Sergeant Powell was a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded in action while attacking the enemy on Hill 201 near the Naktong River in South Korea on 19 September 1950 and died of those wounds on 6 October 1950.

Powell was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.