Colin Powell, the United States military leader, and politician died at 84 of COVID complications on October 18th, 2021. Colin Powell had a varied career and paved the way for many African Americans in both the military and politics, even being a serious contender for president of the united states.
In this article, we will review Colin Powell’s life and achievements to honor how he spent his life serving others.
1. Who was Colin Powell?
Colin Powell was a former military leader, rising through the ranks of the US Army to become a general. In later years Colin Powell entered diplomatic service, serving multiple US Presidents in various roles before retiring from public service in 2005.
In later life, Colin Powell became a public speaker and an advisor to various businesses and political figures.
2. What did Colin Powell do?
Colin Powell did many things in military, political, and private arenas. He advised presidents, ran military operations, wrote books, spoke publicly as a motivational speaker, and assisted various humanitarian organizations.
3. How did Colin Powell die?
Colin Powell was fighting cancer which had weakened his immune system; he contracted COVID-19 and died of complications of the two on October 18th, 2021.
Colin Powell was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but immune issues and age were factors in his death.
4. Where did Colin Powell grow up?
Colin Powell was born on April 5, 1937, in Harlem, New York. He was raised in the South Bronx of New York City.
5. When did Colin Powell join the military?
Colin Powell was an officer in the US Army for 35 years. He joined the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) while attending the City College of New York in 1954. Upon graduation in 1958, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army.
6. What military medals and awards has Colin Powell received?
With a 35 year career in the military, Colin Powell received many medals and awards. The most notable was his Soldier’s Medal received during the Vietnam War, where he survived and singlehandedly rescued three other soldiers from a burning helicopter. He also received a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts during the Vietnam war.
7. Was Colin Powell injured in the military?
Colin Powell was injured multiple times during his military career. The first notable time was in 1963 when he stepped on a Viet-Cong booby trap that spiked his foot on patrol. The second notable injury was in 1968, during his second tour in Vietnam, when a helicopter he was in crashed. While injured, he was still able to assist other passengers in getting free.
8. When did Colin Powell join politics?
While still a military man, he took a position as a White House fellow in 1972. He became an assistant to Frank Carlucci, the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.
He held several positions following that, including within the Pentagon, and in 1983 he became the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defence.
In 1987 he joined back with Frank Carlucci as the United States Deputy National Security Advisor.
9. When did Colin Powell become a general?
Colin Powell became a Brigadier General in 1979, a Major General in 1983, a Lieutenant General in 1986, and a full four-star General in 1989.
10. Was Colin Powell the National Security Advisor?
Colin Powell was the National Security Advisor from 1987 to 1989 for President Ronald Reagan. He was the first black National Security Advisor.
11. Was Colin Powell the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
Colin Powell was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the United States. He acted in this position from 1989 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman is the highest military position in the United States Armed Forces.
He was the youngest person to hold this position at 52 and was the first black chairman. He was also the first chairman that received his commission through ROTC.
12. What military operations did Colin Powell oversee?
Colin Powell held several high-ranking military positions and oversaw various operations from different levels. However, as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he oversaw 28 different crises, most notably being the invasion of Panama in 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
13. When did Colin Powell retire from the military?
Colin Powell resigned as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as his approach did not match the newly elected President Clinton’s approach to foreign military interventions. This position was his last assignment in the military.
14. Did Colin Powell run for President of the United States?
Colin Powell never ran for President of the United States. However, he did briefly consider running as the Republican candidate. Over the years, there have been multiple suggestions that he makes a run for the presidency, but each time he has decided it would not be the right fit for him.
15. Was Colin Powell Secretary of State?
Colin Powell was the Secretary of State from 2001 until 2005 under President George W. Bush. He was the first black Secretary of State and was in the position during the devasting September 11 attacks on America.
16. Did Colin Powell tell the UN that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction?
As Secretary of State for the United States, Colin Powell addressed the United Nations to tell them that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and there needed to be intervention. This opened the doorway for America to invade Iraq, where no weapons of destruction were found.
It was later found that the information used by Colin Powell was inaccurate. He has said it is a blot on his career that he regrets; however, he can do nothing about it now.
17. What civilian medals and awards has Colin Powell received?
Colin Powell has received many awards and honors in the United States and from foreign countries.
The most notable have been two Presidential Medals of Freedom and created an honorary knight by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
18. When did Colin Powell retire?
Colin Powell never really retired and kept working in various positions. However, he retired from the military in 1993 and retired from public service in 2005. After which, he worked as a private citizen.
19. What books did Colin Powell write?
Colin Powell wrote his first book, an autobiography, in 1995 called My American Journey. In retirement, he wrote another book called It Worked For Me, Lessons in Life and Leadership, published in 2012.
20. Who was Colin Powell’s wife?
Colin Powell married Alma Johnson in 1962. Alma was an audiologist and the chair of America’s Promise, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of young people. She also had three children. One of her children was Michael Powell, the former chairman of the FCC.
Final Thoughts
Colin Powell was a driven man, rising in the military ranks to ultimately take the highest military positions possible. He was respected by both republicans and democrats for his military advice and strategies.
He was a trailblazer and role model for many people, especially black Americans, as he took positions of power that a black American had never held before.
Colin Powell was indeed a great man, with integrity and humility that many will miss now that he’s gone.
