The Patriot Guard Riders have been invited to accompany United States Army Air Forces PFC Charles R. Powers, 18, of Riverside, California to his final resting place at Riverside National Cemetery. It will our honor to accompany this WWII hero from the Greatest Generation.
Powers was a member of the 28th Materiel Squadron, 20th Air Base Group when Japanese forces invaded the Philippine Islands in December 1941. Intense fighting continued until the surrender of the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942, and of Corregidor Island on May 6, 1942.
Powers was among those reported captured when United States forces in Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. They were subjected to the 65-mile Bataan Death March and then held at the Cabanatuan POW camp. Conditions at the camp were poor, with food and water extremely limited, leading to widespread malnutrition and outbreaks of malaria and dysentery. More than 2,500 POWs perished in this camp during the war. According to prison camp and other historical records, Powers died July 18,1942 and was buried along with other deceased prisoners in the local Cabanatuan Camp Cemetery in Common Grave 312.
Although interred as an Unknown in MACM, Powers’ grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), along with others still missing from WWII.
In January 2018, the remains associated with Common Grave 312 were disinterred and sent to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) laboratory for analysis. The laboratory analysis and the totality of the circumstantial evidence available established an association between one set of these unknown remains and PFC Powers.
Private First Class Powers is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. A rosette has been placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
NOTE: This mission posting is to facilitate your voluntary participation in honoring this military veteran. For those interested, and all PGR members are welcome, we will be accompanying this WWII hero from the funeral home to the cemetery, approximately 14 miles. Please see the timetable if you would like to participate. For those who would rather go directly to the cemetery, we will meet you there.
TIMETABLE FOR THURSDAY, 18 JULY 20241100: Stage at Evans-Brown Mortuary, 27010 Encanto Dr, Menifee, CA.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/usMMQ5TU2vniGxNy81130: Mission briefing.
1215: KSU to Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, CA.
1300: Flag line and military honors.
TOM BARRY
California PGR State Captain
casc@patriotguard.org714-206-1227
You do not have to be a veteran or a motorcycle rider to attend this mission. All PGR members are welcome. We encourage those who do not ride to attend in your car. If this will be your first mission go to the initial staging area and you will be briefed there by the Ride Captain (RC). Dress for motorcycle riding or dress casually if you are driving a cage (car). Please feel free to attend any portion of this mission you can. Please ride/drive safely.
