campaign Medal, United States
  		European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, United States Armed Forces
  		European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, United States
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		World War II Victory Medal, United States Military
  		World War II (1939-1945)
  		Fort Sheridan, Illinois
  		European Theater of World War II
  		741st Railway Operating Battalion and 710th Railway Grand Division, United States Army
  		Military Railway Units
  		Railroaders in Olive Drab: The Military Railway Service in World War II
  		Military Railway Service, United States Army
  		World War II Honoree, Powless, Elmer S. (1907-1987)
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007 On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. …
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 01 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 02 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 03 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  		Brochure, World War II Memorial, Flora, Illinois, Nov 11, 2007, page 20 of 26 pages On Veterans' Day, 2005, the city of Flora, Illinois dedicated a memorial to all known Clay County, Illinois World War II Veterans. Located on the south side of the city library, this is a copy of the brochure honoring that event. This 2007 brochure adds a matrix for locating the memorial brick that was laid in honor of each veteran. This…
  Death	26 Apr 1987  [1]
  Burial	Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, Clay County, Illinois   [1]
  		Headstone, Powless, Lula and Elmer
  Person ID	I32628	Carl Wayne Gray Research
  Last Modified	26 May 2023

  
  

  Father	Powless, James Lewis,   b. 1885   d. 31 Dec 1938 (Age 53 years)
  Mother	Guyott, Daisy L.,   b. 15 Aug 1888, Mill Shoals, White County, Illinois d. 8 Oct 1979, Flora Nursing Center, Flora, Clay County, Illinois (Age 91 years)
  Marriage	Fairfield, Wayne County, Illinois   [3, 4]
  Family ID	F10463	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	?, Lula,   b. 15 Jun 1904   d. 18 Jun 1996 (Age 92 years)
  Family ID	F13564	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Jan 2023

  
  

• Event Map

  Burial - - Elmwood Cemetery, Flora, Clay County, Illinois  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S10070] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Powless, Lula and Elmer, (http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=19421063), none. (Reliability: 2). [S14827] World War II Honoree, Elmer S. Powless, (https://wwiiregistry.abmc.gov/honoree-plaque/?honoree_id=2051624) (Reliability: 2). [S6659] http://www.findagrave.com, Headstone, Powless, Daisy L. and James L., (http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=33103126), none. (Reliability: 2). [S6660] http://www.findagrave.com, Obituary, Powless, Daisy, 90, (http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=33103135), none. (Reliability: 2).