Supervisor Orders Huntington Flags to Half-Staff to Honor First Black Secretary of State Colin Powell

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 Town Supervisor directed that all flags on Town of Huntington properties be flown at half-staff on October 19 to honor former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who passed away on Monday. 

“Colin Powell was a widely respected patriot, born in Harlem to Jamaican immigrants, and his impressive achievements demonstrated the opportunities available to all Americans. Colin Powell dedicated his entire life in service to his country and broke many barriers as a Black American and we mourn his loss with the rest of the nation,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci. 

Colin Powell served for 35 years in the military – beginning as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Powell served two tours in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star during his first tour. On his second tour, he rescued his fellow soldiers from a burning helicopter despite being injured himself and was awarded the Soldier’s Medal. In total he received 11 military decorations, including the Legion of Merit. He went back to military service as a battalion commander in Korea, and was promoted brigadier general, commanding a brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. Powell served as an assistant to the deputy secretary of defense, and to the secretary of energy. He was promoted to major general. 

Powell worked in the Nixon White House Office of Management and Budget. He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as our country’s first Black National Security Advisor, appointed by President George H.W. Bush as the nation’s first Black (and as well as the youngest) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, overseeing 28 crises including Operation Desert Storm in 1991, and after founding America’s Promise Alliance, an organization aimed to help at-risk children, he was appointed by President George W. Bush and served as the United States’ first Black Secretary of State. 

 

Photo Above: Flag at half-staff at Huntington Town Hall October 19, 2021. 


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