John V. Power

John Vincent Power
John V. Power, Medal of Honor recipient
Born	(1918-11-20)November 20, 1918 Worcester, Massachusetts
Died	February 1, 1944(1944-02-01) (aged 25) KIA on Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1942 – 1944
Rank	First Lieutenant
Unit	3rd Battalion 24th Marines
Battles/wars	World War II  • Battle of Kwajalein
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart

John Vincent "Jack" Power (November 20, 1918 – February 1, 1944) was a United States Marine Corps first lieutenant who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Kwajalein in World War II.

Power was born on November 20, 1918, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He grew up in that city, living near the Cathedral of Saint Paul, and in 1937 graduated from Classical High School. He next attended the College of the Holy Cross, where he participated in tennis, basketball, football, and golf before his graduation in 1941.

One of his math teachers at Holy Cross was Reverend Joseph T. O'Callahan, who would himself receive the Medal of Honor as a Navy chaplain in World War II. O'Callahan remembered Power as "a good and determined student." After the war, Power's youngest sister, Patricia Power Rose, tended to O'Callahan as a student nurse at Worcester's Saint Vincent Hospital, where he was a patient.

Power enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on July 7, 1942, and was soon assigned to Officer Candidates School. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Reserve on October 31, 1942, and entered the 14th Reserve Officers Class at Quantico, Virginia, for a two-month course of instruction.

In January 1943, Power joined Company E, 3rd Separate Battalion, and deployed with that unit in March to Camp Pendleton, California. The designation of his unit was changed to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, and the unit subsequently joined the newly formed 4th Marine Division. He was promoted to first lieutenant on August 31, 1943.