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Powell
Arms: Azure two swords in saltire points downwards between four mullets argent, on a chief argent a lion passant gules.

SOURCES, NOTES & CREDITS: The illustration for background, the blazon and the text is based on, and adapted from, information supplied Peter Drumond-Murray’s article, page 18, “The Double Tressure”, 2004, and from the Wikipedia internet articles.

General Colin Luther Powell, KCB born 5 April 1937 died today, Monday, 18 Oct 2021 at age 84 from complications due to Covid 19," the Powell family wrote on Facebook, noting he was fully vaccinated. Powell was afflicted with other diseases, including Parkinson’s and the blood cancer multiple myeloma, which could hamper recovery from COVID-19 infection, according to reports. His family didn't specify when Powell received vaccine, or whether he had taken a booster shot.

Colin Powell was an American politician, diplomat and retired four-star general who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. Powell was the first African-American Secretary of State.

A career Army officer, he served for 35 years rising to the rank of Four-Star General.
In his first tour of Vietnam he was wounded.

During his second tour in Vietnam he was decorated with the Soldier's Medal for bravery after he survived a helicopter crash and single-handedly rescued three others, including the division commander from the burning wreckage.

In 1987, at the age of 49, Powell became President Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor, serving to 1989 while retaining his Army commission as a lieutenant general.

His final military assignment was as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993. He was the first Afro-American to serve in this position.

In retirement he served as an informal advisor to political biggies and was even considered presidential material. He backed President George Bush and in 2001. President Bush appointed Powell Secretary of State where he served from 2001 to 2005.

General Powell was awarded numerous medals and decorations from the US and abroad.

Of his many military decorations, as noted, he received The Soldiers Medal which is rarely awarded and is for personal valor at the risk of one’s one life not in combat, and the Purple Heart Medal for combat wounds.

For civilian decorations Powell received The Presidential Medal of Freedom twice, first in 1991 by President H. W. Bush and a second time by President Clinton but this time "With Distinction" in 1993. Among his foreign awards he was created an Honourary Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) by Queen Elizabeth II, it is believed for his role in the First Gulf War and the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor from France.

Now to the heraldic part: Early in the reign of Lord Lyon Blair say around 2001-2002 General Powell petitioned the Court of the Lord Lyon for arms in the memory of his father Luther Powell born in 1898 in Jamaica, a subject of Queen Victoria. In due course a warrant was issued on 4 Feb 2004. In Sep. 2004 Lyon Blair came to the US to Washington, D.C. to present General Powell with his Letters Patent which conferred arms on him, his descendants and other descendants of his father. The presentation took place at the Department of State in the Office of the Secretary, as Powell was then Secretary of State. Attending Lyon Blair for the presentation to General Powell were two members of the Society of Scottish Armigers (SSA): Donald Draper Campbell with his wife Beth and the late David Garrison.

The swords are a reference to Powell’s military career and the four mullets refer to his four stars of a full general.

The artwork is a rendition of John Hamilton Gaylor

2021 1018

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Sellar~2.jpg Sellar_Hatchment_Right.jpg Powell~0.jpg Napier0236~0.jpg Napier.jpg
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