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Prison Guard

Charles D. Powell

Oklahoma Department of Corrections — Oklahoma City, OK
Felonious
United States flag Oklahoma flag
End of Watch May 13, 1936
Age 35
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 156 · Column 2 · Line 16 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 18

Incident

Guard Charles Powell was shot and killed after he and three other guards were taken hostage during a mass escape attempt involving about 24 inmates at the Oklahoma State Prison. As the inmates loaded the hostages into a truck other guards opened fire. In the exchange of gunfire Guard Powell was shot and killed and two other guards were wounded.

The leader of the inmates was convicted of Guard Powell's murder and sentenced to life in prison. On August 10, 1941, he was shot and killed during an escape attempt at the same prison in which Warden Jess Dunn and Deputy Sheriff William A. Ford of the Pittsburg County Sheriffs Department were shot and killed.

One of the other prisoners who participated in the 1936 escape attempt had been convicted of murdering Constable William Wilmoth and Deputy Emery Whitten, both of the McCurtain County Sheriff's Department, on August 8, 1934. He was paroled in 1958.

Guard Powell had been with the agency for five years and was survived by his wife and two children.

Survivors

Guard Powell had been with the agency for five years and was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Prison Guard Powell gave the Oklahoma Department of Corrections 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oklahoma. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Prison Guard Powell.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Oklahoma Department of Corrections
Type Corrections
Location Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, OK
Platform Identity odcorr.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 13, 1936
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Charles is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1936, 136 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 31st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Charles was 35. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Charles had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Oklahoma Department of Corrections has 19 officers remembered here, Charles among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Prison Guard Charles D. Powell

Oklahoma Department of Corrections · End of Watch May 13, 1936

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 57-E

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