​Capt. Edward Joseph Powers
United States Marine Corps
Flight 19 - Pilot FT-36

​Edward Joseph Powers (Capt Powers), was born in 1919, in Mount Vernon, New York. Edward graduated from Princeton University in 1941, and on that same year he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Upon graduating, he was assigned as a training instructor at Quantico, Virginia. Later on in 1944, he would request a transfer to become a cadet in the naval air forces. He gave up his commanding position for his desire to fly on the TBM/TBF Avenger torpedo bombers. 

Capt Powers was transferred to NAS Miami to train in the Avengers.  It was at this base that a haunting accident occurred: on October 9, 1945, it was reported that Capt Power's gunner Michael Belvito, was missing from the TBM they were flying on a routine training flight. When the plane got back to the base, it was noted that the gunner's door and parachute were gone. A search and rescue was launched but nobody found anything. The cause of the gunner's disappearance is still unknown.

Two months later, Capt Powers transferred to train at NAS Fort Lauderdale. On December 5, 1945 he would disappear over the Bermuda Triangle with the Flight 19 Squadron. On that fateful day at NAS Fort Lauderdale (along with 13 other crewmen), he was assigned to a training squadron of 5 Avenger aircraft that would be known as Flight 19. 

The squadron was to perform a routine navigation exercise, and mock bombing run over the Hen and Chickens shoals in the Bahamas, and then return to the NAS Fort Lauderdale. The planes never returned. Neither did a PBM Mariner rescue seaplane with 13 crewmen aboard, that was dispatched to search for their lost colleagues.  In total, 6 aircraft and 27 men disappeared that afternoon. A massive search was organized, and nothing was found. Their disappearance launched one of the largest air and sea searches in history, and began the legend of the Bermuda Triangle. To this date, Flight 19 remains one of the great aviation mysteries.

Though a NASFL student, Capt Power's was the senior officer of the flight.  He was the only married man aboard, and the only father. At one of the Flight 19 Memorial Ceremonies, it was noted by the family of Capt Power's that his wife felt a premonition and called the base, several hours before the disappearance.  

Capt Edward Joseph Powers was the pilot on FT-36. The aircraft was a TBM-1C with BuNo 46094. His Gunner was Sgt. Howell O. Thompson, USMCR. and the Radioman was Sgt. George R. Paonessa, USMCR.   Capt Powers was 26 years old.

---

At right: Capt Edward Joseph Powers with friends.

News article about Michael Belvito's disappearance

Capt Edward Joseph Powers in full uniform

---

Capt Powers correspondence with Michael Belvito's family

Letter from the commanding officer at NAS Miami to the Belvito family

​Flight 19 Project Research by Matthew J. Bloom,
Curated by Benjamin Walter-Range & Minerva Bloom

• Flight 19 Complete Naval Report: Get the naval investigation from original microfilm, published  in book form (proceeds go to Museum).
• Support Project Mariner: An Expedition of the NAS Fort Lauderdale Museum.

​​Flight 19 - The Lost Squadron
Great Aviation Mysteries