Army Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell

Remember Our Heroes

Army Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell, 25, of Pleasant Plains, Ill.

SSgt Powell was assigned to the 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.; died Sept. 21, 2010 in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash during combat operations in Zabul province, Afghanistan. Also killed in the crash were: Army Maj. Robert F. Baldwin, Army Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr., Lt. (SEAL) Brendan J. Looney, Senior Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collection) David B. McLendon, Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonah D. McClellan, Navy Special Warfare Operator 3rd Class (SEAL) Denis C. Miranda, Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class (SEAL) Adam O. Smith, and Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew G. Wagstaff.

Staff Sgt. Josh Powell’s devotion to his country started long before the 25-year-old Pleasant Plains native joined the U.S. Army.

“Even as a little boy, he was extremely patriotic. During (Operation) Desert Storm, he was very involved in wanting to know what was going on. As a really small child, he was constantly calling me in to see what was on the news versus watching cartoons,” his mother, Susan Needham of Pleasant Plains, said Wednesday.

Powell was serving with the 101st Airborne based at Fort Campbell, Ky. It was his third deployment and second stint in Afghanistan.

“He always said that if he were going to pass on, that’s how he wanted to go – doing what he believed in and fighting for the freedom of his country,” Susan Needham said.

No second-guessing career

That wish is what helps his relatives cope with their grief.

“He made a decision early on that this was going to be his career. There was no second-guessing whatsoever,” his father, David Powell of Springfield, said. “He loved the Army.”

Powell grew up in the Pleasant Plains area and attended Plains schools, graduating from Pleasant Plains High School in 2003.

Josh Powell started talking about a military career in high school, his parents said, and entered basic training for the Illinois National Guard after graduation. He then attended college at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.

About two years into his college career, he changed course, Susan Needham said.

“He called me up and said, ‘Mom, you’re going to be mad at me. … I want to quit college and go into the military full-time.’ I said, ‘Why would I be mad at you for that?’ because I’d always known that’s what had been in his heart.”

David Powell recalled a similar conversation.

“It made me nervous doing what he did. It was always a worry, but as a parent, you have to let your kids do what they want to do, and that’s what he wanted,” he said.

David Powell said his son was assigned to the 101st Airborne medical evacuation unit at Fort Campbell and served as a helicopter crew chief when he was deployed to Iraq.

He said the experience matured his son and gave him a great sense of purpose and discipline.

Transfer to air assault

After Iraq, Powell transferred to an air assault unit and was deployed to Afghanistan as a crew chief. During his most recent deployment, he had been promoted to an instructor position that involved training soldiers in the helicopters.

Doug Needham said Powell was relieved the promotion didn’t take him out of the action.

He spent most of his time in a Blackhawk helicopter, and his family said he loved to fly. He also rarely took advantage of his own leave time, giving it to other soldiers who are married or have children.

“He would give up his leave at Christmas time so they could go home and be with their families,” Susan Needham said.

His family said he was modest about his own accomplishments, downplaying a medal he received after he helped rescue a soldier injured by an improvised explosive device.

“He did not want to be seen as a hero,” Travis Powell said. “He just always thought, ‘Well, this is my job.’”

Josh Powell’s girlfriend, Rebecca Elschoff of Chatham, kept in contact with Powell through instant messaging and Skype telephone service. She said he never complained about his circumstances, except to occasionally gripe about the food.

Elschoff last talked to Powell Sunday night and he was in good spirits.

‘Just be careful’

David Powell said his son had sent an e-mail indicating he’d be flying with Navy Seals this week. “I said, ‘Just be careful.’ And he said, ‘I always am,’” David Powell said.

He added that he heard about the helicopter crash early Tuesday but didn’t know if his son was involved.

“I just had a bad feeling all day,” David Powell said. “I called Travis right away and left a voice mail if he heard anything. I sent (Josh Powell) an email, ‘Are you OK?’ and usually I hear back from him right away.”

In the meantime, the Army had started to notify the family, arriving at the Needhams’ home first.

Susan Needham, who works for the Springfield FBI office, said she was at the bureau’s facility in Quantico, Va., at the time. She credited her employer with going to great lengths to get her home Tuesday night. Since she’s been home, Susan Needham said the outpouring of support has been “unbelievable.”

Family members say Josh wouldn’t have wanted the attention. “He was so unselfish with what he gave to his country, and we want to honor him,” Susan Needham said.

Army Staff Sgt. Joshua D. Powell was killed in action on 9/21/10.